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Lyrics & meaning

Rathirikku Mappilla Kathirukkaan

From Ninaivugal · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Vani Jairam, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Ninaivugal
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
16 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Un mugaththa paakkala malliya poo pookkala
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Un mugaththa paakkala malliya poo pookkala
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Un mugaththa paakkala malliya poo pookkala
Aasai malar pooththirukku neram vanthaachchu
Nalla seathi vanthaachchu
Kadhalukku pedhamilla paadhai meethu yaarumilla anjaathae
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Un mugaththa paakkala malliya poo pookkala
Kenikkullae thannae illae vaanam paakkuthae
Aadi vellam kooda vanthaa naanam paakkuthae
Female :Sooriyappoo thaamaraiya enna ketkkutho
Yaarumillaa velaiyilae pinna paakkutho
Kenikkullae thannae illae vaanam paakkuthae
Aadi vellam kooda vanthaa naanam paakkuthae
Female :Sooriyappoo thaamaraiya enna ketkkutho
Yaarumillaa velaiyilae pinna paakkutho
Thegamalar kaaththirukku vandu vanthaachchu
Poochchendu ennaachchu
Roshamulla vaasa mulla nesamaaga
Nenjil vanthae konjaatho
Raaththirikku maappilla
Male :Ahhaan
Female :Kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Male :Ahhaan
Female :En mugaththa paakkala
Male :Ahhaan
Female :Malliya poo pookkala
Aavanikku aippasi mel kobamaagumaa
Aadi kattum kaaththinikkae naanam pogumaa
Male :Thamaraiya vandu vanthu sandai podala
Aasa kondu pesa vanthaa kadhu ketkala
Aavanikku aippasi mel kobamaagumaa
Aadi kattum kaaththinikkae naanam pogumaa
Male :Thamaraiya vandu vanthu sandai podala
Aasa kondu pesa vanthaa kadhu ketkala
Kollaiyilae poopparikka maalai vanthaachchu
Oru velai vanthaachchu
Thaethi vachchu naal kurikka thedi vanthu
Medai katti kollaatho
Adadadattaa raaththirikku maappilla
Female :Haan
Male :Kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Female :Haan
Male :En mugaththa pakkala
Female :Haan
Male :Malliyappoo pookkala
Aasai malar pooththirukku neram vanthaachchu
Male :Ahhaan
Female :Nalla seathi vanthaachchu
Male :Ahhaan
Female :Kadhalukku pedhamilla paadhai meethu yaarumilla anjaathae
Raaththirikku maappilla kaaththirukkaan thoppula
Female :En mugaththa paakkala malliya poo pookkala
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Without seeing your face, the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Without seeing your face, the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Without seeing your face, the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
The flower of desire has blossomed, the time has come.
Good news has arrived.
Love knows no barriers, there is no one on the path, do not fear.
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Without seeing your face, the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
There is no water in the well, it looks up at the sky.
When the Aadi monsoon flood rushes in, it watches with shyness.
Female: What is the sun asking of the lotus flower?
Is it trying to get close when no one is around?
There is no water in the well, it looks up at the sky.
When the Aadi monsoon flood rushes in, it watches with shyness.
Female: What is the sun asking of the lotus flower?
Is it trying to get close when no one is around?
The body's flower is waiting, the bee has arrived.
What happened to the bouquet of flowers?
Won't the proud, fragrant jasmine with tender love...
...come to my chest and cuddle?
Tonight, the bridegroom...
Male: Aha!
Female: ...is waiting in the grove.
Male: Aha!
Female: Without seeing my face...
Male: Aha!
Female: ...the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
Can the month of Aavani ever be angry with Aippasi?
Can shyness fade away in this gusty Aadi wind?
Male: The bee didn't come to fight with the lotus.
When it came to speak with love, did you not hear?
Can the month of Aavani ever be angry with Aippasi?
Can shyness fade away in this gusty Aadi wind?
Male: The bee didn't come to fight with the lotus.
When it came to speak with love, did you not hear?
Evening has come to pick flowers in the backyard.
The right moment has arrived.
Seeking me out to fix a date and pick an auspicious day...
...won't he build a wedding stage and make me his?
Ah-da-da-da, tonight, the bridegroom...
Female: Yes!
Male: ...is waiting in the grove.
Female: Yes!
Male: Without seeing my face...
Female: Yes!
Male: ...the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
The flower of desire has blossomed, the time has come.
Male: Aha!
Female: Good news has arrived.
Male: Aha!
Female: Love knows no barriers, there is no one on the path, do not fear.
Tonight, the bridegroom is waiting in the grove.
Female: Without seeing my face, the jasmine hasn't bloomed.
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Raaththirikku maappilla' is a playful and romantic duet from the 1984 film 'Ninaivugal', featuring music by Shankar Ganesh and lyrics by Vaali. The song revolves around a romantic banter between two lovers anticipating their union. Through rich metaphors drawn from nature—such as lotus flowers, honeybees, monsoon floods, and Tamil calendar months—the song captures the bashfulness, impatience, and deep affection shared between the groom waiting in the grove and his bride.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Thegamalar kaaththirukku vandu vanthaachchu

Describing bodily desire and beauty through botanical imagery like 'Thegamalar' (body-flower) and 'Vandu' (honeybee representing the lover).

Moni (Etukai - Second Letter Rhyming)

Aavanikku aippasi mel kobamaagumaa / Aadi kattum kaaththinikkae naanam pogumaa

Tamil poetic rhyming where the second letter matches across lines, seen in 'Aavanikku' and 'Aadi'.

Personification

Aadi kattum kaaththinikkae naanam pogumaa

Attributing human traits like shyness ('naanam') and anger ('kobam') to natural elements such as Tamil months (Aavani, Aippasi) and winds (Aadi kaatru).

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh and features the versatile vocals of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam. Lyricist Vaali cleverly weaves traditional Tamil rural idioms and references to the Tamil calendar (Aadi, Aavani, Aippasi) into a lighthearted modern film melody.

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