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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaveri Thanniyil Kulichavadi

From Aayiram Poi · 1969

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Manorama, L. R. Eswari
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Aayiram Poi
Movie release year
1969
Lyrics added on
25 Dec 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Neethaanaa vellaiyammaa
Neethaanaa bommiyammaa
Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi
Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi
Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi
Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi
Kannaaga valarnthava bommiyammaa
Bommiyammaa
En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa
En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa
Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi
Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi
Naalu maasi veethiyil nadichavadi
Azhagaa valarnthava vellaiyammaa
Vellaiyammaa
En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa
En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa
Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum
Aattakkaariyadi
Nee aattakkaariyadi
Aattakkaariyadi en thottakkaariyadi
En thottakkaariyadi
Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum
Aattakkaariyadi
Thottaththukku madurai veeran
Kottaikkaavaladi
Kottaikkaavaladi
Kottaikkaavaladi
Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi
Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi
Thottaththukku madurai veeran
Kottaikkaavaladi….aa…aa…aa…aa….
Onbathu kambala deivamadi jakkamaa
En jakkamaa ammaa jakkammaa
Ava un kittaeyaa illai enthan pakkamaa
Aah haa angayarkanni
Enga madurai meenatchi
Amma meenatchi madurai meenaatchi
Ava aavesam vanthu rompa naalaachchu
Saami unakkaa enakkaadi
Female :Sarasaththilae idhu kanakkaadi
Female :Kaamiyadi un kai varisai
Naan paarkkiraen
Female :Naanum paarukkiraen
Female :Adhaiyum paarkkiraen
Female :Sarithaan paarkkiraen
Female :Paarkkalaandi vaadi….
So are you Vellaiyamma?
And are you Bommiyamma?
Girl, I am the one who bathed in the Kaveri river!
I am well-read in stories of every kind!
Girl, I bathed in the Kaveri river!
I am well-read in stories of every kind!
Bommiyamma was raised like the apple of their eye,
Bommiyamma!
Yet you fall short even of my feet!
You fall short even of my feet!
Girl, I am the one who bathed in the Vaigai river!
Girl, I bathed in the Vaigai river!
I am the one who danced along the four Masi streets!
Vellaiyamma grew up with stunning beauty,
Vellaiyamma!
Yet nothing of yours can match up to me!
Nothing of yours can match up to me!
Even if you have a thousand charms,
you are just a dancing girl!
You are just a dancing girl!
A dancing girl who tends my garden!
Who tends my garden!
Even if you have a thousand charms,
you are just a dancing girl!
For this garden, Madurai Veeran
is the guard of the fortress!
The guard of the fortress!
The guard of the fortress!
Go look at him and ask him yourself!
Go look at him and ask him yourself!
For this garden, Madurai Veeran
is the guard of the fortress... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Jakkamma is the goddess of the nine Kambalam clans!
My Jakkamma, Mother Jakkamma!
Is she on your side, or is she on mine?
Ah ha! Angayarkanni,
our own Madurai Meenakshi!
Mother Meenakshi, Madurai Meenakshi!
It has been a long time since her fierce spirit rose!
Is God on your side or mine, girl?
Does this count as fair play in our banter?
Show me what skills you have got!
Let me see!
I will see it too!
I will see that as well!
Alright, let me see!
Come on girl, let us see!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a vibrant musical duel (sawaal-jawaab) between two female characters referencing the popular folk legend of Madurai Veeran and his consorts, Bommi and Vellaiyamma. The singers exchange playful taunts, comparing their origins, beauty, river associations (Kaveri vs. Vaigai), and divine patronage (Goddess Jakkamma vs. Madurai Meenakshi). Through clever lyrical sparring written by Kannadasan, each speaker claims superiority over the other. The duet combines rhythmic folk flavor with dramatic energy, brilliantly delivered by Manorama and L. R. Eswari under V. Kumar's music composition.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Cultural Allusion (Ilayachi)

“Thottaththukku madurai veeran kottaikkaavaladi”

References the folk legend of Madurai Veeran, his consorts Bommi and Vellaiyamma, as well as guardian deities Jakkamma and Madurai Meenakshi.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi / Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi”

Matching end sounds across lines ('kulichavadi' / 'padichavadi') creating a rhythmic, song-duel cadence.

Anaphora / Repetition

“Aattakkaariyadi en thottakkaariyadi”

Repetition of phrase endings like 'aattakkaariyadi' and 'kottaikkaavaladi' to reinforce playful teasing and rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track from Muktha Srinivasan's 1969 comedy film 'Aayiram Poi' features a dynamic musical confrontation between legendary singer-actress Manorama and playback singer L. R. Eswari. The song draws directly on Madurai folk traditions and features V. Kumar's signature energetic folk orchestrations.

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