Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kondaikatti Kaavikatti

From Amara Deepam · 1956

Lyricist
K. S. Gopalakrishnan
Singers
S. C. Krishnan, A. P. Komala
Music directors
T. Chalapathi Rao, G. Ramanathan
Details
Amara Deepam1956

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kondai katti kaavi kattiTying up my hair bun and wearing saffron robes,
Oorai vittoda poraendi pombalaeI am going to run away from town, woman!
Kaashaayam kattaatti naanillae aambalaeIf I don't wear saffron, I'm not a real man!
Kaashaayam kattaatti naanillae aambalaeIf I don't wear saffron, I'm not a real man!
Male
Kondai katti kaavi kattiTying up my hair bun and wearing saffron robes,
Oorai vittoda poraendi pombalaeI am going to run away from town, woman!
Kaashaayam kattaatti naanillae aambalaeIf I don't wear saffron, I'm not a real man!
Kaashaayam kattaatti naanillae aambalaeIf I don't wear saffron, I'm not a real man!
Female
Aahaan…..mariyaathaiyaa soldraenAha... I am telling you respectfully,
Thiruvodu thookka ennaathaeDon't think about taking up a begging bowl!
Somberiyaagi thirudan pol vaazha ennaathaaeDon't think about becoming lazy and living like a thief!
Somberiyaagi thirudan pol vaazha ennaathaaeDon't think about becoming lazy and living like a thief!
Female
Varikkudhirai pol saambal poosiyaeSmearing ash like a zebra's stripes,
Kadhaikkuthavaa pala kadhaiyum pesiyaeTalking all kinds of useless stories,
Male :Haan….Male: Aha...
Female :Paruva pengalidam kannai veesiyaeFemale: Winking at young women,
Urumaari poli samiyaagiyaeDisguising yourself as a fake godman,
Female
Thiruvodu thookka ennaathaeDon't think about taking up a begging bowl!
Somberiyaagi thirudan pol vaazha ennaathaaeDon't think about becoming lazy and living like a thief!
Male
Mella mella en usirai nee vaangaathaeSlowly, slowly, don't take away my life!
Aasai illai endra pothum vidamaatenkaraeEven when I say I have no desire, you won't leave me!
Mella mella en usirai nee vaangaathaeSlowly, slowly, don't take away my life!
Aasai illai endra pothum vidamaatenkaraeEven when I say I have no desire, you won't leave me!
Male
Thaali katta sollo adikkavum kai oonguraeWhen asked to tie the sacred thread, you raise your hand to beat me!
Unthan thollai eppo neengumunnu naan yaenguraenI long for the day when your trouble will go away!
Unthan thollai eppo neengumunnu naan yaenguraenI long for the day when your trouble will go away!
Female
Vishayam purinjuthu vibaram therinjuthuI understood the matter, I got the details,
Veroru penn aasai unnai izhukkuthuDesire for another woman is pulling you away!
Male :AiyayoMale: Oh no!
Female :Vishayam purinjuthu vibaram therinjuthuFemale: I understood the matter, I got the details,
Veroru penn aasai unnai izhukkuthuDesire for another woman is pulling you away!
Female
Saaththaanin poojaiyaalum jagajaalam seivathaalumThrough Satanic worship and magic tricks,
Javvaathu maiyinaalumAnd with civet perfume,
Male :AahaaMale: Aha!
Female :Sundhari Roobaavai un sonthamaakka nee seiyumFemale: What you do to make Sundari Roobai your own,
Female
Vishayam purinjuthu vibaram therinjuthuI understood the matter, I got the details,
Veroru penn aasai unnai izhukkuthuDesire for another woman is pulling you away!
Male
Adangobburaanae….Oh goodness gracious!
Thappaa ninaikkirae pullaeYou are thinking wrong, girl!
Engappanaanaa….adhu illaiMy father's oath... that's not true!
Male
Thappaa ninaikkirae pullaeYou are thinking wrong, girl!
Engappanaanaa….adhu illaiMy father's oath... that's not true!
Male
Iraichchi thingira pulikku pullaiTo a meat-eating tiger, if you feed grass,
Pottaal thinnudumaaWill it eat it?
Adhuthaan poonaiyai mananthidumaaWill that tiger marry a cat?
Iraichchi thingira pulikku pullaiTo a meat-eating tiger, if you feed grass,
Pottaal thinnudumaaWill it eat it?
Adhuthaan poonaiyai mananthidumaaWill that tiger marry a cat?
Female
Enna sonnaeWhat did you say?
Poonai endrae ennai neeyae indrae azhaikkalaamaaHow dare you call me a cat today?
Poonai endrae ennai neeyae indrae azhaikkalaamaaHow dare you call me a cat today?
Poonai endraeCalling me a cat...
Naanunakku manaiviyaaga povathai enniThinking that I am going to become your wife,
Vittaen vittaen indrael summaa vidamattaenI let it go, but today I won't let you off easily!
Female
Poonai endrae ennai neeyae indrae azhaikkalaamaaHow dare you call me a cat today?
Poonai endraeCalling me a cat...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This lighthearted, satirical song presents a comic altercation between a man threatening to become a wandering ascetic and a woman exposing his fraudulent motives. The man claims he will don saffron robes and leave town, asserting his manhood through renunciation. The woman sees right through his act, berating him for being lazy, shirking marriage, eyeing young women, and disguising himself as a fake ascetic. She accuses him of using charms and black magic to chase another woman named Sundari. When he tries to defend himself using an absurd metaphor comparing himself to a carnivorous tiger and her to a cat, she takes offense at being called a cat, escalating the argument into a full-blown comic spat over marital responsibility and fidelity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kondai katti kaavi katti

Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'K' across words in the line creates a lively, rhythmic cadence.

Edhugai (Rhyming Internal Sounds)

Vishayam purinjuthu vibaram therinjuthu

Matching internal rhyming patterns with 'purinjuthu' and 'therinjuthu' enhances the song's conversational beat.

Uvamaani (Metaphor / Hyperbole)

Iraichchi thingira pulikku pullai

The male character humorously compares himself to a meat-eating tiger to justify his unwillingness to settle down with 'grass' or a 'cat'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Amara Deepam (1956) is a landmark Tamil romantic drama film starring Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini, and Savitri, directed by T. Prakash Rao. The soundtrack was composed jointly by G. Ramanathan and T. Chalapathi Rao. This comic song, written by lyricist-filmmaker K. S. Gopalakrishnan, functions as a satirical social commentary on lazy men who pretend to seek spiritual renunciation solely to avoid family duties and pursue women under the mask of ascetics.

Keep listening

More from Amara Deepam