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Lyrics & meaning

Thangachi Sirithalae

From Sivappu Sooriyan · 1983

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Sivappu Sooriyan1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thangachi sirithaalae sevvidhazh virithaalaeIf my younger sister smiles, opening her red lips,
Malligai chirippaalae maunam kalaithaalae…She smiles like a jasmine flower, breaking her silence...
Male
Thangachi sirithaalae sevvidhazh virithaalaeIf my younger sister smiles, opening her red lips,
Malligai chirippaalae maunam kalaithaalae…She smiles like a jasmine flower, breaking her silence...
Yedharkaaga… enakkaaga… yedharkaaga… enakkaaga…For what reason... for my sake... for what reason... for my sake...
Male
Thirumbum thisai ellaamIn every direction one turned,
Thendral pol odiyavalShe who ran like a gentle breeze,
Thirumbum thisai ellaamIn every direction one turned,
Thendral pol odiyavalShe who ran like a gentle breeze,
Thiruvaai salaikkaamal dhinamum pesiyavalShe who spoke daily without her sacred mouth getting tired,
Thiruvaai salaikkaamal dhinamum pesiyavalShe who spoke daily without her sacred mouth getting tired,
Vaai malar moodiyadhaen vaarthai odiyadhaenWhy has that flower-like mouth closed? Why have words run away?
Vaai malar moodiyadhaen vaarthai odiyadhaenWhy has that flower-like mouth closed? Why have words run away?
Oomai naadagathai udhadugal aadiyadhaenWhy are her lips enacting a silent drama?
Udhadugal aadiyadhaenWhy are her lips enacting it?
Male
Thangachi sirithaalae sevvidhazh virithaalaeIf my younger sister smiles, opening her red lips,
Malligai chirippaalae maunam kalaithaalae…She smiles like a jasmine flower, breaking her silence...
Yedharkaaga… enakkaaga…For what reason... for my sake...
Male
Vasantham sirithaalaeIf spring smiles,
Vanna thaen poo malarumColorful honeyed flowers will bloom,
Vasantham sirithaalaeIf spring smiles,
Vanna thaen poo malarumColorful honeyed flowers will bloom,
Vaigai sirithaalae madhurai vaazhvu perumIf the Vaigai river smiles, Madurai city gains life,
Ambigai sirithaalae aalayam azhagolirumIf Goddess Ambigai smiles, the temple shines with beauty,
Ambigai sirithaalae aalayam azhagolirumIf Goddess Ambigai smiles, the temple shines with beauty,
Ammammaa nee sirithaal annanin manam kulirumOh my! If you smile, your elder brother's heart will feel cool and happy,
Annanin manam kulirumYour elder brother's heart will feel cool,
Sirithaalae… sirithaalae…If she smiles... if she smiles...
Male
Oru kan azhudhaalaeIf one eye cries,
Maru kan kalangaadhoWon't the other eye become tearful too?
Oru kan azhudhaalaeIf one eye cries,
Maru kan kalangaadhoWon't the other eye become tearful too?
Unakkor thuyarendraalIf a sorrow comes to you,
Enakkum porundhaadhoWon't it affect me as well?
Unakkor thuyarendraalIf a sorrow comes to you,
Enakkum porundhaadhoWon't it affect me as well?
Nee vandha thaai madiyumThe mother's lap you came from,
Naan vandha madi thaanaeIs the same lap I came from as well,
Nee vandha thaai madiyumThe mother's lap you came from,
Naan vandha madi thaanaeIs the same lap I came from as well,
Iru malar pootthadhuvum oru mara kilai thaanaeTwo flowers blooming were born from the same branch of a tree,
Oru marak kilai thaanaeFrom a single branch of a tree,
Male
Thangachi sirithaalae sevvidhazh virithaalaeIf my younger sister smiles, opening her red lips,
Malligai chirippaalae maunam kalaithaalae…She smiles like a jasmine flower, breaking her silence...
Yedharkaaga… enakkaaga…For what reason... for my sake...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This emotional song from the 1983 Tamil film 'Sivappu Sooriyan' expresses the deep love, bond, and affection an elder brother holds for his younger sister. The brother tenderly reflects on how his sister's radiant smile brings joy and warmth to his life, comparing her smile to blooming jasmine, spring, the flowing Vaigai river, and the divine grace of Goddess Ambigai. Seeing her current silent state breaks his heart, as he implores her to break her silence and smile once more. He emphasizes their inseparable bond by using vivid metaphors: just as two eyes share the same pain and cry together, two siblings born from the same mother's lap and blooming from the same branch share each other's joys and sorrows. His heartfelt plea reinforces that her happiness is essential to his own peace of mind.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Thendral pol odiyaval

Compares the sister's playful movement to a gentle breeze ('Thendral pol') and her smile to jasmine flowers ('Malligai chirippaalae').

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Iru malar pootthadhuvum oru mara kilai thaanae

Metaphorically describes the siblings as two flowers blooming from the same tree branch ('Iru malar pootthadhuvum oru mara kilai thaanae') and her mouth as a flower ('Vaai malar').

Anaphora / Parallel Structure

Vasantham sirithaalae ... Vaigai sirithaalae ... Ambigai sirithaalae

Repeated use of conditional phrasing ('sirithaalae') across spring, river, goddess, and sister to build emotional intensity.

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Thangachi sirithaalae / Malligai chirippaalae

A traditional Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines share the same consonant sound (e.g., 'ng' in Thangachi / Malligai sound structures).

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Trivia

Sivappu Sooriyan (1983) is an action-drama film starring Rajinikanth, Saritha, and Radha. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and the soulful lyrics detailing brotherly affection were written by legendary poet Vaali.

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