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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Solla Vallaayo Kiliye

From Koondukkili · 1954

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singer
T. V. Rathinam
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Koondukkili1954

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…ooo…Are you capable of telling...
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…Are you capable of telling...
Female
Valla vael murugan…Lord Murugan with his mighty spear...
Aa….aaa…aaa…aaa….aa…aaa…Vocalizing (Ah...)
Valla vael muruganLord Murugan with his mighty spear,
Thanai ingu vandhu kalandhuTo come here, unite with me,
Maghizhndhu kulaavaendruAnd joyfully embrace and converse?
Valla vael murugan thanaiLord Murugan with his mighty spear,
Thanai ingu vandhu kalandhuTo come here, unite with me,
Maghizhndhu kulaavaendruAnd joyfully embrace and converse?
Female
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…ooo…Are you capable of telling...
Female
Thillai ambalatthae nadanamThe one who performs the divine dance in the hall of Thillai,
Seiyum amarar piraanLord Shiva, the supreme lord of the immortals,
Thillai ambalatthae nadanamThe one who performs the divine dance in the hall of Thillai,
Seiyum amarar piraanLord Shiva, the supreme lord of the immortals,
Avan selva thirumaganae…ae…ae…His beloved divine son...
Selva thirumaganae ingu vandhuAsking that beloved divine son to come here,
Serndhu kalandhuTo join and unite with me,
Maghizhndhu kulaavaendruAnd joyfully embrace and converse?
Female
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…Are you capable of telling...
Female
Alli kulatharugae oru naalOne day near the lily pond,
Andhi pozhudhinilaeDuring the twilight hour,
Alli kulatharugae oru naalOne day near the lily pond,
Andhi pozhudhinilaeDuring the twilight hour,
Angor mullai chedi adhan paalBeside that jasmine bush over there,
Mullai chedi adhan paalBeside that jasmine bush,
Seidha vinai mutrum marandhidaTo completely forget all past deeds,
KattradhennavendruAsk him what secret art he learned?
Female
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…Are you capable of telling...
Female
Paalaivana thidaiyae…ae..ae…ae….In the middle of the desolate desert plain...
Paalaivana thidaiyae..In the middle of the desolate desert plain..
En kai pattri nadakkaiyilae…While holding my hand and walking...
Paalaivana thidaiyae..In the middle of the desolate desert plain..
En kai pattri nadakkaiyilaeWhile holding my hand and walking,
Than kai vaelin misai aanaiSwearing an oath upon the spear in his hand,
Than kai vaelin misai aanai vaithu chonnaThe miraculous words he uttered taking an oath on his spear,
Vindhai mozhigalai sindhai seivaayendruAsk him to reflect deeply upon those miraculous words,
Female
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…ooo…Are you capable of telling...
Solla vallaaiyo kiliyaeAre you capable of telling him, oh parrot?
Solla nee vallaaiyo…Are you capable of telling...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Solla Vallaaiyo Kiliyae is a celebrated poem by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, framed in the classical Tamil literary tradition of 'Kili Vidu Thoothu' (sending a parrot as a messenger of love). The heroine, representing the human soul longing for divine union (Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava), pleads with a messenger parrot to go to Lord Murugan—the divine son of Lord Shiva who dances at Thillai—and remind Him of her love. She asks the parrot to remind Murugan of the cherished moments they shared: twilight conversations near the lily pond and jasmine bushes, and the solemn oaths he swore on his divine Vel (spear) while holding her hand across a desolate desert plain. She entreats the parrot to persuade Him to return and unite with her in joyful affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Kili Vidu Thoothu (Parrot Messenger Genre)

Solla vallaaiyo kiliyae

A classical Sangam and Bhakti literary motif where a woman in love addresses a parrot to convey her feelings and message to her beloved deity (Lord Murugan).

Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava (Bridal Mysticism)

Thanai ingu vandhu kalandhu Maghizhndhu kulaavaendru

An allegorical device where the human soul takes the persona of a bride yearning for union with the Supreme Lord (Murugan).

Edukki and Monai (Tamil Alliteration & Rhyme)

Alli kulatharugae oru naal / Andhi pozhudhinilae

Rhythmic rhyming and initial consonant matching across adjacent lines such as Alli/Andhi and Paalaivana/Pattri.

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song from the 1954 movie 'Koondukkili' features lyrics adapted from Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar's devotional poetry. 'Koondukkili' holds a historic landmark status in Tamil cinema history as it is the only film in which the two towering titans of Tamil cinema, M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Sivaji Ganesan, acted together.

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