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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thanni Kodam Thookkum

From Sigappu Thali · 1988

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Sigappu Thali
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
28 May 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thanni kodam thookkum pennae
Thaagam konjam yaerum
Rendu kodam thanni thanthaa
Thaagam konjam theerum
Rendu kodam thanni thanthaa
Thaagam konjam theerum
Thanni kodam thookkum haei….
Thanni kodam thookkum pennae
Thaagam konjam yaerum
Rendu kodam thanni thanthaa
Thaagam konjam theerum
Nenjukkulla nesam vachchu neenda kaalam aachchu
Nenjukkulla nesam vachchu neenda kaalam aachchu
Vaai thoranthu solla vanthaa vaanguthammaa moochchu
Vaai thoranthu solla vanthaa vaanguthammaa moochchu
Thanni kodam thookkum haei….
Thanni kodam thookkum pennae
Thaagam konjam yaerum
Rendu kodam thanni thanthaa
Thaagam konjam theerum
Rendu kodam thanni thanthaa
Thaagam konjam theerum…..
Girl carrying the water pot,
my thirst rises a little.
If you give me two pots of water,
my thirst will be quenched a little.
If you give me two pots of water,
my thirst will be quenched a little.
Water pot... hey...
Girl carrying the water pot,
my thirst rises a little.
If you give me two pots of water,
my thirst will be quenched a little.
It has been so long since I held love in my heart,
it has been so long since I held love in my heart,
yet whenever I open my mouth to say it, I run out of breath.
Yet whenever I open my mouth to say it, I run out of breath.
Water pot... hey...
Girl carrying the water pot,
my thirst rises a little.
If you give me two pots of water,
my thirst will be quenched a little.
If you give me two pots of water,
my thirst will be quenched a little...
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a flirtatious rural Tamil folk-style duet where the protagonist teases a village girl carrying pots of water. He uses physical thirst ('thaagam') as a metaphor for his romantic desire and emotional longing for her. He confesses that he has secretly loved her for a long time, but becomes overwhelmed and breathless whenever he attempts to express his feelings openly.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Thaagam konjam yaerum

The word 'Thaagam' (Thirst) is used metaphorically to represent romantic desire and emotional longing rather than literal thirst for water.

Mogana / Alliteration (Monaai)

Nenjukkulla nesam vachchu neenda kaalam aachchu

Repetition of the 'N' sound in 'Nenjukkulla' and 'nesam' creates a pleasing phonetic rhythm.

Iyaibu (Rhyme)

Vaai thoranthu solla vanthaa vaanguthammaa moochchu

The lines end with rhyming sounds 'aachchu' and 'moochchu', giving the stanza a melodic flow typical of folk poetry.

Did you know?

Trivia

The theme of a hero teasing a village woman carrying a water pot (Kudam) is one of the most enduring tropes in rural Tamil cinema music, frequently used by lyricist Vairamuthu to infuse folk idioms into mainstream film soundtracks.

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