Thottatha Thodathatha
From Ninaivil Nindraval · 1967
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Ninaivil Nindraval1967
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thottadha thodaadhadha | Did it touch or not touch? |
| Thendralae padathatha | Did the gentle breeze not feel it? |
| Enna thaan kannamoo | What kind of cheeks are these? |
| Minnalaai minnumoo | Do they flash like lightning? |
| Ondru thandha pinbum | Even after giving one, |
| Innum ondru ketkkumoo | Does it ask for another? |
| Female | |
| Sonnadha sollaadhadha | Did it speak or not speak? |
| Kangalae polladhadha | Are these eyes wicked and mischievous? |
| Enna thaan mogamoo | What kind of infatuation is this? |
| Endrumae dhaagamoo | Is this an unquenchable thirst? |
| Chinna pennai kandu | Upon seeing a young girl, |
| Nenjukullae vegamoo | Why does the heart race so fast? |
| Male | |
| Paadhi mel aadai kaatrodu poraada | As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind, |
| Paarthathum paarkaadha kann enna kannoo | What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to? |
| Paadhi mel aadai kaatrodu poraada | As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind, |
| Paarthathum paarkaadha kann enna kannoo | What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to? |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal thaenootril poo maeni aada | As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love, |
| Kaadhal thaenootril poo maeni aada | As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love, |
| Neendhi karai sera thunai vendumoo | Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore? |
| Neendhi karai sera thunai vendumoo | Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore? |
| Male | |
| Thottadha thodaadhadha | Did it touch or not touch? |
| Thendralae padathatha | Did the gentle breeze not feel it? |
| Female | |
| Kaaval illadha pen endra ninaippodu | Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman, |
| Konji paarkkindra manam enna manamoo | What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her? |
| Kaaval illadha pen endra ninaippodu | Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman, |
| Konji paarkkindra manam enna manamoo | What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her? |
| Male | |
| Azhagu oru kodi pudhupaadal ezhudha | While beauty writes ten million new songs, |
| Azhagu oru kodi pudhupaadal ezhudha | While beauty writes ten million new songs, |
| Aasai mudiyaadha kadhaiyaanadho | Has desire become a story that never ends? |
| Aasai mudiyaadha kadhaiyaanadho | Has desire become a story that never ends? |
| Female | |
| Sonnadha sollaadhadha | Did it speak or not speak? |
| Kangalae polladhadha | Are these eyes wicked and mischievous? |
| Enna thaan mogamoo | What kind of infatuation is this? |
| Endrumae dhaagamoo | Is this an unquenchable thirst? |
| Chinna pennai kandu | Upon seeing a young girl, |
| Nenjukullae vegamoo | Why does the heart race so fast? |
| Male | |
| Thottadha thodaadhadha | Did it touch or not touch? |
| Female :Mmmmmm… | Female : Mmmmmm... |
தொட்டதா தொடாததா
தென்றலே படாததா
என்னதான் கன்னமோ
மின்னலாய் மின்னுமோ
ஒன்று தந்த பின்பும்
இன்னும் ஒன்று கேட்குமோ
Did it touch or not touch?
Did the gentle breeze not feel it?
What kind of cheeks are these?
Do they flash like lightning?
Even after giving one,
Does it ask for another?
சொன்னதா சொல்லாததா
கண்களே பொல்லாததா
என்னதான் மோகமோ
என்றுமே தாகமோ
சின்னப் பெண்ணைக் கண்டு
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே வேகமோ
Did it speak or not speak?
Are these eyes wicked and mischievous?
What kind of infatuation is this?
Is this an unquenchable thirst?
Upon seeing a young girl,
Why does the heart race so fast?
பாதி மேலாடை காற்றோடு போராட
பார்த்தும் பார்க்காத கண் என்ன கண்ணோ
பாதி மேலாடை காற்றோடு போராட
பார்த்தும் பார்க்காத கண் என்ன கண்ணோ
As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind,
What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to?
As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind,
What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to?
காதல் தேனாற்றில் பூ மேனி ஆட
காதல் தேனாற்றில் பூ மேனி ஆட
நீந்தி கரைச் சேர துணை வேண்டுமோ..
நீந்தி கரைச் சேர துணை வேண்டுமோ..
As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love,
As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love,
Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore?
Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore?
தொட்டதா தொடாததா
தென்றலே படாததா
Did it touch or not touch?
Did the gentle breeze not feel it?
காவல் இல்லாத பெண் என்ற நினைப்போடு
கொஞ்சிப் பார்க்கின்ற மனம் என்ன மனமோ
காவல் இல்லாத பெண் என்ற நினைப்போடு
கொஞ்சிப் பார்க்கின்ற மனம் என்ன மனமோ
Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman,
What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her?
Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman,
What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her?
அழகு ஒரு கோடிப் புதுப்பாடல் எழுத
அழகு ஒரு கோடிப் புதுப்பாடல் எழுத
ஆசை முடியாத கதையானதோ....
ஆசை முடியாத கதையானதோ....
While beauty writes ten million new songs,
While beauty writes ten million new songs,
Has desire become a story that never ends?
Has desire become a story that never ends?
சொன்னதா சொல்லாததா
கண்களே பொல்லாததா
என்னதான் மோகமோ
என்றுமே தாகமோ
சின்னப் பெண்ணைக் கண்டு
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே வேகமோ
Did it speak or not speak?
Are these eyes wicked and mischievous?
What kind of infatuation is this?
Is this an unquenchable thirst?
Upon seeing a young girl,
Why does the heart race so fast?
தொட்டதா தொடாததா
ம்ம்ம்ம்.....
Did it touch or not touch?
Female : Mmmmmm...
Thottadha thodaadhadha
Did it touch or not touch?
Thendralae padathatha
Did the gentle breeze not feel it?
Enna thaan kannamoo
What kind of cheeks are these?
Minnalaai minnumoo
Do they flash like lightning?
Ondru thandha pinbum
Even after giving one,
Innum ondru ketkkumoo
Does it ask for another?
Sonnadha sollaadhadha
Did it speak or not speak?
Kangalae polladhadha
Are these eyes wicked and mischievous?
Enna thaan mogamoo
What kind of infatuation is this?
Endrumae dhaagamoo
Is this an unquenchable thirst?
Chinna pennai kandu
Upon seeing a young girl,
Nenjukullae vegamoo
Why does the heart race so fast?
Paadhi mel aadai kaatrodu poraada
As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind,
Paarthathum paarkaadha kann enna kannoo
What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to?
Paadhi mel aadai kaatrodu poraada
As the upper garment struggles against the blowing wind,
Paarthathum paarkaadha kann enna kannoo
What kind of eyes are these that look yet pretend not to?
Kaadhal thaenootril poo maeni aada
As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love,
Kaadhal thaenootril poo maeni aada
As the soft flower-like body sways in the honey spring of love,
Neendhi karai sera thunai vendumoo
Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore?
Neendhi karai sera thunai vendumoo
Does it need a companion to swim across and reach the shore?
Thottadha thodaadhadha
Did it touch or not touch?
Thendralae padathatha
Did the gentle breeze not feel it?
Kaaval illadha pen endra ninaippodu
Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman,
Konji paarkkindra manam enna manamoo
What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her?
Kaaval illadha pen endra ninaippodu
Thinking of her as an unguarded, helpless woman,
Konji paarkkindra manam enna manamoo
What kind of heart fondles and gazes at her?
Azhagu oru kodi pudhupaadal ezhudha
While beauty writes ten million new songs,
Azhagu oru kodi pudhupaadal ezhudha
While beauty writes ten million new songs,
Aasai mudiyaadha kadhaiyaanadho
Has desire become a story that never ends?
Aasai mudiyaadha kadhaiyaanadho
Has desire become a story that never ends?
Sonnadha sollaadhadha
Did it speak or not speak?
Kangalae polladhadha
Are these eyes wicked and mischievous?
Enna thaan mogamoo
What kind of infatuation is this?
Endrumae dhaagamoo
Is this an unquenchable thirst?
Chinna pennai kandu
Upon seeing a young girl,
Nenjukullae vegamoo
Why does the heart race so fast?
Thottadha thodaadhadha
Did it touch or not touch?
Female :Mmmmmm…
Female : Mmmmmm...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Thottadha Thodaadhadha from Ninaivil Nindraval (1967) is a romantic duet between lovers exchanging playful banters filled with passion and desire. The lovers tease each other about the subtlety of touch, the gaze of the eyes, and the restless beating of their hearts upon seeing one another. Using vivid metaphors of nature—the wind, lightning, and a fountain of honey—the lyricist Vaali captures the eternal thirst of youthful love and the sweet tension of intimacy.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Thottadha thodaadhadha / Thendralae padathatha”
The second consonant 'tt' rhymes across consecutive lines (Thottadha / Thendralae with soft alveolar/dental sound match, and Ondru / Innum with 'n' consonants).
Simile (Upamai)
“Minnalaai minnumoo”
Comparing the glow or flash of cheeks/eyes directly to lightning using the suffix 'aai' (Minnalaai minnumoo).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kaadhal thaenootril poo maeni aada”
Describing the feeling of love as a honey spring/fountain (Kaadhal thaenootril) and the delicate female body as a flower (poo maeni).
Anaphora / Rhetorical Questioning
“Paarthathum paarkaadha kann enna kannoo”
Repeated questioning ('enna thaan', 'vendumoo', 'kannoo') creates a playful rhetorical style expressing romantic bewilderment.
Did you know?
Trivia
Ninaivil Nindraval (1967) featured music composed by V. Kumar, who was known for his melodious compositions during the golden era of Tamil cinema. The song stands out for the vocal chemistry between T. M. Soundarajan and P. Susheela, written by legendary lyricist Vaali.
Keep listening
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