Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mambalathu Poosari

From Aasaikku Vayasillai · 1979

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Sriram
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Aasaikku Vayasillai1979

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaaThe priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaaGrandly, he is flirting with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottuQuickly measuring out three-fourths cubit of flowers,
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnuGrabbing the marjoram sprig suddenly,
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaaI exchanged it and gave it, boss!
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….The lazy fellow is enjoying and rocking it, man!
Male
Paandibajaaraanda kundhi kittaenyaaI sat down near Pondy Bazaar, man,
Rendu paisaakku poo onnunnu vanthukiyaanyaaShe came selling flowers at two paise each, man!
Sippaayi naisaa sirichchikinnu sight adichchaanThe soldier slyly smiled and checked her out,
Killaadi jagaa vaangi love-kku light adichchaanyaaThe clever guy ducked away and greenlit his love, man!
Male
Pookkadaiyaanda baloon oodhi pidichchaanyaa kaithaeNear the flower shop, the rogue blew up a balloon,
Paal kadaiyaanda saloon kudumi vetnaanyaaNear the milk shop, the salon cut off his tuft of hair!
Jung-in china bajaaraanda nainaa nainaa ooikoyinNear China Bazaar, hey mister, mister, oh friend,
On kadhi en kadhi mainaa koinaa sangathuWhat is your story and my story, my bird, what is this bond?
Bharma bajaarla thambi sarmaa varmaaIn Burma Bazaar, younger brother Sharma and Verma,
Marina beachla kudichchaanya kurmaa kurmaaOn Marina beach, he drank mutton curry soup, curry soup!
Male
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaaThe priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaaGrandly, he is flirting with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottuQuickly measuring out three-fourths cubit of flowers,
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnuGrabbing the marjoram sprig suddenly,
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaaI exchanged it and gave it, boss!
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….The lazy fellow is enjoying and rocking it, man!
Male
Hello nandhalaalaa harae murali vaalaaHello Krishna, Hare bearer of the flute!
Jangi putting saalaam drinking kembakolaaSaluting in uniform, drinking Campa Cola!
Yaelaelangadi yaelaa lololangadi lolaYaelaelangadi yaelaa lololangadi lola!
Looking kumbamelaa cooking hotel solaaLooking at Kumbh Mela, cooking hotel Chola!
Male
Pattunnu puttunnu manja kaiyiththa pottuvuttukkoSwiftly tie the yellow sacred thread around her neck!
Jalthiya kattila kittila kuppurapottuQuickly bring the cot near and flip over,
Sapputtu paduththuko allaangkattiEat well and sleep embraced closely,
Jananga mananga therinjikinnaa pejaaraaiyaaIf the public finds out about this, it will become huge trouble!
Kasmaalam kaalu kaiya daarudaaraa kizhichchiduvaanyaaThe scoundrels will tear legs and arms to shreds, man!
Male
Nenju manjaa siththa panju panjaa kizhichchiduvaanyaaThey will shred the heart into cotton bits, man!
Senja paavaththukku koovaanththula kulichchukkuvaanyaaFor the sins committed, they will take a bath in the Cooum river, man!
Male
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaaThe priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaaGrandly, he is flirting with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottuQuickly measuring out three-fourths cubit of flowers,
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnuGrabbing the marjoram sprig suddenly,
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaaI exchanged it and gave it, boss!
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….The lazy fellow is enjoying and rocking it, man!
Male
Harae pachcha pachcha i am kadharpaatchaaHey green green, I am Khadar Basha!
Madam poochchaa poochchaa ok achchaa achchaaMadam, did it go? Okay, good, good!
Harae seethaaraama harae thaaththa raamaHare Seetharama, Hare Grandpa Rama!
Hello venkatraama this is enga dramaHello Venkatrama, this is our drama!
Male
Thaali thonga thonga aadaangaattiUntil the sacred thali hangs and sways,
UdamaataenammaadiI will not let you go, my girl!
Devi karumaari saththiyamaa poovikkiraen aaththadiI swear on Goddess Karumari, I will adorn you with flowers, oh lady!
Male
Maambalaththu poosaari dabaaikkiraanyaaThe priest from Mambalam is bluffing, man!
Joraa manthaveli pookkaariya majaaikiraanyaaGrandly, he is flirting with the Mandaveli flower girl, man!
Surukkunnu mukkaa mozham pottuQuickly measuring out three-fourths cubit of flowers,
Marikkozhunthu kabakkunnuGrabbing the marjoram sprig suddenly,
Maaththi koduththaen pisthaaI exchanged it and gave it, boss!
Kumaaikiraanyaa somaari jamaaikiraanyaa….The lazy fellow is enjoying and rocking it, man!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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).

Keep listening

More from Aasaikku Vayasillai