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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ottiyanam Senju Tharen

From Arul · 2004

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Hariharan, Srimathumitha, Manikka Vinayagam
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Movie name
Arul
Movie release year
2004
Lyrics added on
21 Jan 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thiri thari…
Kavvikichu love-u…Kavvikichu love-u…
Ottiyaanam senju thaaren variyaa
Naan ottikolla idai konjam thariyaa
Hoi ottiyaanam senju thaaren variyaa
Naan ottikolla idai konjam thariyaa
:Ottiyaanam kittiyaanam thevayaa
Idai kattikolla kai rendu illayaa
Mooku muzhi ullavalae
Muthathukku nallavalae
Maaralavu naan eduthu
Muthu malai tharavaa
Muchathula ullavanae
Macham ulla manmadhanae
Maaralavu edukkayilae
Orralavu thodavaa
Vellikodamae.. thanga vadamae
Indha cheeyan pakkam thirumbu
Sandhu kedacha pandhu adippa
Ithu koyambattur kurumbu
Ottiyaanam senju thaaren variyaa
Naan ottikolla idai konjam thariyaa
Ottiyaanam kittiyaanam thevayaa
Idai kattikolla kai rendu illayaa
Thiri thari…
Sutha thangam patha vechu
Natchathira kallu vechu
Nethi sutti panni thaaren
Enna suthi suthi vaariyaa
Nethi suthi thevaiyilla
Neela kallum thevaiyilla
Nethiyila kungumathaa
Nee vechivida vaariya
Un kathi mookoda muthu mookuthi
Kuthivida poren variyaa
Un muthu mookuthi uppukaaghaathu
Mookil mookurasa variyaa
Thanga thodu naan thaaren
Angathodu nee variyaa
Thodu podum kaathodu
Moortha sethi sollayya
Hoi ottiyaanam senju thaaren variyaa
Naan ottikolla idai konjam thariyaa
Ottiyaanam kittiyaanam thevayaa
Idai kattikolla kai rendu illayaa
Ule lo le lo shayya…ule lo loo
Ule lo le lo shayya…ulee loo haiii..
Aye varuthu varuthu sayya…
Aye varuthu varuthu sayya…
Sayyyaaa…aaaaaa
Velli katti vetti thatti
Salli salli maanukatti
Kolusugha panni tharaen
En kooda maada variyaa
Kooda maada vaarathukku
Kolusugal thevai illai
Nee kenda kaalu nandu pola
Un sundu viral theyumayya
Adi vanji un kayyil
Konji vilayaada valayal naan thaaraen variyaa
Ada valayal vendaamae
Ippa varuvenae
Valathu kai konjam thariyaa
Thanga chain-u naan thaaren
Thamma thundu nee thariyaa
Manja kayiru nee thantha
Ennai urichu thaarenya
Ottiyaanam ottiyaanam ottiyaanam
Atha senju tharen senju tharen vaariyaa
Dandanakka dandanakka dandanakka
Idai kattikolla kai rendu illayaa
Mooku muzhi ullavalae…Female :Hoii..
Muthathukku nallavalae…Female :Hoii..
Maaralavu naan eduthu…Female :Hoii..
Muthu malai tharavaa
Muchathula ullavanae….Male :Hoii…
Macham ulla manmadhanae….Male :Hoii…
Maaralavu edukkayilae….Male :Hoii…
Orralavu thodavaa
Vellikodamae.. thanga vadamae
Indha cheeyan pakkam thirumbu
Sandhu kedacha pandhu adippa
Inghu venam venam kurumbu
Thiri thari…
Thiri thari...
Love has caught hold of me... love has caught hold of me...
I will make a waist-chain for you, will you come?
Will you give me your waist a little so I can hold you close?
Hey, I will make a waist-chain for you, will you come?
Will you give me your waist a little so I can hold you close?
Do I really need a waist-chain or anything like that?
Don't you have two hands to hold my waist?
O girl with sharp features and pretty eyes,
O girl so sweet for a kiss,
Shall I take your measurement
and give you a pearl necklace?
O man standing in the courtyard,
O Cupid (god of love) with a beauty mark,
While you take my measurement,
will you touch me just a little?
O silver pot! O golden rope!
Turn towards this handsome guy!
If you find the slightest opening, you take your shot;
this is Coimbatore mischief!
I will make a waist-chain for you, will you come?
Will you give me your waist a little so I can hold you close?
Do I really need a waist-chain or anything like that?
Don't you have two hands to hold my waist?
Thiri thari...
Refining pure gold,
setting star-like stones into it,
I will make a forehead ornament for you;
will you come circling around me?
I don't need a forehead ornament,
and I don't need blue gems either.
To put red kumkum on my forehead,
will you come to me?
On your sharp nose, with a pearl nose-stud,
I am going to pierce it for you, will you come?
Your pearl nose-stud is worth nothing;
will you come to rub nose to nose?
I will give you golden earrings;
will you come to me with all of you?
Right by the ear wearing the earring,
whisper the wedding date, my man!
Hey, I will make a waist-chain for you, will you come?
Will you give me your waist a little so I can hold you close?
Do I really need a waist-chain or anything like that?
Don't you have two hands to hold my waist?
Ule lo le lo shayya... ule lo loo...
Ule lo le lo shayya... ule loo haaay...
Hey, it is coming, it is coming, sayya...
Hey, it is coming, it is coming, sayya...
Sayyaaa... aaaaaa...
Cutting and hammering a block of silver,
crafting tiny tinkling bells,
I will make anklets for you;
will you come and stay by my side?
To come and stay by your side,
I don't need any anklets.
Like a crab crawling on my calves,
your little finger will wear down, my man!
O graceful girl, on your wrists,
to playfully chime, I will give you bangles, will you come?
Oh, I don't need bangles,
I will come right now;
will you give me your right hand in marriage?
I will give you a gold chain;
will you give me just a little piece of your love?
If you give me the sacred yellow thread,
I will give all of myself to you, my man!
A waist-chain, a waist-chain, a waist-chain,
I will make it, make it for you, will you come?
Thandanakkā thandanakkā thandanakkā,
Don't you have two hands to hold my waist?
O girl with sharp features and pretty eyes... (Hey!)
O girl so sweet for a kiss... (Hey!)
Shall I take your measurement... (Hey!)
and give you a pearl necklace?
O man standing in the courtyard... (Hey!)
O Cupid (god of love) with a beauty mark... (Hey!)
While you take my measurement... (Hey!)
will you touch me just a little?
O silver pot! O golden rope!
Turn towards this handsome guy!
If you find the slightest opening, you take your shot;
no need for that mischief here!
Thiri thari...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful duet features the male protagonist offering various lavish ornaments—such as a gold waist-belt (Ottiyaanam), a headband (Nethi sutti), a pearl nose-ring, earrings, and anklets—in exchange for closeness and love from his sweetheart. The heroine playfully rejects the material jewelry, emphasizing that simple romantic gestures like holding hands, applying vermilion (kumkum), and tying the sacred yellow thread (Thali) mean far more to her than gold and silver. Set against a lively folk-pop rhythm characteristic of Hari's cinema, the song captures the flirty banter between two lovers who move from lighthearted teasing about regional mischief to romantic devotion, culminating in mutual acceptance and affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaal / Initial Rhyme (Alliteration)

Ottiyaanam senju thaaren variyaa / Naan ottikolla idai konjam thariyaa

Matching initial sounds in consecutive lines created for rhythmic flow, such as 'Ottiyaanam' and 'Ottikolla'.

Etukai / Second Letter Rhyme

Nethi sutti thevaiyilla / Neela kallum thevaiyilla

Matching second consonants across lines ('th' in Nethi/Nethiyila/Neela).

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Un kathi mookoda muthu mookuthi

Describing the woman's sharp nose as 'Kathi mooku' (knife-sharp nose) and calling her 'Vellikodamae' (silver vessel) as affection.

Anaphora / Repetition

Ottiyaanam ottiyaanam ottiyaanam

Repetition of the phrase 'Ottiyaanam' and folk vocal refrains ('Thiri thari') for rhythmic drive.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Ottiyaanam' is composed by Harris Jayaraj for the film 'Arul' (2004), directed by Hari and starring Vikram and Trisha. The lyrics use the moniker 'Cheeyan', which became actor Vikram's iconic nickname after his acclaimed performance in the film 'Sethu' (1999).

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