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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pudhu Kadalai

From En Iniya Pon Nilavae · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Mano, L. R. Eswari
Music directors
Ilayaraja, M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
En Iniya Pon Nilavae2001

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Puthu kadalaiyinnaa kadalaiIf it's fresh groundnut, it is indeed groundnut
Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiThis is groundnut from the black soil fields
Ada neethaan rusi paaruHey, you taste it yourself
Aah vedalaiyinna vedalaiIf it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Idha yarum innum thodalaNo one has touched her yet
Vaa mama sari paaruCome uncle, check and see
Female
Puthu kadalaiyinnaa kadalaiIf it's fresh groundnut, it is indeed groundnut
Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiThis is groundnut from the black soil fields
Ada neethaan rusi paaruHey, you taste it yourself
Aah vedalaiyinna vedalaiIf it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Idha yarum innum thodalaNo one has touched her yet
Vaa mama sari paaruCome uncle, check and see
Female
Ponna paaththu poova paaththaaLooking at gold and looking at flowers
Aasai thanthiyadikkumDesire sends a telegraphic pulse
Chorus :Parapappara pappara paaChorus: Parapappara pappara paa
Female :Parisam pottu muzhusum kettaaFemale: If he pays the bridal price and asks for everything
Paavai munthi virikkumThe girl will spread her sari end
Female
Puthu kadalaiyinnaa kadalaiIf it's fresh groundnut, it is indeed groundnut
Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiThis is groundnut from the black soil fields
Ada neethaan rusi paaruHey, you taste it yourself
Aah vedalaiyinna vedalaiIf it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Idha yarum innum thodalaFemale: No one has touched her yet
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Vaa mama sari paaruFemale: Come uncle, check and see
Chorus
……………..[Musical Interlude]
Male
Nee oththukittaa sammathamthaanIf you agree, it is consent
Ottikittaa santhosamthaanIf we stay together, it is happiness
Peththukittaa samsaaramthaanIf we give birth, it becomes a family
Ding ding ding ramaamaniDing ding ding Ramaamani
Chorus :Ammani ammani ammaniChorus: Ammani ammani ammani
Female
Ada saththu ketta sappaani neeHey, you weakling lacking nutrition
Thuppuketta thuppaakki neeYou useless gun
Kuththupattu oduva neeYou will get stabbed and run away
Kumkumkum kummaangkuththuKumkumkum folk beat
Chorus
Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaruChorus: Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaru
Male
Aah Nee seendi paakkuraeAh, you are teasing me
Ellai thaandi paakkuraeYou are crossing the boundaries
Puzhuvaa paambaa ippa puriya poguthadiWhether it is a worm or a snake, it will be known now
Female
Nee nottam paakkuraeYou are watching me suspiciously
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Veththu aattam kaatturaeFemale: You are putting on a fake show
Male :AaMale: Aa
Female :Magudi pudichchi unnaFemale: Holding the snake charmer pipe
Madakki pottruvaenI will overpower you
Male
Haei puthu kadalaiyinnaa kadalaiHey, if it's fresh groundnut, it is indeed groundnut
Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiThis is groundnut from the black soil fields
Ada naanthaan rusi paarppaenHey, I will taste it myself
Aa vedalaiyinnaa vedalaiAh, if it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Idha yaarum innum thodalaNo one has touched her yet
Un maman sari paarppaenYour uncle will check and see
Female
Naan aadiyathu rambai inamMy dance belongs to the celestial lineage
Aadurathu sontha idamThe place I dance is my own domain
Mothuriyae engittaththaanYou are picking a fight with me
Vaaiyaa nee vaiyaapuriCome on, you Vaiyapuri
Chorus :Thaththaaram thaththaaram thaththaaramChorus: Thaththaaram thaththaaram thaththaaram
Male
En aattaththa nee paaththathillaiYou haven't seen my dance
Aadiyatha kettathillaYou haven't heard about my moves
Kaattaththila nikkiraendiYou are standing clueless in the forest
Adi podi koiyaakkaniHey girl, move aside you guava fruit
Chorus :Thaththaaram thaththaaram thaththaaramChorus: Thaththaaram thaththaaram thaththaaram
Female
Veththu kombu oothuriyaeYou are blowing an empty horn
Male :AeiMale: Aei
Female :Vetti vambu pesuriyaeFemale: You are talking useless arguments
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Sarkka eduyaaFemale: Draw the chalk line
Namma potti vachchukalaamLet us have a contest
Male
Adi varththa kadalaiyaeHey roasted groundnut
Enna varukka paakkuriyaeAre you trying to roast me?
Pudhusaa thinusaa unnaIn a brand new style
Jeyikka poraendiI am going to defeat you, girl
Female
Pudhu kadalaiyinaa kadalaiIf it's fresh groundnut, it is indeed groundnut
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiFemale: This is groundnut from the black soil fields
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Ada neethaan rusi paaruFemale: Hey, you taste it yourself
Aah vedalaiyinna vedalaiAh, if it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Male :HoiMale: Hoi
Female :Idha yarum innum thodalaFemale: No one has touched her yet
Male :HoiMale: Hoi
Female :Vaa mama sari paaruFemale: Come uncle, check and see
Male :Aaha haanMale: Aaha haan
Chorus
……………….[Musical Interlude]
Male
Ada anthikada pottalilaeHey, in the evening market place
Aappakkada vachchavalaeYou who set up an Appam stall
Sollattumaa un kadhaiyaShall I tell your story?
Kumkumkum kummaang kuththuKumkumkum folk dance beat
Chorus :Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaruChorus: Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaru
Female
Nee santhakkada pakkaththilaNear the weekly market stall
Saayakkada vachcha kadhaiThe story of how you set up a tea stall
Sollattumaa ippoShall I tell it now?
Ada kumkumkum dappaang kuththuHey kumkumkum street beat dance
Chorus :Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaruChorus: Thuththaru thuththaru thuththaru
Male
Aah adi yaendi ularuraeAh, why are you babbling?
Antha pazhasa kelaruraeRaking up the old past
Verasaa pudhusaaQuickly and freshly
Oru virunthu vachchukkaalaamLet us throw a feast
Female
Nee aala pudichchavanYou are someone who caught the person
Male :AeiMale: Aei
Female :Naan nizhala pudichchavaFemale: I am someone who caught the shadow
Male :Aha haMale: Aha ha
Female :Purinchaa therinchaaFemale: Understanding and knowing
Pudhu pavusa kaatturiyaeYou are showing off new pride
Male
Ithu kadalaiyinnaa kadalaiIf this is groundnut, it is groundnut
Idhu karisakaattu kadalaiThis is groundnut from the black soil fields
Ada naanthaan rusi paarppaenHey, I will taste it myself
Female
Aah vedalaiyinna vedalaiAh, if it's a young girl, she is indeed a young girl
Male :AahMale: Aah
Female :Idha yarum innum thodalaFemale: No one has touched her yet
Male :HaeiMale: Haei
Female :Vaa mama sari paaruFemale: Come uncle, check and see
Male :Aahn doi doi doi…..Male: Aahn doi doi doi.....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet is a spirited battle-of-the-sexes folk song featuring high-energy banter, teasing, and playful rivalry between the male and female leads. The song employs rustic, rural imagery from Tamil Nadu's dryland agricultural belt ('karisakaattu' or black soil country), using metaphors of fresh groundnuts and youth to express mutual attraction disguised as playful teasing and dance combat.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Puthu kadalaiyinnaa kadalai / Idhu karisakaattu kadalai

The song uses 'karisakaattu kadalai' (groundnut from black soil) as a double entendre and playful metaphor for fresh, untouched youth and vitality.

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kkurippu)

Kumkumkum kummaangkuththu

Rhythmic folk sound vocalizations like 'Kumkumkum', 'Ding ding ding', and 'Thuththaru' are used to imitate folk percussion instruments and add musical excitement.

Monai (Alliteration)

Ponna paaththu poova paaththaa

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines creating melodic flow, such as 'P' in 'Ponna' and 'Paaththu'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The phrase 'Kadalai poduthal' in colloquial Tamil slating means 'flirting', making the wordplay with actual 'kadalai' (groundnuts) particularly humorous and culturally rooted.

Keep listening

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