- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Tripura Sundari
- Movie release year
- 1978
- Lyrics added on
- 6 Jun 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Kattazhagu Mama from Tripura Sundari (1978) is a seductive yet innocent folk-romantic song expressing a young woman's deep affection and romantic dreams for her beloved maternal cousin/groom ('mama'). She playfully teasingly asks if the time has come for them to unite, picturing traditional wedding rituals, romantic night scenes decorated with flowers, and a prosperous domestic life filled with children and lullabies.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Kattazhagu mama unnaiththaanae / Kattikollalaamaa”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Ka' in 'Kattazhagu' and 'Kattikollalaamaa'.
Edhukai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Thottaal pothum medhuvaagavae / Thottil aadum azhagaagavae”
Matching of the second consonant 'tt' in 'Thottaal' and 'Thottil'.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kanni thaenai vittu vaikkalaamaa”
'Kanni thaen' (maiden's honey) metaphorically represents her youthful affection and sweetness.
Visual Imagery
“Pachai vaazhai ilai podavaa / Kattil meedhu malar thoovavaa”
Evokes vivid pictures of South Indian cultural motifs like green banana leaves, flower beds, lit lamps, and cradles.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Kannadasan, this track features voice modulation by singer S. Janaki. Her expressive, playful, and alluring vocal texture made the song a popular hit in late 1970s Tamil cinema culture.
Keep listening
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