Nethiyelae Pottu Vai
From Virumaandi · 2004
- Lyricist
- Muthulingam
- Singers
- Karunanidhi, Sukumar, Thiruvudiyan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Virumaandi2004
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Neththiyila pottu vai | Place a bindi on her forehead |
| Nera nimithi vai | Straighten her body up straight |
| Kattai irukki vai | Tie the wooden frame tightly |
| Kaala pudichu vai | Hold her legs together |
| Male | |
| Kaasai azhuthi vai | Press a coin onto her forehead |
| Soodam koluthi vai | Light the camphor |
| Kazhuthai thiruppi vai | Turn her neck straight |
| Kannaadiya maatti vai | Put her spectacles on |
| Male | |
| Suppaatha namma appatha | Suppaatha is our grandmother |
| Idhai thaeru eduthu vachu | Prepare the funeral chariot bier for her |
| Poovaal alangarichu | Decorate it with flowers |
| Oorae madhikkumbadi thookkavenum | We must carry her so the entire village honors her respect |
| Thookkungadaa | Lift her up, everyone! |
| Male | |
| Neththiyila pottu vai | Place a bindi on her forehead |
| Nera nimithi vai..hai | Straighten her body up straight... hey! |
| Kattai irukki vai | Tie the wooden frame tightly |
| Kaala pudichu vai…hai | Hold her legs together... hey! |
| Male | |
| Kaasai azhuthi vai | Press a coin onto her forehead |
| Soodam koluthi vai | Light the camphor |
| Kazhuthai thiruppi vai | Turn her neck straight |
| Kannaadiya maatti vai | Put her spectacles on |
நெத்தியில பொட்டு
வை நேர நிமித்தி வை கட்டை
இறுக்கி வை கால புடிச்சு வை
Place a bindi on her forehead
Straighten her body up straight
Tie the wooden frame tightly
Hold her legs together
காசை அழுத்தி வை
சூடம் கொளுத்தி வை கழுத்தை
திருப்பி வை கண்ணாடிய மாட்டி
வை
Press a coin onto her forehead
Light the camphor
Turn her neck straight
Put her spectacles on
சுப்பாத்தா நம்ம அப்பாத்தா
இதை தேரு எடுத்து வச்சு பூவால்
அலங்கரிச்சு ஊரே மதிக்கும் படி
தூக்க வேணும் தூக்குங்க டா
Suppaatha is our grandmother
Prepare the funeral chariot bier for her
Decorate it with flowers
We must carry her so the entire village honors her respect
Lift her up, everyone!
நெத்தியில பொட்டு
வை நேர நிமித்தி வை ஹை
கட்டை இறுக்கி வை கால
புடிச்சு வை ஹை
Place a bindi on her forehead
Straighten her body up straight... hey!
Tie the wooden frame tightly
Hold her legs together... hey!
காசை அழுத்தி வை
சூடம் கொளுத்தி வை கழுத்தை
திருப்பி வை கண்ணாடிய மாட்டி
வை
Press a coin onto her forehead
Light the camphor
Turn her neck straight
Put her spectacles on
Neththiyila pottu vai
Place a bindi on her forehead
Nera nimithi vai
Straighten her body up straight
Kattai irukki vai
Tie the wooden frame tightly
Kaala pudichu vai
Hold her legs together
Kaasai azhuthi vai
Press a coin onto her forehead
Soodam koluthi vai
Light the camphor
Kazhuthai thiruppi vai
Turn her neck straight
Kannaadiya maatti vai
Put her spectacles on
Suppaatha namma appatha
Suppaatha is our grandmother
Idhai thaeru eduthu vachu
Prepare the funeral chariot bier for her
Poovaal alangarichu
Decorate it with flowers
Oorae madhikkumbadi thookkavenum
We must carry her so the entire village honors her respect
Thookkungadaa
Lift her up, everyone!
Neththiyila pottu vai
Place a bindi on her forehead
Nera nimithi vai..hai
Straighten her body up straight... hey!
Kattai irukki vai
Tie the wooden frame tightly
Kaala pudichu vai…hai
Hold her legs together... hey!
Kaasai azhuthi vai
Press a coin onto her forehead
Soodam koluthi vai
Light the camphor
Kazhuthai thiruppi vai
Turn her neck straight
Kannaadiya maatti vai
Put her spectacles on
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song fragment vividly captures the traditional funeral preparation rituals performed for an elder matriarch, Suppaatha ('our grandmother'), in rural Southern Tamil Nadu. The lyrics list step-by-step custom directives—straightening the deceased, applying a bindi and coin to the forehead, tying the body, placing her spectacles, lighting camphor, and decorating a grand funeral bier ('thaeru') with flowers.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Neththiyila pottu vai / Nera nimithi vai / Kattai irukki vai”
Multiple consecutive lines end with the verbal command 'vai' ('place/keep'), creating a rhythmic chant-like cadence.
Monai (Alliteration / First-Letter Assonance)
“Kattai irukki vai / Kaala pudichu vai / Kaasai azhuthi vai / Kazhuthai thiruppi vai / Kannaadiya maatti vai”
Consecutive ritual instructions begin with the initial consonant sound 'K' (Kattai, Kaala, Kaasai, Kazhuthai, Kannaadiya).
Did you know?
Trivia
The movie *Virumaandi* (2004), written and directed by Kamal Haasan, features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. It is renowned for its authentic depiction of rural South Tamil Nadu culture, rituals, and folk music traditions, capturing raw human emotions and rural rites of passage.
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