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Veetuku Oru Kannagi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thenpandi Mutharame

From Veetuku Oru Kannagi · 1984

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
Vani Jairam, S. N. Surendar
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Veetuku Oru Kannagi
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
7 Feb 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thenpandi muththaaramae
Unthan thaegaththil senthooramae ae…aehae
Thenpandi muththaaramae
Unthan thaegaththil senthooramae ae…
Ponnanthi naeram nee thantha mogam
En thaegam soodaanathe…ae…ae…
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae
Summaa taappaaththaan nee paadurae…ae..ae…
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae
Summaa taappaaththaan nee paadurae…ae..
Vannaara petta vasthaathu pulla
Onnaattam aalethaaiyaa…
Muththu magal kannaththil mogarasa ennaththil
Paththu viral padaamal muththiraigal idaamal
En nenjum en kannum thoongaathu
Vanthukkunnaa usharu varaangaatti bejaaru
Daabaaikkaathae ennaanda kundhikkaiyyaa munnaanda
Kannaala enna nee thunnaathae….yov…
Unnaalae sangaththamizh undaachchu
Unnaalae sangaththamizh undaachchu
Un pechche kaaviyamthaanae thaenae…
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae yov
Summaa taappaaththaan nee paadurae…ae..ae…
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae aiyya
…………….
Male :……………
Love -la nee kilaadi allikkaiyaa munnaadi
Vaaraavathi vaathyaarae valichchukkaiyyaa vudaathae
Daabaaichchaa sellaathu ennaanda aamaa….
Chennai tamizh singaari sendu kattum oiyyaari
Unthan mozhi kaettaenae naanumindru ketteanae
Innaalae ennaanda savaalaa
Kammunnu ninnukinu kasmaalam
Kammunnu ninnukinu kasmaalam
Salpattaa sarakkudi neethaan kannu
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae
Male :Thagajunuthaa
Female :Summaa taappaaththaan nee paadurae…ae..ae…
Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae
Male :Janujanuththaa
Female :Summaa taappaaththaan nee paadurae…ae..
Vannaara petta vasthaathu pulla
Onnaattam aalethaaiyaa…
Thenpandi muththaaramae
Female :Yov
Male :Unthan thaegaththil senthooramae ae…aehae
Thenpandi muththaaramae
Female :Aiyo
Male :Unthan thaegaththil senthooramae ae…
Ponnanthi naeram nee thantha mogam
En thaegam soodaanathe…ae…ae…
O pearl garland of the southern land,
A crimson glow shines upon your body...
O pearl garland of the southern land,
A crimson glow shines upon your body...
In this golden twilight, the passion you gave
Has made my body warm with desire...
You look totally dashing!
And you sing so amazingly well!
You look totally dashing!
And you sing so amazingly well!
Tough guy from Washermanpet,
There is no one quite like you, mister!
On the cheek of this pearl-like girl, filled with thoughts of passion,
Without ten fingers touching, without leaving love marks,
My heart and my eyes cannot fall asleep.
If you show up, it is pure thrill; if you do not, it is total trouble!
Do not dodge me, come sit right in front of me, mister!
Do not devour me with your eyes... hey you!
Classical Sangam Tamil was born because of you,
Classical Sangam Tamil was born because of you,
Even your casual words are pure poetry, my honey...
You look totally dashing, hey!
And you sing so amazingly well!
You look totally dashing, mister!
...
Male: ...
You are a seasoned player in love, sweep me into your arms right away!
Hey master of the bridge, pull me tight and do not let go!
Your clever tricks will not work with me, oh yes!
You stylish beauty of Chennai Tamil, graceful girl stringing flower garlands,
I heard your sweet dialect, yes, I heard it today!
What is this, throwing a challenge at me?
Just standing there quietly, you rascal!
Just standing there quietly, you rascal!
You are a top-class stunner yourself, my darling!
You look totally dashing!
Male: Thaka-jhunu-tha
Female: And you sing so amazingly well!
You look totally dashing!
Male: Jhunu-jhunu-tha
Female: And you sing so amazingly well!
Tough guy from Washermanpet,
There is no one quite like you, mister!
O pearl garland of the southern land,
Female: Hey you!
Male: A crimson glow shines upon your body...
O pearl garland of the southern land,
Female: Oh my!
Male: A crimson glow shines upon your body...
In this golden twilight, the passion you gave
Has made my body warm with desire...
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a lively and playful duet contrasting poetic, elevated classical Tamil expressions with local, colorful Madras (Chennai) slang. The male and female characters engage in a romantic back-and-forth banter, where one praises the other with high literary terms like 'Sangam Tamil' and 'pearl garland', while the other responds with earthy Madras dialect terms like 'vasthaathu', 'kasmaalam', and 'bejaaru'. The overarching theme is mutual attraction, flirtatious ribbing, and romantic admiration across different cultural dialects.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Dialectal Contrast

Unnaalae sangaththamizh undaachchu / Kammunnu ninnukinu kasmaalam

Juxtaposition of High Tamil (Sangam Tamil, kaaviyam) with Madras Bashai slang (bejaaru, kasmaalam, vasthaathu, daabaaikkaathae) to create humor and rhythm.

Anaphora

Unnaalae sangaththamizh undaachchu

Repetition of 'Sokkaaththaan nee keeriyae' and 'Unnaalae sangaththamizh undaachchu' across stanzas for lyrical emphasis and rhythmic consistency.

Metaphor

Thenpandi muththaaramae

Comparing the beloved to a pearl garland from the Pandiya kingdom ('Thenpandi muththaaramae') and her speech to epic poetry ('pechche kaaviyamthaanae').

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Trivia

The song features a unique linguistic blend typical of lyricist Pulamaipithan's versatility, effortlessly switching between classical literary imagery and authentic 1980s Madras local slang.

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