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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kumbakonam Santhayil

From Simmarasi · 1998

Lyricist
Vasan
Singers
Arun Mozhi, Sujatha
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Details
Simmarasi1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ae….ae…..aeh…ae….Hey... hey... hey... hey...
Male
Kumbakonam santhaiyil paarththaIs it the young girl I saw...
Chinna penthaanaa...at the Kumbakonam market?
Manja thaavani kaaththula parakkaWith her yellow half-saree fluttering in the wind...
Vantha pennthaanaa...is she the girl who came?
Female
Vanthavaasi roadla neththuYesterday on the Vandavasi road...
Vantha aalthaanaa...is she the person who came?
Konjumpothu nenjila saernthaWhile cuddling, she joined my heart...
Sontha aalthaanaa...is she my own beloved person?
Male
Vaettiyin vegaththai paarththuSeeing the speed and power of the dhoti...
Un thaavani vaerththathu neththu...your half-saree broke into a sweat yesterday.
Female :Vekkaththa eda vachchi kaattuFemale: Show me where your shyness is weighed and kept.
Naan vaettiya jeyikkiraen salava pottuI will conquer your dhoti by washing and starching it!
Male
Kumbakonam….Kumbakonam...
Kumbakonam santhaiyil paarththaIs it the young girl I saw...
Chinna penthaanaa...at the Kumbakonam market?
Manja thaavani kaaththula parakkaWith her yellow half-saree fluttering in the wind...
Vantha pennthaanaa...is she the girl who came?
Male
Thanni thookkura thanga radhamaeOh golden chariot carrying water pots...
Unnai thookkida varalaamaa...may I come to lift and carry you?
Hoi thanni thookkura thanga radhamaeOh golden chariot carrying water pots...
Unnai thookkida varalaamaa...may I come to lift and carry you?
Female
Thanni paanai vachcha idaththaiThe spot where the water pot rests on your hip...
Maman paarvaigal thodalaamaa...can your uncle's gazes touch it?
Male
Adi kulunguthu iduppuOh, your waist sways and shakes...
Kuliruthu neruppu...the fire itself feels chilled!
Pakkam vanthu thodalaamaaMay I come close and touch you?
Female :Ada veppilai irukkuFemale: Ah, I have neem leaves with me...
Maappillai unakku manthirichchu vidalaama...groom, shall I chant a spell and ward off your fever?
Male :Neththi vaerththirukku aasai kaaththirukkuMale: Sweat is dripping on my forehead, desire is waiting...
Onna jaadaiyil ketkkuraen sammatham sollammaaI am asking you quietly through gestures, tell me your consent, my girl!
Male
Kumbakonam santhaiyil paarththaIs it the young girl I saw...
Chinna penthaanaa...at the Kumbakonam market?
Manja thaavani kaaththula parakkaWith her yellow half-saree fluttering in the wind...
Vantha pennthaanaa….haei…...is she the girl who came... hey!
Male
………………(Interlude)
Male
Kallaikkaattula kattil irukkuThere is a bed set up in the peanut field...
Kambangkool kondu varuvaayaa haei...will you bring millet porridge there, hey?
Aiyayaiyae yaei kallaikkaattula kattil irukkuOh my, there is a bed in the peanut field...
Kambangkool kondu varuvaayaa...will you bring millet porridge there?
Female
Yaezhu thalaimurai thottil irukkaWhen a cradle passed down seven generations is waiting...
Enna seekkiram viduvaayaa...will you set me free so soon?
Male
Adi meththa veedu onnuHey girl, a double-storied house...
Naan kattithaaraen unakku...I will build and give it to you...
Kannam konam tharuvaayaa...will you give me a kiss on your soft cheek?
Female :Antha veettukku vaasa kadhavaaFemale: As the main entrance door to that house...
Rendu udhattaiyum saeppaayo...will you close and join both your lips?
Male :Simmaraasikku ippa uchchamaayiduchchuMale: For Simmarasi (Leo), time is at its peak now...
Kanni raasiyai kavukkanum neraththa sollammaa...tell me the auspicious time to win over Kanni Rasi (Virgo)!
Male
Kumbakonam santhaiyil paarththaIs it the young girl I saw...
Chinna penthaanaa...at the Kumbakonam market?
Manja thaavani kaaththula parakkaWith her yellow half-saree fluttering in the wind...
Vantha pennthaanaa…....is she the girl who came...
Female
Yaei vanthavaasi roadla neththuHey, yesterday on the Vandavasi road...
Vantha aalthaanaa...is she the person who came?
Male :HoiMale: Hoi!
Female :Konjumpothu nenjila saernthaFemale: While cuddling, she joined my heart...
Sontha aalthaanaa...is she my own beloved person?
Male
Vaettiyin vegaththai paarththuSeeing the speed and power of the dhoti...
Female :AahhaaFemale: Aahhaa!
Male :Un thaavani vaerththathu neththuMale: ...your half-saree broke into a sweat yesterday.
Female :Vekkaththa eda vachchi kaattuFemale: Show me where your shyness is weighed and kept.
Male :AahMale: Aah!
Female :Naan vaettiya jeyikkiraen salava pottuFemale: I will conquer your dhoti by washing and starching it!
Male
Kumbakonam….yaei….Kumbakonam... hey...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kumbakonam Santhaiyil is a lively, romantic rural duet from the 1998 Tamil film Simmarasi. The song captures playful teasing and flirtatious banter between the male and female leads. The male protagonist reminisces about seeing his beloved in regional landmarks like the Kumbakonam market and Vandavasi road, marveling at her beauty as her yellow half-saree flutters in the breeze. He expresses his intense desire and eagerness to carry her off, proposing building a home together. In response, the heroine gives witty retorts, teasing him about his impatience and demanding true commitment. The lyrics weave rich traditional and agricultural imagery—such as carrying water pots, farm fields, millet porridge, and family cradles—alongside astrological wordplay involving 'Simmarasi' (Leo) and 'Kanni Rasi' (Virgo) to symbolically depict their impending romantic union.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Thanni thookkura thanga radhamae

The hero directly addresses the woman carrying water pots as a 'golden chariot' (Thanga radhamae), comparing her graceful movement and radiance to a temple chariot.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navirtchi)

Adi kulunguthu iduppu / Kuliruthu neruppu

An exaggerated expression stating that the swaying motion of her waist is so alluring and intense that even fire cools down in response.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kallaikkaattula kattil irukku / Kambangkool kondu varuvaayaa

Matching initial consonants across adjacent words (Kallaikkaattula / Kattil / Kambangkool) to create rhythmic musicality.

Wordplay / Pun (Irettura Mozhidhal)

Simmaraasikku ippa uchchamaayiduchchu / Kanni raasiyai kavukkanum neraththa sollammaa

Clever use of zodiac signs 'Simmarasi' (referencing both the movie title/hero's sign Leo) and 'Kanni Rasi' (Virgo/maiden sign) to denote astrological compatibility and romantic conquest.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song was composed by music director S. A. Rajkumar for the blockbuster action-drama film Simmarasi (1998), directed by Erode Soundar and starring Sarathkumar and Khushbu. The film's soundtrack was widely popular across rural Tamil Nadu for its energetic folk rhythms and catchy folk-pop melodies.

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