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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sela Illai Ravikka Illa

From Oru Kai Osai · 1980

Lyricist
Bairavi
Singer
M. S. Vishwanathan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Oru Kai Osai
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
8 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………
Sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
Sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
Aalaa valarntha pulla ava yaaru pulla
Aalaa valarntha pulla ava yaaru pulla
Adhu thennam pulla aiyyaa thennampulla
Aa….sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
Pazhaththilellaam periya pazham
Adha paaththu sokkuraan ponnampalam
Pudichchu paaththaan pudikka vallae
Kadichchu paaththaan kadikka vallae
Pudichchu paaththaan pudikka vallae
Kadichchu paaththaan kadikka vallae
Nooru vayasu kizhavanukkum
Aasa kaattuthu anthapazham
Nooru vayasu kizhavanukkum
Aasa kaattuthu anthapazham
Adhu enna pazham thambi enna pazham
Sambalam sambalam sambalam….haan sela…sela…
Sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
Pappampatti santhaiyilae
Paatti oruththi paanai viththaa
Moru vikka murugan vanthaan
Paatti kooda pottiyittaan
Potti mudinju muruganukku
Jodiyaaga paatti vanthaa
Adhiu yaaru paatti adhu yaaru paatti
Adhu vappaatti thambi vappaatti sela sela
Sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
……………..
Thoppukkullae thonnooru kaayi
Thottu parichchaa thulluthungo
Thoppukkullae thonnooru kaayi
Thottu parichchaa thulluthungo
Inippumillae kasappumillae
Eduththu thinga yaarumillae
Kaasu konjam nirainjirunthaa
Kaala pudichchu suththura kaayi
Adhu enna kaayi thambi enna kaayi
Kaakkaa kaakkaa kaakkaa kaakkaayi…
Aa….sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae
Aalaa valarntha pulla ava yaaru pulla
Adhu thennam pulla aiyyaa thennampulla
Sela sela sela illa ravukka illa pulla
Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae…aha….haa…aa…
...
With no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
With no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
Grown tall and full, who is that girl?
Grown tall and full, who is that girl?
That is a coconut sapling, sir, a coconut sapling!
Ah... with no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
The biggest fruit among all fruits,
Seeing it, Ponnambalam is completely mesmerized.
He tried to grab it, but couldn't catch it,
He tried to bite it, but couldn't bite it.
He tried to grab it, but couldn't catch it,
He tried to bite it, but couldn't bite it.
Even to a hundred-year-old man,
That fruit tempts him with desire.
Even to a hundred-year-old man,
That fruit tempts him with desire.
What fruit is that, brother, what fruit?
Salary, salary, salary! Ah, sari... sari...
With no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
In the Pappampatti village market,
An old woman was selling clay pots.
Murugan came along to sell buttermilk,
And competed against the old woman.
When the contest was over,
The woman became a companion for Murugan.
Who is that woman? Who is that woman?
That's a mistress, brother, a mistress! Sari... sari...
With no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
...
Ninety nuts inside the grove,
If you touch and pluck them, they jump around!
Ninety nuts inside the grove,
If you touch and pluck them, they jump around!
Neither sweet nor bitter,
There is no one to pick and eat it.
If you have plenty of money,
It clings to your feet and hovers around you!
What nut is that, brother, what nut?
A bootlicker, a flatterer!
Ah... with no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods!
Grown tall and full, who is that girl?
That is a coconut sapling, sir, a coconut sapling!
Sari, sari, with no sari and no blouse, a girl
Stands smiling in the woods, aha ha... ah...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful track from the 1980 film 'Oru Kai Osai' is constructed around rural Tamil riddles (Vidukadhai) set to a catchy folk melody. The lyrics present double-entendre questions that initially sound provocative or mysterious, only to be resolved with witty, everyday answers. For instance, a 'girl without clothes standing in the grove' turns out to be a coconut sapling ('thennampulla'); the most desirable fruit that cannot be bitten is salary ('sambalam'); and a fruit that clings to feet for money refers to a sycophant ('kaakkaayi'). Sung with high energy and comedic flair by legendary composer M. S. Viswanathan, the song captures the essence of traditional Tamil village oral humor, folk riddles, and clever wordplay.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Vidukadhai (Riddle Form / Paronomasia)

“Sela illa ravukka illa pulla... Adhu thennam pulla”

The entire song structure is built around Tamil folk riddles using wordplay (puns) to mislead and entertain before revealing the true answer.

Monnai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Sela illa ravukka illa pulla / Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae”

Repetition of the initial consonant sounds across lines creating rhythm.

Ethirai (Second-letter Assonance)

“Pudichchu paaththaan pudikka vallae / Kadichchu paaththaan kadikka vallae”

Matching of the second consonant sound across consecutive lines.

Personification

“Sela illa ravukka illa pulla / Sirichchu nikkiraa kaattukkullae”

Attributing human traits (wearing clothes, smiling) to a plant or coconut sapling.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Oru Kai Osai' (1980) was written, directed by, and starred K. Bhagyaraj. The music director M. S. Viswanathan sang this song himself, infusing it with dramatic comic timing. The lyricist Bairavi drew heavily from authentic Tamil folk riddles and colloquial village dialect.

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