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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Un Kendakaalu

From Karisakattu Poove · 2000

Lyricist
Kasthuri Raja
Singers
Mano, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilaiyaraja
Details
Karisakattu Poove2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ae….hae…..ae…..Ae.... hae..... ae.....
Female :Ae…..ae…..ae….Female: Ae..... ae..... ae....
Male
Un kendakkaalu theriyuthadiYour calf is showing, my girl
Seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Un seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Adha sundi sundi ettu vachchaaWhen you walk flicking your feet step by step
Manasukulla sulukkuThere is a sprain inside my heart
En manasukulla sulukkuThere is a sprain inside my heart
Female
Un neththiyila surunda mudiThe curly hair on your forehead
Maela konjam othukkuPush it back a little bit
Ada meala konjam othukkuOh, push it back a little bit
Adhu suththu suththi porandu poranduIt twists around and rolls over
Pudikka vaikkuthu kirukkuMaking me go crazy
Mella pudikka vaikuthu kirukkuGently making madness take over me
Male
Nee valainja keppathaaluYou are like a bent ragi stalk
Adi pulichcha kammang kooluHey, like fermented kambu porridge
Female :Naan inichcha vaeru karumbuFemale: I am sweet root sugarcane
Enna kadichchu paaththu virumbuBite me, taste me, and desire me
Male
Nee valainja keppathaaluYou are like a bent ragi stalk
Adi pulichcha kammang kooluHey, like fermented kambu porridge
Female :Naan inichcha vaeru karumbuFemale: I am sweet root sugarcane
Enna kadichchu paaththu virumbuBite me, taste me, and desire me
Male
Un kendakkaalu theriyuthadiYour calf is showing, my girl
Seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Un seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Female :Un neththiyila surunda mudiFemale: The curly hair on your forehead
Maela konjam othukkuPush it back a little bit
Ada meala konjam othukkuOh, push it back a little bit
Female
Oosi kulla nulainjukittaHaving entered through a needle's eye
Noola pola maattikittaenI got caught like a thread
Aasaiyila arivukettu agapattuttaenLosing my sense in desire, I got trapped
Male :Naan nimiththi kaatturaen tholuMale: I puff up and show off my shoulders
Un vayasukku yaeththuraen paaluI raise milk suited for your youthful age
Female :Nee murukki suththina nooluFemale: You are a thread spun tightly
Enna valaichchi kattura aaluYou are the man who entangles and binds me
Male
Paasi pudichcha pazhaiya thanniyaIn the old moss-covered water
Padhukki vaikkira kolaththulathaanIn the pond that conceals itself
Thaamaraippoo valarnthirukku therinjukkadiA lotus flower has grown, know this, my girl
Female :Nee varinju kattura vaettiFemale: The dhoti you tie tightly
Un aamabala thanaththa kaattiShowing off your manhood
Male :Naan nenappu thatturaen koottiMale: I gather and spark up my thoughts
Adhu parakkuthu kodi kaattiIt flies high showing a flag
Female
Dhenamum naaraaga naaraaga yaengalaWithout pining away into shreds every day
Manasum naalaaga naalaaga thoongaalaMy heart hasn't slept for days
Male :Enakkum paiththiyamthaan pudichchirukkuMale: I too have gone completely mad
Female :Haiyo….Female: Oh my goodness...
Male :Unakku vaiththiyamthaan therunjirukkuMale: Only you know the cure for it
Female
Naan arachcha santhathan kozhambuI am ground sandalwood paste
Enna vaasanai pudichchu pozhanguInhale my fragrance and use me
Male :Naan irukki pudichcha udumbuMale: I am a monitor lizard holding tightly
En anaippukulla nee adanguSubmit yourself within my embrace
Female
Un neththiyila surunda mudiThe curly hair on your forehead
Maela konjam othukkuPush it back a little bit
Male :YammaaMale: Oh my!
Female :Ada meala konjam othukkuFemale: Oh, push it back a little bit
Male :Un kendakkaalu theriyuthadiMale: Your calf is showing, my girl
Seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Un seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Female
Vaeru muththi velainja kadalaiThe matured groundnut grown on roots
Nelaththukkulla maranjirukkuLies hidden inside the earth
Aasai muththi manasukullaDeep matured desire inside the heart
NeranjirukkuIs completely filled
Male :Nee pazhuththa vaazha thaaruMale: You are a bunch of ripe bananas
Unna pazhukka vachchathu yaaruWho made you ripen?
Female :Nee vadichcha nellu choruFemale: You are cooked paddy rice
Unna kolaiya vachchathu yaaruWho made you overcooked and soft?
Male
Tholu muththi pazhuththa pazhamA fruit ripened under thick skin
Ragasiyamaa kaninjirukkumMatures secretly inside
Vaasanaithaan veliya vanthuIts fragrance comes out
Aala valaikkumAnd entices people
Female :Naan avichchuu kottuna kelanguFemale: I am a boiled and served tuber
Ada aari poyidum muzhanguOh, eat up before it gets cold
Male :Naan velanju muththina karuthuMale: I am fully grown, matured grain head
Un nenaippu en pakkam varuthuYour memory comes towards me
Female
Medhuvaa paavadaiGently the skirt
Kaaththoda poguthuBlows with the wind
Male :AaththiMale: Oh gosh!
Female :Esavaa un paarvaiFemale: Lightly your gaze
En maela thaavuthuLeaps upon me
Male
Unakkum aasai vanthuDesire arose in you
Modhi ninnukichchuAnd stood crashing in
Enakkum kadhal vanthuLove came to me as well
Saernthu paththikichchuAnd caught fire together
Female
Nee irukki suththura kayiruYou are a rope wound tightly
Ada kalangi poguthu usuruOh, my soul gets flustered
Male :Nee molaichchu nikkira payiruMale: You are a crop standing sprouted
Nallaa izhuththu kadaincha thayiruWell-pulled, churned curd
Female
Un neththiyila surunda mudiThe curly hair on your forehead
Maela konjam othukkuPush it back a little bit
Ada meala konjam othukkuOh, push it back a little bit
Adhu suththu suththi porandu poranduIt twists around and rolls over
Pudikka vaikkuthu kirukkuMaking me go crazy
Mella pudikka vaikuthu kirukkuGently making madness take over me
Male
Un kendakkaalu theriyuthadiYour calf is showing, my girl
Seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Un seela katta irakkuLower the hem of your saree dress
Adha sundi sundi ettu vachchaaWhen you walk flicking your feet step by step
Manasukulla sulukkuThere is a sprain inside my heart
En manasukulla sulukkuThere is a sprain inside my heart
Female
Naan inichcha vaeru karumbuI am sweet root sugarcane
Enna kadichchu paaththu virumbuBite me, taste me, and desire me
Male :Nee valainja keppathaaluMale: You are like a bent ragi stalk
Adi pulichcha kammang kooluHey, like fermented kambu porridge
Female
……………………….....
Male :………………………Male: ...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful and earthy folk duet from 'Karisakattu Poove' captures romantic banter between two lovers in a rural Tamil backdrop. Using vivid agricultural metaphors such as ragi stalks, sugarcane, kambu porridge, groundnuts hidden in soil, and churned curd, the song portrays mutual affection, flirtatious teasing, and passion steeped in native village life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagamm)

Naan inichcha vaeru karumbu

The singer compares herself directly to sweet sugarcane root to express her youthfulness and sweetness.

Ethirai (Second letter rhyming)

Nee valainja keppathaalu / Adi pulichcha kammang koolu

Consonance across lines using agricultural references (keppathaalu / kammang koolu).

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

Adha sundi sundi ettu vachchaa / Manasukulla sulukku

Exaggerating the sight of a lover walking as causing an actual physical sprain inside the heart.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Karisakattu Poove' (2000) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by director Kasthuri Raja. The soundtrack is celebrated for its authentic Karisal (black soil region) folk flavor and rustic linguistic nuance.

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