Aathangarai Orathile Yarumilla
From Kann Malar · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Kann Malar1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aathangarai oarathile | On the edge of the river bank, |
| Yaarumillaa nerathile | At a time when no one was around, |
| Kaathada vantha pothu | When I came to catch the cool breeze, |
| Valliyammaa | Oh Valliyamma, |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | I saw you to my heart's content, |
| Valliyammaa | Oh Valliyamma! |
| Male | |
| {Aathangarai oarathile | On the edge of the river bank, |
| Yaarumillaa nerathile | At a time when no one was around, |
| Kaathada vantha pothu | When I came to catch the cool breeze, |
| Valliyammaa | Oh Valliyamma, |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | I saw you to my heart's content, |
| Valliyammaa | Oh Valliyamma, |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | I saw you to my heart's content, |
| Valliyammaa } (2) | Oh Valliyamma! |
| Male | |
| {Annam vanthu uthippatharku | Before the swan was ever born, |
| Munne nee uthithaayo | Were you born before it? |
| Aadum mayil piranthapothu | When the dancing peacock was born, |
| Koodave piranthaayo} (2) | Were you born alongside it? |
| Male | |
| Enna seithum thirumbaamal | Before the swan was ever born, |
| Man paarthu nadappavale | Were you born before it? |
| Enna seithum thirumbaamal | When the dancing peacock was born, |
| Man paarthu nadappavale | Were you born alongside it? |
| Vanna malar vaai thiranthu | Without turning back no matter what I do, |
| Ennuvathai kooraayo | O woman walking while gazing at the ground! |
| Male | |
| Aathangarai oarathile | Without turning back no matter what I do, |
| Yaarumillaa nerathile | O woman walking while gazing at the ground! |
| Kaathada vantha pothu | Opening your colorful flower-like mouth, |
| Valliyammaa | Won't you speak what is on your mind? |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | On the edge of the river bank, |
| Valliyammaa | At a time when no one was around, |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | When I came to catch the cool breeze, |
| Valliyammaa | Oh Valliyamma, |
| Male | |
| {Muthal naal verum paarvai | I saw you to my heart's content, |
| Adutha naalil sila vaarthai | Oh Valliyamma, |
| Marunaal siru udhavi | I saw you to my heart's content, |
| Vaazhnaalil thodaraatho} (2) | Oh Valliyamma! |
| Male | |
| Nillaatha kaalgalinaal | On the first day, just a mere glance, |
| Nilathai alappavale | On the next day, a few words, |
| Nillaatha kaalgalinaal | On the following day, a small help, |
| Nilathai alappavale | Won't this continue for a lifetime? |
| Nee pogum thisaiyinile | On the first day, just a mere glance, |
| Ninaivellaam pogindrathe | On the next day, a few words, |
| Male | |
| Aathangarai oarathile | On the following day, a small help, |
| Yaarumillaa nerathile | Won't this continue for a lifetime? |
| Kaathada vantha pothu | With restless, swift feet, |
| Valliyammaa | O woman measuring the earth as you walk! |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | With restless, swift feet, |
| Valliyammaa | O woman measuring the earth as you walk! |
| Unnai kannaara kandene | In the direction where you go, |
| Valliyammaa | All my thoughts go along with you! |
| Male | |
| Aathangarai oarathile… | On the edge of the river bank... |
ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரத்திலே
யாருமில்லா நேரத்திலே
காத்தாட வந்த போது வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா..
On the edge of the river bank,
At a time when no one was around,
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Oh Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content,
Oh Valliyamma!
{ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரத்திலே
யாருமில்லா நேரத்திலே
காத்தாட வந்த போது வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா..} (2)
On the edge of the river bank,
At a time when no one was around,
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Oh Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content,
Oh Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content,
Oh Valliyamma!
{அன்னம் வந்து உதிப்பதற்கு முன்னே
நீ உதித்தாயோ
ஆடும் மயில் பிறந்தபோது
கூடவே பிறந்தாயோ} (2)
Before the swan was ever born,
Were you born before it?
When the dancing peacock was born,
Were you born alongside it?
என்ன செய்தும் திரும்பாமல்
மண் பார்த்து நடப்பவளே
என்ன செய்தும் திரும்பாமல்
மண் பார்த்து நடப்பவளே
வண்ண மலர் வாய் திறந்து
எண்ணுவதை கூறாயோ
Before the swan was ever born,
Were you born before it?
When the dancing peacock was born,
Were you born alongside it?
Without turning back no matter what I do,
O woman walking while gazing at the ground!
ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரத்திலே
யாருமில்லா நேரத்திலே
காத்தாட வந்த போது வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா..
Without turning back no matter what I do,
O woman walking while gazing at the ground!
Opening your colorful flower-like mouth,
Won't you speak what is on your mind?
On the edge of the river bank,
At a time when no one was around,
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Oh Valliyamma,
{முதல் நாள் வெறும் பார்வை
அடுத்த நாளில் சில வார்த்தை
மறுநாள் சிறு உதவி
வாழ்நாளில் தொடராதோ} (2)
I saw you to my heart's content,
Oh Valliyamma,
I saw you to my heart's content,
Oh Valliyamma!
நில்லாத கால்களினால்
நிலத்தை அளப்பவளே
நில்லாத கால்களினால்
நிலத்தை அளப்பவளே
நீ போகும் திசையினிலே
நினைவெல்லாம் போகின்றதே.
On the first day, just a mere glance,
On the next day, a few words,
On the following day, a small help,
Won't this continue for a lifetime?
On the first day, just a mere glance,
On the next day, a few words,
ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரத்திலே
யாருமில்லா நேரத்திலே
காத்தாட வந்த போது வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா
உன்னைக் கண்ணாரக்
கண்டேனே வள்ளியம்மா..
On the following day, a small help,
Won't this continue for a lifetime?
With restless, swift feet,
O woman measuring the earth as you walk!
With restless, swift feet,
O woman measuring the earth as you walk!
In the direction where you go,
All my thoughts go along with you!
ஆத்தங்கரை ஓரத்திலே .....
On the edge of the river bank...
Aathangarai oarathile
On the edge of the river bank,
Yaarumillaa nerathile
At a time when no one was around,
Kaathada vantha pothu
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Valliyammaa
Oh Valliyamma,
Unnai kannaara kandene
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyammaa
Oh Valliyamma!
{Aathangarai oarathile
On the edge of the river bank,
Yaarumillaa nerathile
At a time when no one was around,
Kaathada vantha pothu
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Valliyammaa
Oh Valliyamma,
Unnai kannaara kandene
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyammaa
Oh Valliyamma,
Unnai kannaara kandene
I saw you to my heart's content,
Valliyammaa } (2)
Oh Valliyamma!
{Annam vanthu uthippatharku
Before the swan was ever born,
Munne nee uthithaayo
Were you born before it?
Aadum mayil piranthapothu
When the dancing peacock was born,
Koodave piranthaayo} (2)
Were you born alongside it?
Enna seithum thirumbaamal
Before the swan was ever born,
Man paarthu nadappavale
Were you born before it?
Enna seithum thirumbaamal
When the dancing peacock was born,
Man paarthu nadappavale
Were you born alongside it?
Vanna malar vaai thiranthu
Without turning back no matter what I do,
Ennuvathai kooraayo
O woman walking while gazing at the ground!
Aathangarai oarathile
Without turning back no matter what I do,
Yaarumillaa nerathile
O woman walking while gazing at the ground!
Kaathada vantha pothu
Opening your colorful flower-like mouth,
Valliyammaa
Won't you speak what is on your mind?
Unnai kannaara kandene
On the edge of the river bank,
Valliyammaa
At a time when no one was around,
Unnai kannaara kandene
When I came to catch the cool breeze,
Valliyammaa
Oh Valliyamma,
{Muthal naal verum paarvai
I saw you to my heart's content,
Adutha naalil sila vaarthai
Oh Valliyamma,
Marunaal siru udhavi
I saw you to my heart's content,
Vaazhnaalil thodaraatho} (2)
Oh Valliyamma!
Nillaatha kaalgalinaal
On the first day, just a mere glance,
Nilathai alappavale
On the next day, a few words,
Nillaatha kaalgalinaal
On the following day, a small help,
Nilathai alappavale
Won't this continue for a lifetime?
Nee pogum thisaiyinile
On the first day, just a mere glance,
Ninaivellaam pogindrathe
On the next day, a few words,
Aathangarai oarathile
On the following day, a small help,
Yaarumillaa nerathile
Won't this continue for a lifetime?
Kaathada vantha pothu
With restless, swift feet,
Valliyammaa
O woman measuring the earth as you walk!
Unnai kannaara kandene
With restless, swift feet,
Valliyammaa
O woman measuring the earth as you walk!
Unnai kannaara kandene
In the direction where you go,
Valliyammaa
All my thoughts go along with you!
Aathangarai oarathile…
On the edge of the river bank...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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