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Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thalayai Kuniyum Thamaraye

From Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu · 1983

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Rajeswari
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
6 Dec 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Ennai edhir paarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Ennai edhir paarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Nee theerkka vaendum vaalipa thaagam
Female :Aa…..aa…..aa…..aaa….
Male :Nee theerkka vaendum vaalipa thaagam
Female :Paarkadalin ooram panthi vaikkum naeram
Paarkadalin ooram panthi vaikkum naeram
Male :Amutham vazhiyum idhzhai thudaiththu
Vidiyum varaiyil virunthu nadaththu
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamarai naan
Unnai edhirpaaarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Unnai edhirpaaarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Kaaththirunthaen Anbae
Ini kaamanin veedhiyil thaer varumo
Male :Poo magal kannangal
Ini maadhulai pol niram maaridumo
Aayiram Naanangal
Intha oomaiyin veenaiyil isai varumaa
Male :Neeyoru pon veenai
Adhil nuniviral thodugaiyil pala suramaa
Poovai nugarntha mudhal muraiyaa
Male :Mm mm mmmhmm
Vaedhanai vaelaiyil sodhanaiyaa
Female :Mudhal muraiyaa
Male :Idhu sariyaa
Female :Sari sari poovaadai kaattru jannalai saaththu
Male :Aaa…..aaa……aa…..aaa…..aa….
Poovaadai kaatru jannalai saaththu
Male :Uththaravu devi thathalikkum aavi
Uththaravu devi thathalikkum aavi
Female :Irandu nadhigal Inainthu nadakkum
Pudhiya alaigal karaiyai udaikkum
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
Ennai edhir paarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Ennai edhir paarththu vantha pinbu vaerththu
Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
You waited for me, and now you break into a sweat,
You waited for me, and now you break into a sweat,
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
You must quench this youthful thirst.
Female: Ah... ah... ah... aah...
Male: You must quench this youthful thirst.
Female: By the edge of the milk ocean, it is time for a feast.
By the edge of the milk ocean, it is time for a feast.
Male: Wipe your lips dripping with sweet nectar,
and host this feast until dawn.
Female: I am the lotus bowing my head shyly,
Waiting for you, I arrived and broke into a sweat,
Waiting for you, I arrived and broke into a sweat,
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
I have been waiting, my love,
will the chariot of the love-god roll down the street now?
Male: Will the cheeks of this flower-like girl
now blush red like a pomegranate?
Held back by a thousand shy feelings,
will music come from this silent veena (Indian lute)?
Male: You are a golden veena (Indian lute),
do countless melodies rise when fingertips touch it?
Is this the first time you have smelled a flower?
Male: Mmm mmm mmhmm...
Why test me in this moment of longing?
Female: Is it your first time?
Male: Is this fair?
Female: Alright, alright, the chilly breeze is blowing, shut the window.
Male: Aah... aah... ah... aah... ah...
The chilly breeze is blowing, shut the window.
Male: As you command, my goddess; my restless soul trembles.
As you command, my goddess; my restless soul trembles.
Female: Two rivers will unite and flow,
and new waves will break upon the shore.
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
O lotus bowing your head shyly,
You waited for me, and now you break into a sweat,
You waited for me, and now you break into a sweat,
O lotus bowing your head shyly.
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thalaiyai Kuniyum Thaamaraiyae from the 1983 film Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu is a sensuous and intimate duet capturing the romantic exchange between two lovers on their wedding night. The male protagonist lovingly addresses his bashful bride as a lotus bowing its head in shyness and a golden veena waiting to be played. The lyrics highlight her delicate blushes, likened to pomegranates and milk oceans. In response, the bride shares her sweet hesitation and surrender to passion. The song gracefully uses classic Tamil poetic metaphors—comparing the lovers' passion to two rivers merging together and overflowing their banks—to depict emotional and physical union with profound lyricism.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor (உவமை)

“Thalaiyai kuniyum thaamaraiyae”

Compares the bashful bride bowing her head in shyness to a lotus flower hanging down.

Uvamai / Simile (உவமை உருவகம்)

“Ini maadhulai pol niram maaridumo”

Compares the blushing cheeks of the woman changing color to that of a ripe pomegranate fruit.

Metaphor (உருவகம்)

“Neeyoru pon veenai”

Refers to the woman's graceful form as a 'pon veenai' (golden veena) that produces music at the touch of fingertips.

Allegory / Visual Imagery (காட்சிப் பிம்பம்)

“Irandu nadhigal Inainthu nadakkum”

Employs the grand imagery of two rivers merging together to break boundaries as an allegory for physical and spiritual intimacy.

Did you know?

Trivia

Oru Odai Nadhiyagirathu (1983) was written and directed by legendary filmmaker C. V. Sridhar, starring Raghuvaran in an early lead role. The soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Vairamuthu and iconic vocal performances by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki.

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From the same album

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