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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Paavai Malar

From Anbulla Athan · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Jayachandran, P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Anbulla Athan1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Paavai malar mottuA maiden like a blooming flower bud,
Ilam paruvamoo eerettuHer youthful age is sixteen,
Paadum vanna sittuA colorful singing sparrow,
Ondru tharava kannam thottuShall I give a kiss by touching your cheek?
Thevai innum ennaennavooWhat more are the desires yet to come?
Thedi kolla sugamo sugamSeeking and experiencing them brings pure bliss.
Male
Paavai malar mottuA maiden like a blooming flower bud,
Ilam paruvamoo eerettuHer youthful age is sixteen,
Female
Aasai varum mella mella thaanDesire arrives slowly and gently,
Acham varum solla solla thaanShyness and fear arise as it is expressed,
Paedhai manam thavikkum innum thaanThis innocent heart yearns even more,
Bodhai vandhu inikkum ennam thaanThoughts grow sweet as romance intoxicates.
Thevai innum ennaennavooWhat more are the desires yet to come?
Thedi kolla sugamo sugamSeeking and experiencing them brings pure bliss.
Male
Paavai malar mottuA maiden like a blooming flower bud,
Ilam paruvamoo eerettuHer youthful age is sixteen,
Male
Palliyarai padam sollavaShall I teach a lesson in the bedchamber?
Andha vithai ellaam kattru kollavaaShall I learn all those artful intimate skills?
Un methai yilae vandhu konjavaShall I come to cuddle on your bed?
Un maeni engum mutham sindhavaShall I shower kisses all over your body?
Thevai innum ennaennavooWhat more are the desires yet to come?
Thedi kolla sugamo sugamSeeking and experiencing them brings pure bliss.
Female
Thottu thottu alli kollathaanTo touch gently and embrace completely,
Thogaikingu nenjil vetkam thaanThis maiden feels shyness within her heart.
Male :Vetkapattu aagathammaMale: Being shy will not do, my dear,
Anbu thollai adhu theeradhammaThe sweet trouble of love will never end, my dear!
Thevai innum ennaennavooWhat more are the desires yet to come?
Male
Thedi kolla sugamo sugamSeeking and experiencing them brings pure bliss.
Thedi kolla sugamo sugamSeeking and experiencing them brings pure bliss.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Paavai Malar Mottu is a charming romantic duet that celebrates the innocent playfulness and growing intimacy between two lovers. The lyrics describe a youthful girl compared to a delicate flower bud and a singing bird, who experiences a mixture of sweet hesitation, shyness, and rising passion as her partner affectionately teases and woos her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Paavai malar mottu

Compares the youthful maiden to a flower bud ('Paavai malar mottu') and a colorful bird ('Paadum vanna sittu').

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Paavai malar mottu / Ilam paruvamoo eerettu

Consonant end rhyming across lines using matching endings like mottu, eerettu, sittu, thottu.

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Aasai varum mella mella thaan

Duplication of words like 'mella mella' (slowly), 'solla solla' (as spoken), and 'thottu thottu' (touching) to enhance rhythm.

Poetic Number Phrase

Ilam paruvamoo eerettu

Expressing sixteen ('eerettu' = two eights) poetically to signify sweet sixteen.

Did you know?

Trivia

In traditional Tamil poetry, numbers are often represented through mathematical phrases like 'eerettu' (2x8 = 16) to fit the meter (Santham). Kannadasan frequently employed this classical literary technique in modern film songs.

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