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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nagumo

From Arunachalam · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Hariharan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Deva
Details
Arunachalam1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Nagumo hey sugamo vetkam vidumoDoes it smile, oh is it pleasure, will shyness depart?
Mutham podum bodhu moodum ilankodiThe tender creeper closes itself when kissing.
Male
Nagumo hey sugamo vetkam thagumoDoes it smile, oh is it pleasure, is shyness appropriate?
Mutham podum bodhu aadum ilankodiThe tender creeper sways when kissing.
Female
Nagumo hey sugamo vetkam vidumoDoes it smile, oh is it pleasure, will shyness depart?
Mutham podum bodhu moodum ilankodiThe tender creeper closes itself when kissing.
Nagumoo ooo oo ooSmiling... ooo oo oo
Female
Velli kolusu idhu osai osai idaAs this silver anklet makes a ringing sound,
Velli kizhamaiyil aasai aasai varaAs desire arises on Friday,
Mutham tharugaiyil meesai meesai vandhuAs a mustache comes close while kissing,
Mogam thoondi vidudhaeIt sparks passion.
Male
Uchandhalaiyila ennai enni konduAnointing oil on the crown of the head,
Ullankaal varai pinni pinni konduEntwining all the way down to the soles of the feet,
Mutham tharugaiyil mogamana kiliWhile giving a kiss, the passionate parrot
Udhata kadichu vittadhaeBit the lip!
Female
NesamaaMale :NesandhaanIs it true? Male: It is indeed true.
Female
KaayamaaMale :PaarumaaIs it a wound? Male: Take a look!
Female
Ri ri gaMale :Pa pa gaRi ri ga Male: Pa pa ga
Female
Ri ri gaMale :Pa pa gaRi ri ga Male: Pa pa ga
Female
NagumoDoes it smile?
Male
Hey sugamoHey, is it pleasure?
Female
Vetkam vidumoWill shyness leave?
Male
Mutham podum bodhu aadum ilankodiThe tender creeper sways when kissing.
Female
Nagumoo ooo oo oooooSmiling... ooo oo ooooo
Female
Alli malarvadhu iravu nerathulaWater lily blooms in the night time,
Malli malarvadhu maalai nerathulaJasmine blooms in the evening time,
Penmai malarvadhu endha nerathulaAt what time does womanhood bloom?
Enga kandu pidichaWhere did you figure that out?
Male
Kattai viral kondu kolam podugaiyilWhen drawing patterns with the big toe,
Kannin kadai vizhi saaindhu moodugaiyilWhen the outer corners of the eyes tilt and close,
Kaalin kolusugal thaalam aadugaiyilWhen the anklets on the feet dance to the rhythm,
Penmai malarndhu nirkumaeWomanhood stands in full bloom.
Male
SeriyaaFemale :Seri thaanIs it correct? Female: Yes, it is correct.
Male
ParisuFemale :Idhu thaanThe reward? Female: It is this!
Male
Ri ri gaFemale :Pa pa gaRi ri ga Female: Pa pa ga
Male
Ri ri gaFemale :Pa pa gaRi ri ga Female: Pa pa ga
Female
Nagumo hey sugamo vetkam vidumoDoes it smile, oh is it pleasure, will shyness depart?
Mutham podum bodhu moodum ilankodiThe tender creeper closes itself when kissing.
Male
Nagumo heyey sugamo vetkam thagumoDoes it smile, oh is it pleasure, is shyness appropriate?
Mutham podum bodhu aadum ilankodiThe tender creeper sways when kissing.
Female
Nagumoo ooo oooo oooooSmiling... ooo oooo ooooo

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Nagumo' from the movie Arunachalam (1997) is a playful and romantic duet featuring intimate banter between two lovers. The song explores the subtle nuances of romance, physical closeness, and feminine shyness through poetic imagery comparing a woman to a tender creeper and a blossoming flower.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)

Mutham podum bodhu moodum ilankodi

Comparing the heroine to a tender creeper (ilankodi) and a passionate parrot (mogamana kili) adds vivid romantic imagery.

Rhyme & Repetition (Edugai / Monai & Repetition)

Velli kolusu idhu osai osai ida

Repeated word pairs such as 'osai osai', 'aasai aasai', and 'meesai meesai' establish a rhythmic cadence in the verse.

Anaphora / Parallelism

Alli malarvadhu iravu nerathula

Parallel phrasing with 'malarvadhu' across sequential lines creates a riddle-like poetic structure.

Did you know?

Trivia

The opening word 'Nagumo' cleverly references the classical Carnatic kriti 'Nagumomu Ganaleni', reimagining the classical term for a smile/face into a playful modern romantic duet composed by Deva for Rajinikanth's hit film Arunachalam.

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