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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yeh Machan

From Pattikaattu Ponnaiya · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Pattikaattu Ponnaiya1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Yae machaan en ponnu machaanHey cousin, my golden cousin
Ennai thodaadhaeDo not touch me
Yae machaan en ponnu machaanHey cousin, my golden cousin
Ennai thodaadhaeDo not touch me
Male
Yae ponnu adi ennaa sonnaeHey girl, what did you just say?
Vaadi munnaalaeCome forward!
Yae ponnu adi ennaa sonnaeHey girl, what did you just say?
Vaadi munnaalaeCome forward!
Female
Kaiya pudichaanaeHe grabbed my hand
Aiyaa kaiya pudichaanaeOh sir, he grabbed my hand
Male
Aa…Ah…
Female
Kaalaiyilae oruthan vandhuIn the morning a guy came
Kaiya pudichaanaeAnd grabbed my hand
Male
Kaiya koduthaayaaDid you give him your hand?
Adi nee kaiya koduthaayaaHey girl, did you give him your hand?
Kaadhalilae kan mayangiEnchanted in love
Katti pudichaayaaDid you hug him tight?
Female
Yae machaan en ponnu machaanHey cousin, my golden cousin
Ennai thodaadhaeDo not touch me
Female
Kaalai pudichaaneHe held my feet
Medhuvaa medhuvaaGently, gently
Yaedho kanakku vachu kaariyathodaWith some calculated motive behind it
Kaalai pudichaanaeHe held my feet
Nenjai thottaanae medhuvaa medhuvaaHe touched my heart/chest gently, gently
Naan neenda moochu vaanga vaangaWhile I was taking deep breaths
Nerungi thottaanaeHe drew close and touched me
Male
Kaalai kuduthaayaaDid you surrender your feet/trip him?
Adi nee kaalai koduthaayaaHey girl, did you give him your feet?
Kaathirukka manamillaamaeUnable to wait patiently
Kaiyil vizhundhaayaaDid you fall right into his hands?
Nenjai thottaanaaHe touched your heart/chest?
Adi un nenjai thottaanaaHey girl, did he touch your heart/chest?
Nenachi paakka mudiyaliyaeI cannot even imagine it
Nerungi thottaanaaDid he come close and touch you?
Male
Yae ponnu adi ennaa sonnaeHey girl, what did you say?
Female
Ennai thodaadhaeDo not touch me
Female
SaelaiyeduthaanaeHe took my saree
Paavi saelaiyeduthaanaeThat sinner took my saree
Saelaiyodu ravikkaiyaiyumAlong with the saree, the blouse too
SertheduthaanaeHe took them together
Female
SaelaiyeduthaanaeHe took my saree
Paavi saelaiyeduthaanaeThat sinner took my saree
Saelaiyodu ravikkaiyaiyumAlong with the saree, the blouse too
SertheduthaanaeHe took them together
Male
Naanang kettavalaeYou shameless girl
Adiyae nadatha kettavalaeHey girl of bad conduct
Unnaal naanung kettu pogu munnaalBefore my own reputation gets ruined because of you
Thiruppi vittavalaeYou girl who sent him away!
Naanang kettavalaeYou shameless girl
Adiyae nadatha kettavalaeHey girl of bad conduct
Unnaal naanung kettu pogu munnaalBefore my own reputation gets ruined because of you
Thiruppi vittavalaeYou girl who sent him away!
Adi podhumadiHey, that's enough
Oru thalai muraikkae buthi vandhadhadiA whole generation has learned a lesson
Podhum podhumadiEnough, that's enough
Oru thalai muraikkae buthi vandhadhadiA whole generation has learned a lesson
Female
HahahahahahaHahahahahaha
Machaan… machaan…Cousin… cousin…
Kaiya pudichaan… valaiyal podaHe held my hand… to put on bangles
Male
Hum…Hum…
Female
Kaalai pudichaan…He held my feet…
Salangai kattaTo tie anklets
Male
Chu… chu… chu…Chu… chu… chu…
Female
Nenjai thottaan noyai paarkkaHe touched my chest to check for illness
Male
Hum…Hum…
Female
Saelaiyeduthaan…He took my saree…
Salavai seiyaTo get it washed
Male
Sari thaanAlright then
Female
Kaiya pudichaan valaiyal podaHe held my hand to put on bangles
Kaalai pudichaan salangai kattaHe held my feet to tie anklets
Nenjai thottaan noyai paarkkaHe touched my chest to check for illness
Saelaiyeduthaan salavai seiya hahhaaHe took my saree to get it washed, hahhaa
Male
He he he hae…He he he hae…
Yaemaandhutae yaemaandhutaeYou got fooled, you got fooled!
Nallaa yaemaathi puttenI fooled you really well!
Female
Haan…Haan…
Male
Adi podi kannuHey dear girl
Ellaam theriyumadi enakku munnaaleI already knew everything before you said it
Female
Kkum…Kkum…
Male
Summaa poga vittu nadichaendiI just let it go and pretended
Kobathai polaeAs if I was angry
Adi podi kannuHey dear girl
Ellaam theriyumadi enakku munnaaleI already knew everything before you said it
Adi yae ponnuHey girl
Female
Yae machaanHey cousin
Male
Adi yae ponnuHey girl
Female
Yae machaanHey cousin
Male
Adi yae ponnuHey girl
Female
Yae machaan …yae machaan…Hey cousin… hey cousin…

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful playful duet features a playful banter between a heroine and her suitor/cousin (Machaan). The heroine teases her lover by telling a tall tale about another man who grabbed her hand, touched her feet, touched her chest, and took her clothing, driving her lover into a jealous and outraged frenzy. After seeing his dramatic reaction, she reveals the innocent truth behind each act—the man was putting on bangles, tying anklets, checking her pulse/health, and taking the clothes to the laundry. Upon realizing he was pranked, the hero quickly saves face by claiming he knew she was teasing him all along and was only acting angry to play along with her joke. The song ends in lighthearted harmony, highlighting Kannadasan's clever wordplay and K. V. Mahadevan's vibrant folk-inspired composition.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

Kaiya pudichaanae / Kaalaiyilae oruthan vandhu

Matching second consonant 'i' in 'Kaiya' and 'Kaalaiyilae' creates rhythmic cohesion across consecutive lines.

Iyaibu (End rhyme)

Kaiya pudichaanae ... Nenjai thottaanae

Repeating '-aanae' at the end of multiple lines creates melodic repetition.

Double Entendre / Irony

Kaiya pudichaan… valaiyal poda / Kaalai pudichaan… Salangai katta

The lyrics use suggestive physical descriptions (grabbing hand, holding feet, touching chest, taking clothes) that initially sound scandalous but are humorously re-contextualized into everyday innocent actions.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pattikaattu Ponnaiya' (1973) stars M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa. This song is a classic example of rural folk duet comedy tracks popularized in Tamil cinema during the 1970s, where Kannadasan uses misdirection to create playful tension between the lead characters.

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