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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kettukadi Chinnakutti

From Pattikkaattu Raja · 1975

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Sankar Ganesh
Details
Pattikkaattu Raja1975

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yerottum seemaiyilae ..ae…ae…In the land where plows run...
Caarotti vandhavalae…ae….ae….Oh woman who arrived driving a car...
En paattu thaalattu…uu…uu…My song is like a lullaby...
Nee kettu paarattuListen to it and appreciate it.
Male
Kettukadi sinnakuttyListen here, my little girl,
Paatu padippenI will sing a song for you.
Poothu varum mullai mugamYour face blooms like a jasmine flower,
Paarthu padippenLooking at it, I will sing.
Male
Aaah kettukadi sinnakuttyAh, listen here, my little girl,
Paatu padippenI will sing a song for you.
Poothu varum mullai mugamYour face blooms like a jasmine flower,
Paarthu padippenLooking at it, I will sing.
Adiyae nan paada edhir paattu paaduHey girl, when I sing, sing a counter song!
Adiyae nan paada edhir paattu paaduHey girl, when I sing, sing a counter song!
Paada mudiyaatti panthaattam aaduIf you cannot sing, bounce a ball and play!
Paada mudiyaatti panthaattam aaduIf you cannot sing, bounce a ball and play!
Female
Ooo pattanathu raaniOh queen of the city,
Pattu vanna maeniWith a silk-complexioned body,
Pattikaattu raajaThe king of the countryside
Pottiyida vaa neeHas come to compete with you!
Female
Pattanathu raaniQueen of the city,
Pattu vanna maeniWith a silk-complexioned body,
Pattikaattu raajaThe king of the countryside
Pottiyida vaa neeHas come to compete with you!
Male
Kettukadi sinnakuttyListen here, my little girl,
Paatu padippenI will sing a song for you.
Poothu varum mullai mugamYour face blooms like a jasmine flower,
Paarthu padippenLooking at it, I will sing.
Male
Allikku anjaatha kaandeepanadiI am Arjuna who fears no Alli!
Naan ellaam therinjavandiI am a man who knows everything!
Allikku anjaatha kaandeepanadiI am Arjuna who fears no Alli!
Naan ellaam therinjavandiI am a man who knows everything!
Naan unnaattam otta vandiUnlike you who drive a simple single cart,
Ethanaiyo paartha vandi..haeiI am a vehicle that has seen so much... hey!
Naan unnaattam otta vandiUnlike you who drive a simple simple cart,
Ethanaiyo paartha vandi..I am a vehicle that has seen so much...
Ennodu moodhadhadiDo not mess with me,
Kannu raajathi ninnu paarendiMy darling princess, stop and watch!
Kannu raajathi ninnu paarendiMy darling princess, stop and watch!
Male
Aah kettukadi sinnakuttyAh, listen here, my little girl,
Paatu padippenI will sing a song for you.
Poothu varum mullai mugamYour face blooms like a jasmine flower,
Paarthu padippenLooking at it, I will sing.
Female
Chellakutti vettiPrecious darling, finely carved,
Sirikkum vizhi vairakattiYour smiling eyes are like cut diamonds,
Vellakatti kottiPoured like sweet jaggery,
Alakkum idhazh thangakattiYour measured lips are like blocks of gold!
Nadanamo nadayilae nalinamo idaiyilaeIs that dance in your walk? Is that elegance in your waist?
Nadanamo nadayilae nalinamo idaiyilaeIs that dance in your walk? Is that elegance in your waist?
Ada raamaiyaa saedhi yemaiyaaHey Ramaiya, what is the news?
Male
Kannu raajathi ninnu paarendiMy darling princess, stop and watch!
Female :Ada raamaiyaa saedhi yemaiyaaFemale: Hey Ramaiya, what is the news?
Male :Kannu raajathiMale: My darling princess!
Female :Saedhi yemaiyaaFemale: What is the news?
Male :Kannu raajathiMale: My darling princess!
Female :Saedhi yemaiyaaFemale: What is the news?
Male :Ninnu paarpomaa….(3)Male: Shall we stop and see...
Haeiiiii……………………………Heyyyyy!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This lively duet song features a playful duel of wits and musical banter between a rustic villager ('Pattikkaattu Raaja') and an urban, sophisticated lady ('Pattanathu Raani'). The hero playfully teases the heroine who arrives in a car into his agricultural village land, challenging her to sing back or compete with him. He uses clever metaphors from folklore and epic tales—referencing Arjuna and Queen Alli—to assert his street-smart wisdom against her modern urban attitude. Towards the end, he extravagantly praises her beauty, likening her eyes to diamonds and lips to gold, turning the competitive teasing into a playful romantic banter.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Yerottum seemaiyilae / Caarotti vandhavalae

Rhyming of the second letter in consecutive words/lines, such as 'Yerottum' and 'Caarotti'.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Poothu varum mullai mugam

Likening the heroine's face to a blooming jasmine flower ('Poothu varum mullai mugam').

Alliteration / Monnai

Pattanathu raani / Pattu vanna maeni / Pattikaattu raaja / Pottiyida vaa nee

Repetition of initial consonants like 'Pa' in 'Pattanathu raani', 'Pattu vanna maeni', 'Pattikaattu raaja', 'Pottiyida vaa nee'.

Hyperbole / Imagery

Sirikkum vizhi vairakatti / Alakkum idhazh thangakatti

Extravagant praise describing eyes as diamonds ('vairakatti') and lips as gold bars ('thangakatti').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pattikkaattu Raja' (1975) starred Sivakumar and Jayasudha/Sripriya. The track features a classic folk-versus-urban musical duel composition lyricized by Vaali, reflecting the popular 1970s Tamil cinema trope of rural rustic heroes charming modern city-bred heroines through traditional song challenges.

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