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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mambalathu Poosari

From Aasaikku Vayasillai · 1979

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Sriram
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Aasaikku Vayasillai
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
10 Oct 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaa
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaa
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottu
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnu
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaa
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….
Paandibajaaraanda kundhi kittaenyaa
Rendu paisaakku poo onnunnu vanthukiyaanyaa
Sippaayi naisaa sirichchikinnu sight adichchaan
Killaadi jagaa vaangi love-kku light adichchaanyaa
Pookkadaiyaanda baloon oodhi pidichchaanyaa kaithae
Paal kadaiyaanda saloon kudumi vetnaanyaa
Jung-in china bajaaraanda nainaa nainaa ooikoyin
On kadhi en kadhi mainaa koinaa sangathu
Bharma bajaarla thambi sarmaa varmaa
Marina beachla kudichchaanya kurmaa kurmaa
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaa
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaa
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottu
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnu
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaa
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….
Hello nandhalaalaa harae murali vaalaa
Jangi putting saalaam drinking kembakolaa
Yaelaelangadi yaelaa lololangadi lola
Looking kumbamelaa cooking hotel solaa
Pattunnu puttunnu manja kaiyiththa pottuvuttukko
Jalthiya kattila kittila kuppurapottu
Sapputtu paduththuko allaangkatti
Jananga mananga therinjikinnaa pejaaraaiyaa
Kasmaalam kaalu kaiya daarudaaraa kizhichchiduvaanyaa
Nenju manjaa siththa panju panjaa kizhichchiduvaanyaa
Senja paavaththukku koovaanththula kulichchukkuvaanyaa
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaa
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaa
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottu
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnu
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaa
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….
Harae pachcha pachcha i am kadharpaatchaa
Madam poochchaa poochchaa ok achchaa achchaa
Harae seethaaraama harae thaaththa raama
Hello venkatraama this is enga drama
Thaali thonga thonga aadaangaatti
Udamaataenammaadi
Devi karumaari saththiyamaa poovikkiraen aaththadi
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaa
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaa
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottu
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnu
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaa
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….
The priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
He is flirting in style with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Quickly measuring three-quarters of a cubit of flowers,
snatching the fragrant marjoram,
I swapped and handed it over, but this big shot,
he is feasting away, man, that loafer is having a blast, man!
I sat down near Pondy Bazaar, man,
he came up asking for a flower for two paise, man!
The constable gave a smooth smile and checked me out,
this clever guy stepped back and gave the green light for love, man!
Near the flower shop, the crook blew up a balloon and held it,
near the milk shop salon, he cut off his tuft of hair, man!
Roaming around China Bazaar, buddy, buddy, oh yeah!
Your fate and my fate—what a wild story of chatter and chirps!
In Burma Bazaar, little brother Sharma and Varma...
at Marina Beach, he drank kurma soup, kurma!
The priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
He is flirting in style with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Quickly measuring three-quarters of a cubit of flowers,
snatching the fragrant marjoram,
I swapped and handed it over, but this big shot,
he is feasting away, man, that loafer is having a blast, man!
"Hello Nandalala! Hare Muraliwala!"
Junk food, pudding, greetings, and drinking Campa-Cola!
Elelangadi ela, lololangadi lola!
Looking at Kumbh Mela, cooking at Hotel Chola!
In a snap, quickly tie the sacred yellow thread!
Quickly flip the cot upside down,
eat your meal and lie down, darling!
If you try to understand what is in people's minds, it is a huge headache, man!
That scoundrel will tear hands and legs to shreds, man!
He will rip the chest and flesh into wisps like cotton, man!
For all the sins he committed, he will bathe in the Cooum river, man!
The priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
He is flirting in style with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Quickly measuring three-quarters of a cubit of flowers,
snatching the fragrant marjoram,
I swapped and handed it over, but this big shot,
he is feasting away, man, that loafer is having a blast, man!
"Hey kid, little kid, I am Khader Badshah!"
"Madam asked and asked, OK, very good, very good!"
"Hare Seetharama! Hare Grandpa Rama!"
"Hello Venkatrama! This is our drama!"
Until the wedding knot hangs, until you settle down,
I will not let you go, my dear!
I swear on Goddess Karumari, I sell flowers, oh mother!
The priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
He is flirting in style with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Quickly measuring three-quarters of a cubit of flowers,
snatching the fragrant marjoram,
I swapped and handed it over, but this big shot,
he is feasting away, man, that loafer is having a blast, man!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a vibrant, humorous track written entirely in Madras Bashai (Chennai local street slang). It paints a colorful picture of various iconic neighborhoods across Chennai—such as Mambalam, Mandaveli, Pondy Bazaar, China Bazaar, Burma Bazaar, and Marina Beach. Through witty rhymes and streetwise banter, it describes lighthearted romance, neighborhood characters, local foods, and quirky everyday situations. Despite the chaotic street atmosphere, the singer playfully vows love and marriage under the witness of local deities, reflecting the raw, authentic charm of old Madras city life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Madras Bashai (Dialectal Diction)

Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaa

Extensive use of authentic Chennai street slang words like 'dabaaikkiraanyaa' (bluffing), 'majaiikiraanyaa' (having fun/flirting), 'pejaaraaiyaa' (becoming a hassle), and 'kasmaalam' (scoundrel).

Rhyme (Ethirukai / Monnai)

Bharma bajaarla thambi sarmaa varmaa

Use of catchy end rhymes and sound echoes typical of Gaana and folk music, such as 'sarmaa varmaa' paired with 'kurmaa kurmaa'.

Onomatopoeia

Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottu

Use of sound words like 'Surukkunnu' (swiftly), 'Kabakkunnu' (snatchingly), and 'Pattunnu puttunnu' (abruptly/snappingly) to create vivid kinetic imagery.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although Kannadasan is globally revered for his deep philosophical and poetic Tamil lyrics, he was equally masterful at capturing local Madras street slang (Madras Bashai). This song features playful real-world commercial references of the 1970s, such as 'Kembakola' (Campa Cola).

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