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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thannikkul Nikkudhu

From Seerum Singangal · 1983

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
P. Suseela, P. Jayachandran
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Seerum Singangal
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
1 Nov 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaa……aa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai
Thaththaliththu ullam thallaada
Kanniyin nenjukkul enniya ennaththil
Thanni kulam adhu soodaaga
Katti kolla saelaiyillai
Kaiyai kondu poo maraikka
Akkam pakkam yaarumillai
Vanthu vidu aadharikka
Aaa……aa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai
Thaththaliththu ullam thallaada
Kanniyin nenjukkul enniya ennaththil
Thanni kulam adhu soodaaga
Hoi….katti kolla saelaiyillai
Kaiyai kondu poo maraikka
Akkam pakkam yaarumillai
Vanthu vidu aadharikka
Anthi pozhuthukku munnaalae oru
Saedhi sollu unthan kannaalae
Anthi pozhuthukku munnaalae oru
Saedhi sollu unthan kannaalae
Maanikka petti vaiththirukkum
Manmathan kutti
Maanikka petti vaiththirukkum
Manmathan kutti
Hoi theeyai vachcha machchanae
Thaenai ooththi vittaanae
Theeyai vachcha machchanae
Thaenai ooththi vittaanae
Padhukki vachcha kelvikellaam
Padhil alikka vanthaanae
Padhukki vachcha kelvikellaam
Padhil alikka vanthaanae
Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai
Thaththaliththu ullam thallaada
Female :Kanniyin nenjukkul enniya ennaththil
Thanni kulam adhu soodaaga
Katti kolla saelaiyillai
Kaiyai kondu poo maraikka
Female :Akkam pakkam yaarumillai
Vanthu vidu aadharikka
……………….
Chinna kurumbugal seithaanae
Antha saelai sarasangal meithaanae
Chinna kurumbugal seithaanae
Antha saelai sarasangal meithaanae
Kattilil Niththam ketpathenna raaththiri saththam
Soodu kanda un moochchu
Mela pattu naalaachchu
Soodu kanda un moochchu
Mela pattu naalaachchu
Paruva Nilam velanjirukku
Aruvadaikku naanaachchu
Paruva Nilam velanjirukku
Aruvadaikku naanaachchu
Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai
Thaththaliththu ullam thallaada
Female :Kanniyin nenjukkul enniya ennaththil
Thanni kulam adhu soodaaga
Katti kolla saelaiyillai
Kaiyai kondu poo maraikka
Female :Akkam pakkam yaarumillai
Vanthu vidu aadharikka
Aaa……aa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Standing in the water is a lotus in a half-sari,
Her heart trembling and swaying.
From the desires stirring in this young girl's heart,
The water in the pond turns hot!
There is no sari to wrap around,
Covering her blossoming beauty with bare hands.
No one is anywhere around,
Come over to hold and comfort me!
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Standing in the water is a lotus in a half-sari,
Her heart trembling and swaying.
From the desires stirring in this young girl's heart,
The water in the pond turns hot!
Hoy... there is no sari to wrap around,
Covering her blossoming beauty with bare hands.
No one is anywhere around,
Come over to hold and comfort me!
Before twilight falls,
Send me a message with your eyes.
Before twilight falls,
Send me a message with your eyes.
Possessing a treasure chest of rubies,
A sweet darling of Manmatha (the god of love)!
Possessing a treasure chest of rubies,
A sweet darling of Manmatha (the god of love)!
Hoy, my sweetheart who lit this flame
Has now poured sweet honey over it!
The sweetheart who lit this flame
Has now poured sweet honey over it!
For all the questions kept hidden away,
He has arrived to give an answer!
For all the questions kept hidden away,
He has arrived to give an answer!
Standing in the water is a lotus in a half-sari,
Her heart trembling and swaying.
From the desires stirring in this young girl's heart,
The water in the pond turns hot!
There is no sari to wrap around,
Covering her blossoming beauty with bare hands.
No one is anywhere around,
Come over to hold and comfort me!
...
He played little acts of mischief,
Flirting and grazing playfully with the sari.
He played little acts of mischief,
Flirting and grazing playfully with the sari.
What is that nightly sound heard on the bed every day?
Your warm, passionate breath—
It has been days since it touched my skin!
Your warm, passionate breath—
It has been days since it touched my skin!
The fertile land of youth is ripe,
And I am ready for the harvest!
The fertile land of youth is ripe,
And I am ready for the harvest!
Standing in the water is a lotus in a half-sari,
Her heart trembling and swaying.
From the desires stirring in this young girl's heart,
The water in the pond turns hot!
There is no sari to wrap around,
Covering her blossoming beauty with bare hands.
No one is anywhere around,
Come over to hold and comfort me!
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song expresses playful intimacy, sensual yearning, and romantic passion between lovers. The heroine describes herself standing in the water as a lotus flower without her garments, feeling the heat of her own passionate thoughts warm the cool pond water. She calls out to her beloved to embrace and shelter her before dusk falls, using rich imagery of nature and longing. In the later verses, the lyrics describe the intimacy shared in secret, comparing her youthful body to a fully ripened field ready for harvest, evoking classic Tamil poetic tropes of love and passion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai

'Thaavani thaamarai' compares a young woman standing in water to a lotus flower draped in a half-saree.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

Thanni kulam adhu soodaaga

Exaggeration where the heroine's burning passion causes the cool water of the pond to turn hot.

Agricultural Metaphor

Paruva Nilam velanjirukku Aruvadaikku naanaachchu

'Paruva Nilam' compares a woman's youthful body to fertile, ripened land ready for harvest ('Aruvadai').

Alliteration (Monaai)

Thannikul nikkuthu thaavani thaamarai

Repetition of 'Th' sound at the beginning of words in the line ('Thannikul', 'thaavani', 'thaamarai').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Seerum Singangal' is a 1983 Tamil film featuring lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The song uses traditional Tamil erotic imagery (Sringara Rasa) blended with folk melodies common in early 1980s South Indian cinema music.

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