Theertha Karaiyinile
From Varumayin Niram Sigappu · 1980
- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Varumayin Niram Sigappu1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Theerththa karaiyinilae | At the bank of the sacred water body, |
| Therkku moolaiyil | In the southern corner, |
| Shenbaga thottathilae | In the garden of Shenbaga flowers, |
| Paarthirunthaal varuven | You said if I waited, you would come, |
| Vennilaavilae | In the moonlight, |
| Paangiyodu endru sonnaai | Along with your companion, so you promised. |
| Male | |
| Vaarthai thavarivittaai | You broke your word, |
| Adi kannammaa | Oh, my Kannamma! |
| Maarbu thudikkudhadi | My heart is pounding, |
| Paartha idaththilellaam | Everywhere I turn my gaze, |
| Unnai polavae | Resembling you, |
| Paavai theriyudhadi…aah… | A maiden appears... ah... |
| Paavai theriyudhadi | A maiden appears. |
| Male | |
| Theerththa karaiyinilae… | At the bank of the sacred water body... |
| Therkku moolaiyil | In the southern corner, |
| Shenbaga thottathilae | In the garden of Shenbaga flowers, |
| Theerththa karaiyinilae… | At the bank of the sacred water body... |
| Therkku moolaiyil | In the southern corner, |
| Shenbaga thottathilae | In the garden of Shenbaga flowers, |
| Paarthirunthaal varuven | You said if I waited, you would come, |
| Vennilaavilae | In the moonlight, |
| Paangiyodu endru sonnaai | Along with your companion, so you promised. |
| Male | |
| Vaarthai thavarivittaai | You broke your word, |
| Adi kannammaa | Oh, my Kannamma! |
| Maarbu thudikkudhadi | My heart is pounding, |
| Paartha idaththilellaam | Everywhere I turn my gaze, |
| Unnai polavae | Resembling you, |
| Paavai theriyudhadi…aah… | A maiden appears... ah... |
| Paavai theriyudhadi | A maiden appears. |
| Male | |
| Meni kodhikkudhadi | My body is burning with fever, |
| Thalai sutriyae | My head is spinning, |
| Vedhanai seiguthadi | Inflicting deep agony upon me. |
| Vaanin idathaielaam | Across the expanse of the sky, |
| Indha vennilaa | This bright moonlight, |
| Vanthu thazhuvudhu paar | Look how it comes and embraces everything. |
| Male | |
| Monaththirukkuthadi | There is absolute silence, |
| Indha vaiyagam | This entire world, |
| Moozhgi thuyilinilae | Is deeply submerged in slumber. |
| {Naanoruvan mattilum | {Am I the only one, |
| Pirivenbadhor | To suffer this agony of separation, |
| Naraga thuzhaluvadho} (2) | Wallowing in a hellish torment?} (2) |
| Male | |
| Theerththa karaiyinilae….. | At the bank of the sacred water body... |
| Therkku moolaiyil | In the southern corner. |
தீர்த்தக் கரையினிலே
தெற்கு மூலையில்
செம்பகத் தோட்டத்திலே
பார்த்திருந்தால் வருவேன்
வெண்ணிலாவிலே
பாங்கியோடென்று சொன்னாய்
At the bank of the sacred water body,
In the southern corner,
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
You said if I waited, you would come,
In the moonlight,
Along with your companion, so you promised.
வார்த்தை தவறிவிட்டாய்
அடி கண்ணம்மா
மார்பு துடிக்குதடி
பார்த்த இடத்திலெல்லாம்
உன்னைப் போலவே
பாவை தெரியுதடி
பாவை தெரியுதடி
You broke your word,
Oh, my Kannamma!
My heart is pounding,
Everywhere I turn my gaze,
Resembling you,
A maiden appears... ah...
A maiden appears.
தீர்த்தக் கரையினிலே
தெற்கு மூலையில்
செம்பகத் தோட்டத்திலே
தீர்த்தக் கரையினிலே
தெற்கு மூலையில்
செம்பகத் தோட்டத்திலே
பார்த்திருந்தால் வருவேன்
வெண்ணிலாவிலே
பாங்கியோடென்று சொன்னாய்
At the bank of the sacred water body...
In the southern corner,
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
At the bank of the sacred water body...
In the southern corner,
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
You said if I waited, you would come,
In the moonlight,
Along with your companion, so you promised.
வார்த்தை தவறிவிட்டாய்
அடி கண்ணம்மா
மார்பு துடிக்குதடி
பார்த்த இடத்திலெல்லாம்
உன்னைப் போலவே
பாவை தெரியுதடி
பாவை தெரியுதடி
You broke your word,
Oh, my Kannamma!
My heart is pounding,
Everywhere I turn my gaze,
Resembling you,
A maiden appears... ah...
A maiden appears.
மேனி கொதிக்குதடி
தலை சுற்றியே
வேதனை செய்குதடி
வானின் இடத்தையெல்லாம்
இந்த வெண்ணிலா
வந்து தழுவுது பார்
My body is burning with fever,
My head is spinning,
Inflicting deep agony upon me.
Across the expanse of the sky,
This bright moonlight,
Look how it comes and embraces everything.
மோனத்திருக்குதடி
இந்த வையகம்
மூழ்கித் துயிலினிலே
{நானொருவன் மட்டிலும்
பிரிவென்பதோர்
நரகத் துழலுவதோ} (2)
There is absolute silence,
This entire world,
Is deeply submerged in slumber.
{Am I the only one,
To suffer this agony of separation,
Wallowing in a hellish torment?} (2)
தீர்த்தக் கரையினிலே
தெற்கு மூலையில்
At the bank of the sacred water body...
In the southern corner.
Theerththa karaiyinilae
At the bank of the sacred water body,
Therkku moolaiyil
In the southern corner,
Shenbaga thottathilae
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
Paarthirunthaal varuven
You said if I waited, you would come,
Vennilaavilae
In the moonlight,
Paangiyodu endru sonnaai
Along with your companion, so you promised.
Vaarthai thavarivittaai
You broke your word,
Adi kannammaa
Oh, my Kannamma!
Maarbu thudikkudhadi
My heart is pounding,
Paartha idaththilellaam
Everywhere I turn my gaze,
Unnai polavae
Resembling you,
Paavai theriyudhadi…aah…
A maiden appears... ah...
Paavai theriyudhadi
A maiden appears.
Theerththa karaiyinilae…
At the bank of the sacred water body...
Therkku moolaiyil
In the southern corner,
Shenbaga thottathilae
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
Theerththa karaiyinilae…
At the bank of the sacred water body...
Therkku moolaiyil
In the southern corner,
Shenbaga thottathilae
In the garden of Shenbaga flowers,
Paarthirunthaal varuven
You said if I waited, you would come,
Vennilaavilae
In the moonlight,
Paangiyodu endru sonnaai
Along with your companion, so you promised.
Vaarthai thavarivittaai
You broke your word,
Adi kannammaa
Oh, my Kannamma!
Maarbu thudikkudhadi
My heart is pounding,
Paartha idaththilellaam
Everywhere I turn my gaze,
Unnai polavae
Resembling you,
Paavai theriyudhadi…aah…
A maiden appears... ah...
Paavai theriyudhadi
A maiden appears.
Meni kodhikkudhadi
My body is burning with fever,
Thalai sutriyae
My head is spinning,
Vedhanai seiguthadi
Inflicting deep agony upon me.
Vaanin idathaielaam
Across the expanse of the sky,
Indha vennilaa
This bright moonlight,
Vanthu thazhuvudhu paar
Look how it comes and embraces everything.
Monaththirukkuthadi
There is absolute silence,
Indha vaiyagam
This entire world,
Moozhgi thuyilinilae
Is deeply submerged in slumber.
{Naanoruvan mattilum
{Am I the only one,
Pirivenbadhor
To suffer this agony of separation,
Naraga thuzhaluvadho} (2)
Wallowing in a hellish torment?} (2)
Theerththa karaiyinilae…..
At the bank of the sacred water body...
Therkku moolaiyil
In the southern corner.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Theertha Karaiyinile' is a timeless, soul-stirring poem composed by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar that captures the acute pain of longing and broken promises. The protagonist waits in vain for his beloved Kannamma at a pre-arranged rendezvous point in a flower garden under the moonlight. As time passes without her arrival, the lover's anxiety manifests as physical fever, a pounding heart, and hallucinations where every shadow takes the form of his beloved. The poem vividly contrasts the tranquil, sleeping world enveloped in gentle moonlight with the inner storm of grief and agony raging within the lonely lover, who feels abandoned in a hell of separation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Paarthirunthaal varuven / Paangiyodu endru sonnaai”
Matching initial consonant sounds in words within the line or across adjacent lines, such as 'Paarthirunthaal' and 'Paangiyodu'.
Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Vaarthai thavarivittaai / Maarbu thudikkudhadi”
Matching the second letter sound across lines, seen in 'Vaarthai' and 'Maarbu'.
Personification / Visual Imagery
“Vaanin idathaielaam indha vennilaa vanthu thazhuvudhu paar”
The moonlight is personified as an entity coming down to embrace the entire sky and earth.
Anaphora (Repetition for Emotional Emphasis)
“Paavai theriyudhadi…aah… Paavai theriyudhadi”
Repetition of 'Paavai theriyudhadi' highlights the lover's frantic state and visual hallucinations.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, this iconic poem was adapted into the 1980 landmark Tamil film 'Varumayin Niram Sigappu', directed by K. Balachander. Set to music by M. S. Viswanathan and rendered by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Kamal Haasan's intensely dramatic onscreen performance transformed Bharathiyar's romantic angst into an emblem of modern youthful frustration and emotional desperation.
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