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Rayilukku Neramachu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aathangarai Thoppukulla

From Rayilukku Neramachu · 1988

Lyricist
S. A. Rajkumar
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Shailaja
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Movie name
Rayilukku Neramachu
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
30 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………………
Aaththangarai thoppukkulla
Andhi saayum neraththula
Paakku veththala maaththikkalaam vaammaa
Adi aaththangarai thoppukkulla
Andhi saayum neraththula
Paakku veththala maaththikkalaam vaammaa
Naan mudhiraatha naaththu moraikkaatha paaththu
Kodi melae korangaadalaamaa
Male :Aei
Female :Naan kaniyaatha sevvaazhai mama
Adi aaththangarai thoppukkulla
Andhi saayum neraththula
Paakku veththala maaththikkalaam vaammaa
Nellu velainjaa poradikkonum
Ponnu samanjaa poo mudikkonum
Female :Thanni alavuthaan thaamara pookkum
Unna nenaichchuthaan en mogam sivakkum
Vaikkappore meththai irukku adi ammaadi
Vekkaththa vittu odhungu haang
Female :Adhukku unkitta machchamirukku en machchaanae
Achchamthaan michcham
Adi aaththangarai thoppukkulla
Andhi saayum neraththula
Paakku veththala maaththikkalaam vaammaa
Female :Haang….Naan mudhiraatha naaththu Moraikkaatha
paaththu
Kodi melae korangaadalaamaa
Male :Haah
Female :Naan kaniyaatha sevvaazhai mama
………………..
Kolaththu neerula
Naan kulikum pothilae
Ayira meena pol nee kadikka paakkura
Male :Adi Eera selaiya kaaya podurae
En aasa manasa yaen aara podura
Adi saayaatha malamela koonthala
Maaraappaa pottu vechcha
Female :En selaikku noolaaganum
Adhukku nee maalaikku naal paakkanum
Male :Aaha
Female :En selaikku noolaaganum
Adhukku nee maalaikku naal paakkanum
Adi aaththangarai thoppukkulla
Andhi saayum neraththula
Paakku veththala maaththikkalaam vaammaa
Female :Aaha naan mudhiraatha naaththu
Moraikkaatha paaththu
Kodi melae korangaadalaamaa
Naan kaniyaatha sevvaazha mama
...
Inside the grove on the riverbank,
As the dusk begins to fall,
Come, my girl, let us exchange betel leaves and betel nuts.
Hey, inside the grove on the riverbank,
As the dusk begins to fall,
Come, my girl, let us exchange betel leaves and betel nuts.
I am a tender sapling, an unsprouted crop plot,
Can a monkey play on a fragile vine?
Male: Hey!
Female: I am an unripened red banana, uncle!
Hey, inside the grove on the riverbank,
As the dusk begins to fall,
Come, my girl, let us exchange betel leaves and betel nuts.
When paddy ripens, it must be threshed,
When a girl comes of age, her hair must be adorned with flowers.
Female: A lotus blooms only to the level of the water,
And thinking of you, my face blushes red.
There is a bed of hay stack, oh dear!
Cast away your shyness and come close, ah!
Female: You have the lucky fortune for that, my lover!
Yet fear is all that remains!
Hey, inside the grove on the riverbank,
As the dusk begins to fall,
Come, my girl, let us exchange betel leaves and betel nuts.
Female: Ah... I am a tender sapling, an unsprouted
crop plot,
Can a monkey play on a fragile vine?
Male: Haah!
Female: I am an unripened red banana, uncle!
...
In the pond water,
When I am taking a bath,
You try to nibble me like an ayira fish!
Male: Hey, you lay your wet saree out to dry,
Why do you leave my yearning heart to cool down?
Hey, over the unyielding mountain, your hair
You have draped like a upper garment!
Female: You must become the thread for my saree,
For that, you must set the date for our wedding garland!
Male: Aha!
Female: You must become the thread for my saree,
For that, you must set the date for our wedding garland!
Hey, inside the grove on the riverbank,
As the dusk begins to fall,
Come, my girl, let us exchange betel leaves and betel nuts.
Female: Aha, I am a tender sapling,
an unsprouted crop plot,
Can a monkey play on a fragile vine?
I am an unripened red banana, uncle!
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a playful rural folk duet from the film 'Rayilukku Neramachu' (1988). The male protagonist invites his lover to meet him in a secluded riverside grove at sunset, expressing his desire to exchange betel leaves—a traditional symbol of betrothal and marital commitment—and romance her. He uses rustic analogies such as harvesting mature crops and setting up a bed on a haystack to convey his eagerness for intimacy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

“Naan kaniyaatha sevvaazhai mama”

The female singer compares herself to an unripened red banana plant ('kaniyaatha sevvaazhai') and an unsprouted sapling to poetically express her youth, innocence, and unpreparedness for physical intimacy.

Simile (Uvamaani)

“Ayira meena pol nee kadikka paakkura”

The male's teasing glances and playful nibbling gestures while she bathes are compared to an Ayira fish biting in pond water ('Ayira meena pol').

Edhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Nellu velainjaa poradikkonum / Ponnu samanjaa poo mudikkonum”

A classic Tamil rhyming scheme where the second letter of consecutive lines matches ('Nellu' / 'Ponnu'), creating a rhythmic folk proverb cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Rayilukku Neramachu' (1988) starred Ramarajan and featured music composed by S. A. Rajkumar, who also penned lyrics for the album, showcasing his early signature rural folk melody style.

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