- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Tamizh Ponnu
- Movie release year
- 1992
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Mar 2021
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………
Karagam sumanthavalae
Kaarththigaiyil samainjavalae
Machcham therinjavalae
Machchaanukku amainjavalae
Thaavanikku vayasu enadi
Un machchaanukku thakkathoru badhila solladi
Karagam sumanthavalthaan
Kaarththigaiyil samanjavalthaan
Machcham thenrinjavathaan
Machchaanukku amainjavathaan
………………….
Poththi padukkaiyilum
Buththi unna theduthadi
Unna ninaikkaiyilae
Ullangai arikkuthadi
Madaiya thorakkum munnae
Machchaanukku thaagamenna
Manjal kulikkumunnae
Maiyal vantha maayamenna
Thaavanikku malea vanthu
Thaavuthadi en manasu
Female :Aahaan
Male :Thaavanikku malea vanthu
Thaavuthadi en manasu
Thalli nikkuthu naaththu
Nee thanni ooththanum paaththu
Thalli nikkuthu naaththu
Nee thanni ooththanum paaththu
Karagam sumanthavalae
Kaarththigaiyil samainjavalae
Machcham therinjavalae
Machchaanukku amainjavalae
Thaavanikku vayasu enadi
Un machchaanukku thakkathoru badhila solladi
Haan karagam sumanthavalthaan
Kaarththigaiyil samanjavalthaan
Machcham thenrinjavathaan
Machchaanukku amainjavathaan
Oththa kolusu enna
Uththu uththu paarpathenna
katti pidikka solli
Kattalaithaan pottathenna
Kurukku siruththavarae
Kurumbu seiyum saamigalae
Irukka idam koduththaa
padukka edam keppigalae
Kuththa vachcha pachchakkili
Koottukkoru thaappaa enna
Female :Aahaan
Male :Kuththa vachcha pachchakkili
Koottukkoru thaappaa enna
Vekkam pottathu veli
Konjam velagi nikkuthu kozhi
Vekkam pottathu veli
Konjam velagi nikkuthu kozhi
Karagam sumanthavalae
Kaarththigaiyil samainjavalae
Machcham therinjavalae
Machchaanukku amainjavalae
Thaavanikku vayasu enadi
Un machchaanukku thakkathoru badhila solladi
Aehaei
Karagam sumanthavalthaan
Kaarththigaiyil samanjavalthaan
Thaavanikku vayasu solla
Thangaththula thaali kodu
...
O girl who balances the karagam pot,
O girl who came of age in the month of Karthigai,
O girl with the visible beauty mark,
O girl destined for your beloved,
How old is your half-saree, girl?
Give your beloved a proper answer, tell me!
I am indeed the one who carried the karagam pot,
I am indeed the one who came of age in Karthigai,
My beauty mark is indeed visible,
I am indeed destined for my beloved.
...
Even when I wrap myself up to sleep,
my mind searches only for you, girl.
Whenever I think of you,
my palms itch with longing!
Before the canal gate is even opened,
why is my beloved so thirsty?
Before my bridal turmeric bath,
what is this sudden spell of passion?
Flying right past your half-saree,
my heart leaps toward you, girl!
Aha!
Flying right past your half-saree,
my heart leaps toward you, girl!
The young crop stands a little away,
you must water it with care!
The young crop stands a little away,
you must water it with care!
O girl who balances the karagam pot,
O girl who came of age in Karthigai,
O girl with the visible beauty mark,
O girl made for your beloved,
How old is your half-saree, girl?
Give your beloved a proper answer, tell me!
Haan, I am indeed the one who carried the karagam pot,
I am indeed the one who came of age in Karthigai,
My beauty mark is indeed visible,
I am indeed destined for my beloved.
Why is your single anklet
staring at me so intently?
Demanding that I hold you tight,
why did it give such an order?
O slender-waisted man,
my playful lord of mischief!
If I give you room to sit,
you'll ask for room to lie down!
For a perched little green parrot,
why put a latch on its cage?
Aha!
For a perched little green parrot,
why put a latch on its cage?
Shyness has put up a fence,
so the little hen steps back!
Shyness has put up a fence,
so the little hen steps back!
O girl who balances the karagam pot,
O girl who came of age in Karthigai,
O girl with the visible beauty mark,
O girl made for your beloved,
How old is your half-saree, girl?
Give your beloved a proper answer, tell me!
Hey!
I am indeed the one who carried the karagam pot,
I am indeed the one who came of age in Karthigai!
If you want to know the age of my half-saree,
tie a golden thali (sacred wedding thread) around my neck!
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This playful and romantic duet from the film features a teasing dialogue between a young man and his maternal cousin (machaan and machal). The man flirts with her, admiring her traditional grace, her maturity marked since the month of Kaarththigai, and expressing his deep romantic longing and impatience to be with her.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)
“Poththi padukkaiyilum / Buththi unna theduthadi”
Matching second consonants across lines, e.g., 'Karagam' and 'Kaarththigaiyil', 'Poththi' and 'Buththi'.
Monaai (Alliteration)
“Thalli nikkuthu naaththu / Nee thanni ooththanum paaththu”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds within a line or across adjacent lines, such as 'Thalli' and 'Thanni'.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Vekkam pottathu veli”
Comparing shyness to a fence standing in the way of intimacy ('Vekkam pottathu veli').
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics by Vairamuthu capture the authentic rural flavor of Tamil Nadu's village folk traditions, incorporating ritual references like carrying the Karagam pot and customary village courtship tropes.
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