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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Seeli Nikkan Siyaa Nikan

From Thanne Vandi · 2021

Lyricist
Mohan Raja
Singer
Anthony Daasan
Music director
Moses
Details
Thanne Vandi2021

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Seeli nikkaan chillaa nikkaanStanding cold, standing still
Seeli nikkaan chillaa nikkaanStanding cold, standing still
Koovi nikkaan koodi nikkaanShouting and standing, gathering and standing
Pesi nikkaan paarththu nikkaanTalking and standing, watching and standing
kaaththu pola odi nikkaanRunning and standing like the wind
Male
Karaamura karaamuraaKaraamura karaamuraa
Karaamura karaamuraKaraamura karaamura
Lavva lavva lavva lavvaaseLavva lavva lavva lavvaase
Lavva lavva lavva lavvaaseLavva lavva lavva lavvaase
Lavva lavva lavva lavvaaseLavva lavva lavva lavvaase
Lavva lavva lavva lavvaaseLavva lavva lavva lavvaase
Lavvaase lavvaaseLavvaase lavvaase
Male
Daga daga daga damaasaeDaga daga daga damaasae
Daga daga daga damaasaeDaga daga daga damaasae
Thaga thaga tagaThaga thaga taga
Thaga thaga tagaThaga thaga taga
Damaasae damaasaeDamaasae damaasae
Male
Para prar para para paraPara prar para para para
Paramakudi bus stand-kuNext to the Paramakudi bus stand
Pakkaththu theruIn the neighboring street
Naan mudhal mudhalaaListen to the story
Ponnu paarththa story-yai keluOf the very first time I went bride-seeing
Male
Beer-ulathaan more-ah kalanthuHe mixed buttermilk into beer
Kudikka koduththaanAnd served it to me to drink
Ava appan panna thappaalaBecause of the mistake her father made
Female :ThappaalaBecause of that mistake
Male :Venaannu sonnaenI said no
Ponna venaannu sonnaenI said no to marrying the girl
Venaannu sonnaenI said no
Ponna venaannu sonnaenI said no to marrying the girl
Male
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Male
Kaaraikkudi pakkaththulaNear Karaikudi
DevakottaidaaIn Devakottai, man
Anga thediSearching there
Oru ponna paathaenI saw a girl
Neeyum keludaaYou listen too, man
Male
Pera kooda solla theriyalaShe didn't even know how to pronounce her name
Ava annan mela kovapattuGetting angry at her brother
Male :KovapattuGetting angry
Male :Venaannu sonnaenI said no
Ponna venaannu sonnaenI said no to marrying the girl
Venaannu sonnaenI said no
Ponna venaannu sonnaenI said no to marrying the girl
Male
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Male
Thoothukudi irukkankudiThoothukudi, Irukkankudi
Ittakkudi puliyankudiIttakkudi, Puliyankudi
Ariyakkudi mannaarkudiAriyakkudi, Mannargudi
Paramakudi saayalkudiParamakudi, Sayalgudi
Pudhuvaikudi chandhirakudiPudhuvaikudi, Chandhirakudi
Maayakkudi masinakkudiMaayakkudi, Masinagudi
Peyarukkulla kudi irukkumIn every town that has 'kudi' in its name
Oorai ellaam thaedi paarthaenI searched through all those towns
Male
Enakku yaeththa thanni vandiFor a heavy drinker like me
Evanum illa ponnu kodukkaNo one offered to give a bride in marriage
Male :AdhukkuFor that reason
Male :Haei venaannu sonnaenHey, I said no
Kalyaanam venaannu sonnaenI said no to marriage
Venaannu sonnaenI said no
Kalyaanam venaannu sonnaenI said no to marriage
Male
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Chorus
Haei haei haeiHaei haei haei
Haei haei haei haeiHaei haei haei haei
Haei haei haei haeiHaei haei haei haei
Male
Kudikkiravan onnaa saernthuAll drinkers uniting together
Sangam onnuAn association
Chorus :Vaikka venumMust be formed
Male :Kudimaganin kolgaigalaThe principles of a true drinker
Onnu koodu dhinaBy gathering daily
Chorus :Pesa venumMust be discussed
Male
Kudichchiputtu veettulathaanAfter drinking, inside the house
Prachanai kitchanaiRuckus and chaos
Chorus :Panna venaamShould not be created
Male
Kudikka neeyum kaasu kettaaIf you need money to drink
Pitchaiyumthaan edukka venaamYou should not resort to begging
Male
Intha rendu kollgaiyaththaanIf you follow these two principles
Kadai pidichaa pothummadaaThat alone is sufficient, my friend
Oorukkulla namakkukoodaEven in town, we will earn
Madhippu kidaikkum purinjukkodaaRespect; understand that, friend
Male
Yaei inga paarudaaHey, look here
Kudikaara sangamDrinkers' association
Kudikaara kolgaiDrinkers' principles
Semma matter-laam sollittuYou spoke about great matters
Namma matter-ah vittuttiyae maplaBut you left our core matter, brother-in-law
Male
Yaei sangam varavaraikkumHey, until an association is formed
Venaam kalyaanamNo marriage for me
Enakku venaam kalyaanamI don't want marriage
Venaam kalyaanamNo marriage for me
Enakku venaam kalyaanamI don't want marriage
Male
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Male
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
Seeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaanSeeli nikkaan siyaa nikkaan
SeeyaanSeeyaan

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Thanne Vandi' is a humorous folk-style track about a heavy drinker who recounts his hilarious failed attempts at bride-seeing in various towns. He lists absurd reasons for rejecting potential brides, such as a father-in-law mixing buttermilk into beer or a bride who couldn't pronounce her name. In reality, he realizes that no family is willing to marry their daughter to a drunkard ('thanne vandi'). Towards the end, the protagonist and his friends humorously call for a 'Drinkers Association' with ethical guidelines—such as not causing trouble at home and not begging for alcohol money—to earn respect in society. They resolve to stay unmarried until such an association is established, delivering a lighthearted comedic commentary wrapped in upbeat folk beats.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Pun / Wordplay (Siletai)

Peyarukkulla kudi irukkum / Oorai ellaam thaedi paarthaen

The lyricist cleverly uses town names ending in the suffix '-kudi' (such as Thoothukudi, Mannargudi, Paramakudi) to play on the double meaning of 'Kudi' in Tamil, which means both 'residence/settlement' and 'alcohol consumption'.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thoothukudi irukkankudi / Ittakkudi puliyankudi

Matches second consonants across adjacent lines for rhythmic flow in folk music.

Onomatopoeia

Karaamura karaamuraa / Lavva lavva lavva lavvaase

Rhythmic sound words added for folk energy and comedic tempo.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film title 'Thanne Vandi' (2021) is a colloquial Tamil slang term used to refer to a habitual heavy drinker, literally translating to 'water/alcohol vehicle'. Singer Anthony Daasan is renowned for bringing authentic rural Tamil folk vocal stylings to contemporary film soundtracks.

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