Saami En Thaali
From Shenbagamae Shenbagamae · 1988
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Shenbagamae Shenbagamae1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum | Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever. |
| Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum | Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for. |
| Pottum povum thottu naalum | Adorning the bindi and flowers every day, |
| Katti aalum sogam venum | I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love. |
| Pottum povum thottu naalum | Adorning the bindi and flowers every day, |
| Katti aalum sogam venum | I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love. |
| Female | |
| Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum | Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever. |
| Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum | Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for. |
| Female | |
| Katti vachchum koodi serala kaanaamalae koodi pesala | Though bound together, we haven't united; without seeing, we haven't spoken. |
| Kanni manam kanda kanaa koodaamalae odum | The dream seen by this maiden's heart flees without coming true. |
| Enni enni yaengi thinam thoongaamalae thoongum | Longing endlessly, I sleep a restless sleep without truly sleeping. |
| Vaazhaamalae vaazhnthu thaeyaamalae thaeinthaenae | I lived without truly living, and faded away without wearing out. |
| Oorum perum pesum adhu unnaal thaanae saami | The whole town will talk, and it is all because of you, my Lord. |
| Female | |
| Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum | Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever. |
| Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum | Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for. |
| Female | |
| Kannukkulla neeru pooththathu | Tears blossomed inside my eyes. |
| Kanni manam maala korththathu | The maiden's heart wove a garland of tender thoughts. |
| Unna enni poo maalaiya podaamalae pottaen | Thinking of you, I placed a garland around you without physically placing it. |
| Kannukkulla kelvi onnu ketkaamalae kettaen | I asked an unasked question with my eyes. |
| Yaedho oru paaram ennoduthaan munnaerum | An unknown burden advances along with me. |
| Paaram theerum neram nee paaththaa pothu saami…. | That heavy burden will vanish the moment you look at me, my Lord. |
| Female | |
| Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum | Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever. |
| Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum | Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for. |
| Pottu poovum thottu naalum | Adorning the bindi and flowers every day, |
| Katti aalum sogam venum | I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love. |
| Pottu poovum thottu naalum | Adorning the bindi and flowers every day, |
| Katti aalum sogam venum | I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love. |
சாமி என் தாலிக் கொடி தங்கும் வரம் வேணும்
தேவி நான் கேட்ட வரம் தேடி தர வேணும்
பொட்டும் பூவும் தொட்டு நாளும்
கட்டி ஆளும் சொகம் வேணும்
பொட்டும் பூவும் தொட்டு நாளும்
கட்டி ஆளும் சொகம் வேணும்
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
சாமி என் தாலிக் கொடி தங்கும் வரம் வேணும்
தேவி நான் கேட்ட வரம் தேடி தர வேணும்
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
கட்டி வச்சும் கூடிச் சேரல காணாமலே கூடிப் பேசல
கன்னி மனம் கண்ட கனா கூடாமலே ஓடும்
எண்ணி எண்ணி ஏங்கி தினம் தூங்காமலே தூங்கும்
வாழாமலே வாழ்ந்து தேயாமலே தேய்ந்தேனே
ஊரும் பேரும் பேசும் அது உன்னால் தானே சாமி
Though bound together, we haven't united; without seeing, we haven't spoken.
The dream seen by this maiden's heart flees without coming true.
Longing endlessly, I sleep a restless sleep without truly sleeping.
I lived without truly living, and faded away without wearing out.
The whole town will talk, and it is all because of you, my Lord.
சாமி என் தாலிக் கொடி தங்கும் வரம் வேணும்
தேவி நான் கேட்ட வரம் தேடி தர வேணும்
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
கண்ணுக்குள்ள நீரு பூத்தது கன்னி மனம் மால கோர்த்தது
உன்ன எண்ணி பூ மாலைய போடாமலே போட்டேன்
கண்ணுக்குள்ள கேள்வி ஒண்ணு கேட்காமலே கேட்டேன்
ஏதோ ஒரு பாரம் என்னோடு தான் முன்னேறும்
பாரம் தீரும் நேரம் நீ பாத்தா போதும் சாமி........
Tears blossomed inside my eyes.
The maiden's heart wove a garland of tender thoughts.
Thinking of you, I placed a garland around you without physically placing it.
I asked an unasked question with my eyes.
An unknown burden advances along with me.
That heavy burden will vanish the moment you look at me, my Lord.
சாமி என் தாலிக் கொடி தங்கும் வரம் வேணும்
தேவி நான் கேட்ட வரம் தேடி தர வேணும்
பொட்டும் பூவும் தொட்டு நாளும்
கட்டி ஆளும் சொகம் வேணும்
பொட்டும் பூவும் தொட்டு நாளும்
கட்டி ஆளும் சொகம் வேணும்
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Pottum povum thottu naalum
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
Katti aalum sogam venum
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Pottum povum thottu naalum
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
Katti aalum sogam venum
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Katti vachchum koodi serala kaanaamalae koodi pesala
Though bound together, we haven't united; without seeing, we haven't spoken.
Kanni manam kanda kanaa koodaamalae odum
The dream seen by this maiden's heart flees without coming true.
Enni enni yaengi thinam thoongaamalae thoongum
Longing endlessly, I sleep a restless sleep without truly sleeping.
Vaazhaamalae vaazhnthu thaeyaamalae thaeinthaenae
I lived without truly living, and faded away without wearing out.
Oorum perum pesum adhu unnaal thaanae saami
The whole town will talk, and it is all because of you, my Lord.
Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Kannukkulla neeru pooththathu
Tears blossomed inside my eyes.
Kanni manam maala korththathu
The maiden's heart wove a garland of tender thoughts.
Unna enni poo maalaiya podaamalae pottaen
Thinking of you, I placed a garland around you without physically placing it.
Kannukkulla kelvi onnu ketkaamalae kettaen
I asked an unasked question with my eyes.
Yaedho oru paaram ennoduthaan munnaerum
An unknown burden advances along with me.
Paaram theerum neram nee paaththaa pothu saami….
That heavy burden will vanish the moment you look at me, my Lord.
Saami en thaali kodi thangum varam venum
Oh Lord, I need a boon that my sacred wedding thread stays intact forever.
Devi naan ketta varam thedi thara venum
Oh Goddess, you must seek and grant the boon I asked for.
Pottu poovum thottu naalum
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
Katti aalum sogam venum
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Pottu poovum thottu naalum
Adorning the bindi and flowers every day,
Katti aalum sogam venum
I desire the bittersweet bliss of ruling life together in love.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deeply emotional and devotional lament of a young bride yearning for marital fulfillment, emotional closeness, and the eternal sanctity of her marriage. She prays earnestly to the Almighty and the Goddess to bless her 'thaali' (sacred mangalsutra) so that her marital status remains intact. Expressing the distress of unfulfilled togetherness, she describes living in a state of emotional paradox—sleeping without rest, living without true life, and bearing a heavy heart that only her husband's loving gaze can heal.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Paradox / Oxymoron
“Vaazhaamalae vaazhnthu thaeyaamalae thaeinthaenae”
Phrases like 'thoongaamalae thoongum' (sleeping without sleeping) and 'Vaazhaamalae vaazhnthu' (living without living) express deep internal emotional torment where physical reality contradicts state of mind.
Metaphor
“Kannukkulla neeru pooththathu”
'Neeru pooththathu' compares tears welling up in eyes to flowers blooming, depicting grief through poetic beauty.
Adukkuthodar (Reduplication)
“Enni enni yaengi thinam thoongaamalae thoongum”
'Enni enni' uses repeated words for emphasis on continuous, anxious contemplation.
Edukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pottum povum thottu naalum”
Rhyming second letters in 'Pottum' and 'Katti' creating rhythm in rural folk rhythm structure.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by K. S. Chithra with lyrics by Gangai Amaran, this track from 'Enga Ooru Pattukaran' (1987) is set in the evocative Sindhu Bhairavi raga. It highlights the traditional Tamil cultural sentiment surrounding the mangalsutra (thaali kodi) and rural marital emotional complexities.
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