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Punniyavathi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Aalampoovu

From Punniyavathi · 1997

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Ilayaraja, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Punniyavathi
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
28 Dec 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Melamaasi veedhiyila
Mela chatham kekkudhadi
Meenu kannu meenaatchiyin
Muthumani maala onnu
Om meniyilae soodi kondu
Sodi onnu thedi vandha
Muthammaa muthammaa muthammaa
Ada muthammaa muthammaa muthammaa
Dham dham dham dham
Dhamdham dhamdham dham
Dham dham dham dham
Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa
Mogam kodukkum
Maargazhi poo
Dhaagam thanikkum
Dhaavani poo
Mottu thaan mottu
Hoi thulludhadi ila mottu
Chittu thaan chittu
Hoi sinungudhadi kai pattu
{Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa} (2)
Punna vanathu poonguruvi
Sonnadhingae om paeru
Oodha kaathu adikkudhaiyaa
Ora paarva nee paaru
Thanimai enna vazhi marichu
Thaalam pottu sirikkudhadi
Dhaagam enna aravanachu
Thazhuvi kolla cholludhadi
Naendhukkitta saamikku
Naethi kadan seiyiren
Vaa mani kuyilae
Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa
Mogam kodukkum
Maargazhi poo
Dhaagam thanikkum
Dhaavani poo
Mottu thaan mottu
Hoi thulludhadi ila mottu
Chittu thaan chittu
Hoi sinungudhadi kai pattu
Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa
Nanananaa naanaa naanana
Nanananaa naanaa naanaa
Nanananaa naanaa naanana
Nanananaa naanaa naanaa aa…
Paarvaiyaalae odambukkullae
Padhiyam potta vedala pulla
Nammai pirikka yaarum illa
Naduvil endha oorum illa
Pazhagi pochu acham illa
Pesa edhuvum micham illa
Nenjukkulla kaathadichu
Neram paathu serthiduchu
Muthu mani kattavaa
Katti kondu ottavaa
Vaa mani kuyilae
Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa
Mogam kodukkum
Maargazhi poo
Dhaagam thanikkum
Dhaavani poo
Mottu thaan mottu
Male :Hae thulludhadi ila mottu
Female :Chittu thaan chittu
Male :Hoi sinungudhadi kai pattu
{Oru aalam poovu
Aththi poova paathadhundaa
Oru yelam poovu
Yelandham poova chaethadhundaa} (2)
Along West Masi Street,
The sound of festive drums is heard, girl!
Like fish-eyed Goddess Meenakshi's
Precious necklace of pearls,
Wearing it upon your body,
Searching for your matching pair came
Muthamma, Muthamma, Muthamma!
Oh, Muthamma, Muthamma, Muthamma!
Tham tham tham tham
Thamtham thamtham tham
Tham tham tham tham
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
Awakening sweet desire,
A flower of the winter month,
Quenching all thirst,
A flower draped in a half-saree!
A bud, just a bud!
Hoy, the young bud bounces with joy!
A bird, just a little bird!
Hoy, she blushes shyly at a touch!
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
The sweet songbird of the punnai grove
Whispered your name right here!
The chilly breeze is blowing, my man,
Cast your sidelong glance at me!
Loneliness blocks my way,
Tapping a beat and laughing, girl!
A deep longing embraces me,
And urges me to hold you close, girl!
To the deity I prayed to,
I am fulfilling my sacred vow!
Come, my precious singing bird!
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
Awakening sweet desire,
A flower of the winter month,
Quenching all thirst,
A flower draped in a half-saree!
A bud, just a bud!
Hoy, the young bud bounces with joy!
A bird, just a little bird!
Hoy, she blushes shyly at a touch!
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
Nananaana naanaa nanana
Nananaana naanaa naanaa
Nananaana naanaa nanana
Nananaana naanaa naanaa ah…
With just a single glance,
You took deep root inside me, young girl!
There is no one to separate us,
No distance or town stands between us!
We have grown close, the fear is gone,
There is nothing left unsaid!
A sweet breeze blew inside the heart,
And united us at the perfect time!
Shall I tie the wedding pearls around your neck?
Shall I hold you tight and stay close?
Come, my precious singing bird!
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
Awakening sweet desire,
A flower of the winter month,
Quenching all thirst,
A flower draped in a half-saree!
A bud, just a bud!
Male: Hey, the young bud bounces with joy!
Female: A bird, just a little bird!
Male: Hoy, she blushes shyly at a touch!
Has a banyan flower
Ever seen a fig flower?
Has a cardamom flower
Ever joined with a berry flower?
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a lively and romantic Tamil folk duet where the lead characters express their affectionate attachment, longing, and joy of union. The lyrics draw heavily upon Madurai's cultural milieu, referencing 'Melamaasi Veedhi' (West Masi Street) and Goddess Meenakshi's divine beauty as a point of comparison for the heroine's grace.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Melamaasi veedhiyila / Mela chatham kekkudhadi / Meenu kannu meenaatchiyin

Repetition of the 'M' sound at the beginning of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic musicality characteristic of folk songs.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Mogam kodukkum / Dhaagam thanikkum

The second letter 'ga' (க) rhymes across lines 'Mogam' and 'Dhaagam'.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Dhaavani poo / Vedala pulla padhiyam potta

The young heroine wearing a half-sari is poetically metaphorized as a blooming flower ('Dhaavani poo'), and her romantic look is metaphorized as planting roots ('padhiyam') in the hero's soul.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song incorporates references to Madurai's landmark street 'Melamaasi Veedhi' (West Masi Street), which is traditionally associated with festive temple processions of Goddess Meenakshi. The lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran utilize rare botanical comparisons (banyan flower, fig flower, cardamom, and jujube) as folk allegories for unlikely yet beautiful romantic pairings.

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