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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oorukkellam Poochootum

From Raja Veettu Pillai · 1967

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Details
Raja Veettu Pillai1967

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meenaOh Meena, who decorates the whole town with flowers!
Un ullathilae ullavanum naana naanaAm I the one residing inside your heart?
Female :Oorukkellam car ottum raja rajaFemale: Oh Raja, who drives a car for the whole town!
Un ullathilae ullathindha roja rojaInside your heart resides this rose!
Male
Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meenaOh Meena, who decorates the whole town with flowers!
Female :Oorukkellam car ottum raja rajaFemale: Oh Raja, who drives a car for the whole town!
Male
Kungumasivappu kannathilaeOn your cheeks red as kumkum,
Oru kolam varaiyattumaShall I draw a decorative pattern?
Kungumasivappu kannathilaeOn your cheeks red as kumkum,
Oru kolam varaiyattumaShall I draw a decorative pattern?
Idai konji nadakkum vanji kodikkuFor the vine-like lady who walks with a swaying waist,
Koyil ezhupattumaShall I build a temple?
Idai konji nadakkum vanji kodikkuFor the vine-like lady who walks with a swaying waist,
Koyil ezhupattuma koyil ezhupattumaShall I build a temple, shall I build a temple?
Female
Atha maganukku palli kollaFor my aunt's son to rest,
Oru methai virikattuma ..aaa..aaShall I spread out a soft bed? Ah... ah...
Atha maganukku palli kollaFor my aunt's son to rest,
Oru methai virikattumaShall I spread out a soft bed?
Avan sandhana maeni sondham kondaadaTo embrace his sandalwood-complexioned body as my own,
Vittu kodukkatumaShall I surrender myself?
Male
Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meenaOh Meena, who decorates the whole town with flowers!
Female :Oorukkellam car ottum raja rajaFemale: Oh Raja, who drives a car for the whole town!
Male
Paruvathin paattukku mudhan mudhalaagaFor the song of youth, for the very first time,
Pallavi sollattumaShall I sing the opening line (Pallavi)?
Female :Andha pallavi sonna nallavar kaigalilFemale: In the hands of the good man who sang that opening line,
Saranam aagattumaShall I become the concluding verse (Saranam) / surrender?
Male
Paruvathin paattukku mudhan mudhalaagaFor the song of youth, for the very first time,
Pallavi sollattumaShall I sing the opening line?
Female :Andha pallavi sonna nallavar kaigalilFemale: In the hands of the good man who sang that opening line,
Saranam aagattumaShall I become the concluding verse / surrender?
Male
Thendral kaatrae thenangeetraeOh gentle breeze, oh coconut leaf frond,
Thendral kaatrae thenangeetraeOh gentle breeze, oh coconut leaf frond,
Innum yenadi achamWhy are you still fearful, my girl?
Female :Acham enbathai penmai maranthalFemale: If womanhood forgets its shyness and fear,
Enna irukkum michamWhat else will be left?
Enna irukkum michamWhat else will be left?
Male
Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meenaOh Meena, who decorates the whole town with flowers!
Un ullathilae ullavanum naana naanaAm I the one residing inside your heart?
Female :Oorukkellam car ottum raja rajaFemale: Oh Raja, who drives a car for the whole town!
Un ullathilae ullathindha roja rojaInside your heart resides this rose!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a joyful romantic duet between the lead lovers, Raja and Meena. Through playful banter, Raja praises Meena's beauty and asks if he holds a special place in her heart. Meena reciprocates warmly, affectionately comparing herself to a rose blooming inside his heart. The lyrics celebrate their budding romance, incorporating classic Tamil cultural tropes such as addressing the lover as 'Atha Magan' (paternal aunt's son) and expressing deep affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Double Entendre / Pun (Sledai)

Female :Andha pallavi sonna nallavar kaigalil / Saranam aagattuma

Vaali brilliantly plays with Carnatic music terms. 'Saranam' means the stanza following a 'Pallavi' in a song, but it also carries the literal meaning of seeking shelter or total romantic surrender in someone's hands.

End Rhyme (Iyaipu)

Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meena / Un ullathilae ullavanum naana naana

The deliberate matching end sounds 'meena meena' and 'naana naana' create a pleasing, rhythmic musicality.

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Idai konji nadakkum vanji kodikku

The slender, supple waist of the woman is poetically compared to a soft, swaying creeper vine ('vanji kodi').

Alliteration (Monai)

Kungumasivappu kannathilae

The repetition of the 'K' consonant sound at the beginning of 'Kungumasivappu' and 'kannathilae' adds poetic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist Vaali and set to music by S. M. Subbaih Naidu, 'Oorukkellam poochoottum meena meena' from 'Raja Veettu Pillai' (1967) features the iconic duet voice pair of T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. Vaali's clever integration of musical structures—using 'Pallavi' and 'Saranam' as metaphors for romantic initiation and surrender—is widely admired by Tamil music historians.

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