Katti Vacha Poovum
From Aayiram Kalathu Payir · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Details
- Aayiram Kalathu Payir1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae | The tied flowers have not even faded yet |
| Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae | The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet |
| Katti thangamae petru varavae | To bring forth precious solid gold |
| Vittu sendra dheivam innum varavillaiyae | The god who left has not returned yet |
| Female | |
| Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae | The tied flowers have not even faded yet |
| Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae | The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet |
| Female | |
| Maalai varum endrirunthaen olai vanthathu | I waited expecting a garland, but a letter arrived |
| Adhil sedhi vanthathu thunba thoodhu vanthathu | News arrived in it, bringing a messenger of sorrow |
| Manna vara kaaththirunthen | I waited for my king to return |
| Innal vanthathu avar illai endrathu | Misfortune arrived, proclaiming he is no more |
| Female | |
| Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae | The tied flowers have not even faded yet |
| Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae | The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet |
| Female | |
| Koyil vazhi vaasalukku dheivam vanthathu | God arrived at the temple entrance |
| Ennai kootti vanthathu inbam kondu vanthathu | Brought me along and brought me joy |
| Koottukkili pola ennai vaadavittathu | Left me to wither like a bird trapped in a cage |
| Dheivam odi vittathu…. | God ran away and fled... |
| Female | |
| Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae | The tied flowers have not even faded yet |
| Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae | The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet |
| Katti thangamae petru varavae | To bring forth precious solid gold |
| Vittu sendra dheivam innum varavillaiyae | The god who left has not returned yet |
கட்டி வச்ச பூவும் வாடவில்லையே
தொட்டு வச்ச பொட்டும் இன்னும் மாறவில்லையே
கட்டித் தங்கமே பெற்று வரவே
விட்டுச் சென்ற தெய்வம் இன்னும் வரவில்லையே
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
To bring forth precious solid gold
The god who left has not returned yet
கட்டி வச்ச பூவும் வாடவில்லையே
தொட்டு வச்ச பொட்டும் இன்னும் மாறவில்லையே
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
மாலை வரும் என்றிருந்தேன் ஓலை வந்தது
அதில் சேதி வந்தது துன்பத் தூது வந்தது
மன்னர் வரக் காத்திருந்தேன்
இன்னல் வந்தது அவர் இல்லை என்றது
I waited expecting a garland, but a letter arrived
News arrived in it, bringing a messenger of sorrow
I waited for my king to return
Misfortune arrived, proclaiming he is no more
கட்டி வச்ச பூவும் வாடவில்லையே
தொட்டு வச்ச பொட்டும் இன்னும் மாறவில்லையே
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
கோயில் வழி வாசலுக்குத் தெய்வம் வந்தது
என்னைக் கூட்டி வந்தது இன்பம் கொண்டு வந்தது
கூட்டுக்கிளி போல என்னை வாடவிட்டது
தெய்வம் ஓடி விட்டது......
God arrived at the temple entrance
Brought me along and brought me joy
Left me to wither like a bird trapped in a cage
God ran away and fled...
கட்டி வச்ச பூவும் வாடவில்லையே
தொட்டு வச்ச பொட்டும் இன்னும் மாறவில்லையே
கட்டித் தங்கமே பெற்று வரவே
விட்டுச் சென்ற தெய்வம் இன்னும் வரவில்லையே
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
To bring forth precious solid gold
The god who left has not returned yet
Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
Katti thangamae petru varavae
To bring forth precious solid gold
Vittu sendra dheivam innum varavillaiyae
The god who left has not returned yet
Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
Maalai varum endrirunthaen olai vanthathu
I waited expecting a garland, but a letter arrived
Adhil sedhi vanthathu thunba thoodhu vanthathu
News arrived in it, bringing a messenger of sorrow
Manna vara kaaththirunthen
I waited for my king to return
Innal vanthathu avar illai endrathu
Misfortune arrived, proclaiming he is no more
Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
Koyil vazhi vaasalukku dheivam vanthathu
God arrived at the temple entrance
Ennai kootti vanthathu inbam kondu vanthathu
Brought me along and brought me joy
Koottukkili pola ennai vaadavittathu
Left me to wither like a bird trapped in a cage
Dheivam odi vittathu….
God ran away and fled...
Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae
The tied flowers have not even faded yet
Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae
The vermilion dot applied has not changed yet
Katti thangamae petru varavae
To bring forth precious solid gold
Vittu sendra dheivam innum varavillaiyae
The god who left has not returned yet
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song expresses the tragic sorrow of a newly wedded bride who loses her husband shortly after marriage. She laments that the very flowers adorning her hair haven't yet withered and the vermilion mark on her forehead hasn't faded, yet her world has shattered before her husband could return to build a family with her. Through evocative folk metaphors, she conveys how her briefly found happiness turned into an agonizing trap, comparing her grief to that of a helpless bird locked in a cage.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae”
Repeated line endings with '-villaiyae' ('vaadavillaiyae', 'maaravillaiyae', 'varavillaiyae') create a rhythmic, sorrowful refrain.
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae”
The second consonant 't' ('tt') rhymes across lines: Katti, Thottu, Vittu.
Uvamai (Simile)
“Koottukkili pola ennai vaadavittathu”
The protagonist compares her lonely, grieving state to a parrot trapped inside a cage ('Koottukkili pola').
Metaphor
“Vittu sendra dheivam innum varavillaiyae”
The husband is poetically referred to as 'Dheivam' (God) and 'Manna' (King), elevating her devotion to him.
Antithesis / Wordplay
“Maalai varum endrirunthaen olai vanthathu”
Contrast between 'Maalai' (Garland/Evening) and 'Olai' (Letter/Omen), highlighting expected joy versus unexpected grief.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan, this song uses classical Tamil poetic tradition (Sangam metaphor of flower freshness representing the recency of marriage) to convey tragic grief (Viraha/Thuya). P. Susheela's haunting rendition remains a classic example of grief expression in Tamil cinema.
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