Adi AathuKulla Athi Maram
From Rajadhi Raja · 1989
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Rajadhi Raja1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thandha nana thana nanaaaa…aaa.. | Rhythm vocalizations. |
| Heiii eeee…. | Exclamation vocalization. |
| Male | |
| Adi aathukulla aththi maram | Hey, a fig tree inside the river, |
| Andhiyila pootha maram | A tree that bloomed in the dusk, |
| Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru | Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total! |
| Nethu irunthu thongudhadi | It has been hanging since yesterday, girl, |
| Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi | All the birds are staying there, girl, |
| Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu | He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree. |
| Male | |
| Adi aathukulla aththi maram | Hey, a fig tree inside the river, |
| Andhiyila pootha maram | A tree that bloomed in the dusk, |
| Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru | Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total! |
| Nethu irunthu thongudhadi | It has been hanging since yesterday, girl, |
| Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi | All the birds are staying there, girl, |
| Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu | He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree. |
| Male | |
| Aan chittukku jodi onnu | A match for the male sparrow, |
| Sernthathu ponnu | Joined as the female bird, |
| Rendu chittum thaan sernthu | Both sparrows came together, |
| Koodu kattuchu kannu | And built a nest, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Aan chittukku jodi onnu | A match for the male sparrow, |
| Sernthathu ponnu | Joined as the female bird, |
| Rendu chittum thaan sernthu | Both sparrows came together, |
| Koodu kattuchu kannu | And built a nest, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Kootukulla paaru | Look inside the nest, |
| Angu kuruvi ethana kooru | Tell me how many birds are there! |
| Kootukulla paaru | Look inside the nest, |
| Angu kuruvi ethana kooru | Tell me how many birds are there! |
| Male | |
| Adi aathukulla aththi maram | Hey, a fig tree inside the river, |
| Andhiyila pootha maram | A tree that bloomed in the dusk, |
| Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru | Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total! |
| Nethu irunthu thongudhadi | It has been hanging since yesterday, girl, |
| Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi | All the birds are staying there, girl, |
| Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu | He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree. |
......................
Rhythm vocalizations.
Exclamation vocalization.
அடி ஆத்துக்குள்ள
அத்தி மரம் அந்தியில பூத்த
மரம் மொத்த மரம் எத்தனனு
கூறு கூறு நேத்து இருந்து
தொங்குதடி குருவி எல்லாம்
தாங்குதடி மரத்து மேல
தூக்குனான் கூடு கூடு
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
All the birds are staying there, girl,
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
அடி ஆத்துக்குள்ள
அத்தி மரம் அந்தியில பூத்த
மரம் மொத்த மரம் எத்தனனு
கூறு கூறு நேத்து இருந்து
தொங்குதடி குருவி எல்லாம்
தாங்குதடி மரத்து மேல
தூக்குனான் கூடு கூடு
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
All the birds are staying there, girl,
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
ஆண் சிட்டுக்கு
ஜோடி ஒன்னு சேர்ந்தது
பொண்ணு ரெண்டு சிட்டும்
தான் சேர்ந்து கூடு கட்டுச்சு
கண்ணு
A match for the male sparrow,
Joined as the female bird,
Both sparrows came together,
And built a nest, my dear.
ஆண் சிட்டுக்கு
ஜோடி ஒன்னு சேர்ந்தது
பொண்ணு ரெண்டு சிட்டும்
தான் சேர்ந்து கூடு கட்டுச்சு
கண்ணு
A match for the male sparrow,
Joined as the female bird,
Both sparrows came together,
And built a nest, my dear.
கூட்டுக்குள்ள
பாரு அங்கு குருவி எத்தன
கூறு கூட்டுக்குள்ள பாரு
அங்கு குருவி எத்தன கூறு
Look inside the nest,
Tell me how many birds are there!
Look inside the nest,
Tell me how many birds are there!
அடி ஆத்துக்குள்ள
அத்தி மரம் அந்தியில பூத்த
மரம் மொத்த மரம் எத்தனனு
கூறு கூறு நேத்து இருந்து
தொங்குதடி குருவி எல்லாம்
தாங்குதடி மரத்து மேல
தூக்குனான் கூடு கூடு
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
All the birds are staying there, girl,
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
Thandha nana thana nanaaaa…aaa..
Rhythm vocalizations.
Heiii eeee….
Exclamation vocalization.
Adi aathukulla aththi maram
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
Andhiyila pootha maram
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
Nethu irunthu thongudhadi
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi
All the birds are staying there, girl,
Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
Adi aathukulla aththi maram
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
Andhiyila pootha maram
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
Nethu irunthu thongudhadi
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi
All the birds are staying there, girl,
Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
Aan chittukku jodi onnu
A match for the male sparrow,
Sernthathu ponnu
Joined as the female bird,
Rendu chittum thaan sernthu
Both sparrows came together,
Koodu kattuchu kannu
And built a nest, my dear.
Aan chittukku jodi onnu
A match for the male sparrow,
Sernthathu ponnu
Joined as the female bird,
Rendu chittum thaan sernthu
Both sparrows came together,
Koodu kattuchu kannu
And built a nest, my dear.
Kootukulla paaru
Look inside the nest,
Angu kuruvi ethana kooru
Tell me how many birds are there!
Kootukulla paaru
Look inside the nest,
Angu kuruvi ethana kooru
Tell me how many birds are there!
Adi aathukulla aththi maram
Hey, a fig tree inside the river,
Andhiyila pootha maram
A tree that bloomed in the dusk,
Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru
Tell me, tell me how many trees there are in total!
Nethu irunthu thongudhadi
It has been hanging since yesterday, girl,
Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi
All the birds are staying there, girl,
Marathu mela thookunaan koodu koodu
He built weaver bird nests on top of the tree.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful folk song uses traditional Tamil rural riddles and nature imagery to express romantic affection and domestic joy. By referencing fig trees blooming at dusk, weaver bird nests, and sparrows pairing up to build a home, the song metaphorically celebrates the union of lovers building a life together.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Adukkuthodar (Repetition)
“Motha maram ethananu kooru kooru”
Repetition of words like 'kooru kooru' (tell me) and 'koodu koodu' (nest) for rhythmic folk emphasis.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Adi aathukulla aththi maram / Andhiyila pootha maram”
Matching starting vowel sounds in consecutive lines ('Aathukulla' / 'Andhiyila').
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Nethu irunthu thongudhadi / Kuruvi ellam thangudhadi”
Second consonant agreement 'ngu' in 'thongudhadi' and 'thangudhadi'.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Rendu chittum thaan sernthu / Koodu kattuchu kannu”
Using sparrows coming together to weave a nest as a metaphor for lovers establishing a home.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from the 1989 blockbuster 'Rajadhi Raja' features music and lyrics both by 'Isaignani' Ilaiyaraaja. Sung by Malaysia Vasudevan and K. S. Chithra, the song captures the energetic rural folk genre that was immensely popular in late 1980s Tamil cinema.
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