Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thoppiloru Naadakam

From Kallukkul Eeram · 1980

Lyricist
Muthuvendhan
Singers
Ilayaraja, Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kallukkul Eeram1980

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………………...
Female
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Male :Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuMale: A play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Silance…..Silence...
Male
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Thogai mayil aattam poduthuThe feathered peacock is dancing
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Female
Naadakaththuk kadhaiyo pudhusuThe story of the play is new
Nadikka vantha aalum pudhusuThe actors who came to perform are also new
Naanga ippa nadaththura kadhaiyilaIn the story we are enacting now
Raasaa onnu raani onnuThere is a king and there is a queen
Aaduthu paaduthu ammaadiDancing and singing, oh my!
Female
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Thogai mayil aattam poduthuThe feathered peacock is dancing
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Chorus
……………...
Female
Paarthaalum paarthenEven though I looked, I kept looking
Ada naalum naanum paarthenAh, every single day I looked
Kaettaalum kaettaenEven though I heard, I kept listening
Un keerththi yaavum kaettaenI heard all about your fame
Nenjukkulla nenachaenI thought in my heart
Nimmadhiya korachaenAnd reduced my peace of mind
Ennaththa solluveanWhat can I say?
Male
Adha maadhiri nee kaadhaliLikewise, love me too!
Aasaiyila pala vidha nenappulaWith various thoughts born out of desire
Paarththaen onna kaettaen onnaI saw one thing and heard another
Paasaththula thaviyaa irundhu thavichaenIn affection, I suffered in deep longing
Female
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Thogai mayil aattam poduthuThe feathered peacock is dancing
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Male
Cut…Cut...
Chorus
Laallalaa laalla laalla laallaaLaallalaa laalla laalla laallaa
Laallalaa laalla laalla laallaaLaallalaa laalla laalla laallaa
Laallalaa laalla laallaa laalla laallaa laaLaallalaa laalla laallaa laalla laallaa laa
Male
Paakkaadha kannu dhenam yaekkaththoda thaedumThe eyes that haven't seen seek daily with yearning
Kaekkaadha onnu manam raagaththoda paadumThe heart sings tunes to things unheard
Pakkaththula irundhaa sorgaththukku virundhaaIf you are close by, it feels like a feast in heaven
Thottu rasippaenI will touch and cherish you
Female
Oru naalilae…….theerumaaWill it be satisfied in a single day?
Thookkaththula thodarura kanavulaIn the dream that continues in sleep
Thottaa enna pattaa ennaWhat if touched, what if felt?
Aasaiyilae anachaa rasichaa ennaWhat if embraced and enjoyed in desire?
Male
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Thogai mayil aattam poduthuThe feathered peacock is dancing
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Female
Naadakaththuk kadhaiyo pudhusuThe story of the play is new
Nadikka vantha aalum pudhusuThe actors who came to perform are also new
Naanga ippa nadaththura kadhaiyilaIn the story we are enacting now
Raasaa onnu raani onnuThere is a king and there is a queen
Aaduthu paaduthu ammaadiDancing and singing, oh my!
Female
Thoppiloru naadagam nadakuthuA play is happening in the grove
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Thogai mayil aattam poduthuThe feathered peacock is dancing
YaelelankiliyaeOh young parrot!
Aa…..aiyaiyae…cut…Aa... aiyaiyae... cut...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Thoppiloru Naadagam Nadakuthu is a lively, meta-theatrical folk song set against the backdrop of a movie shoot occurring in a rural grove. The song uses traditional Tamil folk imagery—referencing dancing peacocks, parrots, kings, and queens—to weave a story about a new play performance while mirroring the real-life budding romantic affection between two lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Kili Kannai (Folk Motif / Apostrophe)

Yaelelankiliyae

Addressing a parrot ('Yaelelankiliyae') is a classic Tamil folk poetic trope used to express innermost feelings and storytelling.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Naadakaththuk kadhaiyo pudhusu / Nadikka vantha aalum pudhusu

The second consonant sound matches between adjacent lines ('Naadakaththuk' / 'Nadikka').

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Paarthaalum paarthen / Ada naalum naanum paarthen

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('Paarthaalum' / 'Paarththaen').

Did you know?

Trivia

Kallukkul Eeram (1980) was directed by P. Bharathiraja, who also played one of the lead roles alongside Sudhakar and Vijayashanti (in her Tamil film debut). The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and the song features cinematic direction cues like 'Cut' embedded directly into the lyrics to fit the movie-within-a-movie storyline.

Keep listening

More from Kallukkul Eeram