Niththam Niththam
From Mullum Malarum · 1978
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Mullum Malarum1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Niththam niththam nellu choru | Every single day, rice made of fine paddy, |
| Nei manakkum kaththirikkai | Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee, |
| Niththam niththam nellu choru | Every single day, rice made of fine paddy, |
| Nei manakkum kaththirikkai | Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee, |
| Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu | Yesterday's fish curry, |
| Ennai izhukkuthaiyya | Pulls me in, oh sir! |
| Nenjukullae andha nenappu | That memory inside my heart, |
| Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa | Makes me swoon, oh sir! |
| Female | |
| Pacharisu soru ..mmm | Raw rice dish... mmm, |
| Uppu karuvadu | Salted dried fish, |
| Sinnammanooru vaaikka | In the Sinnamanur canal, |
| Selu kendai meenu | Sleek Kendai fish, |
| Kuruththaana molai keerai | Tender sprouted greens, |
| Vaadaatha siru keerai | Fresh, unwithered amaranth greens, |
| Nenaikaiyilae enakku ippo echi ooruthu | Just thinking about it makes my mouth water now, |
| Alli thinna aasai vanthu ennai meeruthu | The desire to scoop and eat it overcomes me! |
| Female | |
| Niththam niththam nellu choru | Every single day, rice made of fine paddy, |
| Nei manakkum kaththirikkai | Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee, |
| Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu | Yesterday's fish curry, |
| Ennai izhukkuthaiyya | Pulls me in, oh sir! |
| Nenjukullae andha nenappu | That memory inside my heart, |
| Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa | Makes me swoon, oh sir! |
| Female | |
| Paavakkaa koottu | Bitter gourd stew, |
| Paruppoda serthu | Combined with lentils, |
| Pakkuvathai paathu | Carefully monitoring the cooking, |
| Aakki mudichachu | It has been prepared, |
| Siru kaalaan varuthaachu | Small mushrooms have been fried, |
| Patham paathu eduthaachu | Taken off at the right texture, |
| Kezh varagu koozhukathu | For finger millet porridge, |
| Romba poruthamaiyya | It is a perfect match, sir! |
| Thinam kudicha odambu idhu | If you drink it daily, this body, |
| Rombha perukkumaiyya | Will grow big and strong, sir! |
| Female | |
| Niththam niththam nellu choru | Every single day, rice made of fine paddy, |
| Nei manakkum kaththirikkai | Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee, |
| Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu | Yesterday's fish curry, |
| Ennai izhukkuthaiyya | Pulls me in, oh sir! |
| Nenjukullae andha nenappu | That memory inside my heart, |
| Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa | Makes me swoon, oh sir! |
| Female | |
| Pazhayathukku thodha | To go well with leftover soaked rice, |
| Pulichirukkum moru | Tangy sour buttermilk, |
| Pottukadalia thenggaai | Fried gram and coconut, |
| Poattaraicha thovaiyalu | Chutney ground together, |
| Saambaaru venggayam | Sambar onions, |
| Salikkathu thinnaalum | Even if eaten daily, one never gets bored of it, |
| Adhukku enai olagathilae illavae illai | There is no equal to it anywhere in the world, |
| Alli thinnen enakku innum alukkavae illai | I ate handfuls, yet I am not satiated, |
| Female | |
| Iththanaikum melirukku | Above all of this, |
| Nenjukullae aasai onnu | There is a desire in my heart, |
| Soosagamaa solla poren pombalai thaangga | I will tell you subtly, lady, please hold on, |
| Soodaaga irukkurappo saappuda vaangga | Come and eat while it is served piping hot! |
நித்தம் நித்தம் நெல்லு சோறு
நெய் மணக்கும் கத்திரிக்கா
நித்தம் நித்தம் நெல்லு சோறு
நெய் மணக்கும் கத்திரிக்கா
நேத்து வெச்ச மீன் கொழம்பு
என்ன இழுக்குதைய்யா
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ள அந்த நெனப்பு
வந்து மயக்குதைய்யா
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Yesterday's fish curry,
Pulls me in, oh sir!
That memory inside my heart,
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
பச்சரிசி சோறு..ம்ம் ..
உப்பு கருவாடு
சின்னமனூரு வாய்க்கா
சேலு கெண்ட மீனு
குருத்தான மொளை கீரை
வாடாத சிறு கீரை
நெனைக்கையிலே எனக்கு இப்போ
எச்சி ஊறுது
அள்ளி தின்ன ஆசை வந்து
என்னை மீறுது
Raw rice dish... mmm,
Salted dried fish,
In the Sinnamanur canal,
Sleek Kendai fish,
Tender sprouted greens,
Fresh, unwithered amaranth greens,
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water now,
The desire to scoop and eat it overcomes me!
நித்தம் நித்தம் நெல்லு சோறு
நெய் மணக்கும் கத்திரிக்கா
நேத்து வெச்ச மீன் கொழம்பு
என்ன இழுக்குதைய்யா
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ள அந்த நெனப்பு
வந்து மயக்குதைய்யா
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Yesterday's fish curry,
Pulls me in, oh sir!
That memory inside my heart,
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
பாவக்கா கூட்டு
பருப்போட சேத்து
பக்குவத்த பாத்து
ஆக்கி முடிச்சாச்சு
சிறுகாலான் வருத்தாச்சு
பதம் பாத்து எடுத்தாச்சு
கேழ்வெரகு கூழுக்கது
ரொம்ப பொருத்தமைய்யா
தெனங்குடிச்சா ஒடம்பு இது
ரொம்ப பெறுக்குமைய்யா
Bitter gourd stew,
Combined with lentils,
Carefully monitoring the cooking,
It has been prepared,
Small mushrooms have been fried,
Taken off at the right texture,
For finger millet porridge,
It is a perfect match, sir!
If you drink it daily, this body,
Will grow big and strong, sir!
நித்தம் நித்தம் நெல்லு சோறு
நெய் மணக்கும் கத்திரிக்கா
நேத்து வெச்ச மீன் கொழம்பு
என்ன இழுக்குதைய்யா
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ள அந்த நெனப்பு
வந்து மயக்குதைய்யா
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Yesterday's fish curry,
Pulls me in, oh sir!
That memory inside my heart,
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
பழையதுக்கு தோதா
புளிச்சி இருக்கும் மோறு
பொட்டுகள்ள தேங்கா
போட்டறச்ச தொவயலு
சாம்பாரு வெங்காயம்
சலிக்காது தின்னாலும்
அதுக்கு இணை ஒலகத்துல
இல்லவே இல்ல
அள்ளி தின்னேன் எனக்கு இன்னும்
அலுக்கவே இல்ல
To go well with leftover soaked rice,
Tangy sour buttermilk,
Fried gram and coconut,
Chutney ground together,
Sambar onions,
Even if eaten daily, one never gets bored of it,
There is no equal to it anywhere in the world,
I ate handfuls, yet I am not satiated,
இத்தனைக்கும் மேலிருக்கு
நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே ஆச ஒன்னு
சூசகமா சொல்ல போறேன்
பொம்பள தாங்க
சூடாக இருக்குறப்போ சாப்பிட வாங்க
Above all of this,
There is a desire in my heart,
I will tell you subtly, lady, please hold on,
Come and eat while it is served piping hot!
Niththam niththam nellu choru
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Nei manakkum kaththirikkai
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Niththam niththam nellu choru
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Nei manakkum kaththirikkai
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu
Yesterday's fish curry,
Ennai izhukkuthaiyya
Pulls me in, oh sir!
Nenjukullae andha nenappu
That memory inside my heart,
Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
Pacharisu soru ..mmm
Raw rice dish... mmm,
Uppu karuvadu
Salted dried fish,
Sinnammanooru vaaikka
In the Sinnamanur canal,
Selu kendai meenu
Sleek Kendai fish,
Kuruththaana molai keerai
Tender sprouted greens,
Vaadaatha siru keerai
Fresh, unwithered amaranth greens,
Nenaikaiyilae enakku ippo echi ooruthu
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water now,
Alli thinna aasai vanthu ennai meeruthu
The desire to scoop and eat it overcomes me!
Niththam niththam nellu choru
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Nei manakkum kaththirikkai
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu
Yesterday's fish curry,
Ennai izhukkuthaiyya
Pulls me in, oh sir!
Nenjukullae andha nenappu
That memory inside my heart,
Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
Paavakkaa koottu
Bitter gourd stew,
Paruppoda serthu
Combined with lentils,
Pakkuvathai paathu
Carefully monitoring the cooking,
Aakki mudichachu
It has been prepared,
Siru kaalaan varuthaachu
Small mushrooms have been fried,
Patham paathu eduthaachu
Taken off at the right texture,
Kezh varagu koozhukathu
For finger millet porridge,
Romba poruthamaiyya
It is a perfect match, sir!
Thinam kudicha odambu idhu
If you drink it daily, this body,
Rombha perukkumaiyya
Will grow big and strong, sir!
Niththam niththam nellu choru
Every single day, rice made of fine paddy,
Nei manakkum kaththirikkai
Eggplant dish smelling rich like ghee,
Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu
Yesterday's fish curry,
Ennai izhukkuthaiyya
Pulls me in, oh sir!
Nenjukullae andha nenappu
That memory inside my heart,
Vanthu mayakkuthaiyaa
Makes me swoon, oh sir!
Pazhayathukku thodha
To go well with leftover soaked rice,
Pulichirukkum moru
Tangy sour buttermilk,
Pottukadalia thenggaai
Fried gram and coconut,
Poattaraicha thovaiyalu
Chutney ground together,
Saambaaru venggayam
Sambar onions,
Salikkathu thinnaalum
Even if eaten daily, one never gets bored of it,
Adhukku enai olagathilae illavae illai
There is no equal to it anywhere in the world,
Alli thinnen enakku innum alukkavae illai
I ate handfuls, yet I am not satiated,
Iththanaikum melirukku
Above all of this,
Nenjukullae aasai onnu
There is a desire in my heart,
Soosagamaa solla poren pombalai thaangga
I will tell you subtly, lady, please hold on,
Soodaaga irukkurappo saappuda vaangga
Come and eat while it is served piping hot!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song celebrates the rich, rustic culinary culture of rural Tamil Nadu with exuberant passion. Through detailed descriptions of mouth-watering traditional foods—ranging from yesterday's seasoned fish curry and ghee-infused eggplant to fried mushrooms, millet porridge, and coconut chutney—the singer expresses an irresistible craving and joy for simple, wholesome home cooking. The song vividly highlights how food connects to affection, comfort, and sensory delight in everyday village life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Niththam niththam nellu choru / Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu”
Repetition of the 'N' sound at the beginning of consecutive key words creates a melodic rhythmic flow.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Pacharisu soru ..mmm / Uppu karuvadu”
Slight structural pairing and rhythmic harmony across short, punchy descriptive food items.
Sensory Imagery
“Nei manakkum kaththirikkai / Nethu vacha meen kozhmabu”
Appeals strongly to olfactory and gustatory senses by describing the rich aroma of ghee and seasoned fish curry.
Did you know?
Trivia
Mullum Malarum (1978) is a landmark Tamil drama film directed by J. Mahendran, starring Rajinikanth in one of his most critically acclaimed early roles. The music for the movie was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics for this song penned by his brother Gangai Amaran. The song is celebrated for its vivid celebration of native Tamil cuisine.
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