Melatha Mella
From Aruvadai Naal · 1986
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Aruvadai Naal1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Indha melatha mella thattu | Beat this drum softly |
| Female | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Indha melatha mella thattu | Beat this drum softly |
| Male | |
| Anganga killikkittu | Pinching playfully here and there |
| Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu | A bullfight inside a locked house |
| Female | |
| Anganga killikkittu | Pinching playfully here and there |
| Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu | A bullfight inside a locked house |
| Male | |
| Naan thottu nee thottu | I touch, you touch |
| Thaappaala nee pottu | You latch the door |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Female :Indha melatha mella thattu | Female: Beat this drum softly |
| Male | |
| Muthira vekkiren kannathula | I place a seal on your cheek |
| Nithamum naan andha ennathula | Every day I am lost in that thought |
| Female | |
| Nithira kettadhu mothathula | Sleep was lost altogether |
| Nikkiren naan unga pakkathula | I am standing right beside you |
| Male | |
| Nee oru poo maala naan anaikka | You are a flower garland for me to embrace |
| Female | |
| Vandhadhu vandhadhu vatta nilaa | The round moon has arrived, has arrived |
| Vaaliba nenjatha sutta nilaa | The moon that scorched youthful hearts |
| Male | |
| Pen yena en uyir thotta nilaa | The moon that touched my soul as a woman |
| Inbatha thooriya pattu nilaa | The silky moon that showered happiness |
| Female | |
| Kodaiyila vaadaiyila | In summer breeze and winter chill |
| Male | |
| Ullatha thottadhu vellatha kottudhu | It touched the heart and pours like a flood |
| Male | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Indha melatha mella thattu | Beat this drum softly |
| Female | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Indha melatha mella thattu | Beat this drum softly |
| Female | |
| Manmadhan vittadhu baanam alla | It is not an arrow shot by Cupid |
| Naan indha nerathil naanum alla | At this moment, I am not myself either |
| Male | |
| Nithirai en vizhi kaanavilla | My eyes could not find any sleep |
| Nenjinil koodiyum podhavilla | Even uniting in the heart is not enough |
| Female | |
| Aalila aadum aasa naal muzhukka | Desire sways like a banyan leaf all day long |
| Male | |
| Orathula nadhi theerathula | By the corner, on the riverbank |
| Saarathula idhazh eerathula | In the sweet essence, with wet lips |
| Female | |
| Nerathula maniyaarathula | At the right moment, in the gem necklace |
| Nenjinil yeriya baarathula | In the weight that climbed onto the heart |
| Male | |
| Raagathula thaalathula | In melody and in rhythm |
| Female | |
| Saendhadhu en manam | My heart joined in |
| Sonnadhu sammadham | It gave its consent |
| Female | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Indha melatha mella thattu | Beat this drum softly |
| Male | |
| Anganga killikkittu | Pinching playfully here and there |
| Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu | A bullfight inside a locked house |
| Female | |
| Anganga killikkittu | Pinching playfully here and there |
| Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu | A bullfight inside a locked house |
| Male | |
| Naan thottu nee thottu | I touch, you touch |
| Thaappaala nee pottu | You latch the door |
| Male | |
| Melatha mella thattu | Beat the drum softly |
| Female :Indha melatha mella thattu | Female: Beat this drum softly |
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Beat the drum softly
Beat this drum softly
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Beat the drum softly
Beat this drum softly
அங்கங்க கிள்ளிக்கிட்டு
பூட்டி வெச்ச வீட்டுக்குள் ஜல்லிக்கட்டு
Pinching playfully here and there
A bullfight inside a locked house
அங்கங்க கிள்ளிக்கிட்டு
பூட்டி வெச்ச வீட்டுக்குள் ஜல்லிக்கட்டு
Pinching playfully here and there
A bullfight inside a locked house
நான் தொட்டு நீ தொட்டு
தாப்பாள நீ போட்டு
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
I touch, you touch
You latch the door
Beat the drum softly
Female: Beat this drum softly
முத்திர வெக்கிறேன் கன்னத்துல
நித்தமும் நான் அந்த எண்ணத்துல
I place a seal on your cheek
Every day I am lost in that thought
நித்திர கெட்டது மொத்தத்துல
நிக்கிறேன் நான் உங்க பக்கத்துல
Sleep was lost altogether
I am standing right beside you
நீ ஒரு பூ மால நான் அணைக்க
You are a flower garland for me to embrace
வந்தது வந்தது வட்ட நிலா
வாலிப நெஞ்சத்த சுட்ட நிலா
The round moon has arrived, has arrived
The moon that scorched youthful hearts
பெண் என என் உயிர் தொட்ட நிலா
இன்பத்த தூரிய பட்டு நிலா
The moon that touched my soul as a woman
The silky moon that showered happiness
கோடையில வாடையில
In summer breeze and winter chill
உள்ளத்த தொட்டது
வெள்ளத்த கொட்டுது
It touched the heart and pours like a flood
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Beat the drum softly
Beat this drum softly
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Beat the drum softly
Beat this drum softly
பெண் குழு :
ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆ......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ....ஆ.....
ஆண் குழு :
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
பெண் குழு :
ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆ......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ....ஆ.....
It is not an arrow shot by Cupid
At this moment, I am not myself either
மன்மதன் விட்டது பாணம் அல்ல
நான் இந்த நேரத்தில் நானும் அல்ல
My eyes could not find any sleep
Even uniting in the heart is not enough
நித்திரை என் விழி காணவில்ல
நெஞ்சினில் கூடியும் போதவில்ல
Desire sways like a banyan leaf all day long
ஆலில ஆடும் ஆசை
நாள் முழுக்க
By the corner, on the riverbank
In the sweet essence, with wet lips
ஓரத்துல நதி தீரத்துல
சாரத்துல இதழ் ஈரத்துல
At the right moment, in the gem necklace
In the weight that climbed onto the heart
நேரத்துல மணியாரத்துல
நெஞ்சினில் ஏறிய பாரத்துல
In melody and in rhythm
ராகத்துல தாளத்துல
My heart joined in
It gave its consent
சேந்தது எம் மனம்
சொன்னது சம்மதம்
Beat the drum softly
Beat this drum softly
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Pinching playfully here and there
A bullfight inside a locked house
அங்கங்க கிள்ளிக்கிட்டு
பூட்டி வெச்ச வீட்டுக்குள் ஜல்லிக்கட்டு
Pinching playfully here and there
A bullfight inside a locked house
அங்கங்க கிள்ளிக்கிட்டு
பூட்டி வெச்ச வீட்டுக்குள் ஜல்லிக்கட்டு
I touch, you touch
You latch the door
நான் தொட்டு நீ தொட்டு
தாப்பாள நீ போட்டு
Beat the drum softly
Female: Beat this drum softly
மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
இந்த மேளத்த மெல்லத் தட்டு
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Indha melatha mella thattu
Beat this drum softly
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Indha melatha mella thattu
Beat this drum softly
Anganga killikkittu
Pinching playfully here and there
Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu
A bullfight inside a locked house
Anganga killikkittu
Pinching playfully here and there
Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu
A bullfight inside a locked house
Naan thottu nee thottu
I touch, you touch
Thaappaala nee pottu
You latch the door
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Female :Indha melatha mella thattu
Female: Beat this drum softly
Muthira vekkiren kannathula
I place a seal on your cheek
Nithamum naan andha ennathula
Every day I am lost in that thought
Nithira kettadhu mothathula
Sleep was lost altogether
Nikkiren naan unga pakkathula
I am standing right beside you
Nee oru poo maala naan anaikka
You are a flower garland for me to embrace
Vandhadhu vandhadhu vatta nilaa
The round moon has arrived, has arrived
Vaaliba nenjatha sutta nilaa
The moon that scorched youthful hearts
Pen yena en uyir thotta nilaa
The moon that touched my soul as a woman
Inbatha thooriya pattu nilaa
The silky moon that showered happiness
Kodaiyila vaadaiyila
In summer breeze and winter chill
Ullatha thottadhu vellatha kottudhu
It touched the heart and pours like a flood
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Indha melatha mella thattu
Beat this drum softly
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Indha melatha mella thattu
Beat this drum softly
Manmadhan vittadhu baanam alla
It is not an arrow shot by Cupid
Naan indha nerathil naanum alla
At this moment, I am not myself either
Nithirai en vizhi kaanavilla
My eyes could not find any sleep
Nenjinil koodiyum podhavilla
Even uniting in the heart is not enough
Aalila aadum aasa naal muzhukka
Desire sways like a banyan leaf all day long
Orathula nadhi theerathula
By the corner, on the riverbank
Saarathula idhazh eerathula
In the sweet essence, with wet lips
Nerathula maniyaarathula
At the right moment, in the gem necklace
Nenjinil yeriya baarathula
In the weight that climbed onto the heart
Raagathula thaalathula
In melody and in rhythm
Saendhadhu en manam
My heart joined in
Sonnadhu sammadham
It gave its consent
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Indha melatha mella thattu
Beat this drum softly
Anganga killikkittu
Pinching playfully here and there
Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu
A bullfight inside a locked house
Anganga killikkittu
Pinching playfully here and there
Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu
A bullfight inside a locked house
Naan thottu nee thottu
I touch, you touch
Thaappaala nee pottu
You latch the door
Melatha mella thattu
Beat the drum softly
Female :Indha melatha mella thattu
Female: Beat this drum softly
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Melatha Mella Thattu from the 1986 Tamil film Aruvadai Naal is a playful and vibrant romantic song depicting the intense intimacy and playful banter between two lovers. Using lively folk metaphors, the song compares the romantic play within the privacy of a home to a spirited bull-taming festival (jallikkattu) and gentle drumbeats. The lyrics capture the overwhelming feelings of passion, sleepless nights, and physical closeness. Throughout the track, the lyrics express how love overwhelms the senses like a flood during summer and winter alike. The song portrays mutual consent and deep emotional connection, framed around poetic imagery of the full moon, riverbanks, and rhythmic melodies.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Pootti vecha veettukkul jallikkattu”
Compares romantic play behind locked doors to 'Jallikkattu' (bull-taming festival), highlighting intense passion and excitement.
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Muthira vekkiren kannathula / Nithamum naan andha ennathula / Nithira kettadhu mothathula”
The second consonant 'th' matches across consecutive lines (Muthira, Nithamum, Nithira), creating a natural lyrical flow.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Vandhadhu vandhadhu vatta nilaa”
Repetition of the starting letter 'V' across words in the line builds rhythmic momentum.
Did you know?
Trivia
Aruvadai Naal (1986) was directed by G. M. Kumar and marked the debut of actor Prabhu in a rustic lead role alongside Pallavi. The music for the film was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by his brother Gangai Amaran. The song captures the quintessential 1980s rural folk-pop sound popularized by the duo.
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