Akkarai Cheemai Azhaginile
From Priya · 1978
- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Priya1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae | In the beauty of the foreign land |
| Manam aada kandenae} (2) | I saw my heart dance (repeat x2) |
| Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren | I am entranced by this novelty |
| Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren | I am entranced by this novelty |
| Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae | In the beauty of the foreign land |
| Manam aada kandenae.. | I saw my heart dance.. |
| Male | |
| Paarkka paarkka aanandham | Pure joy wherever I look |
| Paravai pola ullaasam | Delight like a free bird |
| Velai indri yaarum illai | No one here is without work |
| Engum sandhosham | Happiness is everywhere |
| Male | |
| Verum pechu vetti koottam | Idle chatter and useless gatherings |
| Yedhum illai intha ooril | Do not exist in this town |
| Male | |
| Kallam kabadam vanjagam indri | Without deceit, cunning, or betrayal |
| Ganniyamaaga ottrumai unarvudan | With dignity and a sense of unity |
| Vaazhum singapore | Lives Singapore |
| Male | |
| Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae | In the beauty of the foreign land |
| Manam aada kandenae | I saw my heart dance |
| Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren | I am entranced by this novelty |
| Chorus | |
| La la lala la lalalala | La la lala la lalalala |
| La la lala la lalalala | La la lala la lalalala |
| Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa….. | Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa….. |
| Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa….. | Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa….. |
| Male | |
| Chittu pola pillaigal | Children like little sparrows |
| Thaenil aadum mullaigal | Jasmine flowers dancing in honey |
| Thulli thulli maangal pola | Leaping like playful deer |
| Aadum urchaagam | Enthusiasm dances |
| Male | |
| Dhinam thorum thirunaalae | Every single day is a celebration |
| Sugam kodi manam polae | Millions of pleasures as the heart wishes |
| Male | |
| Cheenar thamizhar malaaya makkal | Chinese, Tamil, and Malay people |
| Uravinar pola anbudan natpudan | Live with love and friendship like relatives |
| Vaazhum singapore | Lives Singapore |
| Male | |
| Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae | In the beauty of the foreign land |
| Manam aada kandenae | I saw my heart dance |
| Male | |
| Manjal meni paavaigal | Maidens with golden complexions |
| Thangam minnum angangal | Limbs glistening like gold |
| Kaaviyathil vaarthai illai | Words do not exist in epic poetry |
| Unnai paaraatta | To praise your beauty |
| Male | |
| Nadai paarthu mayil aadum | Seeing her walk, the peacock dances |
| Mozhi kettu kili pesum | Hearing her voice, the parrot speaks |
| Male | |
| Kannil thavazhum punnagai kanden | I saw a gentle smile resting in her eyes |
| Sorgam pola inbamum perumaiyum | With happiness and pride resembling heaven |
| Vaazhum singapore | Lives Singapore |
| Male | |
| Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae | In the beauty of the foreign land |
| Manam aada kandenae | I saw my heart dance |
| Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren | I am entranced by this novelty |
{ அக்கரைச் சீமை
அழகினிலே மனம் ஆட
கண்டேனே } (2)
புதுமையிலே மயங்குகிறேன்
புதுமையிலே மயங்குகிறேன்
அக்கரைச் சீமை அழகினிலே
மனம் ஆட கண்டேனே
In the beauty of the foreign land
I saw my heart dance (repeat x2)
I am entranced by this novelty
I am entranced by this novelty
In the beauty of the foreign land
I saw my heart dance..
பார்க்க பார்க்க
ஆனந்தம் பறவைப் போல
உல்லாசம் வேலை இன்றி
யாரும் இல்லை எங்கும்
சந்தோஷம்
Pure joy wherever I look
Delight like a free bird
No one here is without work
Happiness is everywhere
வெறும் பேச்சு
வெட்டி கூட்டம் ஏதும்
இல்லை இந்த ஊரில்
Idle chatter and useless gatherings
Do not exist in this town
கள்ளம் கபடம்
வஞ்சகம் இன்றி
கன்னியமாக ஒற்றுமை
உணர்வுடன் வாழும்
சிங்கப்பூர்
Without deceit, cunning, or betrayal
With dignity and a sense of unity
Lives Singapore
அக்கரைச் சீமை
அழகினிலே மனம் ஆட
கண்டேனே புதுமையிலே
மயங்குகிறேன்
In the beauty of the foreign land
I saw my heart dance
I am entranced by this novelty
...........................
La la lala la lalalala
La la lala la lalalala
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
சிட்டுப் போல
பிள்ளைகள் தேனில்
ஆடும் முல்லைகள்
துள்ளி துள்ளி மான்கள்
போல ஆடும் உற்சாகம்
Children like little sparrows
Jasmine flowers dancing in honey
Leaping like playful deer
Enthusiasm dances
தினம் தோறும்
திருநாளே சுகம் கோடி
மனம் போல
Every single day is a celebration
Millions of pleasures as the heart wishes
சீனர் தமிழர்
மலாய மக்கள் உறவினர்
போல அன்புடன் நட்புடன்
வாழும் சிங்கப்பூர்
Chinese, Tamil, and Malay people
Live with love and friendship like relatives
Lives Singapore
அக்கரைச் சீமை
அழகினிலே மனம் ஆட
கண்டேனே
In the beauty of the foreign land
I saw my heart dance
மஞ்சள் மேனி
பாவைகள் தங்கம் மின்னும்
அங்கங்கள் காவியத்தில்
வார்த்தை இல்லை
உன்னைப் பாராட்ட
Maidens with golden complexions
Limbs glistening like gold
Words do not exist in epic poetry
To praise your beauty
நடை பார்த்து
மயில் ஆடும் மொழி
கேட்டு கிளி பேசும்
Seeing her walk, the peacock dances
Hearing her voice, the parrot speaks
கண்ணில்
தவழும் புன்னகைக்
கண்டேன் சொர்க்கம்
போல இன்பமும்
பெருமையும் வாழும்
சிங்கப்பூர்
I saw a gentle smile resting in her eyes
With happiness and pride resembling heaven
Lives Singapore
அக்கரைச் சீமை
அழகினிலே மனம் ஆட
கண்டேனே புதுமையிலே
மயங்குகிறேன்
In the beauty of the foreign land
I saw my heart dance
I am entranced by this novelty
...........................
குழு :
...........................
{Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae
In the beauty of the foreign land
Manam aada kandenae} (2)
I saw my heart dance (repeat x2)
Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren
I am entranced by this novelty
Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren
I am entranced by this novelty
Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae
In the beauty of the foreign land
Manam aada kandenae..
I saw my heart dance..
Paarkka paarkka aanandham
Pure joy wherever I look
Paravai pola ullaasam
Delight like a free bird
Velai indri yaarum illai
No one here is without work
Engum sandhosham
Happiness is everywhere
Verum pechu vetti koottam
Idle chatter and useless gatherings
Yedhum illai intha ooril
Do not exist in this town
Kallam kabadam vanjagam indri
Without deceit, cunning, or betrayal
Ganniyamaaga ottrumai unarvudan
With dignity and a sense of unity
Vaazhum singapore
Lives Singapore
Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae
In the beauty of the foreign land
Manam aada kandenae
I saw my heart dance
Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren
I am entranced by this novelty
La la lala la lalalala
La la lala la lalalala
La la lala la lalalala
La la lala la lalalala
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
Lala laala la la lala laala la laaaaa…..
Chittu pola pillaigal
Children like little sparrows
Thaenil aadum mullaigal
Jasmine flowers dancing in honey
Thulli thulli maangal pola
Leaping like playful deer
Aadum urchaagam
Enthusiasm dances
Dhinam thorum thirunaalae
Every single day is a celebration
Sugam kodi manam polae
Millions of pleasures as the heart wishes
Cheenar thamizhar malaaya makkal
Chinese, Tamil, and Malay people
Uravinar pola anbudan natpudan
Live with love and friendship like relatives
Vaazhum singapore
Lives Singapore
Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae
In the beauty of the foreign land
Manam aada kandenae
I saw my heart dance
Manjal meni paavaigal
Maidens with golden complexions
Thangam minnum angangal
Limbs glistening like gold
Kaaviyathil vaarthai illai
Words do not exist in epic poetry
Unnai paaraatta
To praise your beauty
Nadai paarthu mayil aadum
Seeing her walk, the peacock dances
Mozhi kettu kili pesum
Hearing her voice, the parrot speaks
Kannil thavazhum punnagai kanden
I saw a gentle smile resting in her eyes
Sorgam pola inbamum perumaiyum
With happiness and pride resembling heaven
Vaazhum singapore
Lives Singapore
Akkarai cheemai azhaginilae
In the beauty of the foreign land
Manam aada kandenae
I saw my heart dance
Pudhumaiyilae mayangugiren
I am entranced by this novelty
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Akkarai Cheemai Azhaginilae is a vibrant, celebratory travel song from the 1978 film Priya, expressing deep admiration for the modern, picturesque city-state of Singapore. The song captures the protagonist's sense of wonder as he witnesses the city's cleanliness, high work ethic, and complete absence of idleness or deceit. It celebrates Singapore's multicultural harmony where Chinese, Tamil, and Malay communities live peacefully together like family. Through poetic imagery, the lyricist Panchu Arunachalam compares the cheerful atmosphere of Singapore to an eternal festival. Children, women, and landscapes are painted with metaphors comparing them to sparrows, gold, and paradise. The track serves as both a musical tribute to Singapore's post-independence modern development and a joyful expression of discovering a new world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Paravai pola ullaasam”
Compares joy to the freedom of a bird ('Paravai pola ullaasam') and unity among different ethnic groups to relatives ('Uravinar pola').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi Aani)
“Nadai paarthu mayil aadum / Mozhi kettu kili pesum”
Exaggerates beauty by claiming epic poetry lacks words to describe it, and that peacocks copy her walk while parrots copy her speech.
Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Kallam kabadam vanjagam indri”
Repetition of initial consonants like 'K' in 'Kallam kabadam' to create a rhythmic, melodic flow.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Chittu pola pillaigal”
Describing children as active sparrows ('Chittu pola pillaigal') and women's complexions as shimmering gold ('Thangam minnum angangal').
Did you know?
Trivia
Priya (1978), starring Rajinikanth and Sridevi, was one of the earliest Indian films shot extensively in foreign locations such as Singapore and Malaysia. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung by K. J. Yesudas. The song specifically mentions Singapore's ethnic demographic—Chinese, Tamils, and Malays—praising the country's multi-racial harmony.
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