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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kottikara Payalae

From August 16 1947 · 2023

Lyricist
NS Ponkumar
Singers
Meenakshi Elayaraja, Sean Roldan
Music director
Sean Roldan
Movie name
August 16 1947
Movie release year
2023
Lyrics added on
20 Jan 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aelay…. engunna mitta
Kotikaara payalae….aey….
Thaanakuthakkana…thaanakuthakkana…
Thaanakuthakkana… thakkana..
Ennalae..suthi pidikalaya?….
Aaanggg…
Engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae…
Aelay aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Sandaikku nikkura yekkumaaku payalae…
Aey…aelay etharamatta aangangetta payalae
Vambu izhikira yelanthaari payalae….
Yelanthaari payalae…
Ethanathan sonnaalum
Eppadithaan vanjaalum
Theraatha soranai ketta eruma..
Aey…
Ethanathan sonnaalum
Eppadithaan vanjaalum
Theraatha soranai ketta eruma
Ivanthaan oorukae maamiyaar kodumai…
Aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Sandaikku nikkura yekkumaaku payalae…
Aey…aelay etharamatta aangangetta payalae
Vambu izhikira yelanthaari payalae….
Yelanthaari payalae…
Kooru kettavanae
Kootathula veru pattavanae
Kanna thoranthu paakkaiyila
Manna vaari vittavanae…
Vaal mulaichavanae
Kombula paal karapavanae
Thera izhithu theruvulae vitta
Thekanangkettavanae…
Manja nerathula mallakku nikkura
Vikkalu sikkalu neethaan
Manam illatha arali poo thaan
Nellu valaiyira nenja nelathula
Nozhanja velladu nee thaan
Chera izhikkum silaatta ka thaan..
Ingana vanthu
Peranthathu thaan varutham
Engalukkum ivanukkum
Ezhaam porutham
Aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Sandaikku nikkura yekkumaaku payalae…
Aey…aelay etharamatta aangangetta payalae
Vambu izhikira yelanthaari payalae….
Yelanthaari payalae…
Patta paadu maarala
Oora vittu pova mudiyala…
Paava koothu aadurom
Enga noolu oruthan kaiyila
Adi vaangi vaangi malungi ponom
Thavilum thoolum verillae..
Patta paadu maarula…
Oora vittu pova mudiyala…
Irunthum naanga aaduvom
Ittukatti paaduvom
Chorus :Ingithakka..ingithakka..
Ingithakka..thanana..
Vellakkaara kootam ellaiya thaanduna
Annaki kootha kelu
Keela nikkathu enga kaalu
Female :Patthu thalamura vaazhama vittatha
Vaazhnthu rasichhi iruppom
Dhenam mallaaka kedanthu sirippom
Eppathaan kedaikkum andha suthanthiram
Enga thukkamellaam panju panjaa Paranthurom…
Aaan…parakkum parakkum
Engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae…
Aelay aelay engunna mitta kottikaara payalae..
Sandaikku nikkura yekkumaaku payalae…
Aey…aelay etharamatta aangangetta payalae
Vambu izhikira yelanthaari payalae….
Yelanthaari payalae…
Ethanathan sonnaalum
Eppadithaan vanjaalum
Theraatha soranai ketta eruma..
Theraatha soranai ketta eruma
Ivanthaan oorukae maamiyaar kodumai…
Hey... you puffed-up,
noisy rascal... hey...
Thana-kuthakkana... thana-kuthakkana...
Thana-kuthakkana... thakkana...
Can't you even catch me as I spin around?...
Aahn...
You puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Hey hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Always ready to fight, you crooked rascal...
Hey... hey, you reckless, ill-mannered rascal,
You trouble-making young lad...
You young lad...
No matter how much we tell you,
No matter how harshly we scold you,
You unteachable, thick-skinned buffalo...
Hey...
No matter how much we tell you,
No matter how harshly we scold you,
You unteachable, thick-skinned buffalo,
He is a nagging mother-in-law to the whole village!
Hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Always ready to fight, you crooked rascal...
Hey... hey, you reckless, ill-mannered rascal,
You trouble-making young lad...
You young lad...
You senseless fool,
Standing out like a sore thumb in the crowd,
Just when we open our eyes to see,
You throw dust right into them...
You sly, mischievous devil,
Trying to milk a cow from its horns,
Leaving the chariot stranded in the middle of the street,
You reckless, directionless fellow...
Lying sprawled out at dusk,
You are nothing but hiccups and trouble,
Just a scentless oleander flower!
In the fertile field of our heart where paddy grows,
You are the stray goat barging in,
A thorny burr dragging us into the mud...
Coming all the way here,
being born among us is our only regret,
Between him and us,
there is nothing but total mismatch!
Hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Always ready to fight, you crooked rascal...
Hey... hey, you reckless, ill-mannered rascal,
You trouble-making young lad...
You young lad...
Our endless suffering never changes,
We cannot even leave this village...
We dance like tragic puppets,
With our strings held in someone else's hands,
We have gone numb from relentless beatings,
Like battered drums worn down to dust...
Our suffering hasn't changed...
We cannot leave this village...
Even so, we will keep dancing,
We will make up songs and sing them aloud!
Chorus: Ingi-thakka.. ingi-thakka..
Ingi-thakka.. thanana..
When the crowd of white men crosses the border and leaves,
Just wait and see our grand celebration that day,
Our feet won't even touch the ground!
Female: What ten generations were forbidden to live,
We will live and relish to our heart's content,
We will lie back freely and laugh every single day!
When will we finally win that freedom?
All our sorrows will scatter away like wisps of cotton...
Ah... they will fly away, fly away!
You puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Hey hey, you puffed-up, noisy rascal...
Always ready to fight, you crooked rascal...
Hey... hey, you reckless, ill-mannered rascal,
You trouble-making young lad...
You young lad...
No matter how much we tell you,
No matter how harshly we scold you,
You unteachable, thick-skinned buffalo...
You unteachable, thick-skinned buffalo,
He is a nagging mother-in-law to the whole village!
Female
Chorus
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Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
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Female
Male
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Female
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Female
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Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This lively folk-infused track from 'August 16 1947' blends playful banter with underlying socio-political commentary about life under colonial and feudal oppression. The initial verses teasingly berate a rebellious, mischievous young boy whose antics cause endless trouble for the villagers, metaphorically describing him through rich rural proverbs and animal imagery. Beneath the teasing lies a deep connection among the villagers who share common hardships. As the song progresses, the tone shifts into a broader expression of resilience and desire for liberty. The villagers sing about being puppets under British rule and local oppression, expressing a collective yearning for freedom ('suthanthiram'). Ultimately, the song encapsulates both the playful spirit of village folk culture and their stubborn hope for liberation from generations of suffering.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Manam illatha arali poo thaan

Comparing the trouble-making boy to 'Arali poo' (fragrance-less oleander flower) and a 'velladu' (wild goat invading paddy fields).

Hyperbole

Kombula paal karapavanae

Exaggerating impossible feats like 'milking milk from horns' to highlight the boy's absurd and defiant nature.

Emoni / Monai (Alliteration)

Patta paadu maarala / Paava koothu aadurom

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines (e.g., Patta paadu / Paava koothu) creating a rhythmic folk cadence.

Simile / Idiomatic Comparison

Ivanthaan oorukae maamiyaar kodumai…

Comparing the oppressive presence of the character to the proverbially feared tyranny of a mother-in-law ('maamiyaar kodumai').

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'August 16 1947' is a period drama set in a remote village in Tamil Nadu where villagers remain unaware of India's independence declaration due to an oppressive British officer. The music composed by Sean Roldan heavily features authentic native percussion and folk vocal stylings.

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