Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kokku Saiva Kokku

From Muthu · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Theni Kunjarammal
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Muthu
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
9 Jan 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Kokku saiva kokku
Oru kenda meena kandu
Veratham mudichirucham} (2)
{Meenu mela kannu
Athu oththa kalil ninnu
Koththithan pudichirucham} (2)
Bhrammachari yarum
Ingae kedaiyathu
Oru kaadhal illamal
Suga vazhkkaiyum yethu
Agayatha pothi
Vekka mudiyathu
Un kannil un kaadhal
Ada thulluthae paaru
Kokku saiva kokku
Oru kenda meena kandu
Veratham mudichirucham
Meenu mela kannu
Athu oththa kalil ninnu
Koththithan pudichirucham
Bhrammachari yarum
Ingae kedaiyathu
Oru kaadhal illamal
Suga vazhkkaiyum yethu
Agayatha pothi
Vekka mudiyathu
Un kannil un kaadhal
Ada thulluthae paaru
Kokku saiva kokku
Oru kenda meena kandu
Veratham mudichirucham
Panthadum vayasuppaiya
Chorus :Paiyya
Female :Patti sol kettukkaiyaa
Chorus :Kaiyaa
Thambathya vazhkkaiyilae
Chorus :Lae…lae ..lae
Female :Sattangal irukkuthaiyaa
Chorus :Aiyaa
Pendattiyoda ovvoru nalum
Chorus :I love you i love you
Nee twelve times sollu
Nitham nee aru mura
Chorus :Mura
Female :Muthangal pottuvidu
Chorus :Vidu
Nalukku moonu mura
Chorus :Ra…aaahhh…
Female :Kattilil sernthuvidu
Chorus :Vidu
Nan sonna kanakku
Nalthorum nadantha
Chorus :Pendatti eppothum
Un kaala katti kedappa
Kokku saiva kokku
Oru kenda meena kandu
Chorus :Veratham mudichirucham
Meenu mela kannu
Athu oththa kalil ninnu
Chorus :Koththithan pudichirucham
Yelalae yelakadi ye lalae
Yelalae yelakadi ye lalae
Yelalae yelakadi ye lalae
Yelalae yelakadi ye lalae
Yelakadi yelakadi yelakadi yelakadi
Yelakadi yelakadi yelakadi yelakadi
Thanukku thanukku thanukku
than than than than
Vayasana sunthariyae
Chorus :Yae
Male :Manmathan manthiriyae
Chorus :Yae
Thambathya padathilae
Chorus :Lae..ae….
Male :Ph.d mudichchavalae
Annalil nattil
Matham mummari
Chorus :Undachu onnachu
Sugam ondruthan pechu
Innalil manithanukku
Chorus :Kkuu
Male :Sothukku vazhiyillaiyae
Chorus :Ye yae
Okarnthu kaatdhalikka
Chorus :Yae..ae…ae…
Male :Yarukkum pozhuthillaiyae
Oorkkathai pesa
Nerangal irukku
Chorus :Pendatti serama
Oru vazhkkaiyum ethukku
Kokku saiva kokku
Oru kenda meena kandu
Chorus :Veratham mudichirucham
Meenu mela kannu
Athu oththa kalil ninnu
Chorus :Koththithan pudichirucham
…………………………………
The stork was a vegetarian stork,
but seeing a carp fish,
it broke its fasting vow!
With eyes fixed on the fish,
standing on one leg,
it pecked and caught it!
There is no true bachelor
to be found here!
Without love,
what kind of happy life is there?
You cannot cover up
and conceal the sky;
look at your eyes,
your love is leaping in them!
The stork was a vegetarian stork,
but seeing a carp fish,
it broke its fasting vow!
With eyes fixed on the fish,
standing on one leg,
it pecked and caught it!
There is no true bachelor
to be found here!
Without love,
what kind of happy life is there?
You cannot cover up
and conceal the sky;
look at your eyes,
your love is leaping in them!
The stork was a vegetarian stork,
but seeing a carp fish,
it broke its fasting vow!
Hey playful young lad,
Lad...
listen to this grandma's advice!
Listen!
In married life,
In it...
there are certain rules, dear man!
Yes, sir!
To your wife, every day,
"I love you, I love you"—
say it twelve times!
Every day, six times,
Six times...
shower her with kisses!
Shower them!
Three times a day,
Ra... aahh...
get into bed with her!
Get in!
If this routine I told you
happens day after day,
your wife will forever
stay happily clinging to your feet!
The stork was a vegetarian stork,
but seeing a carp fish,
it broke its fasting vow!
With eyes fixed on the fish,
standing on one leg,
it pecked and caught it!
Elaale elagadi ye laale
Elaale elagadi ye laale
Elaale elagadi ye laale
Elaale elagadi ye laale
Elagadi elagadi elagadi elagadi
Elagadi elagadi elagadi elagadi
Thanukku thanukku thanukku
Than than than than
Oh charming old beauty,
Hey!
minister to Manmadhan (the god of love),
Hey!
in the subject of married life,
In it...
you have earned a Ph.D.!
Back in those days in our land,
it rained thrice every month,
there was prosperity all around,
and all people talked about was pleasure.
But nowadays, for a man,
For a man...
there is barely a way to earn his daily food!
Ye ae...
To sit around and romance,
Ae... ae... ae...
no one has the time!
To gossip about the town,
there is plenty of time;
without uniting with your wife,
what is the point of life anyway?
The stork was a vegetarian stork,
but seeing a carp fish,
it broke its fasting vow!
With eyes fixed on the fish,
standing on one leg,
it pecked and caught it!
...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kokku Saiva Kokku from the film Muthu (1995), composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu, is a playful folk-pop song exploring romance, matrimony, and human desire. Using the metaphor of a supposedly vegetarian heron that instantly breaks its fast upon spotting a tasty carp fish, the song humorously mocks professed celibacy and asserts that love is a natural, irresistible impulse. The song features a lively banter between an elder woman dispensing practical (and funny) guidelines for maintaining marital affection and a younger man contrasting old-fashioned idyllic lifestyle with modern struggles. Ultimately, it emphasizes that loving relationship and companionship are essential components of a fulfilling human life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allegory / Metaphor (உவமை)

Kokku saiva kokku / Oru kenda meena kandu / Veratham mudichirucham

The 'saiva kokku' (vegetarian heron) pretending to fast until temptation arrives is an extended allegory for people who claim disinterest in romance until they meet their ideal partner.

Hyperbole (உயர்வு நவிற்சி அணி)

Nee twelve times sollu / Nitham nee aru mura muthangal pottuvidu

Exaggerated humorous prescriptions for a happy marriage, such as saying 'I love you' 12 times a day and kissing 6 times a day.

Rhyme & Alliteration (எதுகை / மோனை)

Meenu mela kannu / Athu oththa kalil ninnu

Traditional Tamil poetic repetition of second-letter consonants (Ethukai) and rhythmic sound play ('meenu mela' / 'oththa kalil ninnu').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A. R. Rahman for Rajinikanth's 1995 blockbuster 'Muthu', directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The soundtrack was a massive hit across India, and later gained iconic status in Japan when 'Muthu' was released there in 1998, sparking a major wave of Japanese appreciation for Indian film music and Rajinikanth.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Muthu

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.