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Pathumatha Bantham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aathooru Mama Mama

From Pathumatha Bantham · 1974

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Pathumatha Bantham
Movie release year
1974
Lyrics added on
24 Mar 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aathooru maama maama
Pottaaru masala laalalaalala
Uppum illae
Male :Aahaa
Female :Pappum illae
Male :Ohoo
Female :Onnumae vegalaiyae
Damakku dappa …
Ohoo
Female :Mulikkudhuppa
Amukkuthappa
Male :Hae hae
Female :Sirikkudhappa
Saethooru maami maami
Koothaada vandhaalam lallalallala
Munnum illae pinnumillae
Onnumae aadavillae
Edukattuma
Female :Aaha
Male :Kodukattuma
Female :Ohoo
Male :Izhukattuma hae hae
Nadathattuma
Bakthiyilae vandhavaru nandhanaaru
Ivaru pallikoodam thedi vandha chinnanaaru
Male :Mun pirandha moovanna theviyaaru
Iva mookarundha soorpanagai maamiyaaru
Saelai mattum kattivitta naathanaaru
Male :Aaga
Female :Saelai mattum kattivitta naathanaaru
Male :Iva thedi vandha kadhavai mattum saathuvaaru
Damakku dappa …
Male :Mulikkudhammaa
Female :Amukkuthappa
Male :Sirikkudhamma
Saethooru maami maami
Koothaada vandhaalam lallalallala
Munnum illae pinnumillae
Onnumae aadavillae hae
Achaminnum nanaminnum naalu ingae
En annathukku pin purathil vaalu engae
Female :Alaveduthu thandhadhu thaan aaduthengae
Unnai aadaveippen kol eduthu vaa kurangae
Ahaa
Pombalainga manasu vecha boomiyaadum
Pombalainga manasu vecha boomiyaadum
Female :En poojaiyilae pei pidicha saamiyaadum
Edukattuma
Female :Aaha kodukattuma
Male :Ohoo izhukattuma
Female :Hae hae nadathattuma
Aathooru maama maama
Pottaaru masala dududdudum dudum
Uppum illae
Male :Aahaa
Female :Pappum illae
Male :Ohoo
Female :Onnumae vegalaiyae
Edukattuma
Female :Aaha
Male :Kodukattuma
Female :Ohoo
Male :Izhukattuma hae hae
Nadathattuma
Saethooru maami tataa
Aathooru maama tataaa
Tataa
Tataa
Tataa tataaaa…
The uncle from Aathur, oh uncle,
He cooked up a spicy dish, la la la la la!
There's no salt,
Male: Aha!
Female: There are no lentils either!
Male: Oho!
Female: Nothing is cooked at all!
Damakku dappa...
Oho!
Female: Look, he's blinking in confusion!
He's getting pressed down!
Male: Hey, hey!
Female: Look, he's laughing!
The aunt from Sethur, oh aunt,
They say she came to dance, lal la lal la la!
There's nothing in front, nothing in back,
Nothing is swaying at all!
Shall I start the beat?
Female: Aha!
Male: Shall I give it to you?
Female: Oho!
Male: Shall I pull the tune? Hey, hey!
Shall I lead the show?
The one who came filled with devotion was Nandanar,
While this guy is just a little novice hunting for a school!
Male: Who even needs this elder brother born first?
She is a nose-cut Surpanakha of a mother-in-law,
Just a sister-in-law draped in a saree!
Male: Aha!
Female: Just a sister-in-law draped in a saree!
Male: He'll simply slam the door she came knocking on!
Damakku dappa...
Male: Look, she's blinking in confusion!
Female: Look, she's getting squashed!
Male: Look, she's laughing!
The aunt from Sethur, oh aunt,
They say she came to dance, lal la lal la la!
There's nothing in front, nothing in back,
Nothing is swaying at all, hey!
Fear, modesty, and all four virtues are right here,
So where is the tail hidden behind my big brother?
Female: Where is any graceful shape swaying to the measure?
I'll make you dance with a stick, come here, you monkey!
Aha!
If women set their minds to it, the whole earth will shake!
If women set their minds to it, the whole earth will shake!
Female: In my ritual, even a possessed dancer will dance!
Shall I start the beat?
Female: Aha! Shall I give it to you?
Male: Oho! Shall I pull the tune?
Female: Hey hey! Shall I lead the show?
The uncle from Aathur, oh uncle,
He cooked up a spicy dish, du-du-tudum dudum!
There's no salt,
Male: Aha!
Female: There are no lentils either!
Male: Oho!
Female: Nothing is cooked at all!
Shall I start the beat?
Female: Aha!
Male: Shall I give it to you?
Female: Oho!
Male: Shall I pull the tune? Hey, hey!
Shall I lead the show?
Aunt from Sethur, bye-bye!
Uncle from Aathur, bye-bye!
Bye-bye!
Bye-bye!
Bye-bye, bye-bye...
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful, high-energy duet from the movie 'Pathumatha Bantham' (1974) features dynamic bantering and humorous exchanges between male and female leads, rendered memorably by T. M. Soundarajan and P. Susheela. The lyrics utilize regional Tamil folk idioms, rhythmic folk percussion syllables (Damakku dappa), and culinary metaphors (cooking without salt or dal) to depict comedic mock-rivalry and playful teasing between an 'Aathoor Uncle' and a 'Saethoor Aunt'. Kannadasan weaves classic mythological references—such as Nandanar, Soorpanagai, and cultural ideas of female power—into a lighthearted folk-pop song structure set to Shankar Ganesh's catchy beat. The track culminates in competitive banter where both singers claim dominance over the other before signing off with a cheerful farewell ('Tataa').

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

“Aathooru maama maama / Pottaaru masala”

Matching second consonants in successive lines (e.g., 'Aathooru' / 'Pottaaru', 'Uppum' / 'Pappum').

Iyaibu (End rhyme)

“Edukattuma / Kodukattuma / Izhukattuma”

Rhyming of line-ending verbal forms like '-illai' (Uppum illae / Pappum illae) and '-attuma' (Edukattuma / Kodukattuma / Izhukattuma / Nadathattuma).

Metaphor and Mythological Allusion

“Iva mookarundha soorpanagai maamiyaaru”

Teasing comparison of characters to mythological figures like Soorpanagai and Nandanar to heighten comedic contrast.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pathumatha Bantham' (1974) features music composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh. Kannadasan's playful folk lyrics in this song demonstrate his versatility in writing lighthearted, comedic duets alongside his famous philosophical and romantic compositions.

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