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Vayasu Ponnu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Adho Adho Oru Sengottai

From Vayasu Ponnu · 1978

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Vani Jairam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Vayasu Ponnu
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
16 Jan 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Adho adho oru sengottai
Idho idho oru thaean kottai
Adho adho oru sengottai
Idho idho oru thaean kottai
Yedho yedho un mana kottai
Endrum endrum naan un vaettai
Yedho yedho un mana kottai
Endrum endrum naan un vaettai
Nee oru mumtaj
Naan oru shahjahaan
Female :Naanoru mumtaj
Nee oru shahjahaan
Yamuna theeram maalai neram
Yavvana pen radhai vandhaal
Yamuna theeram maalai neram
Yavvana pen radhai vandhaal
Kangal paarkka kaigal serkka
Kanni magal naanam kondaal
Kaniyin melae kiliyai polae
Kotha vandh kaadhal mannaa
Kaniyin melae kiliyai polae
Kotha vandh kaadhal mannaa
Thazhuvum velai nazhuvum saelai
Vittu vidu aasai mannaa
Adi malligaiyae kodi mellidaiyae
Female :Pugazh mandhiramoo
Illai thandhiramoo
Male :Aahaa pongudhadi kaadhal gangai
Adho adho oru sengottai
Idho idho oru thaean kottai
Yedho yedho un mana kottai
Endrum endrum naan un vaettai
Nee oru mumtaj
Naan oru shahjahaan
Female :Naanoru mumtaj
Nee oru shahjahaan
Inikkum raagam paadum pennae
Unnai oru veenai enbaen
Kodhikkum maeni neeril aada
Unnai oru odai enabaen
Qutubminaarin uyaram polae
Un manadhai naanum kanden
Nilavai thaedum poovai polae
Un azhagil naattam konden
Ezhil mannavanae
Radhi manmadhanae
Male :Kadhai sollidavoo kannam killidavo
Female :Aahaa katti idu thaali ondrai
Adho adho oru sengottai
Idho idho oru thaean kottai
Yedho yedho un mana kottai
Endrum endrum naan un vaettai
Nee oru mumtaj
Naan oru shahjahaan
Female :Naanoru mumtaj
Nee oru shahjahaan
Look over there, a Red Fort!
Look right here, a fort of honey!
Look over there, a Red Fort!
Look right here, a fort of honey!
Whatever castle you build in your heart,
I will forever be your catch.
Whatever castle you build in your heart,
I will forever be your catch.
You are Mumtaz,
I am Shah Jahan.
Female: I am Mumtaz,
You are Shah Jahan.
On the banks of the Yamuna in the evening,
Youthful Radha arrived.
On the banks of the Yamuna in the evening,
Youthful Radha arrived.
As their eyes met and hands touched,
The young girl blushed with shyness.
Like a parrot swooping onto fruit,
You came to peck at me, my king of love!
Like a parrot swooping onto fruit,
You came to peck at me, my king of love!
As you embrace me, my sari slips away,
Let me go, king of my heart's desires!
O sweet jasmine, with a waist slender like a vine!
Female: Is your praise a magic spell,
Or is it just a clever trick?
Male: Ah, the Ganga of love is overflowing!
Look over there, a Red Fort!
Look right here, a fort of honey!
Whatever castle you build in your heart,
I will forever be your catch.
You are Mumtaz,
I am Shah Jahan.
Female: I am Mumtaz,
You are Shah Jahan.
O girl who sings such sweet melodies,
I would call you a veena (stringed instrument).
When your warm body bathes in the water,
I would call you a flowing stream.
Standing tall like the Qutub Minar,
I saw the noble heights of your heart!
Like a flower gazing toward the moon,
I was drawn to your beauty.
O handsome king of mine,
O Manmathan (god of love) to my Rathi!
Male: Shall I tell you a story, or pinch your cheek?
Female: Ah, first tie the thaali (sacred wedding knot)!
Look over there, a Red Fort!
Look right here, a fort of honey!
Whatever castle you build in your heart,
I will forever be your catch.
You are Mumtaz,
I am Shah Jahan.
Female: I am Mumtaz,
You are Shah Jahan.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Adho Adho Oru Sengottai is a romantic duet from the 1978 Tamil film Vayasu Ponnu, written by Vaali. The lovers playfully exchange poetic praises, comparing their affection and bond to iconic historical and mythological lovers such as Shah Jahan & Mumtaz and Radha & Krishna. The male protagonist admires her beauty and elegance, comparing her mind's grandeur to the Qutub Minar and her grace to a musical Veena, while the female lover responds with coy playfulness, eventually asking him to bind their love eternally through marriage.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

“Yedho yedho un mana kottai”

Comparing the lover's mind to a grand fort (mana kottai) and the woman to a Veena (veenai) and stream (odai).

Simile (Upamai)

“Qutubminaarin uyaram polae”

Comparing the lover's heart height to the Qutub Minar (Qutubminaarin uyaram polae) and lover's affection to a parrot pecking fruit (Kaniyin melae kiliyai polae).

Rhyme (Edhukai & Monai)

“Adho adho oru sengottai / Idho idho oru thaean kottai”

Use of initial and secondary consonant matching across poetic lines like Sengottai / Thaean kottai / Mana kottai.

Allusion

“Nee oru mumtaj / Naan oru shahjahaan”

Referencing iconic historical and mythological figures like Shah Jahan, Mumtaz, Radha, Krishna, and Manmatha to elevate the romantic motif.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is composed with historical and mythological imagery typical of Vaali's playful romantic songwriting style in late 70s Tamil cinema, blending Hindi architectural symbols like Sengottai (Red Fort) and Qutub Minar with classical Tamil metaphors.

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