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Panathottam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Javvathu Medaiyittu

From Panathottam · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Panathottam
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
4 Oct 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hmmm…haa…aa…haa
Javvaadhu maedaiyittu
Female :Hoo o o o o
Male :Sarkkaraiyil pandhalittu
Javvaadhu medaiyittu
Sarkkaraiyil pandhalittu
Sevvaazhai kaaleduthu va va va
Semmaadhulai pilandhu tha tha tha
Naagalinga pooveduthu naalu pakkam
Kottai katti va va va
Male :Haa..haa
Female :Maambazhathu saareduthu
Malligaiyil thaeneduthu va va va
Naagalinga pooveduthu naalu pakkam
Kottai katti va va va
Maambazhathu saareduthu
Malligaiyil thaeneduthu va va va
Haa..haa haa
Vaelodu vizhi irandu
Velloottam ponadhendru
Noolaaana idai yeduthu
Poraada vandha pennae
Vaelodu vizhi irandu
Velloottam ponadhendru
Noolaaana idai yeduthu
Poraada vandha pennae
Aalaana naal mudhalaai
Achaaram koduthu vittu
Vaazhaamal vaadavittu paaraamal
Sendra kannaa
Aalaana naal mudhalaai
Achaaram koduthu vittu
Vaazhaamal vaadavittu paaraamal
Sendra kannaa
Kanna…haa haa haa
Male :Haa
Poopola idhazh virithu
Ponaana udal eduthu
Thaer pola vandha kannae
Silai pola vandha pennae
Athaanin thuniyirukka
Muthaana mozhiyirukka
Pithaaga kidantha ennai kothaaga
Anaitha kanna
Kannaa…
Male :Haa haa haa
Mmm... ha... ah... ha
Setting up a stage with fragrant javvadhu perfume,
Ooo oh oh oh oh
building a canopy of sugar,
Setting up a stage with fragrant javvadhu perfume,
building a canopy of sugar,
stepping gracefully with your tender legs, come, come, come!
splitting open the sweet red pomegranate, give it to me, give, give, give!
Taking nagalinga flowers on all four sides,
build a fortress of love and come, come, come!
Ha.. ha
Bringing the sweet juice of a ripe mango,
gathering honey from fresh jasmines, come, come, come!
Taking nagalinga flowers on all four sides,
build a fortress of love and come, come, come!
Bringing the sweet juice of a ripe mango,
gathering honey from fresh jasmines, come, come, come!
Ha.. ha ha
With your two spear-sharp eyes
setting out on a test run,
and a waist as slender as a thread,
O girl, you have arrived to wage a battle of love!
With your two spear-sharp eyes
setting out on a test run,
and a waist as slender as a thread,
O girl, you have arrived to wage a battle of love!
From the day I blossomed into womanhood,
you gave me your promise of love,
yet left me to wither without a life together,
and walked away without looking back, my beloved!
From the day I blossomed into womanhood,
you gave me your promise of love,
yet left me to wither without a life together,
and walked away without looking back, my beloved!
My beloved... ha ha ha
Ha
Unfolding your lips like a blossom,
with your body glowing like pure gold,
O darling who glided in like a grand chariot,
O girl who arrived sculpted like a statue!
With my sweetheart's support beside me,
and your words as precious as pearls,
when I was lost in lovesick yearning,
you gathered me into your arms, my beloved!
My beloved...
Ha ha ha
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Javvaadhu Maedaiyittu from the 1963 film Panathottam is a classic Tamil romantic duet featuring M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi, rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. The song is celebrated for its lush, imaginative imagery where the lovers build a metaphorical realm of romance out of sweet foods, flowers, and fragrances—a stage of civet perfume, a canopy of sugar, and pillars of red banana trees. As the duet unfolds, the lovers engage in tender banter. The female lead affectionately chides her lover for leaving her to languish despite his early promises, while the male lead praises her radiant beauty, comparing her grace to a chariot, her form to a sculpted statue, and her eyes to sharp spears. Kannadasan's lyrics beautifully capture the ecstasy of reunion and passionate embrace.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvaagam (Metaphor)

“Javvaadhu medaiyittu / Sarkkaraiyil pandhalittu”

Directly metaphorizes sweet and fragrant elements into structural festive decorations (a stage made of civet, a canopy made of sugar).

Uvamai (Simile)

“Vaelodu vizhi irandu”

Compares eyes to sharp spears ('vel') used in battle.

Uvamai (Simile)

“Thaer pola vandha kannae / Silai pola vandha pennae”

Uses 'pola' (like) to compare the woman's stately presence to a temple chariot ('thaer') and a fine sculpture ('silai').

Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)

“Sevvaazhai kaaleduthu va va va / Semmaadhulai pilandhu tha tha tha”

Repetition of the initial 'S' sound across words ('Sevvaazhai' and 'Semmaadhulai').

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Vaelodu vizhi irandu / Velloottam ponadhendru”

The second consonant 'l' / 'll' matches between 'Vaelodu' and 'Velloottam'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Panathottam (1963), directed by K. Shankar and starring M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi, features a iconic soundtrack composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy. Poet Kannadasan created this song using vivid sensory metaphors involving fruits, flowers, and sweets (sugar canopy, mango juice, jasmine honey) to denote opulent romantic joy.

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