Oru Maman Illamaththan
From Sumai · 1981
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Sumai1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aa….aa….aa….oru raththiri oru poongodi | Ah… ah… ah… One night, a flowering vine (a tender woman) |
| paai virichchava paduththaa purandaa | Spread her mat, laid down, and tossed and turned restless. |
| Paavam padukkai mullaachchu | Poor thing, her bed turned into a bed of thorns. |
| Male | |
| Oru maaman illaamathathaan | Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor, |
| Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa | This maina bird is struggling in distress. |
| Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan | Seeing this, a sinful man |
| Bhoopaanam pottanammaa | Sang the morning raga (Bhoopalam) to taunt her. |
| Male | |
| Kaaththum ippa soodaachchuthu kaadhal | Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love |
| Paduththu paadachchuthu | Is torturing her continuously. |
| Kaaththum ippa soodaachchuthu kaadhal | Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love |
| Paduththu paadachchuthu | Is torturing her continuously. |
| Male | |
| Oru maaman illaamathathaan | Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor, |
| Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa | This maina bird is struggling in distress. |
| Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan | Seeing this, a sinful man |
| Bhoopaanam pottanammaa | Sang the morning raga to taunt her. |
| Male | |
| Thanneerai kaanaatha oodaiyithu | This is a stream that has not seen water, |
| Thegathai saeraatha aadaiyithu oru | This is a garment that has not embraced a body, |
| Aalaagi aalaagi naalaagi naalaagi | Having grown up day by day, year after year, |
| Podhuvil oruvitha kalakkam adhu yaen | Why is there a general sense of inner turmoil? |
| Male | |
| Oru maaman illaamathathaan | Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor, |
| Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa | This maina bird is struggling in distress. |
| Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan | Seeing this, a sinful man |
| Bhoopaanam pottanammaa | Sang the morning raga to taunt her. |
| Male | |
| Semmeenai kaveri aa endrathu | The river Kaveri called out to the red fish, |
| sellaamal meeningu yaen nindrathu | Why did the fish stay back without going? |
| Adhu naadaamal naadaamal koodaamal koodaamal | Without seeking, without reuniting, |
| Santhosham ennaavathu | What happiness can there ever be? |
| Male | |
| Ilamai thanalena kodhikkum | Youth boils like hot embers, |
| Idhyam puzhuvena thavikkum | The heart writhes like a worm in agony, |
| Imaigal urangida marukkum | The eyelids refuse to sleep, |
| Iravai pagalena ninaikkum adhu yaen | And mistaking night for day—why is that so? |
| Male | |
| Oru maaman illaamathathaan | Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor, |
| Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa | This maina bird is struggling in distress. |
| Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan | Seeing this, a sinful man |
| Bhoopaanam pottanammaa | Sang the morning raga to taunt her. |
ஆ...ஆ...ஆ..ஒரு ராத்திரி ஒரு பூங்கொடி
பாய் விரிச்சவ படுத்தா புரண்டா
பாவம் படுக்கை முள்ளாச்சு......
Ah… ah… ah… One night, a flowering vine (a tender woman)
Spread her mat, laid down, and tossed and turned restless.
Poor thing, her bed turned into a bed of thorns.
ஒரு மாமன் இல்லாமத்தான்
இந்த மைனா திண்டாடுதா
இத பார்த்தானே ஒருத்தன் பாவி மனுஷன்
பூபாணம் போட்டானம்மா
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Seeing this, a sinful man
Sang the morning raga (Bhoopalam) to taunt her.
காத்தும் இப்ப சூடாச்சுது காதல்
படுத்தும் பாடாச்சுது
காத்தும் இப்ப சூடாச்சுது காதல்
படுத்தும் பாடாச்சுது.......
Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love
Is torturing her continuously.
Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love
Is torturing her continuously.
ஒரு மாமன் இல்லாமத்தான்
இந்த மைனா திண்டாடுதா
இத பார்த்தானே ஒருத்தன் பாவி மனுஷன்
பூபாணம் போட்டானம்மா
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Seeing this, a sinful man
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
தண்ணீரைக் காணாத ஓடையிது
தேகத்தை சேராத ஆடையிது ஒரு
ஆளாகி ஆளாகி நாளாகி நாளாகி
திண்டாடும் பேடை இது
This is a stream that has not seen water,
This is a garment that has not embraced a body,
Having grown up day by day, year after year,
Why is there a general sense of inner turmoil?
மனதில் ஒருவித தயக்கம்
உடலில் ஒருவித நடுக்கம்
விழியில் ஒருவித மயக்கம்
பொதுவில் ஒருவித கலக்கம் அது ஏன்...
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Seeing this, a sinful man
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
ஒரு மாமன் இல்லாமத்தான்
இந்த மைனா திண்டாடுதா
இத பார்த்தானே ஒருத்தன் பாவி மனுஷன்
பூபாணம் போட்டானம்மா
The river Kaveri called out to the red fish,
Why did the fish stay back without going?
Without seeking, without reuniting,
What happiness can there ever be?
செம்மீனை காவேரி வா என்றது
செல்லாமல் மீனிங்கு ஏன் நின்றது
அது நாடாமல் நாடாமல் கூடாமல் கூடாமல்
சந்தோஷம் என்னாவது
Youth boils like hot embers,
The heart writhes like a worm in agony,
The eyelids refuse to sleep,
And mistaking night for day—why is that so?
இளமை தணலென கொதிக்கும்
இதயம் புழுவென தவிக்கும்
இமைகள் உறங்கிட மறுக்கும்
இரவை பகலென நினைக்கும் அது ஏன்...
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Seeing this, a sinful man
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
ஒரு மாமன் இல்லாமத்தான்
இந்த மைனா திண்டாடுதா
இத பார்த்தானே ஒருத்தன் பாவி மனுஷன்
பூபாணம் போட்டானம்மா
Aa….aa….aa….oru raththiri oru poongodi
Ah… ah… ah… One night, a flowering vine (a tender woman)
paai virichchava paduththaa purandaa
Spread her mat, laid down, and tossed and turned restless.
Paavam padukkai mullaachchu
Poor thing, her bed turned into a bed of thorns.
Oru maaman illaamathathaan
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan
Seeing this, a sinful man
Bhoopaanam pottanammaa
Sang the morning raga (Bhoopalam) to taunt her.
Kaaththum ippa soodaachchuthu kaadhal
Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love
Paduththu paadachchuthu
Is torturing her continuously.
Kaaththum ippa soodaachchuthu kaadhal
Even the cool breeze feels hot now; love
Paduththu paadachchuthu
Is torturing her continuously.
Oru maaman illaamathathaan
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan
Seeing this, a sinful man
Bhoopaanam pottanammaa
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
Thanneerai kaanaatha oodaiyithu
This is a stream that has not seen water,
Thegathai saeraatha aadaiyithu oru
This is a garment that has not embraced a body,
Aalaagi aalaagi naalaagi naalaagi
Having grown up day by day, year after year,
Podhuvil oruvitha kalakkam adhu yaen
Why is there a general sense of inner turmoil?
Oru maaman illaamathathaan
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan
Seeing this, a sinful man
Bhoopaanam pottanammaa
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
Semmeenai kaveri aa endrathu
The river Kaveri called out to the red fish,
sellaamal meeningu yaen nindrathu
Why did the fish stay back without going?
Adhu naadaamal naadaamal koodaamal koodaamal
Without seeking, without reuniting,
Santhosham ennaavathu
What happiness can there ever be?
Ilamai thanalena kodhikkum
Youth boils like hot embers,
Idhyam puzhuvena thavikkum
The heart writhes like a worm in agony,
Imaigal urangida marukkum
The eyelids refuse to sleep,
Iravai pagalena ninaikkum adhu yaen
And mistaking night for day—why is that so?
Oru maaman illaamathathaan
Just because she lacks her beloved uncle/suitor,
Intha mainaa thindaaduthaa
This maina bird is struggling in distress.
Idhai paarththaanae oruththan paavi manushan
Seeing this, a sinful man
Bhoopaanam pottanammaa
Sang the morning raga to taunt her.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Oru Rathiri Oru Poongodi' captures the deep romantic yearning, sleeplessness, and agonizing heat of youthful passion experienced by a young woman in the absence of her beloved. Metaphorically described as a tender flowering vine ('poongodi') and a helpless bird ('maina'), she tosses and turns through the night as her bed feels like thorns and the usually cool night breeze feels scorching hot due to her unfulfilled desire.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“oru raththiri oru poongodi”
The young woman is metaphorically referred to as a tender flowering vine ('poongodi') and later as a bird ('mainaa').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Paavam padukkai mullaachchu”
Exaggerating the sleepless discomfort of romantic longing by describing her soft bed turning into sharp thorns.
Simile (Upamai)
“Ilamai thanalena kodhikkum / Idhyam puzhuvena thavikkum”
Youth is compared to burning ember ('thanalena') and the aching heart is compared to a writhing worm ('puzhuvena').
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Ilamai thanalena kodhikkum / Idhyam puzhuvena thavikkum / Imaigal urangida marukkum / Iravai pagalena ninaikkum”
The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming verbal endings ('kodhikkum', 'thavikkum', 'marukkum', 'ninaikkum').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Oru Rathiri Oru Poongodi' is a memorable track from the 1981 movie 'Sumai', composed by Gangai Amaran and penned by Vaali. Rendered in the rich vocal tone of K. J. Yesudas, the lyrics cleverly weave references to classical music ragas like 'Bhoopalam' (a dawn raga) to poetically emphasize the endless, agonizing wait through a sleepless night.
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