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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kombula Poova Suthi

From Virumaandi · 2004

Lyricist
Kamal Haasan
Singer
Kamal Haasan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Virumaandi2004

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Hey hey heyHey hey hey
Hey hey heyHey hey hey
Hey hey heyHey hey hey
Heeeyyyyy….Heeeyyyyy....
Female
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadaeO bull!
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadaeO cow!
Chorus
Hey … buuurrrhhhHey... buuurrrhhh
Hey hey …buuurrrhhhHey hey... buuurrrhhh
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadaeO bull!
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadaeO cow!
Chorus
Muttuna thumbakattuTether it if it gouts or butts
Vandiyile yerakkattuUnload it from the cart
Moppetu munnae vanthuCome in front of the moped
Mugam kaattuShow your face
Sembatti sandhai viththaSold at the Sembatti market
Sema rate-uAt a grand price!
Chorus
Aathadi annalakshmiOh my goodness, Annalakshmi
Thoththaadi panthayathulaYou lost in the wager
Hey hey hey heyHey hey hey hey
Aathadi annalakshmiOh my goodness, Annalakshmi
Thoththaadi panthayathulaYou lost in the wager
Chorus
Kovilpatti kottu thattuBeat the drums of Kovilpatti
Koottamaga kummi kottuGather together and dance Kummi
Kottaiyuril kodi kattu sandiyarukkuFly the flag high in Kottaiyur for the rogue Sandiyar
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadaeO bull!
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadaeO cow!
Male
Yethanai thazhumbirukkuHow many scars are there?
Vanthu ennikkolluCome count them yourself
Nenjilae veerathazhumbuThe scars of bravery on my chest
Chorus :Onnu rendu innuChorus: One, two, and more
Male
Kuthina kaalainga ippoThe bulls that gored before, now
Pondi thozhuvathilIn the cattle fold at Pondi
Yethanai patiyal unduHow many are listed in the record?
Chorus :Damakku damakku dakkaaChorus: Damakku damakku dakkaa
Chorus
Iduppula vaara kazhattavaaShall I unbuckle the belt at my waist?
Male :Yaa yaa ya yaa ya yaMale: Yaa yaa ya yaa ya ya
Chorus :Kizhinja adaiyalam kaattavaaChorus: Shall I show you the tear marks?
Male :Yaa yaa ya yaa ya yaMale: Yaa yaa ya yaa ya ya
Male
Nenjila thembuThe strength in my chest
Ippo purinjirukkumNow you must have understood
Un kaalai vanthuYour bull comes and
En mudhuga sorinju nikkumStands scratching against my back
Selai kanda vaalai aattumI am not a bull that wags its tail
Kaalai ila naanumJust upon seeing a saree skirt
Velayilila kandu kollaI have no time to bother with that
Ba ba baba baa…..Ba ba baba baa.....
Baaa…aah…baaa…hahaha…Baaa...aah...baaa...hahaha...
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadaeO bull!
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadaeO cow!
Chorus
Muttuna thumbakattuTether it if it gouts or butts
Vandiyile yerakkattuUnload it from the cart
Moppetu munnae vanthuCome in front of the moped
Mugam kaattuShow your face
Sembatti sandhai viththaSold at the Sembatti market
Sema rate-uAt a grand price!
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadae..pa pa paanO bull!..pa pa paan
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadae…pa pa paan…O cow!…pa pa paan…
Chorus
Hey hey heyHey hey hey
Hey hey heyHey hey hey
Hei ajak ajakkuHei ajak ajakku
Hei ajak ajakkuHei ajak ajakku
Male
Aalaana ponnukku ingaeFor a grown woman here
Naalum kizhamaiyilOn auspicious days and dates
Aalondru illaama ponaIf there is no companion around
Chorus :Mela enna sollaChorus: What more is there to say?
Male
Thozhukku thunaiya theduLook for a shoulder to lean on
Thozha onnu theduFind a good companion
Kaalaiya kazhatti ottuUntie the bull and drive it
Chorus :Damakku damakku dakkaChorus: Damakku damakku dakka
Chorus
Kizhakkala ooru oramaaBy the edge of the eastern village
Male :Yaa yaa ya yaa ya yaMale: Yaa yaa ya yaa ya ya
Chorus :Kilappu kadai onnu podammaChorus: Set up an eatery shop, madam
Male :Yaa yaa ya yaa ya yaMale: Yaa yaa ya yaa ya ya
Male
Ittilikku maavaraikkaTo grind batter for idlis
Chorus :Naanga vaaromChorus: We will come
Male :Puttu thinnum koottam koottiMale: Gathering a crowd to eat puttu
Chorus :Naanga thaaromChorus: We will provide
Male :Nalla neram vanthuruchuMale: The good time has arrived
Naalai vittuputtaIf you let tomorrow pass by
Enga mela kutham illaDo not blame us later
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadae..pa pa paanO bull!..pa pa paan
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadae…pa pa paan…O cow!…pa pa paan…
Male
Muttuna thumbakattuTether it if it gouts or butts
Vandiyilae yerakkattuUnload it from the cart
Moppetu munnae vanthuCome in front of the moped
Mugam kaattuShow your face
Sembatti sandhai viththaSold at the Sembatti market
Sema rate-uAt a grand price!
Chorus
Aathadi annalakshmiOh my goodness, Annalakshmi
Thoththaadi panthayathulaYou lost in the wager
Kovilpatti kottu thattuBeat the drums of Kovilpatti
Koottamaga kummi kottuGather together and dance Kummi
Kottaiyuril kodi kattu sandiyarukkuFly the flag high in Kottaiyur for the rogue Sandiyar
Chorus
Kombula poova suthiWreathed with flowers on its horns
Nethiyil pottu vechuAdorned with a bindi on its forehead
Kannipponnu kai valarthaRaised lovingly by a young maiden
Kaalai maadae..pa pa paanO bull!..pa pa paan
Kaambu thotta paal kodukkumGiving milk as soon as the udder is touched
Pasu maadae…pa pa paan…O cow!…pa pa paan…
Chorus
Muttuna thumbakattuTether it if it gouts or butts
Vandiyilae yerakkattuUnload it from the cart
Moppetu munnae vanthuCome in front of the moped
Mugam kaattu …pa pa paan…Show your face …pa pa paan…
Sembatti sandhai viththaSold at the Sembatti market
Sema rate-u …pa pa paan…..At a grand price! …pa pa paan…..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic folk-style track, featured in Kamal Haasan's rustic masterpiece 'Virumaandi' (2004), captures the spirit of rural Madurai culture, bull-taming (Jallikattu), and playful romantic banter. The song uses metaphors of prized bulls and cows nurtured lovingly by village maidens to describe pride, valor, physical vigor, and romantic challenges between the protagonists.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kombula poova suthi / Nethiyil pottu vechu

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Kombula' and 'Nethiyil' (using soft liquid consonants) or 'Muttuna' and 'Vandiyile'.

Monnai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kovilpatti kottu thattu / Koottamaga kummi kottu

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'k' in 'Kovilpatti', 'Koottamaga', and 'Kottaiyuril'.

Metaphor (Uruvam)

Kannipponnu kai valartha kaalai maadae

Comparing human masculine pride and stamina to a prize-winning Jallikattu bull.

Did you know?

Trivia

Though listed with unknown attributes in some databases, the soundtrack of 'Virumaandi' was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Kamal Haasan himself. The film pioneered live-surround sound recording in rural Tamil Nadu and received critical acclaim for its authentic Madurai dialect and folk instrumentation.

Keep listening

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