Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aatha Un Kovililae

From Vaigasi Poranthachu · 1990

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Deva
Details
Vaigasi Poranthachu1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aaththaa un kovililae alangaara vaasalilaeO Mother, at the decorated entrance of your temple,
Yaeththa vanthom maavilakkuWe have come to light the sacred rice-flour lamp,
Enga koraiya nee vilakkuPlease dispel our grievances and fulfill our needs.
Adi alangaari arul subha deviO beautiful one, divine Subha Devi,
Engal vaazhvai kaakkum maariyammaavaeGoddess Mariyamma who protects our lives!
Chorus
Mangalam kulungum engal kungumaththu naayakikkuTo our goddess of vermilion, brimming with auspiciousness,
Manjal neer rduththu vanthomWe have brought turmeric water,
Chorus
Thangamae un poo manakkumO golden mother, to smear over your fragrant
Angamellaam poosidaththaanEntire body,
Santhanamum kozhachchu vanthomWe have prepared and brought sandalwood paste.
Thaayae un sannathiyai thedi vanthomO Mother, we came searching for your divine presence,
Male
Adi alangaari arul subha deviO beautiful one, divine Subha Devi,
Engal vaazhvai kaakkum maalaiyammaavaeGoddess Mariyamma who protects our lives!
Male
Aaththaa un kovililae alangaara vaasalilaeO Mother, at the decorated entrance of your temple,
Yaeththa vanthom maavilakkuWe have come to light the sacred rice-flour lamp,
Enga koraiya nee vilakkuPlease dispel our grievances and fulfill our needs.
Female
Manasaala naan nenachcha magaraasan vendumammaaO Mother, I need the noble man my heart truly desired,
Kai yaenthi kettu nindraen kann kondu paarumammaaI stand begging with outstretched hands, please look upon me with mercy.
Aasa vachcha ponnu manasu aaththaa unakku theriyaathaaMother, don't you know the heart of the girl who loved?
Aala kollum aabaththu un anbaal thaayae vilakaathaaO Mother, won't the life-threatening danger be warded off by your love?
Chorus
Ullukkullae thaena vachchu nenjukkullae nanja vachchuHiding honey inside while keeping poison in the heart,
Vanjagaththai thaduththu viduStop such deceitful nature!
Kodumaigalai vaaleduththu aruththu viduTake up the sword and sever all cruelties!
Anbirukkum ullathukku vanthirukkum thunbamathaiThe sorrow that has befallen a heart full of love,
Ammaa nee maattri viduMother, please transform and remove it,
Aaththaa un kannaaa paarththu viduO Mother, please look through your merciful eyes!
Female
Adi alangaari arul subha deviO beautiful one, divine Subha Devi,
Engal vaazhvai kaakkum maalaiyammaavaeGoddess Mariyamma who protects our lives!
Female
Aaththaa un kovililae alangaara vaasalilaeO Mother, at the decorated entrance of your temple,
Yaeththa vanthom maavilakkuWe have come to light the sacred rice-flour lamp,
Enga koraiya nee vilakkuPlease dispel our grievances and fulfill our needs.
Female
Ammaa un kanna marachchuMother, while your eyes remain closed,
Aniyaayam kaanuthammaaInjustice is taking place!
Alaipaayum pinju nenjamThis wavering young heart
Inimelum thaangaathammaaCannot endure it any longer.
Male
Kannukku imaiyaai irukkumLike an eyelid protecting the eye,
Kanmani vaazhanum puriyaathaaDon't you understand that my beloved must live?
Kanneeril maalai kattuA garland woven out of tears,
Pottaen unakku theriyaathaaI offered to you, don't you know?
Chorus
Vengala mani adichchu mangala oli koduththuRinging the bronze bell and bestowing auspicious sound,
Thangamae vara vendumO precious golden goddess, you must appear!
Engalukku thanjam nee thara vendumYou must grant us sanctuary and refuge.
Nambi vantha bakthanukku thunbam endrum illai endruTo assure that a faithful devotee never suffers sorrow,
Nambikkaiyai thara vendumYou must grant us faith!
Thaayae nee nalla bathil solla vendumO Mother, you must give us a good answer!
Female
Adi alangaari arul subha deviO beautiful one, divine Subha Devi,
Engal vaazhvai kaakkum maalaiyammaavaeGoddess Mariyamma who protects our lives!
Female
Aaththaa un kovililae alangaara vaasalilaeO Mother, at the decorated entrance of your temple,
Yaeththa vanthom maavilakkuWe have come to light the sacred rice-flour lamp,
Enga koraiya nee vilakkuPlease dispel our grievances and fulfill our needs.
Female
Adi alangaari arul subha deviO beautiful one, divine Subha Devi,
Engal vaazhvai kaakkum maalaiyammaavaeGoddess Mariyamma who protects our lives!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This iconic devotional song from 'Vaigasi Poranthachu' is a heartfelt prayer offered to Goddess Mariyamma. The heroine along with devotees visits the village deity's shrine with ritualistic offerings such as Maavilakku (rice flour lamp), turmeric water, and sandalwood paste, seeking the divine mother's blessings to remove all hardships from their lives.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second letter rhyme)

Aaththaa un kovililae / Yaeththa vanthom maavilakku

Matching second consonants in adjacent lines creating rhythmic harmony (e.g., 'Aaththaa' and 'Yaeththa').

Moonaai (First letter alliteration)

Manasaala naan nenachcha magaraasan vendumammaa

Matching initial consonant sounds across words in the line ('Manasaala' and 'Magaraasan').

Metaphor

Kanneeril maalai kattu

Refers to tears metaphorically as a garland woven out of sorrow offered to the deity.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Vaigasi Poranthachu' (1990) marked the directorial debut of Radha Bharathi and the debut of veteran music director Deva, who went on to become one of Tamil cinema's most prominent composers in the 1990s.

Keep listening

More from Vaigasi Poranthachu