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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Lottariyale Battery Pole

From Iru Sagodharigal · 1957

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
Jikki, Trichy Loganathan
Music director
S. Rajeswara Rao
Details
Iru Sagodharigal1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
……………….....
Female
Lotteryyaalae battery polaeThrough the lottery, like a battery,
Light-um vanthathu vaazhvilaeLight has entered into life.
Aattamum paattamum aasaiyum meeriDance, song, and desire overflow,
Pongiduthe innaalilaeSurging forth on this day!
Female
Lotteryyaalae battery polaeThrough the lottery, like a battery,
Light-um vanthathu vaazhvilaeLight has entered into life.
Aattamum paattamum aasaiyum meeriDance, song, and desire overflow,
Pongiduthe innaalilae…..Surging forth on this day...
Female
Vaathaadum velaiyumillaeThere is no time to argue,
Vaai paattum thevai illeNor any need for mere vocal songs.
Male :Aa…aa…aa….aah….Male: Aa...aa...aa...aah...
Female
Vaathaadum velaiyumillaeThere is no time to argue,
Vaai paattum thevai illeNor any need for mere vocal songs.
Soodhaadi panamae saerkkumGathering money through gambling,
Duraiyae un pol yaarumillaiOh gentleman, there is no one like you!
Duraiyae un pol yaarumillaiOh gentleman, there is no one like you!
Male
Sonnaalum sollaavidinumWhether it is admitted or not,
Soodhaadum killaadi naanaeI am a master at gambling!
Aa…aaaah….aa…aa….aa…aa….Aa...aaaah...aa...aa...aa...aa...
Female :………….Female: ...
Male
Sonnaalum sollaavidinumWhether it is admitted or not,
Soodhaadum killaadi naanaeI am a master at gambling!
Joppadiyalla suruttiyathallaNot by pickpocketing, not by stealing,
Joraai vaazhnthida vaarai kanaeCome my dear, to live in grand style!
Male
……………...
Female
Chee paeFie, go away!
Female
Lotteryyaalae battery polaeThrough the lottery, like a battery,
Light-um vanthathu vaazhvilaeLight has entered into life.
Aattamum paattamum aasaiyum meeriDance, song, and desire overflow,
Pongiduthe innaalilaeSurging forth on this day!
Female
Jaljallena sathangaiyoduWith anklets chiming 'jal-jal',
Kalkalena kanganaththoduWith bangles clinking 'kal-kal',
Jiljillaena vairaththoduWith diamonds sparkling 'jil-jil',
Joraai vaazhnthida vaaraai kannaaCome my darling, to live in grand style!
Joraai vaazhnthida vaaraai rajaCome my king, to live in grand style!
Male
Maadiyin melae maadiyum yaerumStorey upon storey will rise high,
Maramum sediyum adhumelaerumTrees and plants will grow upon them,
Aa..aaaah….aa….aa…aa….aa….Aa..aaaah....aa....aa...aa....aa....
Female :……………………Female: ......
Male
Maadiyin melae maadiyum yaerumStorey upon storey will rise high,
Maramum sediyum adhumelaerumTrees and plants will grow upon them,
Intha jodi puraavum koodu kattiyaeLike a pair of doves building a nest,
Joraai vaazhnthida vaaraai kannaeCome my dear, to live in grand style!
Female
Lotteryyaalae battery polaeThrough the lottery, like a battery,
Light-um vanthathu vaazhvilaeLight has entered into life.
Aattamum paattamum aasaiyum meeriDance, song, and desire overflow,
Pongiduthe innaalilaeSurging forth on this day!
Pongiduthe innaalilaeSurging forth on this day!
Pongiduthe innaalilaeSurging forth on this day!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet from the movie 'Iru Sagodharigal' (1957) captures the joyful exuberance of characters who believe they have hit sudden fortune through a lottery or easy windfall, comparing the sudden burst of brightness in their lives to a battery powering up a bulb. The song moves into a lighthearted dialogue where the characters boast about gaining money and fantasize about living a luxurious lifestyle filled with multi-storey mansions, fine jewelry, and complete joy. Written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass and set to music by S. Rajeswara Rao, the track relies on rhythmic, colloquial Tamil filled with lively onomatopoeia to convey uninhibited delight and high aspirations.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Lotteryyaalae battery polae

Compares the sudden arrival of light and happiness in life due to winning a lottery to a battery energizing a bulb ('Lotteryyaalae battery polae / Light-um vanthathu vaazhvilae').

Onomatopoeia (Etai Sol / Irattai Kilavi)

Jaljallena sathangaiyodu

Uses rhythmic, sound-imitative words like 'Jaljallena', 'Kalkalena', and 'Jiljillaena' to mimic the tinkling sound of anklets, bangles, and sparkling diamonds.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Intha jodi puraavum koodu kattiyae

Compares the romantic couple living happily together in their dream house to a pair of nesting doves ('Intha jodi puraavum koodu kattiyae').

Rhyme / Alliteration (Edukai & Mónai)

Joppadiyalla suruttiyathalla

Employs internal rhyming and rhythmic sound repetition across adjacent lines like 'Joppadiyalla suruttiyathalla' to heighten musicality.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the famed lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass, known for introducing catchy English loanwords ('lottery', 'battery', 'light') into 1950s Tamil cinema lyrics to reflect urban pop culture and contemporary colloquial speech.

Keep listening

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