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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kanyakumaree Neeye

From Thambi Durai · 1997

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Arun Mozhi
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Thambi Durai1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kanyaakumari neeyae…You are Kanyakumari...
Ennai kanneduthuLooking at me with your eyes
Paarkka vendum neeyaeYou must look at me
Male
Kanyaakumari neeyae…You are Kanyakumari...
Ilam kanyaakumari neeyaeYou are the young Kanyakumari
Ennai kanneduthuLooking at me with your eyes
Paarkka vendum neeyaeYou must look at me
Nallazhagu mangai neeyaeYou are a beautiful young woman
Nalla vaarthai solluvaayaeWon't you speak sweet words?
Ohoo ooo…Ohoo ooo...
Kanyaakumari neeyaeYou are Kanyakumari
Female
Niruthu niruthuStop, stop!
Yaara paarthuLooking at whom
Kannyakumarinnu paadraAre you singing Kanyakumari?
Yedho pona poguthu ellorumJust letting it go, everyone
Paada solranghlaeAsked you to sing
Sari paadattum vittaOkay, I let you sing
Enna paartha kanyakumarinnu paadraAre you singing Kanyakumari looking at me?
Male
Ada onna illamaHey, not at all,
Idho odittu irukkae aaruThis river flowing right here,
Itha thaan kanyakumarinnu sonnenI referred to this as Kanyakumari!
Female
Hmm kummHmm kumm
Male
Kaala kaalamaagaSince time immemorial,
Odugindra aaraiThe river that flows,
Kanyaakumari endru sollalaamaeCan be called Kanyakumari
Mudhumai indri naalumWithout aging, every day,
Ilamai kondadhaalaeBecause it stays youthful,
Kumari endru naalum kollalaamaeIt can always be considered a young virgin girl
Male
Meen irukkum suvaiFish are in it, taste is in it
Thaen irukkumHoney-like sweetness is in it
Kuru kurukkumIt sparkles and ripples eagerly
Nalla nadai irukkumIt has a fine gait
Female
Iru iru ippoWait, wait now!
Meen irukkum suvaiFish are in it, taste is in it,
Thaen irukkumnnuHoney-like sweetness is in it -
Enna thaanae paadunaDidn't you sing that about me?
Aprom ennaThen what about
Kuru kurukkumSparkling eager
Nadai irukkumMovement and gait?
Male
Athu vanthuThat... well
Meenu aathula irukkuthu maaFish is in the river, ma'am!
Eduthu suvachu paarthaIf you catch and taste it,
Thaen maadhiri irukkudhumaIt is sweet like honey, ma'am!
Athu poradha paarthuSeeing how it flows,
Kuru kurunnu nadandhuDoesn't it look like walking eagerly
Pora maadhiri ilaWith a rhythmic gait?
Male
Kanivaai sirikkumSmiling with a gentle mouth
Sugamaai anaikkumEmbracing with comfort
Ninaithaalae inikkumSweet just to think about
Manathai izhuthuPulling the heart and
Mayakkum azhagiyaMesmerizing beautiful
Male
Kanyaakumari neeyae…You are Kanyakumari...
Ennai kanneduthuLooking at me with your eyes
Paarkka vendum neeyaeYou must look at me
Male
Valaiya neliya paarthenI saw it winding and twisting
Valaiyal osai kettenI heard the sound of bangles
Valaiyai veesi paarkka aasai aanenI wished to cast a net and see
Female
Itha paaruLook here!
Oru alavu thaan irukkuThere is a limit to this!
Athu ennaWhat was that?
Valaiyal osai kettenI heard the sound of bangles,
Valaiyai veesi aasai aanenI wished to cast a net
Male
AdhuvaaThat one?
Alaiyin osai keluListen to the sound of waves
Valaiyil osai polaeIt sounds like bangles
Valaiyai aathil yaarum veesalaamaeAnyone can cast a net in the river
Male
Amaidhi kollumIt stays calm
Idhu aarparikkumIt roars with sound
Anai endru sonnaalIf a dam is built across
MarudhalikkumIt resists and rebounds
Female
Ippo nee maathavae mudiyathuNow you can't change it!
Nee kandippaYou definitely
Enna thaan paadittu irukkaAre singing only about me!
Male
Yemma anaiya katti vechaHey lady, if you dam up water,
Thanni maruthalikkadhaWon't the water resist?
Ada paiyana konjam pada vidumaaHey, let the guy sing a bit, woman!
Male
Uravaai ninaithuConsidering as a relationship
Karathaal yevanumIf anyone with hands
Pidithaal vilagumTries to hold, it slips away
Oruvan madiyil kalakkum azhagiyaMerging into one's lap, beautiful
Kanyaakumari neeyaeYou are Kanyakumari
Female
Athu ennaWhat is that?
Karathaal pidithaal vilagum kettaIf held with hands, it slips away - you asked?
thanniya kaiyaala pudichaIf you hold water with your hand,
Vilagum nu solluvaaThey say it slips away!
Oruvan madiyil kalakkumMerging in someone's lap -
Na enna nu kettaIf you ask what that is,
Kadal la kalakradha thaan sonnenI meant merging into the sea!
Oruvan naan samudhira raajan nuNext you will say I am the King of the Ocean!
Solla pora..seri seri paadi tholaFine fine, sing and get it over with!
Male
Kanyaakumari neeyae…You are Kanyakumari...
Ennai kanneduthuLooking at me with your eyes
Paarkka vendum neeyaeYou must look at me
Nallazhagu mangai neeyae…aeYou are a beautiful young woman...
Nalla vaarthai solluvaayaeWon't you speak sweet words?
Ohoo ooo…Ohoo ooo...
Male
Kanyaakumari neeyaeYou are Kanyakumari
Ennai kanneduthuLooking at me with your eyes
Paarkka vendum neeyaeYou must look at me

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful track features a comedic and romantic debate between the hero and heroine. The male singer sings complimentary lines comparing the heroine to the eternal and beautiful Kanyakumari (and a river), while the heroine interrupts repeatedly to catch him flitting between flirtatious praise of her and clever double entendres about the actual river flowing beside them. Whenever she accuses him of singing about her, he wittily deflects by applying every line to physical characteristics of the river (fish, water flow, dams, and waves).

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Double Entendre (Shleshalamkara)

Kanyaakumari neeyae…

The entire song hinges on double meaning where 'Kanyakumari' refers simultaneously to a young virgin woman and the virgin river / cape.

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Alaiyin osai kelu valaiyil osai polae

Comparing the rhythmic sound of river waves to the jingling sound of bangles ('Valaiyal osai').

Rhyme / Monai

Kaala kaalamaaga

Initial rhyming and phonetic repetition across adjacent lines ('Kaala kaalamaaga' and 'Mudhumai indri naalum').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a classic example of the 'Tharkka Paattu' (Debate Song) genre popular in Tamil film music, where the lyrics double as conversational dialogue interrupting the musical meter.

Keep listening

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