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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pazhakkamillatha Kazhuthai

From Aaravalli · 1957

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Tiruchi Loganathan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Aaravalli1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Adhu pattunnu thookki podum kaalaeSuddenly it will throw its leg up in a kick,
Adhu pattunnu thookki podum kaalaeSuddenly it will throw its leg up in a kick,
Chorus
Appo palli poguthoWill a tooth break then?
Ille mookku poguthoOr will the nose break?
Appo pallu poguthoWill a tooth break then?
Mookku poguthoOr will the nose break?
Solla mudiyaathu adhanaalaeOne cannot say, therefore.
Pallu poguthoWill a tooth break?
Mookku poguthoOr will the nose break?
Solla mudiyaathu adhanaalaeOne cannot say, therefore.
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Male
Paarkka kazhuthai pagattaa theriyuthuTo look at, the donkey appears fancy and grand,
Paalu mattum irukkaathuOnly there won't be any milk in it.
Annae paalu mattum irukkaathuBrother, there won't be any milk in it.
Paarkka kazhuthai pagattaa theriyuthuTo look at, the donkey appears fancy and grand,
Paalu mattum irukkaathuOnly there won't be any milk in it.
Nalla paathaiyilum nadakkaathuIt won't even walk on a good path.
Male
Rompa patti kazhuthaiyithu kuttiyum podaathuThis is a very stubborn donkey, it won't even bear foals.
Pakkaththilae nerungapadaathuOne shouldn't even get close to it.
Idhukku thekkum vadakkum theriyaathuIt doesn't even know South from North.
Rompa patti kazhuthaiyithu kuttiyum podaathuThis is a very stubborn donkey, it won't even bear foals.
Pakkaththilae nerungapadaathuOne shouldn't even get close to it.
Idhukku thekkum vadakkum theriyaathuIt doesn't even know South from North.
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Male
Yaezhettu kuttigalai potta pirakumEven after giving birth to seven or eight foals,
Oru ellaiyilae nikkaathu intha kazhuthaiThis donkey will not stay within any boundary.
Edhu entha pakkam iruntho vantha kazhuthaiWho knows from where this donkey came!
Chumma alattikkum odambae aruththukkum thumbaiIt puts on unnecessary airs and snaps its tether rope.
Adakkamilaath thadikkazhuthaiAn undisciplined, stubborn donkey.
Idhu aan kazhuthaiyai mirattum veen kazhuthaiThis is a useless donkey that threatens male donkeys.
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Male
Antha thiruttu kazhuthaikku kaththa theriyumThat thieving donkey knows how to bray,
Intha kuruttu kazhuthaikku kaththa theriyumThis blind donkey knows how to bray,
Thiruttu kazhuthaikku kaththa theriyumThat thieving donkey knows how to bray,
Intha kuruttu kazhuthaikku kaththa theriyumThis blind donkey knows how to bray,
Male
Antha kezhattu kazhuthaikku rendum theriyumThat old donkey knows how to do both,
Antha kezhattu kazhuthaikku rendum theriyumThat old donkey knows how to do both,
Male
Adhu morattu thanaththaalaeBecause of its rowdy nature,
Mookkaruththu kaadharuththuCutting off noses and cutting off ears,
Muzhiyaa muzhikkira kazhuthaiIt stands staring with wide eyes!
Idhu mooli kazhuthai perum neeli kazhuthaiThis is a mutilated donkey, a giant deceitful trickster!
Adhu morattu thanaththaalaeBecause of its rowdy nature,
Mookkaruththu kaadharuththuCutting off noses and cutting off ears,
Muzhiyaa muzhikkira kazhuthaiIt stands staring with wide eyes!
Idhu mooli kazhuthai perum neeli kazhuthaiThis is a mutilated donkey, a giant deceitful trickster!
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.
Adhu pattunnu thookki podum kaalaeSuddenly it will throw its leg up in a kick,
Appo pallu poguthoWill a tooth break then?
Illae mookku poguthoOr will the nose break?
Solla mudiyaathu adhanaalaeOne cannot say, therefore.
Chorus
Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittaeFrom an unfamiliar donkey,
Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalaeYou must carefully milk the milk.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Pazhakkamillaatha Kazhuthaikittae from the film Aaravalli (1957) is a satirical folk song composed by G. Ramanathan and written by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. Performed as a lively dialogue duet by Seerkazhi Govindarajan and Tiruchi Loganathan, the song uses the humorous metaphor of trying to milk an unfamiliar, untamed female donkey to poke fun at stubborn, uncontrollable, and deceptive personalities within a legendary narrative context. The lyrics highlight the foolishness and danger of dealing with unpredictable people, warning that approaching them unwisely leads to suffering bodily harm such as broken teeth or a cut nose. Through vivid rural imagery and folk wordplay, the song lampoons arrogance, lack of direction, and deceitful bravado.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allegory / Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Pazhakkamillaatha kazhuthaikittae Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalae

The entire song uses an untamed, unruly donkey as an allegory for rebellious, unpredictable, and deceitful human behavior.

End Rhyme (Iyaibu)

Konjam paaththu karakkanum paalae / Adhu pattunnu thookki podum kaalae

Rhyming words at the end of consecutive lines (paalae, kaalae, adhanaalae) creating a rhythmic musical flow.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

Antha thiruttu kazhuthaikku / Intha kuruttu kazhuthaikku / Antha kezhattu kazhuthaikku

Matching second consonants in successive phrases, typical in classical and folk Tamil prosody (thiruttu, kuruttu, kezhattu).

Alliteration (Monai)

Paarkka kazhuthai pagattaa theriyuthu Paalu mattum irukkaathu

Repetition of the initial 'P' sound across words in a line.

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Trivia

Aaravalli (1957) was based on the popular Tamil mythical folk tale of Aaravalli and Sooravalli, seven sisters known for their arrogance and sorcery. Legendary lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, widely celebrated for his egalitarian and socio-political poetry, adapted rustic folk idioms and comedy seamlessly into this song, creating one of early Tamil cinema's most memorable comedic duets.

Keep listening

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