- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Unnikrishnan
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Movie name
- Thithikudhe
- Movie release year
- 2003
- Lyrics added on
- 23 May 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song captures the cultural and emotional essence of a young girl attaining puberty, traditional celebrated in Tamil culture through puberty rites. Vairamuthu poetically compares the sudden onset of womanhood to a flower bud unexpectedly blooming unnoticed by anyone. The lyrics delicately touch upon the initial fear and confusion the girl feels, followed by the comforting traditions undertaken by family women to ease her mind and nourish her body. Beyond the emotional transition, the song details traditional Tamil restorative practices, such as serving nutrient-dense black gram porridge (ulundhu kali) with jaggery and pure sesame oil to strengthen her body. Adorned with henna, new sarees, and golden gifts, she is blessed for a prosperous and healthy future. It is both a poetic celebration of femininity and an ode to ancient Tamil health heritage.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Mottondru pattendru malarum”
Compares a young girl attaining maturity to a bud suddenly blooming into a flower ('Mottondru pattendru malarum').
Initial Rhyme / Assonance (Monai)
“Ennendru theriyaamal”
Repetition of initial vowel sounds ('Ennendru' / 'Ethendru') creating structural harmony across consecutive lines.
Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Thaaiyarum ariyaamal”
The second consonant sound matches across paired lines ('Thaaiyarum' / 'Ooraarum'), adhering to traditional Tamil prosody (Yappu).
Cultural Imagery
“Ulunthaalae kaliseithu”
Refers directly to ancient nutritional customs (black gram porridge and sesame oil) given during womanhood rituals for physical strength.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Vidyasagar for the 2003 Tamil film 'Thithikudhe', this song stands out for uniquely integrating authentic Tamil health practices (such as consuming 'Ulundhu Kali' made of black gram, jaggery, and sesame oil during puberty) directly into mainstream film poetry.
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