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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kottaiya Vittu (Childrens)

From Chinna Thayee · 1992

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Uma Ramanan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Chinna Thayee1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Vilai yeri pogudhu market-laPrices are soaring in the market,
Chorus
Thuddilla saami en pocket-laThere is no money, Oh Lord, in my pocket.
Chorus
Ennaattam yezhaiya paakkanumaeYou must look upon a poor person like me,
Chorus
Unkitta orr varam kekkanumaeI wish to ask for a boon from you.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The lyrics express the plight of a common poor man struggling with rising inflation and financial distress. Addressing God directly with raw simplicity, the speaker asks the deity to take pity on underprivileged people like him and requests a divine boon to ease their daily economic hardship.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Vilai yeri pogudhu market-la / Thuddilla saami en pocket-la

The first two lines end with the rhyming loanwords 'market-la' and 'pocket-la', while the third and fourth lines end with the verbal rhyming suffix 'paakkanumae' and 'kekkanumae'.

Code-Mixing (Tanglish)

Vilai yeri pogudhu market-la / Thuddilla saami en pocket-la

Lyricist Vaali incorporates English words ('market', 'pocket') into native Tamil grammar to reflect the authentic, everyday spoken dialect of urban working-class people.

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Trivia

Lyricist Vaali was legendary for his ability to seamlessly blend everyday English loanwords like 'market' and 'pocket' into Tamil film lyrics, perfectly capturing the contemporary pulse of common listeners.

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