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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
Movie name
Anbulla Athan
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
21 May 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paavai malar mottu
Ilam paruvamoo eerettu
Paadum vanna sittu
Ondru tharava kannam thottu
Thevai innum ennaennavoo
Thedi kolla sugamo sugam
Paavai malar mottu
Ilam paruvamoo eerettu
Aasai varum mella mella thaan
Acham varum solla solla thaan
Paedhai manam thavikkum innum thaan
Bodhai vandhu inikkum ennam thaan
Thevai innum ennaennavoo
Thedi kolla sugamo sugam
Paavai malar mottu
Ilam paruvamoo eerettu
Palliyarai padam sollava
Andha vithai ellaam kattru kollavaa
Un methai yilae vandhu konjava
Un maeni engum mutham sindhava
Thevai innum ennaennavoo
Thedi kolla sugamo sugam
Thottu thottu alli kollathaan
Thogaikingu nenjil vetkam thaan
Male :Vetkapattu aagathamma
Anbu thollai adhu theeradhamma
Thevai innum ennaennavoo
Thedi kolla sugamo sugam
Thedi kolla sugamo sugam
A young girl like a blooming flower bud,
At the tender age of sixteen,
A singing, colorful little bird,
Shall I touch your cheek and give you a kiss?
So many desires are yet to be fulfilled,
To seek and find them is pure bliss!
A young girl like a blooming flower bud,
At the tender age of sixteen,
Desire awakens ever so slowly,
Yet fear creeps in with every word spoken,
This innocent heart still aches with longing,
A sweet intoxication fills every thought,
So many desires are yet to be fulfilled,
To seek and find them is pure bliss!
A young girl like a blooming flower bud,
At the tender age of sixteen,
Shall I teach you the lessons of the bedroom?
Shall I learn all those lovely arts?
Shall I come to your bed to hold you close?
Shall I shower kisses all over you?
So many desires are yet to be fulfilled,
To seek and find them is pure bliss!
As you reach out and embrace me close,
Shyness fills this young girl's heart,
Being shy will not do, my darling,
These sweet troubles of love will never end!
So many desires are yet to be fulfilled,
To seek and find them is pure bliss!
To seek and find them is pure bliss!
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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