Thanneeril Meni
From Vakkuruthi · 1973
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Vakkuruthi1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi | Oh my friend, my body felt cool in the water, |
| Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi | But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil! |
| Meen vanthu thottu thottu | As the fish came and brushed against me, |
| Maenmelum pattu pattu | Touching me again and again so gently, |
| Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi… | A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend! |
| Female | |
| Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi | My body felt cool in the water, |
| Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi | But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil! |
| Meen vanthu thottu thottu | As the fish came and brushed against me, |
| Maenmelum pattu pattu | Touching me again and again so gently, |
| Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi…. | A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend! |
| Female | |
| Neer konda megam naer vanthathu | A rain-laden cloud came directly to me, |
| Naan konda kuzhal vannamaethaan endrathu | And said its shade matches the color of my luscious hair. |
| Moovagai kaniyum muththaadum kodiyum | The three kinds of fruits, the kissing creeper, |
| Poovai naanthaan endrathu | It declared that I am that soft blossom myself! |
| Naalvaga gunamum ondraaga penmai | Combining the four virtues into unified womanhood, |
| Vaazhvae inimai endrathu | It declared that life itself is pure sweetness. |
| Female | |
| Yaethaetho solla solla | As it kept telling me all these sweet things, |
| En ullam thulla thulla | My heart kept leaping in boundless delight, |
| Anantha raagam piranthathadi | And a melody of supreme joy was born, my friend! |
| Female | |
| Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi | My body felt cool in the water, |
| Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi | But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil! |
| Meen vanthu thottu thottu | As the fish came and brushed against me, |
| Maenmelum pattu pattu | Touching me again and again so gently, |
| Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi… | A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend! |
| Female | |
| Manam ennum paravai parakkindratthu | The bird named my mind is taking flight, |
| Mayakkaththil engengaeyo mithakkindrathu | Floating away somewhere in a hypnotic trance! |
| Maan konda vizhigal maiyodu kalanthu | My deer-like eyes, darkened with kohl, |
| Thaen konda kavithai padiththathu | Recited a poem filled with sweet honey. |
| Yaenadi pennae illaatha yaekkam | Why this longing for something not yet here, young girl? |
| Kooradi nenjam thudiththathu | Tell me, my heart throbbed and questioned! |
| Female | |
| Vayathukku vantha penmai | The maidenhood that has come of age, |
| Vaadatha poovin menmai | With the delicate soft grace of an unfading flower, |
| Neeraadumpothu poraaduthu… | Struggles within itself while taking a bath... |
| Female | |
| Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi | My body felt cool in the water, |
| Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi | But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil! |
| Meen vanthu thottu thottu | As the fish came and brushed against me, |
| Maenmelum pattu pattu | Touching me again and again so gently, |
| Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi… | A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend! |
தண்ணீரில் மேனி குளிர்ந்ததடி
கரையேறி வந்தால் கொதித்ததடி
மீன் வந்து தொட்டுத் தொட்டு
மேன்மேலும் பட்டுப் பட்டு
ஆள் தொட்ட இன்பம் பிறந்ததடி....
Oh my friend, my body felt cool in the water,
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Touching me again and again so gently,
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
தண்ணீரில் மேனி குளிர்ந்ததடி
கரையேறி வந்தால் கொதித்ததடி
மீன் வந்து தொட்டுத் தொட்டு
மேன்மேலும் பட்டுப் பட்டு
ஆள் தொட்ட இன்பம் பிறந்ததடி.....
My body felt cool in the water,
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Touching me again and again so gently,
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
நீர்க் கொண்ட மேகம் நேர் வந்தது
நான் கொண்ட குழல் வண்ணமேதான் என்றது
மூவகை கனியும் முத்தாடும் கொடியும்
பூவை நான்தான் என்றது
நால்வகை குணமும் ஒன்றாக பெண்மை
வாழ்வே இனிமை என்றது
A rain-laden cloud came directly to me,
And said its shade matches the color of my luscious hair.
The three kinds of fruits, the kissing creeper,
It declared that I am that soft blossom myself!
Combining the four virtues into unified womanhood,
It declared that life itself is pure sweetness.
ஏதேதோ சொல்ல சொல்ல
என் உள்ளம் துள்ள துள்ள
ஆனந்த ராகம் பிறந்ததடி........
As it kept telling me all these sweet things,
My heart kept leaping in boundless delight,
And a melody of supreme joy was born, my friend!
தண்ணீரில் மேனி குளிர்ந்ததடி
கரையேறி வந்தால் கொதித்ததடி
மீன் வந்து தொட்டுத் தொட்டு
மேன்மேலும் பட்டுப் பட்டு
ஆள் தொட்ட இன்பம் பிறந்ததடி.....
My body felt cool in the water,
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Touching me again and again so gently,
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
மனம் என்னும் பறவை பறக்கின்றது
மயக்கத்தில் எங்கெங்கேயோ மிதக்கின்றது
மான் கொண்ட விழிகள் மையோடு கலந்து
தேன் கொண்ட கவிதை படித்தது
ஏனடி பெண்ணே இல்லாத ஏக்கம்
கூறடி நெஞ்சம் துடித்தது
The bird named my mind is taking flight,
Floating away somewhere in a hypnotic trance!
My deer-like eyes, darkened with kohl,
Recited a poem filled with sweet honey.
Why this longing for something not yet here, young girl?
Tell me, my heart throbbed and questioned!
வயதுக்கு வந்த பெண்மை
வாடாத பூவின் மென்மை
நீராடும்போது போராடுது........
The maidenhood that has come of age,
With the delicate soft grace of an unfading flower,
Struggles within itself while taking a bath...
தண்ணீரில் மேனி குளிர்ந்ததடி
கரையேறி வந்தால் கொதித்ததடி
மீன் வந்து தொட்டுத் தொட்டு
மேன்மேலும் பட்டுப் பட்டு
ஆள் தொட்ட இன்பம் பிறந்ததடி.....
My body felt cool in the water,
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Touching me again and again so gently,
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi
Oh my friend, my body felt cool in the water,
Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
Meen vanthu thottu thottu
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Maenmelum pattu pattu
Touching me again and again so gently,
Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi…
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi
My body felt cool in the water,
Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
Meen vanthu thottu thottu
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Maenmelum pattu pattu
Touching me again and again so gently,
Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi….
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
Neer konda megam naer vanthathu
A rain-laden cloud came directly to me,
Naan konda kuzhal vannamaethaan endrathu
And said its shade matches the color of my luscious hair.
Moovagai kaniyum muththaadum kodiyum
The three kinds of fruits, the kissing creeper,
Poovai naanthaan endrathu
It declared that I am that soft blossom myself!
Naalvaga gunamum ondraaga penmai
Combining the four virtues into unified womanhood,
Vaazhvae inimai endrathu
It declared that life itself is pure sweetness.
Yaethaetho solla solla
As it kept telling me all these sweet things,
En ullam thulla thulla
My heart kept leaping in boundless delight,
Anantha raagam piranthathadi
And a melody of supreme joy was born, my friend!
Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi
My body felt cool in the water,
Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
Meen vanthu thottu thottu
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Maenmelum pattu pattu
Touching me again and again so gently,
Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi…
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
Manam ennum paravai parakkindratthu
The bird named my mind is taking flight,
Mayakkaththil engengaeyo mithakkindrathu
Floating away somewhere in a hypnotic trance!
Maan konda vizhigal maiyodu kalanthu
My deer-like eyes, darkened with kohl,
Thaen konda kavithai padiththathu
Recited a poem filled with sweet honey.
Yaenadi pennae illaatha yaekkam
Why this longing for something not yet here, young girl?
Kooradi nenjam thudiththathu
Tell me, my heart throbbed and questioned!
Vayathukku vantha penmai
The maidenhood that has come of age,
Vaadatha poovin menmai
With the delicate soft grace of an unfading flower,
Neeraadumpothu poraaduthu…
Struggles within itself while taking a bath...
Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi
My body felt cool in the water,
Karaiyaeri vanthaal kothiththadi
But stepping onto the shore, it began to boil!
Meen vanthu thottu thottu
As the fish came and brushed against me,
Maenmelum pattu pattu
Touching me again and again so gently,
Aal thotta inbam piranthathadi…
A pleasure like a man's touch was born, my friend!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Thanneril maeni kulirnthathadi is a classic, evocative Tamil romantic track that expresses the awakening of romantic desire in a young woman. While bathing in a natural body of water, the gentle sensation of fish touching her skin awakens a fiery yearning inside her, contrasting the physical coolness of the river with her internal heat and passion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Adukkuthodar (Repetition)
“Meen vanthu thottu thottu / Maenmelum pattu pattu”
Repetition of words like 'thottu thottu' and 'pattu pattu' to emphasize rhythmic rhythm and continuous gentle touching.
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Manam ennum paravai parakkindratthu”
Comparing the restless mind to a flying bird ('Manam ennum paravai').
Imagery & Cultural Allusions
“Moovagai kaniyum muththaadum kodiyum / Naalvaga gunamum ondraaga penmai”
References traditional Tamil literature tropes such as 'Moovagai kani' (the three royal fruits: Mango, Banana, Jackfruit) and 'Naalvaga gunam' (the four virtues of womanhood: Acham, Madam, Naanam, Payirppu).
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from the 1973 film Vakkuruthi showcases the legendary duo Shankar-Ganesh's musical composition paired with lyricist Vaali's playful yet classic literary Tamil phrasing. P. Susheela's vocal rendition famously captures a blend of innocent charm and sensual longing.
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