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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Raasa Ilayaraja

From Solaiyamma · 1992

Lyricist
Kasthuri Raja
Singers
Gangai Amaran, S. Janaki
Music director
Deva
Details
Solaiyamma1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaI am singing the song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja, listen!
Paattu padikkiraen keluI am singing a song, listen!
Naan marutha pakkaththu aaluI am a person from the Madurai region.
Male
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaI am singing the song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja,
Paattu padikkiraen keluI am singing a song, listen!
Naan marutha pakkaththu aaluI am a person from the Madurai region.
Entha manasum kerangum nedhamum kettuHearing it daily, any heart will be spellbound,
Ettu thesaiyum jeyikkum avaru paattu hoiHis song wins in all eight directions, hey!
Female
Aaa…..aa…aa…aa….aa…Aaa.....aa...aa...aa....aa...
Aaa…..aa…aa…aa….aa…Aaa.....aa...aa...aa....aa...
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaThe song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja,
Paattu izhukkuthu aala nee paadi mayakkura kaalaThe song pulls people in; you sing and entrance the bull!
Female
Kaalam pooraa karukkalulaAll through time, at the crack of dawn,
Kalai edukka pogaiyilaeWhen going to weed the crops,
Kazhaniyilae kanni ponnukkuIn the paddy fields, for young maiden girls,
Mettu katti paattu varumSongs flow naturally with tunes!
Male
Haei haei aadu meikka pogaiyilaeHey hey, when going to graze the goats,
Aalamara nizhalukulla yaela mala kaaththadikkaUnder the shadow of the banyan tree, as the cool mountain breeze blows,
Ettu vagai paattu varumEight types of songs emerge!
Female
Maalai eram masangurappo paattu varumWhen evening falls and twilight sets in, songs burst forth,
Antha paattukulla santhamellaam kettu varumIn those songs, all the sweet rhythms are heard!
Male :Oru kaaranamilla kavalai illaMale: Without any reason, without any worries,
Thaanaa porakkum paattu thaanaa porakkum paattuSongs are born automatically, songs are born automatically!
Female
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaThe song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja,
Paattu izhukkuthu aala nee paadi mayakkura kaalaThe song pulls people in; you sing and entrance the bull!
Chorus
Kuththaalaththula kaaththu adichchuWhen the wind blows in Courtallam,
Oodhal adikkuthu maamanukkuThe cold wind chills my uncle/beloved,
Oodhal adikkuthu maamanukkuThe cold wind chills my uncle/beloved,
Kummaalanthaan poda solliAsking us to make merry and rejoice,
Melu kodhikkuthu madhanikkuMy sister-in-law's body heats up with passion,
Melu kodhikkuthu madhanikkuMy sister-in-law's body heats up with passion,
Female
Maamaraththu solakkulaInside the mango grove,
Manja thechchu kulikkaiyilaeWhile applying turmeric and bathing,
Maaman etti paaththupputtaanMy beloved peeped and took a glance,
Maiyalukku paattu varumOut of infatuation, a song springs forth!
Male
Hae hae thoppukkoru kuzhai irukkumHae hae, there's a tender foliage in the grove,
Koiyaa mara thoppukkullaInside the guava grove,
Sokki nikkum mamanukkuFor the beloved standing there mesmerized,
Oththukittaa paattu varumIf she agrees, a song comes flowing!
Female
Hae….saama kozhi koovaiyilum paattu varumHey... even when the midnight rooster crows, a song comes,
Antha paattukulla yaekkamellaam sernthu varumIn that song, all longings merge together!
Male :Oru raaththiri illa pagalum illaMale: Neither night nor day matters,
Thaanaa porakkum paattu thaanaa porakkum paattuSongs are born automatically, songs are born automatically!
Female
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaThe song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja,
Paattu izhukkuthu aala nee paadi mayakkura kaalaThe song pulls people in; you sing and entrance the bull!
Male :Entha manasum kerangum nedhamum kettuMale: Hearing it daily, any heart will be spellbound,
Ettu thesaiyum jeyikkum avaru paattuHis song wins in all eight directions,
Male
Rasa ilayarasa padichchaThe song composed by King Ilaiyaraaja,
Paattu padikkiraen keluI am singing a song, listen!
Naan marutha pakkaththu aaluI am a person from the Madurai region.
Aah haa durrrrr….Aah haa durrrrr....
Female :Aaa…..aa…aa…aa….aa…Female: Aaa.....aa...aa...aa....aa...
Aaa…..aa…aa…aa….aa…Aaa.....aa...aa...aa....aa...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This rural folk song celebrates the effortless and spontaneous nature of music in village life, while paying homage to the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja. The singers describe how music is interwoven into everyday rural activities—whether weeding paddy fields at dawn, grazing livestock under a banyan tree, bathing in mango groves, or sitting through breezy twilights. The lyrics emphasize that true folk music requires no formal reason or worry; it sprouts naturally from deep emotions like romance, longing, and joy, conquering hearts far and wide.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)

Kaalam pooraa karukkalula / Kalai edukka pogaiyilae

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across adjacent words, such as 'Kaalam' and 'Kalai' or 'Maamaraththu' and 'Manja'.

Edugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Ettu thesaiyum jeyikkum avaru paattu hoi

Matching second letters in consecutive lines ('Ettu' and 'Maalai' / 'Antha' pattern in rhythm) creating internal rhyme.

Anaphora (Repetition)

Thaanaa porakkum paattu thaanaa porakkum paattu

Repetition of the phrase 'thaanaa porakkum paattu' to emphasize the spontaneous origin of folk music.

Hyperbole / Cultural Allusion

Ettu thesaiyum jeyikkum avaru paattu hoi

Attributing universal victory and enchanting power across all eight directions to music, referencing Maestro Ilaiyaraaja.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the song directly praises composer Ilaiyaraaja ('Rasa ilayarasa padichcha'), the soundtrack for Solaiyamma (1992) was actually composed by Deva, directed by Kasthuri Raja. This meta-tribute within a Deva musical demonstrates Ilaiyaraaja's immense cultural footprint across Tamil rural cinema.

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