Avatha Paiyya
From Paradesi · 2013
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Yazin Nizar, Vandana Srinivasan
- Music director
- G. V. Prakash Kumar
- Details
- Paradesi2013
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Avatha paiya sevathapaiya | Oh helpless boy, fair boy, |
| Azhichaatiyam yenadaa | Why this endless mischief? |
| Kavichimela aasappatta | Craving for non-vegetarian food, |
| Karichaan kunju naanadaa | I am just a little drongo bird, my boy. |
| Female | |
| Serattaiyil penja | Like the small rain |
| Siru mazhai pola | Falling inside a coconut shell, |
| Nenju koottula neranjirukka | It has filled inside my heart's nest. |
| Kanjiyil karainja | Like a salt crystal |
| Uppu kalla pola | Dissolving into porridge, |
| Kannu koottula olinjirukka | It remains hidden inside my eye socket. |
| Namma boomi varandirukku | Our land has dried up, |
| On naakku eerampattu | But touched by the moisture of your tongue, |
| Vaazhkkai nanaijirukku …. | Life itself has become soaked... |
| Male | |
| Ooo…oo. avatha ponnae | Oh helpless girl, |
| Sevatha ponnae | Fair girl, |
| Azhichaatiyam yenadi…. | Why this endless mischief, girl? |
| Female | |
| Venni thanni kaachavaa…. | Shall I heat up water, |
| On melu kaalu oothavaa.. | And pour it over your body and feet? |
| Kaachu pona kaiyila | With my hardened, calloused hands, |
| On kaanja moonji theikkavaa | Shall I rub your dry face? |
| Male | |
| Kottaanguchiyil melu thechu | Scrub your body with a coconut shell, |
| Kulikka vaiyadi | And make you bathe, girl. |
| En akkul pakkam | Near my armpit, |
| Akka poru aagudhae | It feels as hot as a battlefield! |
| Nee thalli nilladi | So stand far away, girl, |
| Varaadhadi thodaadhadi | Don't come near, don't touch me! |
| Female | |
| Oo…ooo.. | Oo...ooo.. |
| Avatha paiya sevathapaiya | Oh helpless boy, fair boy, |
| Azhichaatiyam yenadaa | Why this endless mischief? |
| Male | |
| Koothu paakka pogalaam | We can go watch a street play, |
| Kooda maada vaariyaa | Will you come along with me? |
| Sollu pechu kekkuren | I will obey whatever you say, |
| Konjam nellu soaru thaariyaa | Will you give me a little rice meal? |
| Female | |
| Ellu potta eesal thaaren | I will give you sesame-roasted termites, |
| Onna tharuviyaa… | Will you yield yourself to me? |
| Naan mundhipottu | The flowers I kept covered |
| Moodivacha pookkala | Under my saree veil, |
| Nee mondhu paappiya.. | Will you smell them? |
| Muthaadaiyaa muttaa paiyaa | Won't you kiss me, foolish boy? |
| Male | |
| Avatha ponnae | Oh helpless girl, |
| Sevatha ponnae | Fair girl, |
| Azhichaatiyam yenadi…. | Why this endless mischief, girl? |
| Izhuthu vachu kazhutharukka | To drag me around and slit my throat, |
| Ilichavaayan naanadi | I am just a gullible fool, girl! |
| Male | |
| Kayitha arutha kannukkutti pola | Like a young calf that broke its rope, |
| Siththan pokkil naan alanjen | I wandered around wherever my mind pleased. |
| Karuvaa sirukki seelai irukki | Dark-skinned girl, tucking in your saree, |
| Katti pottu sirikkiriyae | You tied me up and are laughing! |
| Un soozhchi palichiruchae | Your scheme has succeeded, |
| Nellu soaththu paanaikkulla | Into the pot of cooked rice, |
| Poona vizhundhiruchae | The cat has fallen! |
அவத்த பையா செவத்த பையா
அலிச்சாட்டியம் ஏனடா
கவுச்சி மேல ஆசபட்ட
கரிச்சாங் குஞ்சு நானடா
செரட்டயில் பேஞ்ச சிறுமழை போல
நெஞ்சு கூட்டுல நெறஞ்சிருக்க
Oh helpless boy, fair boy,
Why this endless mischief?
Craving for non-vegetarian food,
I am just a little drongo bird, my boy.
கஞ்சியில் கரைஞ்ச
உப்பு கல்ல போல
கண்ணு கூட்டுல ஒளிஞ்சிருக்க
நம்ம பூமி வறண்டிருக்கு
உன் நாக்கு ஈரம் பட்டு
வாழ்க்க நனைசிருக்கு.....
Like the small rain
Falling inside a coconut shell,
It has filled inside my heart's nest.
Like a salt crystal
Dissolving into porridge,
It remains hidden inside my eye socket.
Our land has dried up,
But touched by the moisture of your tongue,
Life itself has become soaked...
ஓஓஓ... அவத்த பொண்ணே
செவத்த பொண்ணே
அலிச்சாட்டியம் ஏனடி...
Oh helpless girl,
Fair girl,
Why this endless mischief, girl?
வெண்ணி தண்ணி காச்சவா
உன் மேலு காலு ஊத்தவா
காச்சு போன கையில
உன் காஞ்ச மூஞ்சி தேக்கவா
Shall I heat up water,
And pour it over your body and feet?
With my hardened, calloused hands,
Shall I rub your dry face?
கொட்டான் குச்சியில்
மேலு தேச்சி குளிக்க வையடி
என் அக்குள் பக்கம்
மக்கபோரு ஆகுதே
நீ தள்ளி நில்லடி
வராதடி தொடாதடி...
Scrub your body with a coconut shell,
And make you bathe, girl.
Near my armpit,
It feels as hot as a battlefield!
So stand far away, girl,
Don't come near, don't touch me!
ஓஓஓ... அவத்த பையா
செவத்த பையா
அலிச்சாட்டியம் ஏனடா...
Oo...ooo..
Oh helpless boy, fair boy,
Why this endless mischief?
கூத்து பாக்க போகலாம்
கூட மாட வாரியா
சொல்லு பேச்சு கேக்குறேன்
கொஞ்சம் நெல்லு சோறு தாறியா
We can go watch a street play,
Will you come along with me?
I will obey whatever you say,
Will you give me a little rice meal?
எள்ளு போட்ட ஈசல் தாரேன்
உன்ன தருவியா
நான் முந்தி போட்டு
மூடி வச்சு பூக்கள
நீ மோந்து பாத்தியா
முத்தாடையா முட்டா பையா
I will give you sesame-roasted termites,
Will you yield yourself to me?
The flowers I kept covered
Under my saree veil,
Will you smell them?
Won't you kiss me, foolish boy?
அவத பொண்ணே
செவத்த பொண்ணே
அலிச்சாட்டியம் ஏனடி
இலுத்துவச்சு கழுத்தறுக்க
இலிச்சவாயன் நானடி
Oh helpless girl,
Fair girl,
Why this endless mischief, girl?
To drag me around and slit my throat,
I am just a gullible fool, girl!
கயித்த அறுத்த கன்னுகுட்டி போல
சித்தன் போக்கில் நான் அலைஞ்சேன்
கருவா சிறுக்கி சீலையில் இருக்கி
கட்டி போட்டு சிரிக்கிறியே
உன் சூழ்ச்சி பழிச்சிருச்சே
நெல்லு சோத்து பானைக்குள்ளே
பூனை விழுந்திருச்சே
Like a young calf that broke its rope,
I wandered around wherever my mind pleased.
Dark-skinned girl, tucking in your saree,
You tied me up and are laughing!
Your scheme has succeeded,
Into the pot of cooked rice,
The cat has fallen!
Avatha paiya sevathapaiya
Oh helpless boy, fair boy,
Azhichaatiyam yenadaa
Why this endless mischief?
Kavichimela aasappatta
Craving for non-vegetarian food,
Karichaan kunju naanadaa
I am just a little drongo bird, my boy.
Serattaiyil penja
Like the small rain
Siru mazhai pola
Falling inside a coconut shell,
Nenju koottula neranjirukka
It has filled inside my heart's nest.
Kanjiyil karainja
Like a salt crystal
Uppu kalla pola
Dissolving into porridge,
Kannu koottula olinjirukka
It remains hidden inside my eye socket.
Namma boomi varandirukku
Our land has dried up,
On naakku eerampattu
But touched by the moisture of your tongue,
Vaazhkkai nanaijirukku ….
Life itself has become soaked...
Ooo…oo. avatha ponnae
Oh helpless girl,
Sevatha ponnae
Fair girl,
Azhichaatiyam yenadi….
Why this endless mischief, girl?
Venni thanni kaachavaa….
Shall I heat up water,
On melu kaalu oothavaa..
And pour it over your body and feet?
Kaachu pona kaiyila
With my hardened, calloused hands,
On kaanja moonji theikkavaa
Shall I rub your dry face?
Kottaanguchiyil melu thechu
Scrub your body with a coconut shell,
Kulikka vaiyadi
And make you bathe, girl.
En akkul pakkam
Near my armpit,
Akka poru aagudhae
It feels as hot as a battlefield!
Nee thalli nilladi
So stand far away, girl,
Varaadhadi thodaadhadi
Don't come near, don't touch me!
Oo…ooo..
Oo...ooo..
Avatha paiya sevathapaiya
Oh helpless boy, fair boy,
Azhichaatiyam yenadaa
Why this endless mischief?
Koothu paakka pogalaam
We can go watch a street play,
Kooda maada vaariyaa
Will you come along with me?
Sollu pechu kekkuren
I will obey whatever you say,
Konjam nellu soaru thaariyaa
Will you give me a little rice meal?
Ellu potta eesal thaaren
I will give you sesame-roasted termites,
Onna tharuviyaa…
Will you yield yourself to me?
Naan mundhipottu
The flowers I kept covered
Moodivacha pookkala
Under my saree veil,
Nee mondhu paappiya..
Will you smell them?
Muthaadaiyaa muttaa paiyaa
Won't you kiss me, foolish boy?
Avatha ponnae
Oh helpless girl,
Sevatha ponnae
Fair girl,
Azhichaatiyam yenadi….
Why this endless mischief, girl?
Izhuthu vachu kazhutharukka
To drag me around and slit my throat,
Ilichavaayan naanadi
I am just a gullible fool, girl!
Kayitha arutha kannukkutti pola
Like a young calf that broke its rope,
Siththan pokkil naan alanjen
I wandered around wherever my mind pleased.
Karuvaa sirukki seelai irukki
Dark-skinned girl, tucking in your saree,
Katti pottu sirikkiriyae
You tied me up and are laughing!
Un soozhchi palichiruchae
Your scheme has succeeded,
Nellu soaththu paanaikkulla
Into the pot of cooked rice,
Poona vizhundhiruchae
The cat has fallen!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a raw, playful folk duet depicting a teasing romantic exchange between two rural lovers. They express their mutual affection using earthy, rustic metaphors drawn from daily village life—comparing love to rain collecting in a coconut shell, salt dissolving into porridge, and a cat falling into a rice pot. Despite their meager circumstances and harsh living conditions, their exchange is filled with humor, warmth, and innocence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Serattaiyil penja Siru mazhai pola”
Compares love filling the heart to rain water filling a coconut shell, and affection hiding in the eyes to salt dissolving in porridge.
Folk Metaphor
“Nellu soaththu paanaikkulla Poona vizhundhiruchae”
Uses 'Poona vizhundhiruchae' (the cat fell into the pot) as an idiom indicating getting caught in the snare of love.
Assonance & Rhyme (Ethirai / Monai)
“Avatha paiya sevathapaiya”
Rhythmic pairing of initial dialect words like 'Avatha' and 'Sevatha' creating a traditional folk cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar for Director Bala's critically acclaimed period drama 'Paradesi' (2013). The lyrics rely heavily on authentic regional Tamil dialects, capturing the authentic folk music tradition of rural Tamil Nadu.
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