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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thanjavooru Maayavaram

From Yuga Dharmam · 1983

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Yuga Dharmam1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Jum jum jum singaaJum jum jum Singaa (male lead/character call)
Male
Jum jum jum singeeJum jum jum Singee (female lead/character call)
Female
Jum jum jum singaaJum jum jum Singaa
Male
Jum jum jum singeeJum jum jum Singee
Male
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram)
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Female
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Male
Singee thajaavooru maayavaramSingee, Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Pattu thaan chittu thaan pacha odambuSilken, swift bird-like, fresh young body
Sokka thaan mothamaa vecha odambuA pure golden body crafted entirely well
Vetta veliOpen expanse
Female
Ae…Hey…
Male
PottalulaIn the barren land
Female
Aa…Aa…
Male
Ae vetta veli pottalula urpatthiya perukkuHey, in the open barren field, let us increase yield/production!
Chorus
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Male
On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaaThe beauty of your eyes is like a beetle
On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaaThe beauty of your legs is like a stem
On kannazhagu vanduThe beauty of your eyes is like a beetle
Chorus
KanakkaaLike a beetle
Male
On kaalazhagu thanduThe beauty of your legs is like a stem
Chorus
KanakkaaLike a stem
Male
Paathu paathu thaagam aachuLooking and looking, thirst has grown
Ae saethu saethu mogam aachuHey, gathering and gathering, passion has grown
Female
Aelae singaa…Hey Singaa…
Pethu thaan thaaraenae umma mavanaI will give birth to your son
Thottu thaan thookkikko ponna mavanaeHold and lift your precious daughter
Raathirrikku paesikkuvomWe shall talk in the night
Raathirrikku paesikkuvom raasi unna nanaikkaWe shall talk in the night to make good fortune drench you
Chorus
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Female
Um maelaeyum kannu padudhuEvil eyes are falling upon you
Em maelaeyum kannu padudhuEvil eyes are falling upon me too
Um maelaeyumUpon you too
Chorus
Kannu padudhuEvil eyes fall
Female
Em maelaeyumUpon me too
Chorus
Kannu padudhuEvil eyes fall
Female
Rendu paerum saayangaalamIn the evening, both of us
Kottuvomaa thaala maelamShall we play the rhythm and drums?
Male
Aendi singee…Hey Singee…
Kollaiyaa aasa thaan kotti kedakkaA mountain of desires is overflowing
Konjavaa panjamaa kotti molakkaIs there any shortage of affection to pour and sprout?
Nee enakkuYou are for me
Female
AjakthaaIn total agreement
Male
Naan unakkuI am for you
Female
AjakthaaIn total agreement
Male
Ae nee enakku naan unakkuHey, you for me and I for you
Maamanukku adakkamSubmissive and devoted to the uncle/husband
Chorus
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Male
Thottappula saadhi malli thaanJasmine from the garden
Muthaanava saadhi valli thaanPrecious jasmine-like girl Valli
Thottappula saadhiJasmine from the garden
Chorus
Malli thaanJasmine flower
Male
Muthaanava saadhiPrecious girl
Chorus
Valli thaanGirl Valli
Male
Sodi rendum nalla sodiThe pair of us is a fine pair
Ae saadikkaetha nalla moodiHey, a perfect lid made for the vessel
Female
Aelae singaa…Hey Singaa…
Inbamo thunbamo pangu pirippomIn joy or sorrow, we will share equally
Ennaikkum namma thaan kandu sirippomForever we will look at each other and smile
Yaethatthilum yerakkathilumIn ups and downs
Yaethatthilum yerakkathilum onnu koodi iruppomIn ups and downs, we will remain united together
Chorus
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Male
Pattu thaan chittu thaan pacha odambuSilken, swift bird-like, fresh young body
Female
Sokka thaan mothamaa vecha odambuA pure golden body crafted entirely well
Chorus
Vetta veli pottalulaIn the open barren field
Ae vetta veli pottalula urpathiya perukkuHey, in the open barren field, let us increase yield/production!
Chorus
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you
Thajaavooru maayavaramThanjavur and Mayiladuthurai
Manasu um maela paaya varumMy heart comes leaping toward you

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a lively folk duet between 'Singan' and 'Singee', traditional nomadic gypsy/tribal character archetypes in Tamil folk culture (Kuravan-Kurathi). They express playful romantic affection, admiring each other's beauty, comparing their features to elements of nature like beetles and lotus stems. Through playful banter, they express their mutual devotion, promising to share all life's joys and hardships equally and remain united through life's ups and downs.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaa / On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaa

Comparing the beauty of the eyes to a beetle (vandu kanakkaa) and legs to a plant stem (thandu kanakkaa).

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaa / On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaa

Rhyming second letters across lines (kannazhagu / kaalazhagu, Inbamo / Ennaikkum).

Monaia (Alliteration)

Paathu paathu thaagam aachu / Ae saethu saethu mogam aachu

Repetition of initial phonetic sounds across adjacent words (Paathu paathu, saethu saethu).

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ae saadikkaetha nalla moodi

Comparing the ideal couple pairing to a pot fitting its perfectly matching lid (saadikkaetha nalla moodi).

Did you know?

Trivia

The 'Singan' and 'Singee' dynamic originates from the ancient Kuravanji natakam (folk dance-drama genre in Tamil literature). Songs featuring these characters traditionally use fast-paced folk rhythms, vibrant place references (like Thanjavur and Mayavaram), and colloquial rural idioms.

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