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Lyrics & meaning

Aathangarai Orathile Yarumilla

From Kann Malar · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Kann Malar
Movie release year
1970
Lyrics added on
6 Mar 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aathangarai oarathile
Yaarumillaa nerathile
Kaathada vantha pothu
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
{Aathangarai oarathile
Yaarumillaa nerathile
Kaathada vantha pothu
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa } (2)
{Annam vanthu uthippatharku
Munne nee uthithaayo
Aadum mayil piranthapothu
Koodave piranthaayo} (2)
Enna seithum thirumbaamal
Man paarthu nadappavale
Enna seithum thirumbaamal
Man paarthu nadappavale
Vanna malar vaai thiranthu
Ennuvathai kooraayo
Aathangarai oarathile
Yaarumillaa nerathile
Kaathada vantha pothu
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
{Muthal naal verum paarvai
Adutha naalil sila vaarthai
Marunaal siru udhavi
Vaazhnaalil thodaraatho} (2)
Nillaatha kaalgalinaal
Nilathai alappavale
Nillaatha kaalgalinaal
Nilathai alappavale
Nee pogum thisaiyinile
Ninaivellaam pogindrathe
Aathangarai oarathile
Yaarumillaa nerathile
Kaathada vantha pothu
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
Unnai kannaara kandene
Valliyammaa
Aathangarai oarathile…
By the bank of the river,
at a quiet hour when no one was around,
when I came out to enjoy the breeze,
Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content!
Valliyamma!
By the bank of the river,
at a quiet hour when no one was around,
when I came out to enjoy the breeze,
Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content!
Valliyamma!
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyamma!
Were you born before
the swan ever came into this world?
Were you born right alongside
the dancing peacock?
No matter what I do, you do not turn back,
walking with your gaze fixed on the ground!
No matter what I do, you do not turn back,
walking with your gaze fixed on the ground!
Open your flower-like lips,
and tell me what is on your mind!
By the bank of the river,
at a quiet hour when no one was around,
when I came out to enjoy the breeze,
Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content!
Valliyamma!
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyamma!
A mere glance on the first day,
a few words the next day,
a little help the day after that—
won't this continue for a lifetime?
With tireless feet that never stay still,
you measure the ground as you walk!
With tireless feet that never stay still,
you measure the ground as you walk!
In whichever direction you walk,
all my thoughts follow after you!
By the bank of the river,
at a quiet hour when no one was around,
when I came out to enjoy the breeze,
Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content!
Valliyamma!
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyamma!
By the bank of the river...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Aathangarai Oarathile from the 1970 film Kann Malar is a sweet, romantic solo sung by T. M. Soundararajan. The protagonist recalls the quiet moment on a deserted riverbank when he first caught sight of his beloved Valliyamma. Enraptured by her grace, he poetically questions whether she was born before the majestic swan or alongside the dancing peacock, admiring her coy habit of looking at the ground as she walks. He gently pleads with her to break her silence and speak her mind. In a famous verse detailing the natural progression of romance, he muses how love begins with a glance, progresses to words, leads to small gestures of support, and ideally lasts a lifetime. As she walks away, his heart and thoughts helplessly follow her footsteps.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Poetical Comparison)

“Annam vanthu uthippatharku Munne nee uthithaayo / Aadum mayil piranthapothu Koodave piranthaayo”

Compares her graceful posture and birth to that of swans and dancing peacocks.

Uvagam (Metaphor / Metonymy)

“Vanna malar vaai thiranthu Ennuvathai kooraayo”

Describing her mouth/lips as a colorful flower ('Vanna malar vaai').

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Nillaatha kaalgalinaal Nilathai alappavale / Nee pogum thisaiyinile Ninaivellaam pogindrathe”

Repetition of the 'Ni' sound at the beginning of adjacent words and lines.

Gradation / Climax (Progression)

“Muthal naal verum paarvai Adutha naalil sila vaarthai Marunaal siru udhavi Vaazhnaalil thodaraatho”

A sequential poetic progression building from a glance to a lifelong companionship.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by 'Tirai Isai Thilakam' K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics by Kannadasan, this song remains an iconic track depicting playful rural courtship in Tamil cinema. The lines 'Muthal naal verum paarvai...' are frequently quoted in Tamil pop culture to describe the stages of falling in love.

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