Kaveri Thanniyil Kulichavadi
From Aayiram Poi · 1969
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- Manorama, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Aayiram Poi1969
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Neethaanaa vellaiyammaa | Are you Vellaiyamma? |
| Neethaanaa bommiyammaa | Are you Bommiyamma? |
| Female | |
| Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi | You who bathed in the Kaveri river water! |
| Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi | You whom I read about in stories after stories! |
| Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi | You who bathed in the Kaveri river water! |
| Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi | You whom I read about in stories after stories! |
| Kannaaga valarnthava bommiyammaa | Bommiyamma, who grew up as precious as an eye, |
| Bommiyammaa | Bommiyamma! |
| En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa | You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear! |
| En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa | You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear! |
| Female | |
| Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi | She who bathed in the Vaigai river! |
| Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi | She who bathed in the Vaigai river! |
| Naalu maasi veethiyil nadichavadi | She who walked on the four Masi streets! |
| Azhagaa valarnthava vellaiyammaa | Vellaiyamma, who grew up so beautifully! |
| Vellaiyammaa | Vellaiyamma! |
| En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa | There is nothing there that matches my level, dear! |
| En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa | There is nothing there that matches my level, dear! |
| Female | |
| Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum | Even if you have a thousand beauties, |
| Aattakkaariyadi | You are just a dancer girl! |
| Nee aattakkaariyadi | You are a dancer girl! |
| Female | |
| Aattakkaariyadi en thottakkaariyadi | A dancer girl, my companion girl! |
| En thottakkaariyadi | My companion girl! |
| Female | |
| Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum | Even if you have a thousand beauties, |
| Aattakkaariyadi | You are just a dancer girl! |
| Female | |
| Thottaththukku madurai veeran | Madurai Veeran is there for the garden, |
| Kottaikkaavaladi | He guards the fort! |
| Kottaikkaavaladi | He guards the fort! |
| Female | |
| Kottaikkaavaladi | He guards the fort! |
| Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi | Look at him and ask! |
| Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi | Look at him and ask! |
| Female | |
| Thottaththukku madurai veeran | Madurai Veeran is there for the garden, |
| Kottaikkaavaladi….aa…aa…aa…aa…. | He guards the fort... aa... aa... aa... aa... |
| Female | |
| Onbathu kambala deivamadi jakkamaa | Jakkamma is the deity of the nine Kambalam clans! |
| En jakkamaa ammaa jakkammaa | My Jakkamma, Mother Jakkamma! |
| Ava un kittaeyaa illai enthan pakkamaa | Is she on your side or on my side? |
| Female | |
| Aah haa angayarkanni | Ah ha, Angayarkanni, |
| Enga madurai meenatchi | Our Madurai Meenakshi! |
| Amma meenatchi madurai meenaatchi | Mother Meenakshi, Madurai Meenakshi! |
| Ava aavesam vanthu rompa naalaachchu | It has been a long time since she manifested in her fierce form! |
| Female | |
| Saami unakkaa enakkaadi | Is God on your side or mine, girl? |
| Female :Sarasaththilae idhu kanakkaadi | Female: Is this a matter of calculation in playful banter? |
| Female :Kaamiyadi un kai varisai | Female: Show your skill, show your dexterity, |
| Naan paarkkiraen | I am watching! |
| Female :Naanum paarukkiraen | Female: I am watching too! |
| Female :Adhaiyum paarkkiraen | Female: I am watching that as well! |
| Female :Sarithaan paarkkiraen | Female: All right, I am watching! |
| Female :Paarkkalaandi vaadi…. | Female: Come on, let us see! |
நீதானா வெள்ளையம்மா..........
நீதானா பொம்மியம்மா.............
Are you Vellaiyamma?
Are you Bommiyamma?
காவேரித் தண்ணியில் குளிச்சவடி
நான் கதைகதையாய் படிச்சவடி
காவேரித் தண்ணியில் குளிச்சவடி
நான் கதைகதையாய் படிச்சவடி
கண்ணாக வளர்ந்தவ பொம்மியம்மா
பொம்மியம்மா
என் காலுக்கு நீ கொஞ்சம் கம்மியம்மா
என் காலுக்கு நீ கொஞ்சம் கம்மியம்மா
You who bathed in the Kaveri river water!
You whom I read about in stories after stories!
You who bathed in the Kaveri river water!
You whom I read about in stories after stories!
Bommiyamma, who grew up as precious as an eye,
Bommiyamma!
You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear!
You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear!
வைகை ஆத்திலே குளிச்சவடி
வைகை ஆத்திலே குளிச்சவடி
நாலு மாசி வீதியில் நடிச்சவடி
அழகா வளர்ந்தவ வெள்ளையம்மா
வெள்ளையம்மா
என் அளவுக்கு அங்கொண்ணும் இல்லையம்மா
என் அளவுக்கு அங்கொண்ணும் இல்லையம்மா
She who bathed in the Vaigai river!
She who bathed in the Vaigai river!
She who walked on the four Masi streets!
Vellaiyamma, who grew up so beautifully!
Vellaiyamma!
There is nothing there that matches my level, dear!
There is nothing there that matches my level, dear!
ஆயிரம்தான் அழகுன்னாலும்
ஆட்டக்காரியடி
நீ ஆட்டக்காரியடி
Even if you have a thousand beauties,
You are just a dancer girl!
You are a dancer girl!
ஆட்டக்காரியடி என் தோட்டக்காரியடி
என் தோட்டக்காரியடி
A dancer girl, my companion girl!
My companion girl!
ஆயிரம்தான் அழகுன்னாலும்
ஆட்டக்காரியடி
Even if you have a thousand beauties,
You are just a dancer girl!
தோட்டத்துக்கு மதுரை வீரன்
கோட்டைக் காவலடி
கோட்டைக் காவலடி
Madurai Veeran is there for the garden,
He guards the fort!
He guards the fort!
கோட்டைக் காவலடி
அவனை பார்த்துக் கேட்டுக்கோடி
அவனை பார்த்துக் கேட்டுக்கோடி
He guards the fort!
Look at him and ask!
Look at him and ask!
தோட்டத்துக்கு மதுரை வீரன்
கோட்டைக் காவலடி ஆ...ஆ....ஆ....ஆ....
Madurai Veeran is there for the garden,
He guards the fort... aa... aa... aa... aa...
ஒன்பது கம்பள தெய்வமடி ஜக்கம்மா
என் ஜக்கம்மா அம்மா ஜக்கம்மா
அவ உன்கிட்டேயா இல்லை எந்தன் பக்கமா
Jakkamma is the deity of the nine Kambalam clans!
My Jakkamma, Mother Jakkamma!
Is she on your side or on my side?
ஆஹ் ஹா அங்கயற்கண்ணி
எங்க மதுரை மீனாட்சி
அம்மா மீனாட்சி மதுரை மீனாட்சி
அவ ஆவேசம் வந்து ரொம்ப நாளாச்சு
Ah ha, Angayarkanni,
Our Madurai Meenakshi!
Mother Meenakshi, Madurai Meenakshi!
It has been a long time since she manifested in her fierce form!
சாமி உனக்கா எனக்காடி
சரசத்திலே இது கணக்காடி
காமியடி உன் கை வரிசை
நான் பார்க்கிறேன்
நானும் பார்க்கிறேன்
அதையும் பார்க்கிறேன்
சரிதான் பார்க்கிறேன்
பார்க்கலான்டி வாடி......
Is God on your side or mine, girl?
Female: Is this a matter of calculation in playful banter?
Female: Show your skill, show your dexterity,
I am watching!
Female: I am watching too!
Female: I am watching that as well!
Female: All right, I am watching!
Female: Come on, let us see!
Neethaanaa vellaiyammaa
Are you Vellaiyamma?
Neethaanaa bommiyammaa
Are you Bommiyamma?
Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi
You who bathed in the Kaveri river water!
Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi
You whom I read about in stories after stories!
Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi
You who bathed in the Kaveri river water!
Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi
You whom I read about in stories after stories!
Kannaaga valarnthava bommiyammaa
Bommiyamma, who grew up as precious as an eye,
Bommiyammaa
Bommiyamma!
En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa
You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear!
En kaalukku nee konjam kammiyammaa
You are a bit inferior to my foot, dear!
Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi
She who bathed in the Vaigai river!
Vaigai aaththilae kulichavadi
She who bathed in the Vaigai river!
Naalu maasi veethiyil nadichavadi
She who walked on the four Masi streets!
Azhagaa valarnthava vellaiyammaa
Vellaiyamma, who grew up so beautifully!
Vellaiyammaa
Vellaiyamma!
En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa
There is nothing there that matches my level, dear!
En alavukku angonnum ilaiyammaa
There is nothing there that matches my level, dear!
Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum
Even if you have a thousand beauties,
Aattakkaariyadi
You are just a dancer girl!
Nee aattakkaariyadi
You are a dancer girl!
Aattakkaariyadi en thottakkaariyadi
A dancer girl, my companion girl!
En thottakkaariyadi
My companion girl!
Aayiramthaan azhagunnaalum
Even if you have a thousand beauties,
Aattakkaariyadi
You are just a dancer girl!
Thottaththukku madurai veeran
Madurai Veeran is there for the garden,
Kottaikkaavaladi
He guards the fort!
Kottaikkaavaladi
He guards the fort!
Kottaikkaavaladi
He guards the fort!
Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi
Look at him and ask!
Avanai paarththu kettukkoadi
Look at him and ask!
Thottaththukku madurai veeran
Madurai Veeran is there for the garden,
Kottaikkaavaladi….aa…aa…aa…aa….
He guards the fort... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Onbathu kambala deivamadi jakkamaa
Jakkamma is the deity of the nine Kambalam clans!
En jakkamaa ammaa jakkammaa
My Jakkamma, Mother Jakkamma!
Ava un kittaeyaa illai enthan pakkamaa
Is she on your side or on my side?
Aah haa angayarkanni
Ah ha, Angayarkanni,
Enga madurai meenatchi
Our Madurai Meenakshi!
Amma meenatchi madurai meenaatchi
Mother Meenakshi, Madurai Meenakshi!
Ava aavesam vanthu rompa naalaachchu
It has been a long time since she manifested in her fierce form!
Saami unakkaa enakkaadi
Is God on your side or mine, girl?
Female :Sarasaththilae idhu kanakkaadi
Female: Is this a matter of calculation in playful banter?
Female :Kaamiyadi un kai varisai
Female: Show your skill, show your dexterity,
Naan paarkkiraen
I am watching!
Female :Naanum paarukkiraen
Female: I am watching too!
Female :Adhaiyum paarkkiraen
Female: I am watching that as well!
Female :Sarithaan paarkkiraen
Female: All right, I am watching!
Female :Paarkkalaandi vaadi….
Female: Come on, let us see!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a vibrant musical duel (sawaal-jawaab) between two female characters referencing the popular folk legend of Madurai Veeran and his consorts, Bommi and Vellaiyamma. The singers exchange playful taunts, comparing their origins, beauty, river associations (Kaveri vs. Vaigai), and divine patronage (Goddess Jakkamma vs. Madurai Meenakshi). Through clever lyrical sparring written by Kannadasan, each speaker claims superiority over the other. The duet combines rhythmic folk flavor with dramatic energy, brilliantly delivered by Manorama and L. R. Eswari under V. Kumar's music composition.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Cultural Allusion (Ilayachi)
“Thottaththukku madurai veeran kottaikkaavaladi”
References the folk legend of Madurai Veeran, his consorts Bommi and Vellaiyamma, as well as guardian deities Jakkamma and Madurai Meenakshi.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Kaveri thanniyil kulichavadi / Naan kadhaikadhaiyaai padichavadi”
Matching end sounds across lines ('kulichavadi' / 'padichavadi') creating a rhythmic, song-duel cadence.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Aattakkaariyadi en thottakkaariyadi”
Repetition of phrase endings like 'aattakkaariyadi' and 'kottaikkaavaladi' to reinforce playful teasing and rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from Muktha Srinivasan's 1969 comedy film 'Aayiram Poi' features a dynamic musical confrontation between legendary singer-actress Manorama and playback singer L. R. Eswari. The song draws directly on Madurai folk traditions and features V. Kumar's signature energetic folk orchestrations.
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