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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Odam Ithu Odatumae

From Mangai Oru Gangai · 1987

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Details
Mangai Oru Gangai1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Odam ithu odattumaeLet this boat float and set sail,
Female :Hoi kadal maelae athu aadattumaeFemale: Hoi, let it dance upon the sea!
Male :Vaanamengum megam vanthu maelam kottuthaeMale: Clouds across the sky arrive and beat the drums,
Female :Aadum alai oodi vanthu thaalam thattuthaeFemale: The dancing waves come running and tap the rhythm!
Male
Hoi yogam vanththu nalla naeram vanththuHoi, good fortune has arrived, a good time has come,
Minnal ondru kannil vanthu maalai kattuthuA flash of lightning enters the eyes and weaves a garland.
Female :Ho kannaththula muththamittu ennai suttathuFemale: Ho, it kissed my cheek and ignited my passion!
Oru kaalam naeram saerumpothu maalai thodupaenWhen the auspicious time aligns, I will weave the wedding garland.
Male
Azhagae unnai paarththaenOh beautiful one, I looked at you,
Mani osai nenjil kaettenI heard temple bells ringing in my heart!
Female :Intha ilamai paadum raagamFemale: This is a melody sung by youth,
Adhil engum inba naathamFilled everywhere with blissful sound.
Male
Ho raeraerae yogam vanththu nalla naeram vanththuHo raeraerae, good fortune has arrived, a good time has come,
Minnal ondru kannil vanthu maalai kattuthuA flash of lightning enters the eyes and weaves a garland.
Female :Ho kannaththula muththamittu ennai suttathuFemale: Ho, it kissed my cheek and ignited my passion!
Oru kaalam naeram saerumpothu maalai thodupaenWhen the auspicious time aligns, I will weave the wedding garland.
Male
Hoi yogam vanththu nalla naeram vanththuHoi, good fortune has arrived, a good time has come,
Minnal ondru kannil vanthu maalai kattuthuA flash of lightning enters the eyes and weaves a garland.
Female :Ho kannaththula muththamittu ennai suttathuFemale: Ho, it kissed my cheek and ignited my passion!
Oru kaalam naeram saerumpothu maalai thodupaenWhen the auspicious time aligns, I will weave the wedding garland.
Female
Santhikkum vizhigal kadhai sollum kiligalMeeting eyes are parrots telling stories,
Male :Thiththikkum idhzhgal paniyilla kanigalMale: Sweet lips are dewless fruits!
Female :Unnai parththa kangalFemale: The eyes that have seen you,
Inimaelum moodumaa ila nenjam thoongumaaWill they ever close again? Will this young heart ever sleep?
Male :Kannil enna kolamMale: What decorative pattern is drawn in your eyes?
Kalai maangal koottamaa adhil innum naanamaaIs it a herd of gentle deer? Is there still shyness in them?
Female
Kadhalennum naattil engal kaviyarangamIn the land called love, our poetry session takes place!
Male :Ini kaalai enna maalai ennaMale: What does morning or evening matter now,
Inbam vanthu thottil kattaWhen happiness arrives to tie a cradle?
Male
Yogam vanththu nalla naeram vanththuGood fortune has arrived, a good time has come,
Female :AahaahFemale: Aahaah
Male :Minnal ondru kannil vanthu maalai kattuthuMale: A flash of lightning enters the eyes and weaves a garland.
Female :Ho kannaththula muththamittu ennai suttathuFemale: Ho, it kissed my cheek and ignited my passion!
Male :Ooh hoMale: Ooh ho
Female :Oru kaalam naeram saerumpothu maalai thodupaenFemale: When the auspicious time aligns, I will weave the wedding garland.
Male
Azhagae unnai paarththaenOh beautiful one, I looked at you,
Mani osai nenjil kaettenI heard temple bells ringing in my heart!
Female :Intha ilamai paadum raagamFemale: This is a melody sung by youth,
Adhil engum inba naathamFilled everywhere with blissful sound.
Male
Vaanamengum megam vanthu maelam kottuthaeClouds across the sky arrive and beat the drums,
Female :Oohho aadum alai oodi vanthu thaalam thattuthaeFemale: Oohho, the dancing waves come running and tap the rhythm!
Female
Aaa….aaa…..aa…aa…..aa…..Aaa....aaa.....aa...aa.....aa.....
Female Chorus :LalallalaaFemale Chorus: Lalallalaa
Male :AahaahMale: Aahaah
Female Chorus :LalallalaaFemale Chorus: Lalallalaa
Female :AahaaFemale: Aahaa
Female Chorus :Lalalla laal laallaa laallalaFemale Chorus: Lalalla laal laallaa laallala
Male :AahaahMale: Aahaah
Female Chorus :LalallalaaFemale Chorus: Lalallalaa
Female :AahaaFemale: Aahaa
Female Chorus :LalallalaaFemale Chorus: Lalallalaa
Male :AahaahMale: Aahaah
Female Chorus :Lalalla laal laallaa laallalaFemale Chorus: Lalalla laal laallaa laallala
Male
Aanantha kalasam vazhiyattum amuthamLet the pot of bliss overflow with nectar,
Female :Angangu sugamaai nanaiyattum idhayamFemale: Let the heart be pleasantly soaked everywhere!
Male
Unnai thottaal pothumJust touching you is enough,
Thodaraatho aasaigal idhzh veenai oosaigalWon't desires continue like music from a lip-veena?
Female :Thendral kaattum inguFemale: The gentle breeze blowing here,
Unai polae theenduthae udalengum ooduthaeTouches me just like you and runs across my body!
Male
Ada ingu vanthu thottathadi ilamaanaeAh, coming here and touching me, oh young doe,
Female :Un kaigal thotta pakkamellamFemale: Wherever your hands have touched,
Kaatru vanthu thottathindruThe breeze came and touched there today!
Female
Vaanamengum megam vanthu maelam kottuthaeClouds across the sky arrive and beat the drums,
Male :AahaaMale: Aahaa
Female :Aadum alai oodi vanthu thaalam thattuthaeFemale: The dancing waves come running and tap the rhythm!
Male :Yogam vanththu nalla naeram vanththuMale: Good fortune has arrived, a good time has come,
Female :AahaahFemale: Aahaah
Male :Minnal ondru kannil vanthu maalai kattuthuMale: A flash of lightning enters the eyes and weaves a garland.
Female :Kannaththula muththamittu ennai suttathuFemale: It kissed my cheek and ignited my passion!
Oru kaalam naeram saerumpothu maalai thodupaenWhen the auspicious time aligns, I will weave the wedding garland.
Male
Azhagae unnai paarththaenOh beautiful one, I looked at you,
Mani osai nenjil kaettenI heard temple bells ringing in my heart!
Female :Intha ilamai paadum raagamFemale: This is a melody sung by youth,
Adhil engum inba naathamFilled everywhere with blissful sound.
Male
Vaanamengum megam vanthu maelam kottuthaeClouds across the sky arrive and beat the drums,
Female :Hoi aadum alai oodi vanthu thaalam thattuthaeFemale: Hoi, the dancing waves come running and tap the rhythm!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This vibrant romantic duet captures the euphoric excitement of two lovers celebrating their love while floating on a boat over the sea. The song metaphorically depicts nature celebrating alongside them—sky clouds acting as wedding drums, ocean waves tapping the rhythm, and lightning flashes framing garlands. Through expressive poetry, the lovers adore each other's beauty, anticipate a happy marital future, and describe the intoxicating feeling of love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagani)

Santhikkum vizhigal kadhai sollum kiligal

The meeting eyes of the lovers are metaphorically compared to story-telling parrots.

Personification

Vaanamengum megam vanthu maelam kottuthae

Clouds across the sky are personified as musicians playing drums for the lovers.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Azhagae unnai paarththaen / Mani osai nenjil kaetten

The lines end with rhyming phonetic structures ('paarththaen' and 'kaetten').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Mangai Oru Gangai' (1987) features lyrics composed by the prominent Tamil poet and lyricist Pulamaipithan. The movie's soundtrack is notable for being composed by the legendary Hindi film music composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal during one of their rare projects in Tamil cinema.

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