Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kodali Konda Pottu

From Mambazhathu Vandu · 1979

Lyricist
Muthulingam
Singers
S. Janaki, T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Mambazhathu Vandu1979

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kodaali konda pottuWearing a hair bun shaped like an axe and a bindi,
Kodanattu saela kattiDraped in a Kodanad saree,
Malaiyoram povadhengaeWhere are you heading along the hillside,
Maanae pen kuyilaeOh deer-like maiden, oh female cuckoo?
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Female
Javvaadhu pottu vechiWearing a civet perfume bindi,
Jariga karai vetti kattiWearing a zari-bordered dhoti,
Velli mala vedan polaeLike a hunter from the Silver Mountain,
Vambhu pannadhaeDo not tease or pick a fight!
Ingae velaiyillaa thottaminnuThinking this is a garden with no work,
Ennai ennadhaeDo not underestimate me!
Ingae velaiyillaa thottaminnuThinking this is a garden with no work,
Ennai ennadhaeDo not underestimate me!
Male
Thaeyilai kattil sirichavalaeOh girl who smiled amidst the tea plantation beds,
Aayiram thadavai paarthavalaeOh girl who looked at me a thousand times,
Jaadaigal seidha pinAfter making romantic gestures,
Thamadham yenadi pakkam vaadiWhy delay? Come near me, girl!
Male
Thaeyilai kattil sirichavalaeOh girl who smiled amidst the tea plantation beds,
Aayiram thadavai paarthavalaeOh girl who looked at me a thousand times,
Jaadaigal seidha pinAfter making romantic gestures,
Thamadham yenadi pakkam vaadiWhy delay? Come near me, girl!
Female
Velaikku naan porenI am heading off to work,
Venuminnae marikiriyaeYou are intentionally blocking my path,
Naalaikku sandhippomWe shall meet tomorrow,
Maalai nerathilaeIn the evening time.
Velaikku naan porenI am heading off to work,
Venuminnae marikiriyaeYou are intentionally blocking my path,
Naalaikku sandhippomWe shall meet tomorrow,
Maalai nerathilaeIn the evening time.
Angae nagalingam maram irukkumThere where the Nagalingam tree stands,
Solai orathilaeAt the edge of the grove.
Angae nagalingam maram irukkumThere where the Nagalingam tree stands,
Solai orathilaeAt the edge of the grove.
Male
Kodaali konda pottuWearing a hair bun shaped like an axe and a bindi,
Kodanattu saela kattiDraped in a Kodanad saree,
Malaiyoram povadhengaeWhere are you heading along the hillside,
Maanae pen kuyilaeOh deer-like maiden, oh female cuckoo?
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Female
Aathulae naethu naanIn the river yesterday,
Manjal poosi kulikkakayilaeWhen I was bathing after applying turmeric,
Paatha machaanaeYou watched me, handsome cousin!
Aathulae naethu naanIn the river yesterday,
Manjal poosi kulikkakayilaeWhen I was bathing after applying turmeric,
Paatha machaanaeYou watched me, handsome cousin!
Male
Aasaiyilae enna aada vechaeYou made me dance in desire,
Yengi vaada vechaeMade me yearn and wither,
Orakkam neenga vechaeTook away my sleep,
Kanna veenga vechaeCaused my eyes to swell with longing!
Male
Aasaiyilae enna aada vechaeYou made me dance in desire,
Yengi vaada vechaeMade me yearn and wither,
Orakkam neenga vechaeTook away my sleep,
Kanna veenga vechaeCaused my eyes to swell with longing!
Female
Onna naan therinjikkittenI have understood you well,
Sonnadha purinjikkittenI have understood what you said,
Onna naan therinjikkittenI have understood you well,
Sonnadha purinjikkittenI have understood what you said,
Oru naal poruthukalam yengadhae neeLet us wait just one day, do not yearn so,
Oru naal poruthukalam yengadhae neeLet us wait just one day, do not yearn so.
Male
Kodaali konda pottuWearing a hair bun shaped like an axe and a bindi,
Kodanattu saela kattiDraped in a Kodanad saree,
Malaiyoram povadhengaeWhere are you heading along the hillside,
Maanae pen kuyilaeOh deer-like maiden, oh female cuckoo?
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Andha mazhaivaazha thoppu pakkamTowards that mountain banana grove,
Vaadi pon mayilaeCome here, my golden peacock!
Female
Javvaadhu pottu vechiWearing a civet perfume bindi,
Jariga karai vetti kattiWearing a zari-bordered dhoti,
Velli mala vedan polaeLike a hunter from the Silver Mountain,
Vambhu pannadhaeDo not tease or pick a fight!
Ingae velaiyillaa thottaminnuThinking this is a garden with no work,
Ennai ennadhaeDo not underestimate me!
Ingae velaiyillaa thottaminnuThinking this is a garden with no work,
Ennai ennadhaeDo not underestimate me!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic romantic duet portrays playful flirtation between a young tea plantation worker and her suitor in a lush hill station. The hero attempts to entice his beloved into the nearby banana grove, admiring her traditional Kodanad attire and unique hairstyle. She jokingly reprimands him for disrupting her work while pointing out his theatrical hunter-like appearance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kodaali konda pottu / Kodanattu saela katti

Repetition of the initial 'Ko' sound across lines creating a pleasing rhythmic start.

Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kodaali konda pottu / Kodanattu saela katti

Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'da' across both lines.

Metaphor / Imagery (Uvamai)

Maanae pen kuyilae / Vaadi pon mayilae

Using natural imagery like deer (Maan), cuckoo (Kuyil), and peacock (Mayil) to describe the beauty and grace of the maiden.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist Muthulingam captures authentic rural Nilgiris imagery by referencing 'Kodanattu Saela' (a saree style associated with Kodanad in the Nilgiris) and 'Kodaali Konda' (an axe-shaped traditional top-knot hair bun).

Keep listening

More from Mambazhathu Vandu