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Nattamai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kotta Pakkum

From Nattamai · 2003

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Mano, S. Janaki
Music director
Sirpy
Movie name
Nattamai
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
8 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hey kotta paakum
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan neeyum
Machini naanum
Thotta dhool parakum
Kotta paakum
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan neeyum
Machini naanum
Thotta dhool parakum
Hey naaku sevaka
Sunnaambu venum
Naanum sevaka
Maapillai venum
Naaku sevaka
Sunnaambu venum
Naanum sevaka
Maapillai venum
Thaali kattiyadhum
Thaalika venum
Kotta paakum
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan neeyum
Machini naanum
Thotta dhool parakum
Thaamara poovum iruku
Santhana poovum iruku
Rendula onnu paakatuma
Haa karpanai ellam unaku
Kachithamaaga iruku
Kandathaiyellam kazhikatuma
Hey pothi
Maraicha aasaigalaalae
Pottu thudikudhu puruvathin melae
Haan kathiri
Veyilu kothipadhupolae
Kaaichal adikuthu
Idupuku melae
Kaadhal porapadhu
Kazhuthuku keezhae
Hey kotta paakum
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan neeyum
Machini naanum
Thotta dhool parakum
Hey vethala pota udhatil
Nithirai poda thuninji
Chithravadhai seiya poriya
Hey vethala kaiyil eduthu
Munnum pinnum thodachi
Kaambu killi thaaren vaariya
Yea suthi
Varuvadhu sothikathaanae
Ha haa
Sundari azhagu samikuthaanae
Karpooram edhuku
kaamikathaanae
Kattilum edhuku
Saathikathaanae
Saranam mudinjaa
Pallavi thaanae
Hey kotta paakumMale :Hoi
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan naanum
Sundari neeyum
Thotta dhool parakum
Hey naaku sevaka
Sunnaambu venum
Hoi
Naanum sevaka
Maapillai venum
Naaku sevaka
Sunnaambu venum
Neeyum sevaka
Maapillai venum
Thaali kattiyadhum
Thaalika venum
Kotta paakum
Kozhundhu vethalaiyum
Potaa vaai sevakum
Machan naanum
Sundari neeyum
Thotta dhool parakum
Thotta dhool parakum
Thotta dhool parakum
Hey, areca nut
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If you, my man,
And I, your girl,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Areca nut
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If you, my man,
And I, your girl,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Hey, for the tongue to turn red,
You need edible lime!
For me to blush red,
I need a groom!
For the tongue to turn red,
You need edible lime!
For me to blush red,
I need a groom!
Once the wedding knot is tied,
It's time to spice things up!
Areca nut
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If you, my man,
And I, your girl,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
There is a lotus flower,
And there is a sandalwood flower!
Shall I check out one of the two?
Ha, your imagination
Fits just right!
Shall I push aside everything else?
Hey, with all the desires
That I kept hidden,
The bindi twitches above my brows!
Haan, like the peak summer heat
Scorching and boiling over,
A fever burns
Above the waist!
Love is born
Below the neck!
Hey, areca nut
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If you, my man,
And I, your girl,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Hey, on lips stained red with betel leaf,
Daring to rest your head,
Are you going to tease and torture me?
Hey, taking the betel leaf in hand,
Wiping it front and back,
I'll snap the stem and give it to you, will you come?
Hey, circling around me
Is only to test me, isn't it?
Ha ha!
A pretty girl's beauty is meant to signal, isn't it?
Why is camphor burned?
Only to show the flame!
And why is there a bed?
Only to achieve our desire!
Once the verse is over,
It's back to the chorus, right?
Hey, areca nut—hoy!
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If I, your man,
And you, my beauty,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Hey, for the tongue to turn red,
You need edible lime!
Hoy!
For me to blush red,
I need a groom!
For the tongue to turn red,
You need edible lime!
For you to blush red,
You need a groom!
Once the wedding knot is tied,
It's time to spice things up!
Areca nut
And tender betel leaf,
If chewed, turn the mouth red!
If I, your man,
And you, my beauty,
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
Touch each other, sparks will fly!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful, romantic folk-style duetting song uses betel leaves, betel nuts, and edible lime as allegories for passion, chemistry, and matrimonial union. The lead couple exchanges flirtatious banter about their budding romance, comparing the physical sensation of attraction to summer heat and the reddening effect of betel chewing.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Naaku sevaka Sunnaambu venum / Naanum sevaka Maapillai venum

Betel leaf and lime ('vethalai', 'sunnaambu') combining to turn red is used as a metaphor for passion and blushing in love.

Simile (Upamai)

Kathiri Veyilu kothipadhupolae

The intense heat of passion is compared directly to the scorching peak summer sun ('kathiri veyil').

Rhyme (Edhukai / Monai)

Kotta paakum / Kozhundhu vethalaiyum

Use of matching internal rhyming and rhythm structures across adjacent lines like 'Kotta paakum / Kozhundhu vethalaiyum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Betel nut and betel leaf ('vetrilai paaku') hold significant traditional importance in Tamil culture, symbolizing hospitality, auspicious beginnings, and romantic harmony between couples.

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