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Lyrics & meaning

Aathoram Mettu Mele

From Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile · 1981

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
Gangai Amaran
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Movie name
Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
24 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………..
Aa…aaththoram mettu melae
Aaththoram mettu melae
Aaru muzham sela katti
Aadi asainju vaaraa
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
Thaagaththula naan irukka
Thanniyila ava irangi
Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
Aaththoram mettu melae
Aaru muzham sela katti
Aadi asainju vaaraa
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
Kaalula salangaiya katti
Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu…aah
Kaalula salangaiya katti
Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu…
Neththiyilae potta vachchu
Kandaangi selaiya katti
Neththiyilae potta vachchu
Kandaangi selaiya katti
Aaththoram mettu melae
Aaru muzham sela katti
Aadi asainju vaaraa
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
……………….
Thuniya avauththuputtaa
Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa
Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa
Thanniyila nanachchuputtaa
Enna nenaichchukittu
Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa
Enna nenaichchukittu
Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa
Aaththoram mettu melae
Aaru muzham sela katti
Aadi asainju vaaraa
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
Thaagaththula naan irukka
Thanniyila ava irangi
Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga
Ava enga akka maga
……………….
...
Ah... atop the mound by the riverbank,
Atop the mound by the riverbank,
Draped in a six-yard saree,
She sways and walks gracefully,
She sways and walks gracefully, my sister's daughter,
She is my sister's daughter,
While I am parched with thirst,
She steps down into the water,
Will she think of me, my sister's daughter?
She is my sister's daughter,
Atop the mound by the riverbank,
Draped in a six-yard saree,
She sways and walks gracefully,
She sways and walks gracefully, my sister's daughter,
She is my sister's daughter,
Tying anklets on her feet,
Wearing bangles on her hands... ah,
Tying anklets on her feet,
Wearing bangles on her hands...
Placing a bindi on her forehead,
Wearing a Kandangi saree,
Placing a bindi on her forehead,
Wearing a Kandangi saree,
Atop the mound by the riverbank,
Draped in a six-yard saree,
She sways and walks gracefully,
She sways and walks gracefully, my sister's daughter,
She is my sister's daughter,
...
She untied her cloth,
Ah... she untied her cloth,
Ah... she untied her cloth,
She soaked it in the water,
Thinking what about me,
She tore everything apart,
Thinking what about me,
She tore everything apart,
Atop the mound by the riverbank,
Draped in a six-yard saree,
She sways and walks gracefully,
She sways and walks gracefully, my sister's daughter,
She is my sister's daughter,
While I am parched with thirst,
She steps down into the water,
Will she think of me, my sister's daughter?
She is my sister's daughter,
...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil folk song from the movie 'Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile' (1981) paints a charming rural portrait of a man admiring his cousin ('akka maga', traditionally a romantic match in Tamil culture) by a riverbank. He observes her graceful walk, traditional attire, bangles, and anklets as she goes down to the river to wash clothes and bathe, expressing his playful longing and wondering if she holds him in her thoughts.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)

“Aaththoram mettu melae / Aaru muzham sela katti”

Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'Aa' across words ('Aaththoram', 'Aaru', 'Aadi') creates rhythmic harmony typical of Tamil folk songs.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

“Thaagaththula naan irukka / Thanniyila ava irangi”

The second consonant 'na' is rhymed between 'Thaagaththula' and 'Thanniyila', linking the protagonist's emotional state with the setting.

Visual and Auditory Imagery

“Kaalula salangaiya katti / Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu”

Sensory descriptions of 'salangai' (anklets) and 'valaiyal' (bangles) depict both visual traditional beauty and auditory charm.

Did you know?

Trivia

For 'Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile' (1981), multi-talented artist Gangai Amaran composed the music, wrote the lyrics, and sang this famous folk track himself, displaying his mastery over authentic rural Tamil rhythms.

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