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Lyrics & meaning

Saanthu Pottu

From Veera Thalattu · 1998

Lyricist
Kasthuri Raja
Singers
Arun Mozhi, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Veera Thalattu
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
24 Oct 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Saanthu pottum
Santhana pottum
Thala thalakkura sarigai pattum
En manasula kokki poduthu
Naagarathinamae
Saanthu pottum
Santhana pottum
Thala thalakkura sarigai pattum
En manasula kokki poduthu
Naagarathinamae
Nadu chaamathila
Urakkam kettadhu
Naagarathinamae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji solladi naagarathinamae
Nadu chaamathila
Urakkam kettadhu
Naagarathinamae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji solladi naagarathinamae
Velanja nethu vedichirukku
Velanja naathu vedichirukku
Vedala pulla samanjirukku
Kadala poovum malarndhu nikkuthu
Aasa raasaavae
Velanja naathu vedichirukku
Vedala pulla samanjirukku
Kadala poovum malarndhu nikkuthu
Aasa raasaavae
Ada kaninja pazhaththa
Kuruvi kothuthu aasa raasaavae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji sollanum aasa raasaavae
Ada kaninja pazhaththa
Kuruvi kothuthu aasa raasaavae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji sollanum aasa raasaavae
Paadhi raathiri padhari ezhunthu
Paaya viruchi muzhuchirunthen
Ada paadhi raathiri padhari ezhunthu
Paaya viruchi muzhuchirunthen
Muzhuchirunthum kanavu vandhathu
Naagarathinamae
Paadhi raathiri padhari ezhunthu
Paaya viruchi muzhuchirunthen
Muzhuchirunthum kanavu vandhathu
Naagarathinamae
Oru maadhiriyaaga
Manasu kettadhu naagarathinamae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji solladi naagarathinamae
Soru thanni erangalaiyae
Velai seiya thonalaiyae
Soru thanni erangalaiyae
Velai seiya thonalaiyae
En nenappum enkitta illaiyae
Aasa raasaavae
Soru thanni erangalaiyae
Velai seiya thonalaiyae
En nenappum enkitta illaiyae
Aasa raasaavae
Oru maadhiriyaa
Mayakkam varuthu aasa raasaavae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji sollanum aasaraasaavae
Yeru pudichi uzhugaiyila
Yetham katti yerakkaiyila
Yeru pudichi uzhugaiyila
Yetham katti yerakkaiyila
Thaarumaara buththi poguthu
Naagarathinamae
Yeru pudichi uzhugaiyila
Yetham katti yerakkaiyila
Thaarumaara buththi poguthu
Naagarathinamae
Raathiri pagalu theriyalaiyae
Naagarathinamae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji solladi naagarathinamae
Kodi sananga irukkaiyila
Sodi ponnunga sirikkaiyila
Kodi sananga irukkaiyila
Sodi ponnunga sirikkaiyila
Aadi adangi naan kidakken
Aasa raasaavae
Kodi sananga irukkaiyila
Sodi ponnunga sirikkaiyila
Aadi adangi naan kidakken
Aasa raasaavae
Adha ooru muzhukka
Jaada pesuthu aasa raasaavae
Andha kaaranatha
Therinji sollanum aasaraasaavae
The black bindi dot,
and the sandalwood bindi dot,
and your glistening silk saree,
are catching hold of my heart,
oh Nagarathinam!
The black bindi dot,
and the sandalwood bindi dot,
and your glistening silk saree,
are catching hold of my heart,
oh Nagarathinam!
In the middle of the night,
I lost my sleep,
oh Nagarathinam!
Tell me the reason,
if you know it, oh Nagarathinam!
In the middle of the night,
I lost my sleep,
oh Nagarathinam!
Tell me the reason,
if you know it, oh Nagarathinam!
The ripe pod has burst open,
the grown seedling has sprouted,
the young girl has come of age,
and the peanut flower is in full bloom,
my beloved king!
The grown seedling has sprouted,
the young girl has come of age,
and the peanut flower is in full bloom,
my beloved king!
Ah, on the ripe fruit,
a bird is pecking, my beloved king!
The reason behind it,
you must know and tell me, my beloved king!
Ah, on the ripe fruit,
a bird is pecking, my beloved king!
The reason behind it,
you must know and tell me, my beloved king!
Waking up startled in the middle of the night,
I spread the mat and lay wide awake!
Ah, waking up startled in the middle of the night,
I spread the mat and lay wide awake!
Even while awake, dreams kept coming,
oh Nagarathinam!
Waking up startled in the middle of the night,
I spread the mat and lay wide awake!
Even while awake, dreams kept coming,
oh Nagarathinam!
In a strange way,
my heart has gone wild, oh Nagarathinam!
Tell me the reason,
if you know it, oh Nagarathinam!
Food and water will not go down,
I do not feel like doing any work,
food and water will not go down,
I do not feel like doing any work,
my thoughts are no longer with me,
my beloved king!
Food and water will not go down,
I do not feel like doing any work,
my thoughts are no longer with me,
my beloved king!
In a strange way,
dizziness comes over me, my beloved king!
The reason behind it,
you must know and tell me, my beloved king!
While holding the plow and tilling the soil,
while drawing water from the well,
while holding the plow and tilling the soil,
while drawing water from the well,
my mind wanders wildly,
oh Nagarathinam!
While holding the plow and tilling the soil,
while drawing water from the well,
my mind wanders wildly,
oh Nagarathinam!
I cannot tell night from day anymore,
oh Nagarathinam!
Tell me the reason,
if you know it, oh Nagarathinam!
With so many people all around,
and young girls laughing in pairs,
with so many people all around,
and young girls laughing in pairs,
I just lie quiet and still,
my beloved king!
With so many people all around,
and young girls laughing in pairs,
I just lie quiet and still,
my beloved king!
And the whole village,
talks about it in hints, my beloved king!
The reason behind it,
you must know and tell me, my beloved king!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Saanthu Pottum is a playful yet emotionally rich folk duet from the Tamil film Veera Thalattu (1998). The song depicts a romantic back-and-forth dialogue between a man and a woman in a rural setting. The male protagonist addresses his beloved, calling her Naagarathinam, expressing how her appearance, traditional bindi, and silk sarees constantly distract his heart and disrupt his sleep and work. In response, the female protagonist refers to him as Aasa Raasa (beloved king) and playfully describes her own youthfulness, physical maturity, and romantic longing through agricultural and nature metaphors like blooming flowers and ripe fruits. Together, both express the sweet agony of falling in love—restlessness, loss of appetite, inability to focus on daily chores, and the playful teasing of the villagers around them.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Agricultural Imagery

Velanja naathu vedichirukku / Kadala poovum malarndhu nikkuthu

The lyrics use rich rural metaphors such as blooming peanut flowers, sprouting crops, and birds pecking ripe fruits to symbolically describe youth, physical maturity, and blossoming love.

Monorhyme and Rhyme (Edhukai / Monai)

Saanthu pottum / Santhana pottum

The song employs traditional Tamil poetic rhymes where initial or second syllables match across lines (e.g., Saanthu / Santhana, Yeru / Yetham).

Refrain / Anaphora

Andha kaaranatha / Therinji solladi naagarathinamae

Repeated refrains like 'Naagarathinamae' and 'Aasa raasaavae' establish a rhythmic cadence typical of Tamil folk music.

Did you know?

Trivia

Veera Thalattu (1998) features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, starring Murali, Vineetha, and Khushbu. Kasthuri Raja, who directed the film, also wrote the lyrics for this track, showcasing his signature raw, authentic rural Tamil folk style.

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