Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Bharathi Kannamma album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Retakili Rekkai

From Bharathi Kannamma · 1997

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Sushmitha, Mano
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Bharathi Kannamma
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
2 Nov 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………..
Rettakili rekkai virikkum
Intha vetta veli alakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
Male :Ettu thisai etti parakkum
Manam kattavizhnthu kidakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
Ninaiththaal pothum neelam pooththa
Neduvaanam nam kaikettum
Male :Niraiveraathu kadhal endru
Pirar pesum sol poikkattum
Female :Ammaadiyo neeyindri naan ennaavatho
Rettakili rekkai virikkum
Intha vetta veli alakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
……………….
Chinna chinna thooralgalai
Thenpothigai megam
Sintha sintha silendruthaan sillittathu thegam
Pinni pinni nee anaiththaal pullariththu pogum
Innum innum enna sugamo
Vandu vanthu vaayai vaiththu
Oothukindra poovae
Vinnai vittu mannai thotta
Vatta vennilavae
Unnai vittu naanirunthaal vaazhkkai oru theevae
Piravi varum yaezhu tharam
Nee thoda naan varuvaen
Male :Aa…..iniyum oru thanimaiyillai
Vaazhnthidum naal varaithaan
Female :Pookkolam raakkolam podaamal viduvenaa
Rettakili rekkai virikkum
Intha vetta veli alakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
……………….
Vanna mani chiththiramae
Unnidaththil kettu
Vaangi konda muththangalai
Vattigalai pottu
Thanthuvida vanthiruken kannangalai kaattu
Ovonnaaga enni tharavaa
Muththamittu muththamittu
Patta kaayam pothum
Manjalaiththaan naan araiththu
Poosinaalthaan pogum
Meal udhadum keezh udhadum
Maelum maelum nogum
Indru sendru naalai varavaa
Othunguvathaen padhunguvathaen
Kooradi maanguyilae
Female: Haa….unarchiyilae narambugalae
Oduthu maalaiyilae
Male :Yaenendru naanindru sollaamal puriyaathaa
Rettakili rekkai virikkum
Intha vetta veli alakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
Male :Ettu thisai etti parakkum
Manam kattavizhnthu kidakka
Chorus :Sam sam sam sam
Ninaiththaal pothum neelam pooththa
Neduvaanam nam kaikettum
Male :Niraiveraathu kadhal endru
Pirar pesum sol poikkattum
Female :Ammaadiyo neeyindri naan ennaavatho
...
A pair of parrots spreads its wings
To measure this wide open expanse
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
Male: Reaching out to fly in all eight directions,
The mind lies untethered and free
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
Just to think of it is enough; the sky
That blossomed into azure will be within our reach
Male: Let the words of others saying
That our love will never come true be proven false
Female: Oh my goodness, what would become of me without you?
A pair of parrots spreads its wings
To measure this wide open expanse
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
...
As gentle tiny drizzles
Are scattered by the clouds of the southern Pothigai hills,
The cool shower makes my body shiver with joy
When you intertwine and embrace me, goosebumps rise
What further sweetness is yet to come?
O flower that plays its music
Like a bee settling down to drink nectar,
O full white moon that left the sky
To touch the earth,
If I live apart from you, life would be a lonely island
For seven births to come,
I will come for your touch
Male: Ah... there is no more solitude
For as long as we shall live
Female: Will I ever stop decorating our nights with floral patterns?
A pair of parrots spreads its wings
To measure this wide open expanse
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
...
O colorful, precious portrait,
The kisses I borrowed
From you,
Adding interest upon interest,
I have come to return them, so show me your cheeks
Shall I count and give them back one by one?
Enough of the bruised wounds
Left by endless kissing
Only if I grind turmeric
And apply it, will the pain fade
My upper lip and lower lip
Ache more and more
Shall I leave today and return tomorrow?
Why do you step back and hide away,
Tell me, my sweet cuckoo bird?
Female: Ah... in this rush of emotion, my nerves
Are racing in the evening
Male: Do you not understand why today without me explaining?
A pair of parrots spreads its wings
To measure this wide open expanse
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
Male: Reaching out to fly in all eight directions,
The mind lies untethered and free
Chorus: Sam sam sam sam
Just to think of it is enough; the sky
That blossomed into azure will be within our reach
Male: Let the words of others saying
That our love will never come true be proven false
Female: Oh my goodness, what would become of me without you?
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic romantic duet from Bharathi Kannamma expresses boundless love and devotion between two souls breaking free from worldly constraints. Using rich poetical motifs—such as paired parrots flying across the vast open sky—the lovers illustrate their unyielding bond that defies societal doubts and pessimistic predictions of their separation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaai (Alliteration)

Rettakili rekkai virikkum

Repetition of the 'R' consonant sound at the start of adjacent words.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Unnai vittu naanirunthaal vaazhkkai oru theevae

Comparing a life spent apart from one's lover to an isolated, deserted island.

Visual Imagery

Rettakili rekkai virikkum / Intha vetta veli alakka

Paints a vivid picture of two parrots spreading their wings across an infinite sky to represent freedom in love.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Ettu thisai etti parakkum / Manam kattavizhnthu kidakka

Agreement of the second letter 'tt' in 'Ettu' and 'kattavizhnthu' across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Bharathi Kannamma (1997), directed by Cheran, featured iconic music composed by Deva with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Vaali. The track 'Rettakili Rekkai' was rendered by K. J. Yesudas / Unni Krishnan and Swarnalatha, becoming popular for its melodic rhythm and evocative rural romantic poetry.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Bharathi Kannamma

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.