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Yuga Dharmam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thanjavooru Maayavaram

From Yuga Dharmam · 1983

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Yuga Dharmam
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
5 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Jum jum jum singaa
Jum jum jum singee
Jum jum jum singaa
Jum jum jum singee
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Singee thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Pattu thaan chittu thaan pacha odambu
Sokka thaan mothamaa vecha odambu
Vetta veli
Ae…
Pottalula
Aa…
Ae vetta veli pottalula urpatthiya perukku
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaa
On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaa
On kannazhagu vandu
Kanakkaa
On kaalazhagu thandu
Kanakkaa
Paathu paathu thaagam aachu
Ae saethu saethu mogam aachu
Aelae singaa…
Pethu thaan thaaraenae umma mavana
Thottu thaan thookkikko ponna mavanae
Raathirrikku paesikkuvom
Raathirrikku paesikkuvom raasi unna nanaikka
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Um maelaeyum kannu padudhu
Em maelaeyum kannu padudhu
Um maelaeyum
Kannu padudhu
Em maelaeyum
Kannu padudhu
Rendu paerum saayangaalam
Kottuvomaa thaala maelam
Aendi singee…
Kollaiyaa aasa thaan kotti kedakka
Konjavaa panjamaa kotti molakka
Nee enakku
Ajakthaa
Naan unakku
Ajakthaa
Ae nee enakku naan unakku
Maamanukku adakkam
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thottappula saadhi malli thaan
Muthaanava saadhi valli thaan
Thottappula saadhi
Malli thaan
Muthaanava saadhi
Valli thaan
Sodi rendum nalla sodi
Ae saadikkaetha nalla moodi
Aelae singaa…
Inbamo thunbamo pangu pirippom
Ennaikkum namma thaan kandu sirippom
Yaethatthilum yerakkathilum
Yaethatthilum yerakkathilum onnu koodi iruppom
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Pattu thaan chittu thaan pacha odambu
Sokka thaan mothamaa vecha odambu
Vetta veli pottalula
Ae vetta veli pottalula urpathiya perukku
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Thajaavooru maayavaram
Manasu um maela paaya varum
Jum jum jum, Singa!
Jum jum jum, Singi!
Jum jum jum, Singa!
Jum jum jum, Singi!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
Singi, from Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
Like silk, like a lively bird, this youthful body,
a body made entirely to captivate!
In the open field,
hey...
in the wide plains,
ah...
Hey, in the wide open plains, let us multiply our family!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
The beauty of your eyes is like buzzing bees,
the beauty of your legs is like plantain stems!
The beauty of your eyes is like a bee,
isn't it?
The beauty of your legs is like a stem,
isn't it?
Looking and looking at you has stirred up a deep thirst,
hey, holding it in has only built up my passion!
Hey Singa...
I will give birth to a son for you,
take him in your arms, your golden boy!
We will talk about it tonight,
we'll talk tonight, and let sweet romance drench you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
Everyone's eyes are on you,
and everyone's eyes are on me!
On you too,
eyes keep watching,
on me too,
eyes keep watching!
When evening falls, shall the two of us
beat the rhythm and drums together?
Hey Singi...
Desires are overflowing in abundance,
is there any shortage of love to shower and bloom?
You are for me,
that is right!
I am for you,
that is right!
Hey, you are mine and I am yours,
yielding only to my man!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
Like the fragrant jasmine in the garden,
a precious pearl, a charming girl!
In the garden, the fragrant
jasmine flower,
like a precious pearl,
a charming girl!
The two of us make a wonderful pair,
like a lid made perfectly for its jar!
Hey Singa...
In joy or sorrow, we will share everything,
and always face each day with a smile!
In the highs and the lows,
through all the highs and lows, we will stay together as one!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
Like silk, like a lively bird, this youthful body,
a body made entirely to captivate!
In the wide open plains,
hey, in the wide open plains, let us multiply our family!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
From Thanjavur to Mayavaram,
my heart leaps towards you!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a lively folk duet between 'Singan' and 'Singee', traditional nomadic gypsy/tribal character archetypes in Tamil folk culture (Kuravan-Kurathi). They express playful romantic affection, admiring each other's beauty, comparing their features to elements of nature like beetles and lotus stems. Through playful banter, they express their mutual devotion, promising to share all life's joys and hardships equally and remain united through life's ups and downs.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaa / On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaa

Comparing the beauty of the eyes to a beetle (vandu kanakkaa) and legs to a plant stem (thandu kanakkaa).

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

On kannazhagu vandu kanakkaa / On kaalazhagu thandu kanakkaa

Rhyming second letters across lines (kannazhagu / kaalazhagu, Inbamo / Ennaikkum).

Monaia (Alliteration)

Paathu paathu thaagam aachu / Ae saethu saethu mogam aachu

Repetition of initial phonetic sounds across adjacent words (Paathu paathu, saethu saethu).

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ae saadikkaetha nalla moodi

Comparing the ideal couple pairing to a pot fitting its perfectly matching lid (saadikkaetha nalla moodi).

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Trivia

The 'Singan' and 'Singee' dynamic originates from the ancient Kuravanji natakam (folk dance-drama genre in Tamil literature). Songs featuring these characters traditionally use fast-paced folk rhythms, vibrant place references (like Thanjavur and Mayavaram), and colloquial rural idioms.

Keep listening

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