Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Kaatrinile Varum Geetham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chithirai Sevvanam

From Kaatrinile Varum Geetham · 1978

Lyricist
Panchu Arunachalam
Singers
Jayachandran, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kaatrinile Varum Geetham
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
14 Jun 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
{Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen
Thaiyaara thaiyaa
En muthaana mutthammaa
En kannaana kannammaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa} (2)
Ae kuriyaa yaelaavaali thandhaelaa vaalam
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen
Thaiyaara thaiyaa
En muthaana mutthammaa
En kannaana kannammaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaara thaiyaara thaiyaa
Maiyai itta kannaalae maiyal thandha naeram
Modha modhalaa thottaenae vaaikka karai oram
Saayaamal saainjaalae maarbilae
Alli kattum kandaangi ara koraiyaa odhunga
Alungaama anaichaalae vedhu vedhuppaa mayanga
Manjal konda kaikaari mayakki vittaa ennai
Ae kuriyaa yaelaavaali thandhaelaa vaalam
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen
Thaiyaara thaiyaa
En muthaana mutthammaa
En kannaana kannammaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa
Poi varavaa endraalae yaekkathudan paappaa
Naan virumbi varum varaikkum karaiyinilae nirppaa
Unavillai uravillai vaaduvaal
En mugathai paarthadhumae thulli thuli varuvaa
Muthaana muthangal alli alli tharuvaa
Sokki solli sirippaalae sokka thangal polae
Ae kuriyaa yaelaavaali thandhaelaa vaalam
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
{Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen
En muthaana mutthammaa
En kannaana kannammaa
Chorus :Aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Aahaa aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Aahaa aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa} (Overlap)
Ae kuriyaa yaelaavaali thandhaelaa vaalam
Thaiyaara thaiyaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
{Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen
En muthaana mutthammaa
En kannaana kannammaa
Chorus :Aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Aahaa aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa
Aahaa aahaa aahaa thaiyaara thaiyaa} (Overlap)
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa
I saw the picture-perfect crimson sky smile,
Thaiyaara thaiyaa,
My precious pearl, Muthamma,
My dearest darling, Kannamma!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Hey kuriyaa, elaavaali thandhelaa vaalam!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
I saw the picture-perfect crimson sky smile,
Thaiyaara thaiyaa,
My precious pearl, Muthamma,
My dearest darling, Kannamma!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Thaiyaara thaiyaara, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
When she stirred love with her kohl-lined eyes,
I touched her for the very first time by the canal bank.
Without holding back, she leaned against my chest;
As her pleated cotton saree slipped a little aside,
She held me gently, swooning in the cozy warmth.
The girl with turmeric-bright hands cast a spell on me!
Hey kuriyaa, elaavaali thandhelaa vaalam!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
I saw the picture-perfect crimson sky smile,
Thaiyaara thaiyaa,
My precious pearl, Muthamma,
My dearest darling, Kannamma!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa!
If I ask, "Shall I take my leave?", she looks at me with longing;
Until I return to her, she stands waiting by the shore.
Forgetting food and sleep, she pines away;
The moment she sees my face, she comes bounding with joy,
Gathering and showering me with precious kisses!
Enchanted, she talks and smiles like pure gold!
Hey kuriyaa, elaavaali thandhelaa vaalam!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
I saw the picture-perfect crimson sky smile,
My precious pearl, Muthamma,
My dearest darling, Kannamma!
Chorus: Aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Aaha aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Aaha aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Hey kuriyaa, elaavaali thandhelaa vaalam!
Thaiyaara thaiyaa, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
I saw the picture-perfect crimson sky smile,
My precious pearl, Muthamma,
My dearest darling, Kannamma!
Chorus: Aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Aaha aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Aaha aaha aaha, thaiyaara thaiyaa!
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic folk-style song from the movie Kaatrinile Varum Geetham (1978) celebrates rural romance along riverbanks and canals. The male protagonist compares his beloved, Muthamma, to a beautiful red sky at dusk and praises her affectionate nature, golden radiance, and devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani (Simile)

Sokki solli sirippaalae sokka thangal polae

Comparing the beloved's laughter and charm to pure, untarnished gold ('sokka thangam polae').

Uruvagaimai (Metaphor)

Chithira chevvaanam sirikka kandaen

Comparing the evening sky's red hue to a beautiful smiling canvas and calling his love a pearl.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Maiyai itta kannaalae maiyal thandha naeram / Modha modhalaa thottaenae vaaikka karai oram

Rhyming second letters across lines like 'Maiyai' and 'Modha', 'Unavillai' and 'En mugathai'.

Monnai (Alliteration)

Muthaana muthangal alli alli tharuvaa

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'M' in 'Muthaana muthangal' and 'Sa' in 'Saayaamal saainjaalae'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Panchu Arunachalam for the 1978 film Kaatrinile Varum Geetham, this song captures the authentic rhythm of Tamil folk work songs (Oppari/Odam/Ammannai genre rhythms) combined with cinematic orchestration.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Kaatrinile Varum Geetham

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.