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Rayilukku Neramachu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thanni Eraikaiyile

From Rayilukku Neramachu · 1988

Lyricist
S. A. Rajkumar
Singer
Rajkumar Bharathi
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Movie name
Rayilukku Neramachu
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
25 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thanni eraikkaiyilae
Thavala saththam ketkuthadi
Thaalam pottu en manasu
Thaviyaa thavikkuthadi
Thanni eraikkaiyilae
Thavala saththam ketkuthadi
Thaalam pottu en manasu
Thaviyaa thavikkuthadi
Velamara poonguyilae
Vella manam kondavalae
Velamara poonguyilae
Vella manam kondavalae
Velli molachchiruchchu
Veliya konjam vaayaendi
Velli molachchiruchchu
Veliya konjam vaayaendi
While drawing water,
I hear the frogs croaking, my girl,
Beating to a rhythm, my heart
Aches in restless longing, my girl!
While drawing water,
I hear the frogs croaking, my girl,
Beating to a rhythm, my heart
Aches in restless longing, my girl!
O sweet cuckoo of the acacia tree,
O girl with a pure and innocent heart,
O sweet cuckoo of the acacia tree,
O girl with a pure and innocent heart,
The morning star has risen,
Won't you come outside for a bit, girl?
The morning star has risen,
Won't you come outside for a bit, girl?
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk song captures the tender morning yearning of a rural lover calling out to his beloved. As dawn breaks and ambient sounds of nature emerge—such as frogs croaking while water is drawn from a well—his heart beats restlessly with longing. He affectionately addresses her as a sweet cuckoo bird and praises her pure, innocent heart. Observing the morning star rising in the sky, he gently pleads with her to come outside so he can see her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Thanni eraikkaiyilae / Thavala saththam / Thaalam pottu / Thaviyaa thavikkuthadi

Repetition of the initial 'Tha' sound in 'Thanni', 'Thavala', 'Thaalam', and 'Thaviyaa', adding a natural rhythmic beat to the lines.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Velamara poonguyilae

Comparing the beloved woman affectionately to a sweet 'poonguyil' (cuckoo bird) resting on an acacia tree.

Personification

Thaalam pottu en manasu

Attributing human actions like keeping musical rhythm ('thaalam pottu') to the heart/mind ('manasu').

Did you know?

Trivia

S. A. Rajkumar, who penned the lyrics for this song, eventually established himself as one of Tamil cinema's most prominent and successful music directors during the 1990s, winning multiple state awards.

Keep listening

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