Akkaraiyil Avanirukka
From Porsilai · 1969
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- R. Govarthanam
- Details
- Porsilai1969
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Akkaraiyil avanirukka | With him being on that far shore, |
| Ikkaraiyil naanirukka | With me being on this shore, |
| Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern? |
| Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae | My beloved who left that day has not returned. |
| Female | |
| Akkaraiyil avanirukka | With him being on that far shore, |
| Ikkaraiyil naanirukka | With me being on this shore, |
| Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern? |
| Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae | My beloved who left that day has not returned. |
| Female | |
| Katti oru mutthamittu | Embracing and kissing me, |
| Karpanaiyil kavi padithu | Reciting poetry in imagination, |
| Katti oru mutthamittu | Embracing and kissing me, |
| Karpanaiyil kavi padithu | Reciting poetry in imagination, |
| Thottanaithu kaadhalukku kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, for the love that embraced and held me, |
| En tholirendum vaadudhadi kadal alaiyae… | Both my shoulders are wilting away, oh ocean waves... |
| Female | |
| Kaiyile valayal illai | There are no bangles on my wrists, |
| Kannirenddil thookamillai | There is no sleep in my eyes, |
| Kattiulla aadaigalum kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, even the clothes I tie around myself, |
| En sittridaiyil thangavillai kadal laiyae | Do not stay on my slender waist, oh ocean waves. |
| Female | |
| Akkaraiyil avanirukka | With him being on that far shore, |
| Ikkaraiyil naanirukka | With me being on this shore, |
| Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern? |
| Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae | My beloved who left that day has not returned. |
| Female | |
| Porsilaiyin nenjinilae | In the heart of this golden statue, |
| Poothirukkum malaraiyellaam | All the flowers that have bloomed, |
| Porsilaiyin nenjinilae | In the heart of this golden statue, |
| Poothirukkum malaraiyellaam | All the flowers that have bloomed, |
| Karsilaikku saathuvaenoh kadal alaiyae | Shall I offer them to a stone idol, oh ocean waves? |
| En kanniraindha kaadhalanthaan varavillayae | My beloved who fills my eyes has not returned. |
| Female | |
| Meenaaga pirandhirundhaal | If I had been born as a fish, |
| Vaendiyae thavamiruppaen | I would have prayed and done penance, |
| Naanaaga poaiyiruppaen kadal alaiyae | And crossed the sea myself, oh ocean waves, |
| Naan maanaaga pirandhu vittaen kadal alaiyae | Alas, I was born as a deer, oh ocean waves. |
| Female | |
| Akkaraiyil avanirukka | With him being on that far shore, |
| Ikkaraiyil naanirukka | With me being on this shore, |
| Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae | Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern? |
| Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae | My beloved who left that day has not returned. |
அக்கரையில் அவனிருக்க
இக்கரையில் நானிருக்க
அக்கறையில்லாததென்ன கடல் அலையே
அன்று சென்று விட்ட என் தலைவன் வரவில்லையே..
With him being on that far shore,
With me being on this shore,
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
அக்கரையில் அவனிருக்க
இக்கரையில் நானிருக்க
அக்கறையில்லாததென்ன கடல் அலையே
அன்று சென்று விட்ட என் தலைவன் வரவில்லையே..
With him being on that far shore,
With me being on this shore,
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
கட்டி ஒரு முத்தமிட்டு
கற்பனையில் கவி படித்து
கட்டி ஒரு முத்தமிட்டு
கற்பனையில் கவி படித்து
தொட்டணைத்துக் காதலுக்கு கடல் அலையே
என் தோளிரண்டும் வாடுதடி கடல் அலையே.....
Embracing and kissing me,
Reciting poetry in imagination,
Embracing and kissing me,
Reciting poetry in imagination,
Oh ocean waves, for the love that embraced and held me,
Both my shoulders are wilting away, oh ocean waves...
கையிலே வளையலில்லை
கண்ணிரண்டில் தூக்கமில்லை
கட்டியுள்ள ஆடைகளும் கடல் அலையே.
என் சிற்றிடையில் தங்கவில்லை கடல் அலையே..
There are no bangles on my wrists,
There is no sleep in my eyes,
Oh ocean waves, even the clothes I tie around myself,
Do not stay on my slender waist, oh ocean waves.
அக்கரையில் அவனிருக்க
இக்கரையில் நானிருக்க
அக்கறையில்லாததென்ன கடல் அலையே
அன்று சென்று விட்ட என் தலைவன் வரவில்லையே..
With him being on that far shore,
With me being on this shore,
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
பொற்சிலையின் நெஞ்சினிலே
பூத்திருக்கும் மலரையெல்லாம்
பொற்சிலையின் நெஞ்சினிலே
பூத்திருக்கும் மலரையெல்லாம்
கற்சிலைக்குச் சாத்துவேனோ கடல் அலையே
என் கண்ணிறைந்த காதலன்தான் வரவில்லையே
In the heart of this golden statue,
All the flowers that have bloomed,
In the heart of this golden statue,
All the flowers that have bloomed,
Shall I offer them to a stone idol, oh ocean waves?
My beloved who fills my eyes has not returned.
மீனாகப் பிறந்திருந்தால்
வேண்டியே தவமிருப்பேன்
நானாகப் போயிருப்பேன் கடல் அலையே
நான் மானாகப் பிறந்து விட்டேன் கடல் அலையே....
If I had been born as a fish,
I would have prayed and done penance,
And crossed the sea myself, oh ocean waves,
Alas, I was born as a deer, oh ocean waves.
அக்கரையில் அவனிருக்க
இக்கரையில் நானிருக்க
அக்கறையில்லாததென்ன கடல் அலையே
அன்று சென்று விட்ட என் தலைவன் வரவில்லையே..
With him being on that far shore,
With me being on this shore,
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
Akkaraiyil avanirukka
With him being on that far shore,
Ikkaraiyil naanirukka
With me being on this shore,
Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
Akkaraiyil avanirukka
With him being on that far shore,
Ikkaraiyil naanirukka
With me being on this shore,
Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
Katti oru mutthamittu
Embracing and kissing me,
Karpanaiyil kavi padithu
Reciting poetry in imagination,
Katti oru mutthamittu
Embracing and kissing me,
Karpanaiyil kavi padithu
Reciting poetry in imagination,
Thottanaithu kaadhalukku kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, for the love that embraced and held me,
En tholirendum vaadudhadi kadal alaiyae…
Both my shoulders are wilting away, oh ocean waves...
Kaiyile valayal illai
There are no bangles on my wrists,
Kannirenddil thookamillai
There is no sleep in my eyes,
Kattiulla aadaigalum kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, even the clothes I tie around myself,
En sittridaiyil thangavillai kadal laiyae
Do not stay on my slender waist, oh ocean waves.
Akkaraiyil avanirukka
With him being on that far shore,
Ikkaraiyil naanirukka
With me being on this shore,
Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
Porsilaiyin nenjinilae
In the heart of this golden statue,
Poothirukkum malaraiyellaam
All the flowers that have bloomed,
Porsilaiyin nenjinilae
In the heart of this golden statue,
Poothirukkum malaraiyellaam
All the flowers that have bloomed,
Karsilaikku saathuvaenoh kadal alaiyae
Shall I offer them to a stone idol, oh ocean waves?
En kanniraindha kaadhalanthaan varavillayae
My beloved who fills my eyes has not returned.
Meenaaga pirandhirundhaal
If I had been born as a fish,
Vaendiyae thavamiruppaen
I would have prayed and done penance,
Naanaaga poaiyiruppaen kadal alaiyae
And crossed the sea myself, oh ocean waves,
Naan maanaaga pirandhu vittaen kadal alaiyae
Alas, I was born as a deer, oh ocean waves.
Akkaraiyil avanirukka
With him being on that far shore,
Ikkaraiyil naanirukka
With me being on this shore,
Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae
Oh ocean waves, why do you show no care or concern?
Andru sendruvitta enn thalaivan varavillayae
My beloved who left that day has not returned.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic melancholic song portrays the deep longing and grief of a woman separated from her lover by the ocean. Addressing the ocean waves as her confidante, she expresses her despair over his absence, describing how her physical and emotional health is deteriorating without him. She laments that if she were born a fish, she could swim across the sea to meet him, but as a land creature (a deer), she remains helplessly bound to 'this shore'. Through rich imagery of golden statues, stone idols, and lost adornments, Kannadasan captures the pain of unfulfilled love and longing.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Sledhai (Double Entendre)
“Akkaraiyil avanirukka... Akkaraiyillaadhathenna kadal alaiyae”
Kannadasan plays with the homonyms 'Akkarai' meaning 'that shore' (Akkaraiyil) and 'Akkarai' meaning 'care/concern' (Akkaraiyillaadhadhu).
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Akkaraiyil avanirukka / Ikkaraiyil naanirukka”
The second consonant 'k' in 'Akkaraiyil' and 'Ikkaraiyil' creates an elegant Tamil rhyming structure.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Porsilaiyin nenjinilae... Karsilaikku saathuvaenoh”
The heroine compares herself to a golden statue ('Porsilai') and her unresponsive lover or fate to a stone statue ('Karsilai').
Contrast / Imagery
“Meenaaga pirandhirundhaal... Naan maanaaga pirandhu vittaen”
Contrasting the aquatic ability of a fish to cross the sea with the terrestrial nature of a deer to highlight her helplessness.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by R. Govarthanam, a lesser-known yet brilliant music director in Tamil cinema, 'Akkaraiyil Avanirukka' remains one of P. Susheela's finest solo renditions. Kannadasan's double-meaning usage of 'Akkarai' in the opening line is celebrated as one of the finest examples of linguistic cleverness in Tamil film lyrics.
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