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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thillaana Paattu Paadi

From Puthumai Pithan · 1957

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
J. P. Chandrababu, Jikki
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Puthumai Pithan1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
……………....
Male
Thillaana paattu paadi kulla thaaraaOh short-statured girl singing a Tillana song,
Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraaDon't play tricks on me here, short girl.
Thillaana paattu paadi kulla thaaraaOh short-statured girl singing a Tillana song,
Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraaDon't play tricks on me here, short girl.
Female :Villaadhi villarellaam vambu kaaraaFemale: All the greatest archers and troublemakers,
Villaadhi villarellaam vambu kaaraaAll the greatest archers and troublemakers,
Endhan vizhiyaalae paliyaavaar vambukkaaraaWill fall victim to my eyes, you troublemaker!
Male :Aayyayyo….Male: Oh dear!...
Female :Vizhiyaalae baliyaavaar vambukkaaraaFemale: Will fall victim to my eyes, you troublemaker!
Male
Thillaanaa… thillaanaa…Tillana... Tillana...
Thillaana paattu paadi kulla thaaraaOh short-statured girl singing a Tillana song,
Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraaDon't play tricks on me here, short girl.
Aaa..aa..aa..aaa….Aaa..aa..aa..aaa….
Andha maamunivarellaam adanginaar…All those great sages succumbed in those days...
Female :EnnaFemale: What?
Male
Andha kaalam…In those ancient times...
Aaa..aa.aa.aa.aa..ae..ae..ae…Aaa..aa.aa.aa.aa..ae..ae..ae…
Adhai arindhadhaal ungal vizhiyinaalaeKnowing that, because of your eyes,
Aangal asaiya maattaar indha kaalam…Men will not be swayed so easily in modern times...
Indha kaalamIn modern times!
Thillaana paattu paadi kulla thaaraaOh short-statured girl singing a Tillana song,
Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraaDon't play tricks on me here, short girl.
Thillaanaa… thillaanaa…Tillana... Tillana...
Thillaana paattu paadi kulla thaaraaOh short-statured girl singing a Tillana song,
Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraaDon't play tricks on me here, short girl.
Female
Vaazhaippazham vaendaamennum kurangu polaeLike a monkey that claims it does not want a banana,
Vaayaalavil paesiduvaar…. piraguThey will speak only with lip service... but later,
Vaithiyar ariyaadha paithiyam pidithaengiCatching an affliction that doctors cannot diagnose and pining,
Valiya vandhu kaalil vizhuvaarThey will voluntarily come and fall at my feet!
Aaa..aa.aa.aaa.aa….Aaa..aa.aa.aaa.aa….
Villaadhi villarellaam vambu kaaraaAll the greatest archers and troublemakers,
Endhan vizhiyaalae baliyaavaar vambukkaaraaWill fall victim to my eyes, you troublemaker!
Villaadhi villarellaam vambu kaaraaAll the greatest archers and troublemakers,
Endhan vizhiyaalae baliyaavaar vambukkaaraaWill fall victim to my eyes, you troublemaker!
Male
Appadiyaa…Is that so?...
Female :Pinnae eppadiyaam…Female: How else could it be?...
Female
Neerillaadha nilamillae nilamillaadha maramillaeThere is no land without water, no tree without land,
Maramillaadha vidhai illae vidhai illaadha maramillaeThere is no seed without a tree, no tree without a seed,
Aanillaadha penn illae penn illaadha aanillaeThere is no woman without a man, and no man without a woman,
Purinjidhaa….Did you understand?...
Male
Puriyudhae… puriyudhae puriyudhae…I understand... I understand... I understand...
Malaiyaana emmanasa kulla thaaraaMy heart which was like a mountain, oh short girl,
Arivu uliyaalae paethuttiyae kulla thaaraaYou have chipped away with the chisel of wisdom, short girl.
Malaiyaana emmanasa kulla thaaraaMy heart which was like a mountain, oh short girl,
Arivu uliyaalae paethuttiyae kulla thaaraaYou have chipped away with the chisel of wisdom, short girl.
Female :Kallaana aampillaiyum vambukkaaraaFemale: Even a man who is as hard as stone, you troublemaker,
Kallaana aampillaiyum vambukkaaraaEven a man who is as hard as stone, you troublemaker,
Kovai kaniyaalae baliyaavaar vambukkaaraaWill fall victim to a woman with lips sweet as Kovai fruit, you troublemaker!
Kaniyaalae baliyaavaar vambukkaaraaWill fall victim to her fruit-like lips, you troublemaker!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duetting track from the 1957 Tamil film 'Puthumai Pithan' showcases a lighthearted romantic battle of wits between a male and female character. The male singer teasingly addresses the woman as 'kulla thaaraa' (short girl) and warns her not to pull fast ones on him, claiming men of the modern era are no longer easily fooled by women's charms as ancient sages were. The female character counters with sharp wit, comparing men's denial of attraction to a monkey pretending not to like bananas. She argues the fundamental interdependence of nature—water, land, trees, seeds, and ultimately men and women. Her sharp wisdom breaks down the man's ego, turning his mountain-hard heart soft, leading to a mutual playful acceptance of love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upama (Simile / Metaphor)

Vaazhaippazham vaendaamennum kurangu polae

Compares a man pretending not to care for women to a monkey claiming it doesn't want a banana ('Vaazhaippazham vaendaamennum kurangu polae').

Metaphor (Uruvam)

Arivu uliyaalae paethuttiyae kulla thaaraa

Compares wisdom to a chisel ('arivu uli') and the male's stubborn heart to a mountain ('malaiyaana emmanasa').

Anaphora / Logical Chain

Neerillaadha nilamillae nilamillaadha maramillae

Repetitive philosophical chaining of interdependent elements (water -> land -> tree -> seed -> man -> woman) to establish balance.

Emoni / Wordplay (Slaedai / Pun)

Ingu kullaa nee podaadhae kulla thaaraa

Playful use of the colloquial phrase 'kullaa podaadhae' (don't cap/trick me) with 'kulla thaaraa' (short duck/girl).

Did you know?

Trivia

This track features J. P. Chandrababu, one of Tamil cinema's pioneer comedian-singers known for bringing Western vocal inflection, Yodeling, and theatrical expressions to Tamil music, alongside classic playback singer Jikki. Composed by G. Ramanathan, the song uses rhythmic Tillana motifs from classical Carnatic music subverted into a comical duet.

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