Unavu Sellavillai Sagiye (Female)
From Samsarame Saranam · 1989
- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singer
- K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Samsarame Saranam1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aaa……aa…….aaa…..aaah…. | (Vocalizing sounds) |
| Aah…..aah….aaa….aa….aa….aa…. | (Vocalizing sounds) |
| Female | |
| Unavu sellavillai sagiyae | Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend, |
| Urakkam kollavillai | Sleep does not come to me. |
| Unavu sellavillai sagiyae | Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend, |
| Urakkam kollavillai | Sleep does not come to me. |
| Female | |
| Manam virumbavillai sagiyae | My heart desires nothing, my dear friend, |
| Malar pidikkavillai | Even beautiful flowers do not please me. |
| Manam virumbavillai sagiyae | My heart desires nothing, my dear friend, |
| Malar pidikkavillai…..oo…. | Even beautiful flowers do not please me. |
| Female | |
| Unavu sellavillai sagiyae | Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend, |
| Urakkam kollavillai….. | Sleep does not come to me. |
| Female | |
| Paalum kasanthathadi sagiyae | Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend, |
| Padukkai nonthathadi | The soft bed feels painful to lie on. |
| Paalum kasanthathadi sagiyae | Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend, |
| Padukkai nonthathadi | The soft bed feels painful to lie on. |
| Female | |
| Kolak kili mozhiyum seviyil | Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears, |
| Kuththal eduththathadi…ee… | Causes a sharp, piercing pain. |
| Kolak kili mozhiyum seviyil | Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears, |
| Kuththal eduththathadi… | Causes a sharp, piercing pain. |
| Female | |
| Naalu vayiththiyarum inimael | The four physicians said that hereafter, |
| Nambutharkillai endraar | There is no hope for recovery. |
| Paalaththu joshiyanum giragam | And the astrologer near the bridge said, |
| Paduththum endru vittaan…mmm m…. | That the planets are afflicting me. |
| Female | |
| Unavu sellavillai sagiyae | Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend, |
| Urakkam kollavillai | Sleep does not come to me. |
| Manam virumbavillai sagiyae | My heart desires nothing, my dear friend, |
| Malar pidikkavillai…oo…. | Even beautiful flowers do not please me. |
| Female | |
| Unavu sellavillai sagiyae | Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend, |
| Urakkam kollavillai…. | Sleep does not come to me. |
ஆஅ......ஆ.....ஆஅ......ஆஹ்....
ஆஹ்....ஆஹ்....ஆஅ......ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....
(Vocalizing sounds)
(Vocalizing sounds)
உணவு செல்லவில்லை சகியே
உறக்கம் கொள்ளவில்லை......
உணவு செல்லவில்லை சகியே
உறக்கம் கொள்ளவில்லை.....
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Sleep does not come to me.
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Sleep does not come to me.
மணம் விரும்பவில்லை சகியே
மலர் பிடிக்க வில்லை
மணம் விரும்பவில்லை சகியே
மலர் பிடிக்க வில்லை......ஓ.....
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
உணவு செல்லவில்லை சகியே
உறக்கம் கொள்ளவில்லை....
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Sleep does not come to me.
பாலும் கசந்தடி சகியே
படுக்கை நொந்ததடி....
பாலும் கசந்தடி சகியே
படுக்கை நொந்ததடி.....
Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend,
The soft bed feels painful to lie on.
Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend,
The soft bed feels painful to lie on.
கோலக் கிளிமொழியும் செவியில்
குத்தலெடுத்ததடி.........ஈ......
கோலக் கிளிமொழியும் செவியில்
குத்தலெடுத்ததடி
Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears,
Causes a sharp, piercing pain.
Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears,
Causes a sharp, piercing pain.
நாலு வயித்தியரும் இனிமேல்
நம்புதற்கில்லை என்றார்
பாலத்துச் சோசியனும் கிரகம்
படுத்தும் என்று விட்டான்......ம்ம்ம் ம்......
The four physicians said that hereafter,
There is no hope for recovery.
And the astrologer near the bridge said,
That the planets are afflicting me.
உணவு செல்லவில்லை சகியே
உறக்கம் கொள்ளவில்லை......
மணம் விரும்பவில்லை சகியே
மலர் பிடிக்க வில்லை......ஓ......
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Sleep does not come to me.
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
உணவு செல்லவில்லை சகியே
உறக்கம் கொள்ளவில்லை......
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Sleep does not come to me.
Aaa……aa…….aaa…..aaah….
(Vocalizing sounds)
Aah…..aah….aaa….aa….aa….aa….
(Vocalizing sounds)
Unavu sellavillai sagiyae
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Urakkam kollavillai
Sleep does not come to me.
Unavu sellavillai sagiyae
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Urakkam kollavillai
Sleep does not come to me.
Manam virumbavillai sagiyae
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Malar pidikkavillai
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
Manam virumbavillai sagiyae
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Malar pidikkavillai…..oo….
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
Unavu sellavillai sagiyae
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Urakkam kollavillai…..
Sleep does not come to me.
Paalum kasanthathadi sagiyae
Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend,
Padukkai nonthathadi
The soft bed feels painful to lie on.
Paalum kasanthathadi sagiyae
Even sweet milk tastes bitter now, my dear friend,
Padukkai nonthathadi
The soft bed feels painful to lie on.
Kolak kili mozhiyum seviyil
Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears,
Kuththal eduththathadi…ee…
Causes a sharp, piercing pain.
Kolak kili mozhiyum seviyil
Even the sweet speech of a beautiful parrot in my ears,
Kuththal eduththathadi…
Causes a sharp, piercing pain.
Naalu vayiththiyarum inimael
The four physicians said that hereafter,
Nambutharkillai endraar
There is no hope for recovery.
Paalaththu joshiyanum giragam
And the astrologer near the bridge said,
Paduththum endru vittaan…mmm m….
That the planets are afflicting me.
Unavu sellavillai sagiyae
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Urakkam kollavillai
Sleep does not come to me.
Manam virumbavillai sagiyae
My heart desires nothing, my dear friend,
Malar pidikkavillai…oo….
Even beautiful flowers do not please me.
Unavu sellavillai sagiyae
Food does not go down my throat, my dear friend,
Urakkam kollavillai….
Sleep does not come to me.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is an adaptation of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar's iconic poem expressing 'viraha thaapam'—the excruciating ache of separation and love-sickness. Addressing her close confidante (sagi), the protagonist describes how her longing for her beloved has ruined her physical and mental well-being. She has completely lost her appetite and her ability to sleep. Every sensory pleasure in life has inverted into a source of torment: sweet milk tastes bitter, a plush bed feels uncomfortable, flowers fail to bring joy, and even the pleasant song of a parrot sounds like a painful piercing in her ears. Doctors find no cure for her condition, and astrologers blame it on ill-fated planetary alignment, highlighting that her true affliction is purely of the heart.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Mōnai (Initial Alliteration)
“Unavu sellavillai sagiyae / Urakkam kollavillai”
Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'U' in 'Unavu' and 'Urakkam' to create a melodic rhythm.
Anaphora (Refrain / Repetition)
“Unavu sellavillai sagiyae”
The repeated use of 'Unavu sellavillai sagiyae' reinforces the protagonist's persistent emotional agony and yearning.
Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
“Paalum kasanthathadi sagiyae / Kolak kili mozhiyum seviyil kuththal eduththathadi”
Extravagant poetic exaggeration describing milk tasting bitter and parrot calls physically hurting the ears to illustrate the intensity of love-sickness.
Did you know?
Trivia
This lyric is a classic poem written by Tamil nationalist poet Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar. Originally composed as a classical poem portraying the intense longing of the soul (nayaki) for the divine (nayaka), it is frequently rendered in Carnatic music concerts and has been adapted into several Tamil feature films.
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