- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Thirunelveli
- Movie release year
- 2000
- Lyrics added on
- 14 Sept 2021
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aayimagamaayi aadhi sivan paadhiyae
Aayiram kann konda annai thirisooliyae
Gandhimadhi gowri endrum kaali karumaari endrum
Pereduththa periyavalae Haeh mukkoodaathi muththu maari
Mukkann konda mundakkanni
Mun irunthu kaappavalae
Thirunelveli seemaiyilae
Koluvirukkum ambigaiyae
Arula vendi vaaromammaa aayimagamaayi
Chorus :Amma aayimagamaayi
Theech sattiya pooch sattiyaa maaththugindra thaayi
Chorus :Ammaa kaaththarulvaai neeyae
Male :Naanga nenachchathellaam nadakka venum
Naanga nenachchathellaam nadakka venum
Arul purivaayae
Yae thirunelveli
Chorus :Thirunelveli
Male :Seemaiyilae
Chorus :Seemaiyilae
Male :Aang….koluvirukkum
Chorus :Aang….koluvirukkum
Male :Ambigaiyae
Chorus :Ambigaiyae
………………..
Kannaana saththiyaththa kaaththu nikkum aiyyaa
Chorus :Kanneera thodaikkirathu unga kai thaanyaa
Male :Aiyyaa un paadham pattaa velanjidumae bhoomi
Chorus :Ellaarkkum padi alakkum engaloda saami
Kai veesi nee nadanthaa veedhi ellaam nadungum
Magaraasan unnai kandu ooru sanam vanangum
Ennaalum ungalukku kula dheivam maarithaan
Engaloda kula dheivam eppothumae neengathaan
Mullu vaeli ulla ooril
Chorus :Nellu vaeli thantha saami
Male :Nallathellaam nadaththi vechchu
Chorus :Niyaayam kaakkum enga saami
Unga manam pola ooru sezhuikkanum
Naadu sezhikkanum aiyyaavae
Yae thirunelveli
Chorus :Thirunelveli
Male :Seemaiyilae
Chorus :Seemaiyilae
Male :Aang koluvirukkum
Chorus :Aang koluvirukkum
Male :Ambigaiyae
Chorus :Ambigaiyae
Unnoda kaaladiya nambugirom thaayae
Ododi vanthu enga kurai theerppaayae
Aaaa……unnoda sannathikku vanthuvittu ponaa
Kannoda kaanbathellaam kayil vanthu saerum
Maavilakku yaeththi vechchu manasaara vendikittu
Kovilukku munnae vanthu kondaadi paadu
Neereduththu neththiyilae niththam niththam poosikittu
Nenuruga vendikittu nimmathiya thedu
Engaeyum neranjava nee
Chorus :Engaeyum neranjava nee
Male :Ellaamum therinjava nee
Chorus :Ellaamum therinjava nee
Saathi madham enum pedham illaamalae
Saththiyam meetkka seithidammaa…
Thirunelveli
Chorus :Thirunelveli
Male :Seemaiyilae
Chorus :Seemaiyilae
Male :Koluvirukkum
Chorus :Koluvirukkum
Male :Ambigaiyae
Chorus :Ambigaiyae
Thirunelveli seemaiyilae
Koluvirukkum ambigaiyae
Arula vendi vaaromammaa aayimagamaayi
Chorus :Amma aayimagamaayi
Theech sattiya pooch sattiyaa maaththugindra thaayi
Chorus :Ammaa kaaththarulvaai neeyae
Male :Naanga nenachchathellaam nadakka venum
Nenachchathellaam nadakka venum arul purivaayae
Yae thirunelveli
Chorus :Thirunelveli
Male :Seemaiyilae
Chorus :Seemaiyilae
Male :Koluvirukkum
Chorus :Koluvirukkum
Male :Ambigaiyae
Chorus :Ambigaiyae
Mother Mahamayi, the other half of primordial Shiva,
Mother with a thousand eyes, wielding the trident!
Celebrated as Kanthimathi, Gauri, Kali, and Karumari,
O great goddess of fame, pearl-like Mari of Mukkoodal!
The three-eyed Mundakanni,
You who stand before us and protect us!
In the land of Thirunelveli,
O Goddess presiding in grace,
We come seeking your blessings, Mother Mahamayi!
Chorus: O Mother, Mother Mahamayi!
Mother who turns pots of burning fire into pots of flowers,
Chorus: O Mother, please protect and bless us!
Male: May everything we wish for come true,
May everything we wish for come true,
Shower us with your grace!
Hey, in Thirunelveli,
Chorus: In Thirunelveli,
Male: In the land,
Chorus: In the land,
Male: Ah... presiding in grace,
Chorus: Ah... presiding in grace,
Male: O Goddess!
Chorus: O Goddess!
...
Respected master, standing firm to protect the truth like the apple of your eye,
Chorus: It is your hands alone that wipe away our tears, sir!
Male: Sir, wherever your feet tread, the land yields a rich harvest,
Chorus: You are our lord who provides food to everyone!
When you swing your arms and walk, the whole street trembles in awe,
Seeing you, our noble master, the entire village bows in respect!
For you, Mariamman is forever your family deity,
But for us, you alone have always been our living god!
In a town once fenced with thorns,
Chorus: You are the lord who gave us a protective hedge of grain!
Male: Making all good things happen,
Chorus: Our lord who upholds justice!
Just as your generous heart desires, our village will flourish,
May the entire land prosper, respected sir!
Hey, in Thirunelveli,
Chorus: In Thirunelveli,
Male: In the land,
Chorus: In the land,
Male: Ah, presiding in grace,
Chorus: Ah, presiding in grace,
Male: O Goddess!
Chorus: O Goddess!
We place all our faith at your feet, Mother,
Come running to take away our sorrows!
Ah... if we come and pray at your shrine,
Whatever our eyes long for will reach our hands!
Lighting the sacred rice-flour lamps and praying with all our heart,
Come before the temple, celebrate, and sing!
Taking holy water and applying it daily to the forehead,
Pray with a devoted heart and find true peace!
You are the one present everywhere,
Chorus: You are the one present everywhere,
Male: You are the one who knows everything,
Chorus: You are the one who knows everything,
Without any division of caste or creed,
Grant us the strength to restore truth, O Mother!
In Thirunelveli,
Chorus: In Thirunelveli,
Male: In the land,
Chorus: In the land,
Male: Presiding in grace,
Chorus: Presiding in grace,
Male: O Goddess!
Chorus: O Goddess!
In the land of Thirunelveli,
O Goddess presiding in grace,
We come seeking your blessings, Mother Mahamayi!
Chorus: O Mother, Mother Mahamayi!
Mother who turns pots of burning fire into pots of flowers,
Chorus: O Mother, please protect and bless us!
Male: May everything we wish for come true,
May everything we wish for come true; shower us with your grace!
Hey, in Thirunelveli,
Chorus: In Thirunelveli,
Male: In the land,
Chorus: In the land,
Male: Presiding in grace,
Chorus: Presiding in grace,
Male: O Goddess!
Chorus: O Goddess!
Male
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Chorus
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a devotional and celebratory hymn from the movie 'Thirunelveli' (2000), written by Pulamaipithan. It fuses reverent devotion to Goddess Ambigai (Gandhimathi/Muthu Maari) of the Thirunelveli region with praise for a benevolent, noble village leader. The singer and chorus offer prayers to the Mother Goddess who turns fiery trials into peaceful blossoms ('Theech sattiya pooch sattiyaa maaththugindra thaayi'), asking her to grant prosperity, peace, and justice to the entire land.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Theech sattiya pooch sattiyaa maaththugindra thaayi”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Theech' and 'Pooch' / 'Thirunelveli' and 'Koluvirukkum').
Metaphor / Contrast
“Theech sattiya pooch sattiyaa maaththugindra thaayi”
'Theech satti' (fire pot) turned into 'pooch satti' (flower pot) serves as a metaphor for turning suffering into joy and peace.
Wordplay (Pun / Sledai)
“Mullu vaeli ulla ooril / Nellu vaeli thantha saami”
Play on the word 'Nellu vaeli' (hedge of paddy crop) connecting to the name 'Thirunelveli' (city bounded by paddy hedges).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song incorporates authentic folk temple ritual imagery common to South Tamil Nadu, specifically the worship of Goddess Gandhimathi Amman of Thirunelveli and local village protector deities. Pulamaipithan cleverly weaves local cultural folklore and the geographical identity of Nelveli (paddy fields) into the devotional lyrics.
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