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Thanga Kalasam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kattu Sotha Somandhu

From Thanga Kalasam · 1988

Lyricist
London Gopal
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Thanga Kalasam
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
6 Jun 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kattu choththa somanthukittu
Kattazhagi kannaaththaa
Pattanamae suththuthu unthan pinnaadi
Azhagu sokkuthadi en manasu munnaadi
Achchu vellam ee moikkum
Makku thalai aththaanae
Achchu vellam ee moikkum
Makku thalai aththaanae
Sokku podi podaathae
Un soththa palla kaattaathae
Aththa peththa muththuraani
Meththaiyadi nee enakku
Thottu paaththu kattikkiraen
Kattuch choththu kannaaththaa
Thannanaana thannannaa
Thannanaana thannannaa….
Hararararae….aththa peththa muththuraani
Meththaiyadi nee enakku
Thottu paaththu kattikkiraen
Kattuch choththu kannaaththaa
Thavala adai inthaaththaa
Male :Kaara vadai kannaaththaa
Female :Kozhikkari inthaaththaa
Male :Katti muththam kannaaththaa
Sengkarumbu kadichchu senthaena kudichchu
Sengkarumbu kadichchu senthaena kudichchu
Female :Sambaa choththa kozhachchi thanthidavaa
Urutti sambaa choththa kozhachchi thanthidavaa
Hararararae….kattu choththa somanthukittu
Kattazhagi kannaaththaa
Pattanamae suththuthu unthan pinnaadi
Azhagu sokkuthadi en manasu munnaadi
Achchu vellam ee moikkum
Male :Aahaan
Female :Makku thalai aththaanae
Male :Aahaa
Female :Sokku podi podaathae
Male :A…..aa….
Female :Un soththa palla kaattaathae
Male :…………….
Carrying your bundle of packed food,
gorgeous Kannatha,
the whole town follows behind you!
Your beauty enchants my heart right before me!
Flies swarm around sweet jaggery,
you foolish cousin of mine!
Flies swarm around sweet jaggery,
you foolish cousin of mine!
Don't cast your magic love-spell on me,
and don't flash your rotten teeth!
My aunt's precious queen,
you are a soft bed to me!
I will touch you and take you as mine,
my bundle of treasure, Kannatha!
Thannaanaanna thannannaa
Thannaanaanna thannannaa…
Harararare… My aunt's precious queen,
you are a soft bed to me!
I will touch you and take you as mine,
my bundle of treasure, Kannatha!
Here, take this lentil pancake,
Male: A spicy vada for you, Kannatha!
Female: Here, take this chicken curry,
Male: A tight kiss for you, Kannatha!
Biting sweet red sugarcane and sipping pure honey,
Biting sweet red sugarcane and sipping pure honey,
Female: Shall I mash and feed you cooked samba rice?
Shall I roll the mashed samba rice into balls and feed you?
Harararare… Carrying your bundle of packed food,
gorgeous Kannatha,
the whole town follows behind you!
Your beauty enchants my heart right before me!
Flies swarm around sweet jaggery,
Male: Aha!
Female: you foolish cousin of mine!
Male: Aha!
Female: Don't cast your magic love-spell on me,
Male: Ah… ah…
Female: and don't flash your rotten teeth!
Male: …
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from 'Thanga Kalasam' (1988) is a lively folk duet between a young village man and his cousin, Kannatha. The male protagonist admires Kannatha's striking beauty as she carries a bundle of packed rice, boasting that the whole town follows her wherever she goes and expressing his affectionate wish to marry her. Kannatha playfully retorts by teasing him, calling him foolish and warning him not to try wooing her with charm or showing his imperfect teeth. Despite her mock annoyance, the banter turns romantic as she offers him traditional homemade delicacies like Thavala Adai, chicken curry, and rolled balls of Samba rice. Their playful exchanges showcase traditional rural romance, filled with lighthearted teasing and affectionate culinary gestures.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kattu choththa somanthukittu / Kattazhagi kannaaththaa

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across consecutive lines in the opening stanza.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Kattu choththa somanthukittu / Pattanamae suththuthu unthan pinnaadi

Matching of the second consonant sound 'tt' across consecutive lines ('Kattu' and 'Pattanamae').

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Achchu vellam ee moikkum / Makku thalai aththaanae

Comparing the hero's persistent attention to flies swarming around sweet jaggery.

Folk Refrain (Santha Sol)

Thannanaana thannannaa / Thannanaana thannannaa…

Rhythmic vocal syllables standard in Tamil folk tradition to maintain tempo and melody.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist London Gopal for the 1988 film 'Thanga Kalasam', the song prominently incorporates authentic rural Tamil food references—such as 'Kattu Choru' (packed rice bundle), 'Thavala Adai' (a traditional deep-fried lentil pancake), and 'Samba Choru' (aromatic raw rice grain)—to ground the romantic dialogue in native village culture.

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