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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sivappu Lolakku

From Kadhal Kottai · 1996

Lyricist
Ponniyin Selvan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Deva
Details
Kadhal Kottai1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………………………...
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Male
Amammaa amsamaaOh my, how exquisite she is
Aana mela poraamaaIs she riding high atop an elephant?
Kanjaada kaijaadaWith eye-glances and hand gestures
Kaatti kaatti poraamaaIs she teasingly walking past?
Male
Raajastaanin chinna ponnuThe young girl of Rajasthan
Engudhu engudhu kombu thaenuLongs for the rare high-branch honey
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Chorus
Yeyei yeye ye yeYeyei yeye ye ye
Yeiye ye ye ye yeYeiye ye ye ye ye
{Ye ye ye ye yeiyeiyeYe ye ye ye yeiyeiye
Ye ye ye ye yeiiyeiye}2Ye ye ye ye yeiiyeiye
Chorus
Cha cham cha chamCha cham cha cham
Cha cham cha chamCha cham cha cham
Cha cham cha chamCha cham cha cham
Cha cham cha chamCha cham cha cham
Male
{Malai orram malai orramBy the mountain side, by the mountain side
Manam alaiyudhu karai orramThe heart wanders along the shore
Vilayaadum vilayaadumIt plays and plays
Engal tamil adhai kavi paadum} (2)Our Tamil poetry sings of it
Male
Engal ooru kattru vandhuThe breeze from our town
Indha ooril veesudhadiBlows into this town
Ottagathil yerikkittuMounting on a camel
Oora suthi kaattudhadiIt takes us around the town
Male
Ettukkatta mettukattiComposing a high-pitched tune
Enna pattu naan paadaWhich song shall I sing?
Sangadhigal onnu renduMusical variations, one or two
Engae engae naan podaWhere shall I add them?
Male
Raajastaanin chinna ponnuThe young girl of Rajasthan
Engudhu engudhu kombu thaenuLongs for the rare high-branch honey
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Chorus
Yeyei yeye ye yeYeyei yeye ye ye
Yeiye ye ye ye yeYeiye ye ye ye ye
Ye ye ye ye yeiyeiyeYe ye ye ye yeiyeiye
Ye ye ye ye yeiiyeiyeYe ye ye ye yeiiyeiye
Male
{Thoduvaanam thoduvaanamThe horizon, the horizon
Indha alagugal thodum vaanamThese beauties touch the sky
Tholai thooram tholai thooramFar away, far away
Dhinam kanavugal nadai podum} (2)Every day dreams walk along
Male
Suthi suthi ennai suthiAround and around, around me
Suttruraalae chinna kuttyThe little girl circles around
Muthu muthu pallai kattiShowing pearl-like teeth
Mutthamidam vella kattiA block of jaggery to be kissed
Male
Pottu alagu nethiyilaeThe beautiful bindi on her forehead
Pithu kolla vaikaadhaaDoes it not make one go crazy?
Kattalagu oosi konduTaking a needle of solid beauty
Kuthi kuthi thaikkaadhaaDoes it not prick and stitch continuously?
Male
Raajastaanin chinna ponnuThe young girl of Rajasthan
Engudhu engudhu kombu thaenuLongs for the rare high-branch honey
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines
Male
Amammaa amsamaaOh my, how exquisite she is
Aana mela poraamaaIs she riding high atop an elephant?
Kanjaada kaijaadaWith eye-glances and hand gestures
Kaatti kaatti poraamaaIs she teasingly walking past?
Male
Raajastaanin chinna ponnuThe young girl of Rajasthan
Engudhu engudhu kombu thaenuLongs for the rare high-branch honey
Male
Sivappu lolakkuThe red earring pendant
Kulungudhu kulungudhuSways and sways
Mookkil bulaakkuThe nose ring on her nose
Jolikkidhu jolikkidhuShines and shines

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sivappu Lolakku is a lively folk-pop song from the classic 1996 Tamil romantic drama Kadhal Kottai. Composed by Deva with lyrics written by Ponniyin Selvan, the track admires the charm, traditional jewelry, and graceful presence of a Rajasthani girl. The lyrics vividly describe her swaying red earrings (lolakku), glistening nose ornament (bulaakku), captivating glances, and sweet smile, comparing her beauty to sweet jaggery and rare wild honey.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Kulungudhu kulungudhu

Repeating words back-to-back creates a rhythmic cadence emphasizing action and movement.

Uvamai (Metaphor / Simile)

Muthu muthu pallai katti / Mutthamidam vella katti

Comparing teeth to sparkling pearls and the girl's sweetness to jaggery.

Ethiray (Second Letter Rhyme)

Sivappu lolakku / Mookkil bulaakku

Matching second consonants across lyric couplets for euphonic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kadhal Kottai (1996), directed by Agathiyan and starring Ajith Kumar and Devayani, is a landmark Tamil romance film about a pair of lovers who fall in love purely through letters without seeing each other. The film was a massive blockbuster and won three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Director.

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