Aathukulla Ayira Meenu
From Thiruda Thiruda · 1993
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Srinivas, Suresh Peters
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Thiruda Thiruda1993
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aathukkulla ayira meenu | A thousand loach fish inside the river |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male :Ada sethukulla sevappu kenda | Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male | |
| Aathukkulla ayira meenu | A thousand loach fish inside the river |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male :Sethukulla sevappu kenda | Male: A red carp inside the mud slush |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male | |
| Maathi maathi madaki pudi | Catch them in turns by cornering them |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male :Vaala meenu maatikichu | Male: The ribbon fish got caught! |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male | |
| {Maamiyara karaiyila | {Tell the mother-in-law on the riverbank |
| Irukka sollu | To stay and wait |
| Chorus :Ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa |
| Male :Machiniya manja thoola | Male: Tell the sister-in-law |
| Araika sollu | To grind the turmeric powder |
| Chorus :Ailasa} (2) | Chorus: Ailasa} (2) |
| Male | |
| Aathukkulla ayira meenu | A thousand loach fish inside the river |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
| Male :Ada sethukulla sevappu kenda | Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush |
| Chorus :Ailasa ailasa | Chorus: Ailasa ailasa |
ஆத்துக்குள்ள அயிர மீனு
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
அட சேத்துக்குள்ள செவப்பு கெண்ட
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
ஆத்துக்குள்ள அயிர மீனு
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
அட சேத்துக்குள்ள செவப்பு கெண்ட
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male: A red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
மாத்தி மாத்தி மடக்கி புடி
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
வாழ மீனு மாட்டி கிச்சு
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
Catch them in turns by cornering them
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male: The ribbon fish got caught!
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
{மாமியார கரையில
இருக்க சொல்லு
குழு:
ஐலசா
மச்சினிய மஞ்ச தூளு
அரைக்க சொல்லு
குழு :
ஐலசா} (2)
{Tell the mother-in-law on the riverbank
To stay and wait
Chorus: Ailasa
Male: Tell the sister-in-law
To grind the turmeric powder
Chorus: Ailasa} (2)
ஆத்துக்குள்ள அயிர மீனு
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
அட சேத்துக்குள்ள செவப்பு கெண்ட
குழு :
ஐலசா ஐலசா
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Aathukkulla ayira meenu
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male :Ada sethukulla sevappu kenda
Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Aathukkulla ayira meenu
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male :Sethukulla sevappu kenda
Male: A red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Maathi maathi madaki pudi
Catch them in turns by cornering them
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male :Vaala meenu maatikichu
Male: The ribbon fish got caught!
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
{Maamiyara karaiyila
{Tell the mother-in-law on the riverbank
Irukka sollu
To stay and wait
Chorus :Ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa
Male :Machiniya manja thoola
Male: Tell the sister-in-law
Araika sollu
To grind the turmeric powder
Chorus :Ailasa} (2)
Chorus: Ailasa} (2)
Aathukkulla ayira meenu
A thousand loach fish inside the river
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Male :Ada sethukulla sevappu kenda
Male: Hey, a red carp inside the mud slush
Chorus :Ailasa ailasa
Chorus: Ailasa ailasa
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful folk song snippet captures the rural excitement and camaraderie of fishing in riverbanks and muddy streams. The singer enthusiastically points out various local fish varieties—like loach (ayira), carp (kenda), and ribbon fish (vaala)—getting caught in the nets, accompanied by traditional rowing/fishing chants ('Ailasa'). Beyond the literal fishing, the lyrics express a lighthearted celebration of village life and culinary anticipation, calling out to family members like the mother-in-law to wait on the shore and the sister-in-law to grind spices for cooking the fresh catch.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edugai (Second letter rhyme)
“Aathukkulla ayira meenu / Ada sethukulla sevappu kenda”
The second letter ''th'' (th/thuu) in 'Aathukkulla' and 'Sethukulla' creates an Edugai rhyme pattern common in Tamil folk poetry.
Mondai / Addukuthodai (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Maathi maathi madaki pudi”
The repetition of 'Maathi maathi' creates a rhythmic cadence emphasizing continuous alternating action.
Folk Refrain (Amba Paattu)
“Chorus :Ailasa ailasa”
'Ailasa' is a classic Tamil sea-shanty and river-boatman refrain used historically by fishermen to sync physical effort while rowing or pulling nets.
Visual and Sensory Imagery
“Male :Machiniya manja thoola / Araika sollu”
Specific names of fish (Ayira, Sevappu Kenda, Vaala) paired with ingredients like 'manja thool' (turmeric powder) invoke strong visual and culinary imagery of Tamil village life.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track snippet belongs to the iconic 1993 film 'Thiruda Thiruda', directed by Mani Ratnam. The soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song infuses traditional Tamil 'Amba' folk rhythmic structures into modern world-music soundscapes.
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