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Lyrics & meaning

Thennamarathula Thendraladikkudhu

From Lakshmi (1979) · 1979

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
P. Susheela, Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Lakshmi (1979)
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
9 Mar 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Naan dhinam thorum rasichaalum
Thigattaadhu pasikkaadhu
Chinna mani kuyilae
Adiyae unnai ninaikkaiyilae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Kannam sivakkudhu
Ennam thavikkudhu
Unna nenaikkaiyilae
Idhamaa enna anaikkaiyilae
Kannu simittudhu enna verattudhu
Mella chirikkaiyilae
Nee thaan enna rasikkaiyilae
Ullam silirkkudhu
Minni sokikkudhu
Katti pudikkaiylae
Nesamaa kaiya pudikkaiyilae
Idhu anaichaalum koraiyaadhu
Azhichaalum maraiyaadhu
Solla therinjirundhum
Adha naan solla mudiyalaiyae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Naan dhinam thorum rasichaalum
Thigattaadhu pasikkaadhu
Chinna mani kuyilae
Dhenamum unnai ninaikkaiyilae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Pattu kaluthula muthu theriyudhu
Ponnu sirikkaiyilae
Azhagu kanna parikkaiyilae
Thottu thazhuvunnu solli azhaikkudhu
Indha manasinilae
Rendum chinna vayasinilae
Vittu vilagunnu
Vetkam thadukkudhu
Poga mudiyalaiyae
Enakku yedhum puriyalaiyae
Naan paai pottu paduthaalum
Paalaaga kudichaalum
Thookkam pudikkalaiyae
Enakku yedhum rusikkalaiyae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Chinnanjirusuga
Konji kulavudhu
Andhi pozhudhinilae
Oonjal aala vizhudhinilae
Kanni vayasula
Ponnu sirikkudhu
Enna sugam adhilae
Nenachu yengi thavippadhilae
Inba nenappula
Vendhu thavikkudhu
Patta pagalinilae
Koluthum uchi veyilinilae
Idhu thaanaaga aaraadhu
Thazhuvaama theeraadhu
Onnum puriyalaiyae
Purinjum sollatheriyalaiyae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Naan dhinam thorum rasichaalum
Thigattaadhu pasikkaadhu
Chinna mani kuyilae
Adiyae unnai ninaikkaiyilae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
Naan dhinam thorum rasichaalum
Thigattaadhu pasikkaadhu
Chinna mani kuyilae
Dhenamum unnai ninaikkaiyilae
Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu
Nandhavana kiliyae
Adiyae punna vana kuyilae
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
Even if I admire you every single day,
I never get tired of it, nor do I feel hungry,
my precious little cuckoo...
hey, whenever I think of you!
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
My cheeks turn rosy,
my thoughts grow restless,
whenever I think of you,
whenever you hold me gently.
Your eyes wink and tease me
when you smile softly,
when you look at me with longing.
My heart shivers with joy,
it gleams and gets enchanted,
when you hold me close,
when you truly hold my hand.
Even if suppressed, this feeling does not lessen,
even if erased, it does not disappear,
and though I know how to say it,
I simply cannot find the words.
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
oh parrot, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
Even if I admire you every single day,
I never get tired of it, nor do I feel hungry,
my precious little cuckoo...
hey, whenever I think of you!
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
oh parrot, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
Pearls seem to gleam against her silky neck
whenever the girl smiles,
whenever her beauty dazzles the eyes.
It calls out asking to touch and embrace,
deep inside this heart,
in the freshness of youth.
Telling me to step back,
my shyness stops me,
yet I cannot walk away,
and I do not understand anything at all.
Even if I lay down a mat to sleep,
even if I drink fresh milk,
sleep does not come to me,
nothing tastes good to me anymore.
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
The young sweethearts
playfully cuddle and romance
in the twilight hour,
swinging from the banyan tree roots.
In the beauty of her youth,
the girl is smiling,
what sweet joy lies there,
in pining and yearning for love!
In sweet thoughts of romance,
the heart burns with longing,
in the middle of the day,
under the scorching midday sun.
This yearning will not cool on its own,
it will not settle without an embrace;
I cannot understand a thing,
and even if I do, I do not know how to say it.
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
Even if I admire you every single day,
I never get tired of it, nor do I feel hungry,
my precious little cuckoo...
hey, whenever I think of you!
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
oh parrot, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
Even if I admire you every single day,
I never get tired of it, nor do I feel hungry,
my precious little cuckoo...
every day when I think of you!
A gentle breeze blows through the coconut trees,
my garden parrot,
hey, cuckoo of the punnai grove!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Thenna marathula thendraladikkudhu' is a classic rural Tamil romantic song that captures the tender, overwhelming emotions of young love. Set against the serene backdrop of nature—gentle breezes blowing through coconut groves, garden parrots, and cuckoos—the song uses natural elements to mirror the internal excitement, shyness, and sweet agony felt by lovers. The lyrics vividly depict the physical and emotional symptoms of falling in love: blushing cheeks, restless thoughts, loss of appetite, and sleepless nights. It emphasizes a passion so deep that words cannot fully express it, depicting a pure and innocent love that flourishes amidst simple village life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagaimai)

Nandhavana kiliyae / Adiyae punna vana kuyilae

Addressing the beloved as 'Nandhavana kiliyae' (parrot of the flower garden) and 'punna vana kuyilae' (cuckoo of the punnai forest) metaphorically compares her sweetness, beauty, and voice to cherished birds.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Idhamaa enna anaikkaiyilae / Mella chirikkaiyilae

The repeated usage of words ending with '-aiyilae' ('anaikkaiyilae', 'chirikkaiyilae', 'rasikkaiyilae', 'pudikkaiyilae') creates a melodic and rhythmic end-rhyme across lines.

Edhugai (Second letter agreement)

Kannam sivakkudhu / Ennam thavikkudhu

The second consonant 'n' is matched across adjacent lines ('Kannam' and 'Ennam'), giving rhythmic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Gangai Amaran for the 1979 film 'Lakshmi', this song showcases his signature ability to blend folk-infused imagery with accessible, deeply expressive Tamil romantic lyrics.

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