Aathoram Mettu Mele
From Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile · 1981
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Gangai Amaran
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| …………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| Aa…aaththoram mettu melae | Ah... on the mound by the riverbank |
| Aaththoram mettu melae | On the mound by the riverbank |
| Aaru muzham sela katti | Draped in a six-cubit saree |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa | She comes walking, swaying gracefully |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga | She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| Thaagaththula naan irukka | While I sit here burning with thirst |
| Thanniyila ava irangi | She steps down into the water |
| Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga | I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| Aaththoram mettu melae | On the mound by the riverbank |
| Aaru muzham sela katti | Draped in a six-cubit saree |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa | She comes walking, swaying gracefully |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga | She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| Kaalula salangaiya katti | Tying anklets to her feet |
| Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu…aah | Wearing bangles on her hands... ah |
| Kaalula salangaiya katti | Tying anklets to her feet |
| Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu… | Wearing bangles on her hands... |
| Neththiyilae potta vachchu | Placing a bindi on her forehead |
| Kandaangi selaiya katti | Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree |
| Neththiyilae potta vachchu | Placing a bindi on her forehead |
| Kandaangi selaiya katti | Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree |
| Male | |
| Aaththoram mettu melae | On the mound by the riverbank |
| Aaru muzham sela katti | Draped in a six-cubit saree |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa | She comes walking, swaying gracefully |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga | She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| ………………. | ... |
| Male | |
| Thuniya avauththuputtaa | She took off her clothes |
| Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa | Ah... she took off her clothes |
| Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa | Ah... she took off her clothes |
| Thanniyila nanachchuputtaa | She soaked them in the water |
| Enna nenaichchukittu | Wondering what she was thinking of me |
| Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa | She scrubbed everything clean |
| Enna nenaichchukittu | Wondering what she was thinking of me |
| Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa | She scrubbed everything clean |
| Male | |
| Aaththoram mettu melae | On the mound by the riverbank |
| Aaru muzham sela katti | Draped in a six-cubit saree |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa | She comes walking, swaying gracefully |
| Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga | She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| Thaagaththula naan irukka | While I sit here burning with thirst |
| Thanniyila ava irangi | She steps down into the water |
| Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga | I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter |
| Ava enga akka maga | She is my sister's daughter |
| Male | |
| ………………. | ... |
.............................
...
ஆ.....ஆத்தோரம் மேட்டு மேலே
ஆத்தோரம் மேட்டு மேலே
ஆறு முழம் சேலக் கட்டி
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக
Ah... on the mound by the riverbank
On the mound by the riverbank
Draped in a six-cubit saree
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
தாகத்துல நான் இருக்க
தண்ணியில அவ இறங்கி
என்னப்பத்தி நெனப்பாளோ அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக.......
While I sit here burning with thirst
She steps down into the water
I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
ஆத்தோரம் மேட்டு மேலே
ஆறு முழம் சேலக் கட்டி
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக
On the mound by the riverbank
Draped in a six-cubit saree
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
காலுல சலங்கைய கட்டி
கையிலே வளையல் போட்டு...ஆஹ்.....
காலுல சலங்கைய கட்டி
கையிலே வளையல் போட்டு...
நெத்தியிலே பொட்ட வச்சு
கண்டாங்கி சேலைய கட்டி...
நெத்தியிலே பொட்ட வச்சு
கண்டாங்கி சேலைய கட்டி...
Tying anklets to her feet
Wearing bangles on her hands... ah
Tying anklets to her feet
Wearing bangles on her hands...
Placing a bindi on her forehead
Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree
Placing a bindi on her forehead
Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree
ஆத்தோரம் மேட்டு மேலே
ஆறு முழம் சேலக் கட்டி
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக
On the mound by the riverbank
Draped in a six-cubit saree
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
............................
...
துணிய அவுத்துப்புட்டா
ஆ.....துணிய அவுத்துப்புட்டா
ஆ.....துணிய அவுத்துப்புட்டா
தண்ணியில நனச்சுப்புட்டா
என்ன நெனச்சுக்கிட்டு
எல்லாத்தையும் கிழிச்சுபுட்டா......
என்ன நெனச்சுக்கிட்டு
எல்லாத்தையும் கிழிச்சுபுட்டா......
She took off her clothes
Ah... she took off her clothes
Ah... she took off her clothes
She soaked them in the water
Wondering what she was thinking of me
She scrubbed everything clean
Wondering what she was thinking of me
She scrubbed everything clean
ஆத்தோரம் மேட்டு மேலே
ஆறு முழம் சேலக் கட்டி
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா
ஆடி அசைஞ்சு வாறா அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக
On the mound by the riverbank
Draped in a six-cubit saree
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
தாகத்துல நான் இருக்க
தண்ணியில அவ இறங்கி
என்னப்பத்தி நெனப்பாளோ அக்கா மக
அவ எங்க அக்கா மக.......
While I sit here burning with thirst
She steps down into the water
I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter
She is my sister's daughter
............................
...
……………..
...
Aa…aaththoram mettu melae
Ah... on the mound by the riverbank
Aaththoram mettu melae
On the mound by the riverbank
Aaru muzham sela katti
Draped in a six-cubit saree
Aadi asainju vaaraa
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
Thaagaththula naan irukka
While I sit here burning with thirst
Thanniyila ava irangi
She steps down into the water
Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga
I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
Aaththoram mettu melae
On the mound by the riverbank
Aaru muzham sela katti
Draped in a six-cubit saree
Aadi asainju vaaraa
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
Kaalula salangaiya katti
Tying anklets to her feet
Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu…aah
Wearing bangles on her hands... ah
Kaalula salangaiya katti
Tying anklets to her feet
Kaiyilae valaiyal pottu…
Wearing bangles on her hands...
Neththiyilae potta vachchu
Placing a bindi on her forehead
Kandaangi selaiya katti
Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree
Neththiyilae potta vachchu
Placing a bindi on her forehead
Kandaangi selaiya katti
Wearing a traditional Kandangi saree
Aaththoram mettu melae
On the mound by the riverbank
Aaru muzham sela katti
Draped in a six-cubit saree
Aadi asainju vaaraa
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
……………….
...
Thuniya avauththuputtaa
She took off her clothes
Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa
Ah... she took off her clothes
Aa….thuniya avauththuputtaa
Ah... she took off her clothes
Thanniyila nanachchuputtaa
She soaked them in the water
Enna nenaichchukittu
Wondering what she was thinking of me
Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa
She scrubbed everything clean
Enna nenaichchukittu
Wondering what she was thinking of me
Ellaaththaiyum kizhichchuputtaa
She scrubbed everything clean
Aaththoram mettu melae
On the mound by the riverbank
Aaru muzham sela katti
Draped in a six-cubit saree
Aadi asainju vaaraa
She comes walking, swaying gracefully
Aadi asainju vaaraa akka maga
She comes swaying and walking, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
Thaagaththula naan irukka
While I sit here burning with thirst
Thanniyila ava irangi
She steps down into the water
Ennapaththi nenappaalo akka maga
I wonder if she thinks of me, my sister's daughter
Ava enga akka maga
She is my sister's daughter
……………….
...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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