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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kummi Adi

From Sillunu Oru Kadhal · 2006

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Naresh Iyer, Swarnalatha, Sivachidambaram
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Sillunu Oru Kadhal2006

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ammi mithichachuThe grinding stone has been stepped on,
Arunthathiyaaa parthachuu..ye ye ye….The Arundhati star has been witnessed... ye ye ye....
Pinni poo mudichuFlowers have been braided into the hair,
Purusan kaiya korthachuu..uuuHand-in-hand with her husband, she has linked fingers... uuu
Male
Ettoru ettum padi thatungada mathatlaththaBeat the mridangam drum beat for beat!
Pasa mazhai panju vanthu thorkadikum kuthalaththaCan the Courtallam waterfall defeat this shower of affection?
Pasa mazhai panju vanthu thorkadikum kuthalaththaCan the Courtallam waterfall defeat this shower of affection?
Chorus
Aele..aele..aele..aele…Aele..aele..aele..aele…
Male
Avalukkenna ambaa samuthuraLook at her, she is like the sweet halwa
Aiyar hotelu halwa maathiriFrom the famous Iyer hotel of Ambasamudram!
Thaalam poovenaLike a fragrant screwpine flower,
Thazha thazhavenaFresh, lush, and blooming,
Vanthaa vanthaa paaruLook, she has arrived!
Female
Avanukkenna aalvaa kurichiLook at him, he is from Alwarkurichi,
Azhagu devaru aruvaa maathiriLike the sharp, handsome sickle of a brave warrior!
Barumaa thekkanaLike polished Burmese teak wood,
Pazha pazhavenaShining bright and sturdy,
Vanthaan vanthaan paaruLook, he has arrived!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands for the Kummi dance... clap hands!
Kummi adi oho…….Clap hands, oho...!
Kothu vazha satham podaMake noise like rustling banana leaves,
Kummi adi oho ooooClap hands, oho oooo!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands... clap hands!
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Thotta poovil vandu aadaLike a bee dancing on a soft blossom,
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Female
Adi raasaayi rosaayiHey Raasayi, Rosayi,
Raasaa maniAnd Raasamani,
Namma raasaakku rani vanthitta..ahA queen has arrived for our king... ah!
Female
Romba sokkaanathuWhat a wonderful pair,
Intha sodinnu thaanThis match made in heaven,
Antha aathaa thaan seithu puttaCreated by the Mother Goddess herself!
Chorus
Ommul vaaraamathaanTo ward off the evil eye,
Namma suthi podanumWe must perform a warding ritual,
Sudala maadanukku kadaAnd sacrifice a goat
Neenthu vudanumTo Lord Sudalai Maadan!
Nalla pon aanaa naazh ithuthaanThis is indeed a auspicious golden day!
Male
Avalukkenna ambaa samuthuraLook at her, she is like the sweet halwa
Aiyar hotelu halwa maathiriFrom the famous Iyer hotel of Ambasamudram!
Thaalam poovenaLike a fragrant screwpine flower,
Thazha thazhavenaFresh, lush, and blooming,
Vanthaa vanthaa paaruLook, she has arrived!
Female
Avanukkenna aalvaa kurichiLook at him, he is from Alwarkurichi,
Azhagu devaru aruvaa maathiriLike the sharp, handsome sickle of a brave warrior!
Barumaa thekkanaLike polished Burmese teak wood,
Pazha pazhavenaShining bright and sturdy,
Vanthaan vanthaan paaruLook, he has arrived!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands for the Kummi dance... clap hands!
Kummi adi oho…….Clap hands, oho...!
Kothu vazha satham podaMake noise like rustling banana leaves,
Kummi adi oho ooooClap hands, oho oooo!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands... clap hands!
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Thotta poovil vandu aadaLike a bee dancing on a soft blossom,
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Chorus
Aele..aele..aele..aele…Aele..aele..aele..aele…
Male
Uppu kandam nee vanthu seruCome and join like salted dried meat,
Inghu kaathirukken kambung kooluthaanI am waiting here like nutritious pearl millet porridge!
Female
Bayee kada briyaaniya polaLike rich biryani cooked at a Bhai shop,
Inghu pakkuvamaa venthu kedakkuSimmering to perfection right here!
Male
Adi yaarum paarthaaIf anyone catches a glimpse,
Kettu pogumthaanaeThey will surely swoon with longing,
Intha nethili karuvaattu kozhambuFor this spicy anchovy fish curry!
Female
Machaan vethala paakkodaMy beloved, with betel leaf and nut in hand,
Vanthu vaasalil nikkattaShould I come and stand at your doorstep?
Ini othi pottaa othukkaathuIf put aside, it will no longer wait,
Panju mutaai manasuThis cotton-candy soft heart of mine!
Male
Adi othaiyil thoongaathuIt cannot sleep in solitude,
Panju methaiyil thoongaathuIt cannot sleep even on a soft cotton mattress!
Antha naayar kada chaaya vidaThe heat is rising faster than
Yerikichu suduA piping hot tea from a Nair shop!
Male
Hey hey heyHey hey hey!
Avalukkenna ambaa samuthuraLook at her, she is like the sweet halwa
Aiyar hotelu halwa maathiriFrom the famous Iyer hotel of Ambasamudram!
Thaalam poovenaLike a fragrant screwpine flower,
Thazha thazhavenaFresh, lush, and blooming,
Vanthaa vanthaa paaruLook, she has arrived!
Female
Avanukkenna aalvaa kurichiLook at him, he is from Alwarkurichi,
Azhagu devaru aruvaa maathiriLike the sharp, handsome sickle of a brave warrior!
Barumaa thekkanaLike polished Burmese teak wood,
Pazha pazhavenaShining bright and sturdy,
Vanthaan vanthaan paaruLook, he has arrived!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands for the Kummi dance... clap hands!
Kummi adi oho…….Clap hands, oho...!
Kothu vazha satham podaMake noise like rustling banana leaves,
Kummi adi oho ooooClap hands, oho oooo!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands... clap hands!
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Thotta poovil vandu aadaLike a bee dancing on a soft blossom,
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Chorus
……………………………………....
Female
Ahaaa…aaaaaa…aaaa…Ahaaa…aaaaaa…aaaa…
Pallu kuthum kutchiyaala neengaYou are so clever, with a toothpick
Vittaa nellu kuthum ketti kaaranga..You could husk paddy if given the chance!
Male
Patha mada paayaa pottu paaruSpread out a Pathamadai mat and see,
Paattanukum suran naan thaanI can outdo even my grandfather in vigor!
Female
Vittaa pothum veliyai thaandumGiven the chance, it will jump over the fence;
Intha vellaattuku romba ethamthanThat is how energetic this she-goat is!
Male
Kothura sevalum naanthaanaeI am the pecking rooster,
Paayura kozhiyum neethaanaeAnd you are the pouncing hen!
Rendum mookkum mookkumWon't both our beaks touch
Mutti kittu mutham veikkaathoAnd lock together in a sweet kiss?
Female
Machan minjura soottoduMy groom, with the overwhelming warmth,
Rendum nenjodu nenjoduBoth our hearts pressed together,
Oru oosi noolae illaamathaanWithout needing any needle or thread,
Onna thaikkaathoWon't they stitch us into one?
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands for the Kummi dance... clap hands!
Kummi adi oho…….Clap hands, oho...!
Kothu vazha satham podaMake noise like rustling banana leaves,
Kummi adi oho ooooClap hands, oho oooo!
Chorus
Kummi adi…kummi adiClap hands... clap hands!
Kummi adi ohoClap hands, oho!
Thotta poovil vandu aadaLike a bee dancing on a soft blossom,
Kummi adi..kummi adi..Clap hands for the Kummi dance... clap hands!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kummi Adi is a festive, highly energetic Tamil folk wedding song from the 2006 movie Sillunu Oru Kadhal, composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics penned by Vaali. The song celebrates a traditional wedding through the folk art form of Kummi (a rhythmically synchronized hand-clapping dance). It begins by describing sacred Hindu marriage rituals such as 'Ammi Mithithal' (stepping on the grinding stone) and 'Arundhati Parthakhal' (viewing the Arundhati star), marking the official union of the bride and groom.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

Aiyar hotelu halwa maathiri

Compares the bride's sweetness and grace to Ambasamudram halwa and screwpine flowers (Thaalam poo), and the groom's strength and shine to an Alwarkurichi sickle and Burmese teak wood.

Ethirukaai / Ethirppada (Contrast)

Azhagu devaru aruvaa maathiri

Contrasts the delicate beauty of the bride with the rugged, sharp masculine imagery of the groom.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ammi mithichachu / Arunthathiyaaa parthachuu

Matching second consonants across lines, such as 'Ammi' and 'Arunthathiyaaa', or 'Pinni' and 'Purusan'.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Panju mutaai manasu

Describes the heart metaphorically as soft cotton candy ('Panju mutaai manasu') that cannot rest in solitude.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt context listed music/singers as unknown, this celebrated song was composed by Oscar-winner A. R. Rahman for Sillunu Oru Kadhal (2006) and rendered by Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram, Swarnalatha, Naresh Iyer, Theni Kunjaramma, and Cholappadi Pushpavanam Kuppuswamy. Vaali richly infused southern Tamil Nadu regional flavors (referencing Pathamadai mats, Ambasamudram halwa, and Alwarkurichi sickles) to celebrate rural marriage traditions.

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