Thiththikkum Muthtamizhe Kavithai
From Devi – 1968 Film · 1968
- Lyricist
- Palladam Manickam
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- S. Dakshinamurthi
- Details
- Devi – 1968 Film1968
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thiththikkum muthamizhae | Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language, |
| Thiththikkum muthamizhae | Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language, |
| Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae | You are our dowry of poetry, our very life! |
| Thiththikkum muthamizhae | Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language, |
| Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae | You are our dowry of poetry, our very life! |
| Poompunal kaaveri thaai madi valarnthitta | Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri, |
| Female :Poompunal kaaveri thaai madi valarnthitta | Female: Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri, |
| Male :Podhigai malai thandha selvamae | Male: Oh treasure gifted by the Podhigai mountains! |
| Male | |
| Thiththikkum muthamizhae | Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language, |
| Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae | You are our dowry of poetry, our very life! |
| Male | |
| Vaanathu nilavodu vaiyathil pirandha | Born into this world along with the moon in the sky, |
| Un vayadhai arindhavar illai | There is no one who knows your true age. |
| Female :Vaanathu nilavodu vaiyathil pirandha | Female: Born into this world along with the moon in the sky, |
| Un vayadhai arindhavar illai | There is no one who knows your true age. |
| Male | |
| Madhurai nagar sanga maadathil nee konda | For the glory you held in the Sangam academy of Madurai city, |
| Valathukkum eedinai illai | There is no equal to your richness! |
| Female | |
| Thiththikkum muthamizhae | Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language, |
| Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae | You are our dowry of poetry, our very life! |
| Male | |
| Sillenum ilanthendral mella nadakkindra | Where the cool young breeze gently treads, |
| Thendhisai mannil pirandhaai | You were born in that southern land. |
| Female :Thendhisai mannil | Female: In that southern land... |
| Male :Thendhisai mannil pirandhaai | Male: You were born in that southern land. |
| Deiva pulavarin sennaapparappilum | In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet, |
| Thaer vaendhar nenjilum thavazhndhaai | And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child. |
| Female :Deiva pulavarin sennaapparappilum | Female: In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet, |
| Thaer vaendhar nenjilum thavazhndhaai | And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child. |
| Male | |
| Imayamalai thottu kumari munai varai | From the Himalayan mountains to the tip of Kanyakumari, |
| Iru kaiyum veesi nadanthaai | You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom. |
| Female :Iru kaiyum veesi nadanthaai | Female: You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom. |
| Male :Iyal isai naadagam ena moondru kilai vittu | Male: Branching out into three forms—Literature, Music, and Drama, |
| Yaavarum pottrida vaazhndhaai | You lived gloriously, praised by one and all! |
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
கவிதை சீதனம் தரும் எங்கள் உயிரே
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
கவிதை சீதனம் தரும் எங்கள் உயிரே
பூம்புனல் காவிரி தாய் மடி வளர்ந்திட்ட
பூம்புனல் காவிரி தாய் மடி வளர்ந்திட்ட
பொதிகை மலை தந்த செல்வமே...
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri,
Female: Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri,
Male: Oh treasure gifted by the Podhigai mountains!
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
கவிதை சீதனம் தரும் எங்கள் உயிரே
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
வானத்து நிலவோடு வையத்தில் பிறந்த
உன் வயதை அறிந்தவர் இல்லை
வானத்து நிலவோடு வையத்தில் பிறந்த
உன் வயதை அறிந்தவர் இல்லை
Born into this world along with the moon in the sky,
There is no one who knows your true age.
Female: Born into this world along with the moon in the sky,
There is no one who knows your true age.
மதுரை நகர் சங்க மாடத்தில் நீ கொண்ட
வளத்துக்கும் ஈடிணை இல்லை..
For the glory you held in the Sangam academy of Madurai city,
There is no equal to your richness!
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
கவிதை சீதனம் தரும் எங்கள் உயிரே
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
சில்லெனும் இளந்தென்றல் மெல்ல நடக்கின்ற
தென்திசை மண்ணில் பிறந்தாய்
தென்திசை மண்ணில்
தென்திசை மண்ணில் பிறந்தாய்
தெய்வப் புலவரின் செந்நாப் பரப்பிலும்
தேர் வேந்தர் நெஞ்சிலும் தவழ்ந்தாய்
தெய்வப் புலவரின் செந்நாப் பரப்பிலும்
தேர் வேந்தர் நெஞ்சிலும் தவழ்ந்தாய்
Where the cool young breeze gently treads,
You were born in that southern land.
Female: In that southern land...
Male: You were born in that southern land.
In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet,
And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child.
Female: In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet,
And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child.
இமயமலை தொட்டு குமரி முனை வரை
இரு கையும் வீசி நடந்தாய்
இரு கையும் வீசி நடந்தாய்
இயல் இசை நாடகம் என மூன்று கிளை விட்டு
யாவரும் போற்றிட வாழ்ந்தாய்...
From the Himalayan mountains to the tip of Kanyakumari,
You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom.
Female: You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom.
Male: Branching out into three forms—Literature, Music, and Drama,
You lived gloriously, praised by one and all!
தித்திக்கும் முத்தமிழே
கவிதை சீதனம் தரும் எங்கள் உயிரே
Thiththikkum muthamizhae
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Thiththikkum muthamizhae
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Thiththikkum muthamizhae
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Poompunal kaaveri thaai madi valarnthitta
Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri,
Female :Poompunal kaaveri thaai madi valarnthitta
Female: Nurtured on the maternal lap of the flower-filled stream of River Kaveri,
Male :Podhigai malai thandha selvamae
Male: Oh treasure gifted by the Podhigai mountains!
Thiththikkum muthamizhae
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Vaanathu nilavodu vaiyathil pirandha
Born into this world along with the moon in the sky,
Un vayadhai arindhavar illai
There is no one who knows your true age.
Female :Vaanathu nilavodu vaiyathil pirandha
Female: Born into this world along with the moon in the sky,
Un vayadhai arindhavar illai
There is no one who knows your true age.
Madhurai nagar sanga maadathil nee konda
For the glory you held in the Sangam academy of Madurai city,
Valathukkum eedinai illai
There is no equal to your richness!
Thiththikkum muthamizhae
Oh sweet three-fold Tamil language,
Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae
You are our dowry of poetry, our very life!
Sillenum ilanthendral mella nadakkindra
Where the cool young breeze gently treads,
Thendhisai mannil pirandhaai
You were born in that southern land.
Female :Thendhisai mannil
Female: In that southern land...
Male :Thendhisai mannil pirandhaai
Male: You were born in that southern land.
Deiva pulavarin sennaapparappilum
In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet,
Thaer vaendhar nenjilum thavazhndhaai
And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child.
Female :Deiva pulavarin sennaapparappilum
Female: In the red-lotus thoughts of the divine poet,
Thaer vaendhar nenjilum thavazhndhaai
And in the hearts of chariot-riding kings, you crawled like a beloved child.
Imayamalai thottu kumari munai varai
From the Himalayan mountains to the tip of Kanyakumari,
Iru kaiyum veesi nadanthaai
You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom.
Female :Iru kaiyum veesi nadanthaai
Female: You walked, swinging both your arms in freedom.
Male :Iyal isai naadagam ena moondru kilai vittu
Male: Branching out into three forms—Literature, Music, and Drama,
Yaavarum pottrida vaazhndhaai
You lived gloriously, praised by one and all!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Thiththikkum Muthamizhae is an ode praising the Tamil language, celebrating its ancient roots, divine origins, and rich literary history. The lyrics invoke imagery of Tamil being nurtured by the Kaveri river and born in the Podhigai mountains, existing since time immemorial alongside the moon. It highlights Tamil's patronage under the Madurai Sangam and its expanse from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari. The song honors the three classic streams of Tamil art—Iyal (Literature), Isai (Music), and Naadagam (Drama)—depicting the language as a cherished dowry and the very soul of Tamil culture.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Imayamalai thottu kumari munai varai / Iru kaiyum veesi nadanthaai”
The Tamil language is personified as a child crawling in the hearts of kings and walking across India swinging its arms.
Metaphor
“Kavidhai seedhanam engal uyirae”
Tamil is metaphorically described as a poetry dowry ('kavidhai seedhanam') and the life force ('engal uyirae') of its speakers.
Refrain / Repetition
“Thiththikkum muthamizhae”
The opening line is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the sweet, triple nature of Tamil.
Did you know?
Trivia
From the 1968 Tamil film 'Devi', this classic duet sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela features music composed by S. Dakshinamurthy and lyrics written by Palladam Manickam. It remains one of the most famous film songs dedicated entirely to the glory of the Tamil language.
Keep listening
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