Adhikalaiyil Kuyil Koovudhu
From Thambathyam · 1987
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Mano, K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Manoj – Gyan
- Details
- Thambathyam1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu | In the early morning, the cuckoo sings |
| Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu | Hearing that sound, sleep fades away |
| Male :Panivaadaiyum nadai poduthu | The chilly morning dew wind walks along |
| Pasuncholail vilayaaduthu | Playing in the lush green garden |
| Female | |
| Thullugindra thullalum enna | What is this playful bouncing excitement |
| Chinanchiru pookkalae | O tiny little flowers? |
| Male :Sollugindra sangathi enna | What is the secret message you tell |
| Ennudaya kaadhilae | Into my ears? |
| Female :Thendral ula varum neram | At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by |
| Female | |
| Adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu | In the early morning, the cuckoo sings |
| Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu | Hearing that sound, sleep fades away |
| Female | |
| Neerodayil alaigalil ezhum keerthanam | The musical chant rising from the stream's waves |
| Naan ketkayil enakadhu oru moganam | When I listen, it sounds like an enchanting raga to me |
| Male :Aagaayam bhoomi aanandha kolam | Sky and earth form a joyous celebration pattern |
| Yaegaathamaana ilavenirkaalam | A unified and boundless springtime |
| Female | |
| Orraayiram unarchigal tharum vaalibam | Youthfulness that bestows a thousand emotions |
| Oyaamale ninaivinil pala naadagam | Playing many dramas continuously in memory |
| Male :Ponaana thegam poopola verkka | As the golden body sweats softly like a flower |
| Keezhvaanil mella poobaalam ketka | As the morning raga Poobalam is heard softly in the eastern sky |
| Female :kukukukukoo kukukukukoo | Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo |
| Kukukukukoo…. | Kukukukukoo…. |
| Female | |
| Oo….adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu | Oh… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings |
| Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu | Hearing that sound, sleep fades away |
| Male | |
| Thoongaamalae vizhiththathu pala raathiri | Sleeplessly awake through many nights |
| Thirumeniyum kothithathu anal mathiri | The body burned hot like a fire |
| Female :Devaathi devan thunai sera vendum | The lord of lords must join as my companion |
| Kaanatha katchi kannodu thondrum | Unseen visions appear before my eyes |
| Male | |
| Thaangaamalae thavithathu siru poongkodi | Unable to bear it, the little flower-creeper suffered |
| Senthooram pol sivanthadhu iru maan vizhi | The two deer-like eyes turned red like vermilion |
| Female :Viragangal polae naragangal yaedhu | What hell is worse than the pangs of separation? |
| Melaadai kooda sumaiyaagum pothu | When even the light upper garment feels like a heavy burden |
| Male :Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo | Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo |
| Kukukukukoo…. | Kukukukukoo…. |
| Female | |
| Aa….adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu | Ah… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings |
| Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu | Hearing that sound, sleep fades away |
| Male :Panivaadaiyum nadai poduthu | The chilly morning dew wind walks along |
| Pasuncholaiyil vilayaaduthu | Playing in the lush green garden |
| Female | |
| Thullugindra thullalum enna | What is this playful bouncing excitement |
| Chinanchiru pookkalae | O tiny little flowers? |
| Male :Sollugindra sangathi enna | What is the secret message you tell |
| Ennudaya kaadhilae | Into my ears? |
| Female :Thendral ula varum neram | At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by |
அதிகாலையில் குயில் கூவுது
அதைக் கேட்டுத்தான் துயில் நீங்குது
பனிவாடையும் நடை போடுது
பசுஞ்சோலையில் விளையாடுது
In the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
The chilly morning dew wind walks along
Playing in the lush green garden
துள்ளுகின்ற துள்ளலும் என்ன
சின்னஞ்சிறு பூக்களே
சொல்லுகின்ற சங்கதி என்ன
என்னுடைய காதிலே
தென்றல் உலா வரும் நேரம்
What is this playful bouncing excitement
O tiny little flowers?
What is the secret message you tell
Into my ears?
At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by
அதிகாலையில் குயில் கூவுது
அதைக் கேட்டுத்தான் துயில் நீங்குது
In the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
நீரோடையில் அலைகளில் எழும் கீர்த்தனம்
நான் கேட்கையில் எனக்கது ஒரு மோகனம்
ஆகாயம் பூமி ஆனந்த கோலம்
ஏகாந்தமான இளவேனிற்காலம்
The musical chant rising from the stream's waves
When I listen, it sounds like an enchanting raga to me
Sky and earth form a joyous celebration pattern
A unified and boundless springtime
ஓராயிரம் உணர்ச்சிகள் தரும் வாலிபம்
ஓயாமலே நினைவினில் பல நாடகம்
பொன்னான தேகம் பூப்போல வேர்க்க
கீழ்வானில் மெல்ல பூபாளம் கேட்க
குக்குக்குக்கூ குக்குக்குக்கூ
குக்குக்குக்கூ......
Youthfulness that bestows a thousand emotions
Playing many dramas continuously in memory
As the golden body sweats softly like a flower
As the morning raga Poobalam is heard softly in the eastern sky
Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo….
ஓஒ....அதிகாலையில் குயில் கூவுது
அதைக் கேட்டுத்தான் துயில் நீங்குது
Oh… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
தூங்காமலே விழித்தது பல ராத்திரி
திருமேனியும் கொதித்தது அனல் மாதிரி
தேவாதிதேவன் துணை சேர வேண்டும்
காணாத காட்சி கண்ணோடு தோன்றும்
Sleeplessly awake through many nights
The body burned hot like a fire
The lord of lords must join as my companion
Unseen visions appear before my eyes
தாங்காமலே தவித்தது சிறு பூங்கொடி
செந்தூரம் போல் சிவந்தது இரு மான் விழி
விரகங்கள் போலே நரகங்கள் ஏது
மேலாடை கூட சுமையாகும் போது
குக்குக்குக்கூ குக்குக்குக்கூ
குக்குக்குக்கூ.......
Unable to bear it, the little flower-creeper suffered
The two deer-like eyes turned red like vermilion
What hell is worse than the pangs of separation?
When even the light upper garment feels like a heavy burden
Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo….
ஆ.....அதிகாலையில் குயில் கூவுது
அதைக் கேட்டுத்தான் துயில் நீங்குது
பனிவாடையும் நடை போடுது
பசுஞ்சோலையில் விளையாடுது
Ah… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
The chilly morning dew wind walks along
Playing in the lush green garden
துள்ளுகின்ற துள்ளலும் என்ன
சின்னஞ்சிறு பூக்களே
சொல்லுகின்ற சங்கதி என்ன
என்னுடைய காதிலே
தென்றல் உலா வரும் நேரம்
What is this playful bouncing excitement
O tiny little flowers?
What is the secret message you tell
Into my ears?
At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by
அதிகாலையில் குயில் கூவுது
அதைக் கேட்டுத்தான் துயில் நீங்குது....
Adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu
In the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
Male :Panivaadaiyum nadai poduthu
The chilly morning dew wind walks along
Pasuncholail vilayaaduthu
Playing in the lush green garden
Thullugindra thullalum enna
What is this playful bouncing excitement
Chinanchiru pookkalae
O tiny little flowers?
Male :Sollugindra sangathi enna
What is the secret message you tell
Ennudaya kaadhilae
Into my ears?
Female :Thendral ula varum neram
At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by
Adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu
In the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
Neerodayil alaigalil ezhum keerthanam
The musical chant rising from the stream's waves
Naan ketkayil enakadhu oru moganam
When I listen, it sounds like an enchanting raga to me
Male :Aagaayam bhoomi aanandha kolam
Sky and earth form a joyous celebration pattern
Yaegaathamaana ilavenirkaalam
A unified and boundless springtime
Orraayiram unarchigal tharum vaalibam
Youthfulness that bestows a thousand emotions
Oyaamale ninaivinil pala naadagam
Playing many dramas continuously in memory
Male :Ponaana thegam poopola verkka
As the golden body sweats softly like a flower
Keezhvaanil mella poobaalam ketka
As the morning raga Poobalam is heard softly in the eastern sky
Female :kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo….
Kukukukukoo….
Oo….adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu
Oh… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
Thoongaamalae vizhiththathu pala raathiri
Sleeplessly awake through many nights
Thirumeniyum kothithathu anal mathiri
The body burned hot like a fire
Female :Devaathi devan thunai sera vendum
The lord of lords must join as my companion
Kaanatha katchi kannodu thondrum
Unseen visions appear before my eyes
Thaangaamalae thavithathu siru poongkodi
Unable to bear it, the little flower-creeper suffered
Senthooram pol sivanthadhu iru maan vizhi
The two deer-like eyes turned red like vermilion
Female :Viragangal polae naragangal yaedhu
What hell is worse than the pangs of separation?
Melaadai kooda sumaiyaagum pothu
When even the light upper garment feels like a heavy burden
Male :Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo kukukukukoo
Kukukukukoo….
Kukukukukoo….
Aa….adhikaalayil kuyil koovuthu
Ah… in the early morning, the cuckoo sings
Adhai ketuththaan thuyil neengudhu
Hearing that sound, sleep fades away
Male :Panivaadaiyum nadai poduthu
The chilly morning dew wind walks along
Pasuncholaiyil vilayaaduthu
Playing in the lush green garden
Thullugindra thullalum enna
What is this playful bouncing excitement
Chinanchiru pookkalae
O tiny little flowers?
Male :Sollugindra sangathi enna
What is the secret message you tell
Ennudaya kaadhilae
Into my ears?
Female :Thendral ula varum neram
At the time when the gentle breeze strolls by
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Adhikaalayil Kuyil Koovuthu is a melodious duet from the 1987 Tamil film Thambathyam. The song captures the serene atmosphere of dawn intertwined with the romantic awakening and passionate longing between two lovers. Vaali's evocative lyrics paint a vivid picture of nature—cuckoos singing, cool morning breeze walking through lush gardens, and waves making music—all mirroring the internal feelings of youth, passion, and sweet torment caused by separation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Panivaadaiyum nadai poduthu / Pasuncholail vilayaaduthu”
Attributes human characteristics like walking and playing to the morning wind and flowers.
Simile (Upamai)
“Thirumeniyum kothithathu anal mathiri”
Compares the heat of longing in the body directly to fire (anal mathiri).
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thullugindra thullalum enna / Sollugindra sangathi enna”
The second letter 'llu' matches in consecutive lines (Thullugindra / Sollugindra).
Metaphor (Urvakam)
“Thaangaamalae thavithathu siru poongkodi”
The delicate young woman is metaphorically referred to as a small flowering creeper (siru poongkodi).
Did you know?
Trivia
The musical duo Manoj–Gyan composed the soundtrack for Thambathyam (1987). Manoj–Gyan were known for bringing refreshing classical-pop fusion melodies to Tamil cinema in the late 1980s, and this track highlights the vocal chemistry between Mano and K. S. Chithra during a peak phase in their playback careers.
Keep listening
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