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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Raasathi Raasathi

From Poovarasan · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Poovarasan1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Raasaathi raasaathiPrincess, princess
Unnai enni manamurugi nindrenadiThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Raasaathi raasaathiPrincess, princess
Unnai enni manamurugi nindrenadiThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Male
Sendhaazham poovaeOh red screwpine flower
Sirukoodal muthaeOh pearl of Madurai
Muthupoo soodikkollumAdorning with jasmine flowers
Naal solladiTell me the day
Female
Raasaavae raasaavaeMy king, my king
Unnai enni manamurugi nindren ingaeThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Raasaavae raasaavaeMy king, my king
Unnai enni manamurugi nindren ingaeThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Chorus
………………………...
Male
Yerikkara kaatha polaLike the breeze on the lake embankment
Em manasu lesaachiMy heart became light
Yeri neerum undhan melaEven the lake water, towards you
Aasa kondu alai aachiFormed waves out of desire
Female
Thoondi pottu meenukkaagaLike waiting with a hook for fish
Kaathirukkum raasaavaeMy waiting king
Thoondi mullil sikki pochiGot caught on the fishhook
En manasu lesaavaeMy heart, so easily
Male
Eppodhum yengum ezhaiyai polaAlways yearning like a poor person
Muppodhum nenjam on pinnaalaeAt all three times of day, my heart follows behind you
Female
Anbaalae ezhaigal seemaanaiyaaThrough love, poor people become royalty, sir
Needhaanae endhan komaanaiyaaAren't you my sovereign king?
Female
Raasaavae raasaavaeMy king, my king
Unnai enni manamurugi nindren ingaeThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Raasaavae raasaavaeMy king, my king
Unnai enni manamurugi nindren ingaeThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Female
Anjugaththin kalyaanathaiThe wedding of the parrot
Aasaiyodu paarthenaeI watched with yearning
Konji vantha naadhaswaraThe sweet, coaxing sound of the nadaswaram
Osai ondru kettenaeI heard a sound
Male
Ennai angu maappillaiyaaiMe as the groom over there
Manavaraiyil paarthaayaaDid you see on the wedding stage?
Unnai ennai jodiyaakkiMaking a pair out of you and me
Ondril ondru serthaayaaDid you unite us as one?
Female
Naam endru ketpom naayana osaiWhen will we hear the musical reed's sound?
Naalaagumbodhu perugudhu aasaiAs days pass, desire grows
Male
Meenaachi ammaa kan paarkkanumGoddess Meenakshi's eyes must look upon us
Maaraamal nammai kai serkkanumUnfailingly, she must join our hands together
Male
Raasaathi raasaathiPrincess, princess
Unnai enni manamurugi nindrenadiThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Raasaathi raasaathiPrincess, princess
Unnai enni manamurugi nindrenadiThinking of you, my heart melted and I stood here
Female
Sendhaazham poovaeOh red screwpine flower
Sirukoodal muthaeOh pearl of Madurai
Muthupoo soodikkollumAdorning with jasmine flowers
Naal solladiTell me the day
Female
RaasaavaeMale: RaasathiMy king / My princess
Female :RaasaavaeMale :RaasathiMy king / My princess
Female :Unnai enni manamurugiThinking of you, my heart melted
Nindren ingaeI stood here
Female
RaasaavaeMale: RaasathiMy king / My princess
Female :RaasaavaeMale :RaasathiMy king / My princess
Female :Unnai enni manamurugiThinking of you, my heart melted
Nindren ingaeI stood here

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This romantic duet from the film Poovarasan (1996) depicts two lovers expressing their deep emotional connection and longing for marriage. Addressing each other affectionately as 'Raasaathi' (Princess) and 'Raasaavae' (King), they describe how their hearts melt with affection whenever they think of each other. The imagery moves from gentle breezes along a lakebank to the sweet anticipation of auspicious wedding rituals. They invoke local cultural imagery, including the pearls of Madurai (Sirukoodal) and the divine grace of Goddess Meenakshi, praying for an early wedding where they will be permanently united in love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Yerikkara kaatha pola / Em manasu lesaachi

Compares the sudden lightness and joy in the heart to a soft breeze blowing across a lake embankment.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Sendhaazham poovae / Sirukoodal muthae

Repetition of the initial 'S' sound in 'Sendhaazham' and 'Sirukoodal', creating a pleasant melodic flow.

Ethirai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Eppodhum yengum ezhaiyai pola / Muppodhum nenjam on pinnaalae

Rhyming of the second letter 'p' in 'Eppodhum' and 'Muppodhum'.

Cultural Allusion

Sirukoodal muthae / Meenaachi ammaa kan paarkkanum

'Sirukoodal' is an ancient Sangam Tamil name for the city of Madurai, invoking local heritage and Goddess Meenakshi's blessings.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Raasaathi Raasaathi' is composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the 1996 Tamil film Poovarasan starring Karthik and Rachana Banerjee. Lyricist Vaali crafted the rural-themed romantic lyrics using traditional metaphors like 'Sirukoodal' (Madurai) and the sweet sound of the nadaswaram to evoke classic Tamil wedding aesthetics.

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