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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sollu KIliye Sollu Kiliye

From Ponnazhagi · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Ponnazhagi1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Female
Naalaaga konjam naalagaAs days go by, day after day,
Nenjil yaedhetho ennam yaedhethoVarious thoughts linger in my heart.
Naalaaga konjam naalagaAs days go by, day after day,
Nenjil yaedhetho ennam yaedhethoVarious thoughts linger in my heart.
Nalla seithi mella neeyum sollakoodaathoCan't you softly give me good news?
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Female
Raja endraal rajathaanIf he is a king, he is truly a king,
Paarththaayae neeyum vellaadaeHaven't you seen him, white goat?
Rani endraal naanaethaanIf there is a queen, it is surely me,
Koodaathaa sollu kannaalaeTell me with your eyes, shouldn't we unite?
Female
Yaenammaa senthaazham poovannamaeWhy, my red screw-pine flower-complexioned bird?
Enakkum avarkkum poruththam sariyaaAre he and I a perfect match?
Avar nenjil eppothum en ennamaeAre thoughts of me always in his heart?
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Female
Maanae thullum maanae vaaOh deer, bounding deer, come,
Maangaattu amman sonnalaaDid the goddess of Maangaadu say so?
Naanae sonnaal sarithaanaaIf I say it myself, is it appropriate?
Nammooru pengal solvaaraaWill the women of our village say it?
Female
Neerodai poongaattru sangeethamaeThe stream and the pleasant breeze feel like music,
Nerunga nerunga mayakkam varuthaeAs we get closer, a sweet dizziness comes over me,
Oor paarkka eppothu kalyaanamaeWhen will our wedding happen for the whole village to see?
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Female
Poovae mullai poovammaaOh flower, jasmine flower,
Nee kooda aasai kondaayaaDid you also feel desire?
Meenae neenthum meenammaaOh fish, swimming fish,
Nee enna neril paarththaayaaDid you see it in person?
Female
Aalaana naalaaga en nenjamaeEver since I came of age, my heart...
Achcham naanam micham meedhiFear and shyness are all that remain,
Ponaalum thavarillai avar vendumaeEven if everything goes, it matters not, I need him.
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.
Female
Naalaaga konjam naalagaAs days go by, day after day,
Nenjil yaedhetho ennam yaedhethoVarious thoughts linger in my heart.
Nalla seithi mella neeyum sollakoodaathoCan't you softly give me good news?
Female
Sollu kiliyae…ae….sollu kiliyae….ae….Tell me parrot... oh tell me parrot...
Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyaeTell me a way to find happiness, parrot.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

In this expressive folk-style melody from 'Ponnazhagi', a young rural woman confides her romantic longings and blossoming youthful desires to nature around her—addressing a parrot, deer, fish, and flowers. She asks the parrot to reveal a way to attain romantic fulfillment with her beloved, wondering if they are a perfect match and if he holds her in his heart as deeply as she holds him. As she matures into womanhood, her traditional reserve and shyness yield to an earnest yearning to marry her beloved in front of her entire village. Kannadasan's lyrical imagery draws heavily on classical Tamil Akam poetry conventions, portraying nature as a gentle confidante to a young woman's innermost hopes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Kili Viduthoothu (Parrot Messenger Motif)

Sugam pera vazhiyondru nee sollu kiliyae

A traditional Tamil literary convention where a lover addresses a parrot as a messenger or confidante to express romantic feelings.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Raja endraal rajathaan / Rani endraal naanaethaan

The second letters of consecutive lines match in consonant sound ('r' in Raja / Rani).

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Maanae thullum maanae vaa / Maangaattu amman sonnalaa

Matching starting letters across adjacent lines ('M' sound in Maanae / Maangaattu).

Apostrophe / Personification

Poovae mullai poovammaa / Nee kooda aasai kondaayaa

Directly addressing non-human entities like fish and flowers as living conversational partners.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Ponnazhagi' (1981) features music composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh. The song is sung by S. P. Sailaja with lyrics written by Kannadasan, employing the classical Tamil tradition of addressing nature to reflect romantic anticipation.

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