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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maappila Thedungadi

From Gangai Karai Paattu · 1995

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chitra
Music director
Deva
Details
Gangai Karai Paattu1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Male
Yaemaantha aa…..aa….aaa….Deceived aa...aa...aaa...
Yaemaantha sonagiriDeceived foolish guy!
Naanillai paarungadiLook, it's not me!
Vaanaranga koottam vaasam pola thottamA group of monkeys, a garden like perfume,
Vattamittu suththi suththi poduthadaa aattamCircling round and round, dancing merrily!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Female
Thangaththaala thaali senjuMaking a sacred wedding thread out of gold,
Thonga thonga kattikittuWearing it hanging proudly,
Jambama poaga porandiShe walks around boasting!
Male :Podi….Male: Go away...
Female
Enga veettu maappillaikkuFor our home's groom,
Singakutti aambalaikkuFor this lion-cub of a man,
Ettu pillai pekka porendiI will give birth to eight children!
Male :Aiyyayyo…..aiyyayyoMale: Oh no... oh no...
Female
Sengazhuththu meen porichchuFrying red-necked fish,
Unnga unnga oottikittuFeeding him lovingly piece by piece,
Maamanaththaan theththa porendiI am going to revive my uncle's spirits!
Male :hahaah….Male: Haha...
Female
Sevakkozhi NenjukkullaeInside the heart of the rooster,
Aasaiththaan moottivittuKindling strong desire,
Saelaiyaalae poththaporendiI will cover it up with my saree!
Male :AiiyaeMale: Hey!
Chorus
Machchana kattikadiEmbrace your cousin!
Maththalam thattikadiBeat the traditional drum!
Manthaara nenjukkulaeInside the overcast heart,
Maththaappu paththikadiLight up a sparkler!
Female
Puththam pudhu poovilOn a brand new flower,
Mothth onnu pottuPlacing a sweet kiss,
Kuththa vachchu solli koduMake him sit down and teach him,
Paththu vitha paattuTen varieties of songs!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yaeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Vaah….vavvvaa vaah….vavvvaaVaah....vavvvaa vaah....vavvvaa
Male
Veppam poo kendaiyittuApplying neem flower eyeliner,
Vaendi vendi sandaiyittuDeliberately starting fights,
Veruppu yaeththum chinnakuttiyaeYou annoying little girl!
Male
Podi podi oththikkittuGo away, move aside,
Kona vaayaa poththikittuShut your crooked mouth,
Pudichchu pona thanni thottiyyaeYou old broken water tank!
Female :Aei….Female: Hey...
Male
Maaththi maaththi kulukkinaalumEven if you shake again and again,
Manasa pudichchi ulukkinaalumEven if you stir his heart,
Mayangamaatan intha aambilaThis man will not fall for it!
Maanagkettu thedikittuWithout any shame,
Azhaiyiraalae intha pombalaThis woman wanders around searching!
Female :VevvvvaeFemale: Vevvvvae
Chorus
Achchcho ithu ennadiOh my, what is this, girl?
Machchano azhi mannadiIs cousin just a sculpture of clay?
Appappa pennullamaeAh, a woman's mind,
Alaipaayum pudhu vellamaeIs a fresh rushing flood!
Male
Ada aththa maga meenaHey, aunt's daughter Meena,
Suththuraalae theanaaIs buzzing around like honey!
Vattamidum kattazhaga vittutaathea veenaaDon't let this handsome beauty go to waste!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Male
Yaemaantha yaemaantha sonagiriDeceived, deceived foolish guy,
Naanillai paarungadiLook, it's not me!
Vaanaranga koottam vaasam pola thottamA group of monkeys, a garden like perfume,
Vattamittu suththi suththi poduthadaa aattamCircling round and round, dancing merrily!
Male
Maappilaai thedungadiSearch for a groom, girls!
Maaman vilaithaan yaeruthadiUncle's market price is rising!
Chorus :Maappilaai thedungadiChorus: Search for a groom, girls!
Male :ThedungadiMale: Search for him!
Chorus :Maaman vilaithaan yaeruthadiChorus: Uncle's market price is rising!
Male :Aamaam…..Male: Yes...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Maappilaai thedungadi is a lively rural folk-duet from the 1995 Tamil movie Gangai Karai Paattu. The song features playfulness, teasing, and romantic banter between the leads and village companions. The heroine boasts about her groom's rising value, expressing her love and grand dreams of marriage and family life, while the male lead playfully rejects and teases her back with humorous insults. Throughout the track, the chorus adds energy with playful imagery of village gatherings, flowers, and dances. Lyricist Kalidasan captures the vibrant essence of Tamil village courtship through expressive local idioms, rhythmic folk meters, and festive imagery.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Maappilaai thedungadi / Maaman vilaithaan yeruthadi

Matching initial sounds across adjacent lines, such as 'Maappilaai' and 'Maaman'.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Thangaththaala thaali senju / Thonga thonga kattikittu

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Thangaththaala' and 'Thonga thonga'.

Upamai (Simile)

Vaanaranga koottam vaasam pola thottam

Direct comparison using 'pola' (like), comparing the garden's pleasant atmosphere to fragrance.

Uruvagaim (Metaphor)

Appappa pennullamae / Alaipaayum pudhu vellamae

Describing the woman's mind directly as a rushing flood ('pudhu vellamae').

Did you know?

Trivia

Gangai Karai Paattu (1995) was directed by famous actor-director Manivannan, starring Varun Raj and Roopa Sree. The soundtrack was composed by Deva, known for his rustic folk melodies and energetic local gaana/folk numbers in 1990s Tamil cinema.

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