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Isaimozhi
Ketti Melam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vaa Vaa Vaa Sugumaari

From Ketti Melam · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Kovai Soundararajan, Manjula
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ketti Melam
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
9 Dec 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vaa vaa vaa sukumaari
Vaa vaa vaa sukumaari
Malar muga naari
Madhana kumaari
Nalina singaari
Nadai alangaari
Kaiyal meedhu miga
Maiyal aaginen
Dhani dhani dhani dhani
Sani dhapa sani dhapa
Veyil meedhu vaitha
Vennai aaginen
Sani sani sani sani
Sani dhapa sani dhapa
Kaiyal meedhu miga
Maiyal aaginen
Veyil meedhu vaitha
Vennai aaginen
Vaa vaa vaa sukumaari
Vandhen vandhen sukumaaraa
Vandhen vandhen sukumaaraa
Ambuja vadhanaa
Azhagiya madhanaa
Pangaja nayanaa
Pannaga sayanaa
Ellai meerudhoru
Viraga dhaabamae
Dhani dhani dhani dhani
Sani dhapa sani dhapa
Thollai aana ilam
Paruva kaalamae
Sani sani sani sani
Sani dhapa sani dhapa
Ellai meerudhoru
Viraga dhaabamae
Thollai aana ilam
Paruva kaalamae
Vandhen vandhen sukumaaraa
Come, come, come, my delicate girl,
Come, come, come, my delicate girl,
O woman with a flower-like face,
You charming princess of love,
Graceful and captivating beauty,
Walking with pure elegance,
With a deep passion,
I have fallen in love with you,
Dha-ni, dha-ni, dha-ni, dha-ni,
Sa-ni dha-pa, sa-ni dha-pa,
Like butter placed out
In the hot sun, I have melted,
Sa-ni, sa-ni, sa-ni, sa-ni,
Sa-ni dha-pa, sa-ni dha-pa,
With a deep passion,
I have fallen in love with you,
Like butter placed out
In the hot sun, I have melted,
Come, come, come, my delicate girl!
Here I come, my handsome prince,
Here I come, my handsome prince!
O lotus-faced one,
Handsome as the god of love,
O lotus-eyed one,
Resting serenely like Lord Vishnu,
Crossing every limit,
Is this burning ache of desire,
Dha-ni, dha-ni, dha-ni, dha-ni,
Sa-ni dha-pa, sa-ni dha-pa,
This youthful age of mine
Has become such a restless torment,
Sa-ni, sa-ni, sa-ni, sa-ni,
Sa-ni dha-pa, sa-ni dha-pa,
Crossing every limit,
Is this burning ache of desire,
This youthful age of mine
Has become such a restless torment,
Here I come, my handsome prince!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a classical-style romantic duet between lovers expressing their intense mutual attraction, longing, and infatuation. The hero beckons his beloved using poetically ornate epithets, comparing his melting heart to butter left under the hot sun. The heroine responds affectionately, describing her lover using classical imagery such as lotus-faced and lotus-eyed, while describing the overwhelming passion of youth that crosses boundaries. Incorporating classical Carnatic swara passages, Vaali's lyrics blend Sanskrit-influenced Tamil poetic descriptors with rhythmic musical structures.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Malar muga naari / Madhana kumaari / Nalina singaari / Nadai alangaari”

The second consonant 'da/la' rhymes rhythmically across adjacent lines creating euphonic lyricism.

Upamai (Simile)

“Veyil meedhu vaitha vennai aaginen”

The male protagonist compares his helpless surrender to love to butter melting in the hot sun.

Metaphorical Classical Epithets

“Ambuja vadhanaa / Pangaja nayanaa”

Use of traditional imagery such as 'Ambuja vadhanaa' (lotus-faced) and 'Pangaja nayanaa' (lotus-eyed).

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics by Vaali combine classical Sanskritized Tamil (Manipravalam influence) with Carnatic swaras (solfege), a popular technique in 1980s Tamil cinema to give film songs an authentic classical kutcheri feel.

Keep listening

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Raagangal Pathinaaru1981
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Chinnachiru Kiliye1987
Neethikku ThandanaiBeautyTender
Ange Malai Mayakkam1967
Ooty Varai UravuAttractionDesire
Kaatru Veliyidai1961
Kappalotiya TamizhanRomantic UnionBeauty
Thendralukku Endru1976
Payanam 1976 FilmRomantic UnionYouth

From the same album

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