Othaiyadi Paadhayile
From Nathaiyil Muthu · 1973
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Nathaiyil Muthu1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Othaiyadi paadhaiyila yae….yae….yae….hae | On the narrow single-track path... hey... hey... hey... hae |
| Othaiyadi paadhaiyila | On the narrow single-track path |
| Athaimaga pogaiyila | As my cousin walks by |
| Kaaladiyo mann mela | Her footsteps are on the dirt ground |
| Ammaadi ava kannaadiyo en mela | Oh my, but her mirror-like gaze is reflecting on me! |
| Male | |
| Annae naan pottakittara kettaannae | Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink? |
| Adi annae naan pottakittara kettaannae | Hey brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink? |
| Aagaatha ninaippula yaennae | Lost in overwhelming thoughts, oh brother |
| Konjam adhigamaa pottuttaen mannae mannae | I drank a little bit too much, dear brother! |
| Annae naan pottakittara kettaannae | Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink? |
| Male | |
| Maalai veyil vannam polae | Like the color of the evening sunlight |
| Manjal poosum nerthi enna | What elegance in the way she applies turmeric! |
| Maalai veyil Vannam polae | Like the color of the evening sunlight |
| Manjal poosum nerthi enna | What elegance in the way she applies turmeric! |
| Male | |
| Manjalodu saerththu ennil | Along with that turmeric, inside me |
| Nenjam podum thaalam enna | What rhythm is my heart beating? |
| Nenjam podum thaalam enna | What rhythm is my heart beating? |
| Male | |
| Thanneer kuravathenna | What is this shortage of water? |
| Thalaikeezhaai therivathu enna | Why does everything appear upside down? |
| Thanneer kuravathenna | What is this shortage of water? |
| Thalaikeezhaai therivathu enna | Why does everything appear upside down? |
| Vallaatha pothaiyellaam | All this unmanageable intoxication |
| Kallaaga varuvathu enna | Why does it feel like strong toddy? |
| Kallaaga varuvathu enna | Why does it feel like strong toddy? |
| Male | |
| Pacharisi pallukkaari | The girl with teeth like raw rice grains |
| Paavaajam pol sollukkaari | The girl whose words sound sweet like coral |
| Pacharisi pallukkaari | The girl with teeth like raw rice grains |
| Paavaajam pol sollukkaari | The girl whose words sound sweet like coral |
| Male | |
| Kattimani ravikkaikaari | The girl wearing a neat tightly-bound blouse |
| Kaariyaththil kaikaari | A clever girl who excels in whatever task she takes up |
| Adivaadi nee kaththukkalaam | Come here girl, you can learn |
| Sangathi pala kodi | Crores of things from me |
| Nee kaththukkalaam | You can learn |
| Sangathi pala kodi | Crores of things from me |
ஒத்தையடி பாதையில...ஏ.....ஏ....ஏ ஹே
ஒத்தையடி பாதையில...
அத்தை மக போகையில
காலடியோ மண் மேல
அம்மாடி அவ கண்ணடியோ என் மேல
On the narrow single-track path... hey... hey... hey... hae
On the narrow single-track path
As my cousin walks by
Her footsteps are on the dirt ground
Oh my, but her mirror-like gaze is reflecting on me!
அண்ணே நான் போட்டகிட்டர கேட்டான்னே
அடி அண்ணே நான் போட்டகிட்டர கேட்டான்னே
ஆகாத நினைப்புல ஏன்னே
கொஞ்சம் அதிகமா போட்டுட்டேன் மண்ணே மண்ணே
அண்ணே நான் போட்டகிட்டர கேட்டான்னே
Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
Hey brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
Lost in overwhelming thoughts, oh brother
I drank a little bit too much, dear brother!
Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
மாலை வெயில் வண்ணம் போலே
மஞ்சள் பூசும் நேர்த்தி என்ன
மாலை வெயில் வண்ணம் போலே
மஞ்சள் பூசும் நேர்த்தி என்ன
Like the color of the evening sunlight
What elegance in the way she applies turmeric!
Like the color of the evening sunlight
What elegance in the way she applies turmeric!
ஆண்
: மஞ்சளோடு சேர்த்து என்னில்
நெஞ்சம் போடும் தாளம் என்ன
நெஞ்சம் போடும் தாளம் என்ன
Along with that turmeric, inside me
What rhythm is my heart beating?
What rhythm is my heart beating?
தண்ணீர் குறைவதென்ன
தலைகீழாய் தெரிவது என்ன
தண்ணீர் குறைவதென்ன
தலைகீழாய் தெரிவது என்ன
வல்லாத போதையெல்லாம்
கள்ளாக வருவது என்ன
கள்ளாக வருவது என்ன
What is this shortage of water?
Why does everything appear upside down?
What is this shortage of water?
Why does everything appear upside down?
All this unmanageable intoxication
Why does it feel like strong toddy?
Why does it feel like strong toddy?
பச்சரிசி பல்லுக்காரி
பாவாஜம் போல் சொல்லுக்காரி
பச்சரிசி பல்லுக்காரி
பாவாஜம் போல் சொல்லுக்காரி
The girl with teeth like raw rice grains
The girl whose words sound sweet like coral
The girl with teeth like raw rice grains
The girl whose words sound sweet like coral
கட்டிமணி ரவிக்கைகாரி
காரியத்தில் கைகாரி
அடிவாடி நீ கத்துக்கலாம்
சங்கதி பல கோடி
நீ கத்துக்கலாம்
சங்கதி பல கோடி
The girl wearing a neat tightly-bound blouse
A clever girl who excels in whatever task she takes up
Come here girl, you can learn
Crores of things from me
You can learn
Crores of things from me
Othaiyadi paadhaiyila yae….yae….yae….hae
On the narrow single-track path... hey... hey... hey... hae
Othaiyadi paadhaiyila
On the narrow single-track path
Athaimaga pogaiyila
As my cousin walks by
Kaaladiyo mann mela
Her footsteps are on the dirt ground
Ammaadi ava kannaadiyo en mela
Oh my, but her mirror-like gaze is reflecting on me!
Annae naan pottakittara kettaannae
Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
Adi annae naan pottakittara kettaannae
Hey brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
Aagaatha ninaippula yaennae
Lost in overwhelming thoughts, oh brother
Konjam adhigamaa pottuttaen mannae mannae
I drank a little bit too much, dear brother!
Annae naan pottakittara kettaannae
Brother, did you ask if I had taken a drink?
Maalai veyil vannam polae
Like the color of the evening sunlight
Manjal poosum nerthi enna
What elegance in the way she applies turmeric!
Maalai veyil Vannam polae
Like the color of the evening sunlight
Manjal poosum nerthi enna
What elegance in the way she applies turmeric!
Manjalodu saerththu ennil
Along with that turmeric, inside me
Nenjam podum thaalam enna
What rhythm is my heart beating?
Nenjam podum thaalam enna
What rhythm is my heart beating?
Thanneer kuravathenna
What is this shortage of water?
Thalaikeezhaai therivathu enna
Why does everything appear upside down?
Thanneer kuravathenna
What is this shortage of water?
Thalaikeezhaai therivathu enna
Why does everything appear upside down?
Vallaatha pothaiyellaam
All this unmanageable intoxication
Kallaaga varuvathu enna
Why does it feel like strong toddy?
Kallaaga varuvathu enna
Why does it feel like strong toddy?
Pacharisi pallukkaari
The girl with teeth like raw rice grains
Paavaajam pol sollukkaari
The girl whose words sound sweet like coral
Pacharisi pallukkaari
The girl with teeth like raw rice grains
Paavaajam pol sollukkaari
The girl whose words sound sweet like coral
Kattimani ravikkaikaari
The girl wearing a neat tightly-bound blouse
Kaariyaththil kaikaari
A clever girl who excels in whatever task she takes up
Adivaadi nee kaththukkalaam
Come here girl, you can learn
Sangathi pala kodi
Crores of things from me
Nee kaththukkalaam
You can learn
Sangathi pala kodi
Crores of things from me
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Othaiyadi Paadhaiyila is a vibrant folk-style song from the film Nathaiyil Muthu (1973), sung by T. M. Soundararajan. The song expresses the lighthearted intoxication and deep attraction felt by a young man toward his beautiful cousin (athaimagal). He humorously confesses to his friend that he drank a bit too much liquor to cope with the overwhelming thoughts of his beloved. As he watches her walk down a narrow path, he admires her glowing turmeric-coated skin, her white teeth resembling rice grains, her sweet coral-like words, and her cleverness. The lyrics blend the playful disorientation of alcohol with the dizzying feeling of love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upama (Simile)
“Maalai veyil vannam polae”
Compares the golden hue of turmeric applied on the skin to the warm color of the evening sun.
Imagery & Metaphor
“Pacharisi pallukkaari / Paavaajam pol sollukkaari”
Describes her white teeth using the vivid imagery of raw rice grains (Pacharisi) and her speech to precious coral (Paavaajam/Pavazham).
Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Othaiyadi paadhaiyila / Athaimaga pogaiyila”
The second letter ''th'' rhymes across consecutive lines (Othaiyadi / Athaimaga).
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Pacharisi pallukkaari”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Pa' across words in the line.
Did you know?
Trivia
Nathaiyil Muthu (1973) features music composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh and lyrics penned by Kavignar Vaali. T. M. Soundararajan's spirited rendition perfectly captures the rustic folk flavor and slurred charm of an intoxicated protagonist in love.
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