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Uthama Raasa album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unna Maathi Paakkaamal

From Uthama Raasa · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Uthama Raasa
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
13 Feb 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Onna maathi kaattaama
Machaanae naan thoonga maatten
Mela yaethi pakkaama
Machaanae pin vaanga maatten
Onna vaetti illaama paakkonum
Mahaa prabu pol tip top ah aakkonum
Pattikkaattu vaeshatha maathonum
Pudhu suit coat ellaam maattonum
Onna maathi…
Apdiyaa… enna maathi kaatta thaan
Onnaala aagaadhu maanae
Adi aathi romba thaan aattaadhae
En kitta thaanae
Oru potti en kitta vekkaadhae
En vaetti saelaikku thokkaadhae
Thalaiyaatti bomma pol aadaadhae
Veli naattu paattellaam paadaadhae
Enna maathi kaatta thaan
Onnaala aagaadhu maanae
Star TV yilae
Onna star aaga naan paakkanum
Sir yaarunnu thaan
Indha oorae enna thaan kekkanum
Soppanathu TV yila
Star ah paaru
Ippa indha thondharavu venaammaa
Kuppanukkum suppanukkum
Aattam pottu
Un azhaga kaattidalaam vaa maamaa
Venna vekka adi naanaa kokku
Enna chuthum nee enna chekku
Ungoppuraanae maaridavae maatten
Onna maathi kaattaama
Machaanae naan thoonga maatten
Mela yaethi pakkaama
Machaanae pin vaanga maatten
Oru potti en kitta vekkaadhae
En vaetti saelaikku thokkaadhae
Thalaiyaatti bomma pol aadaadhae
Veli naattu paattellaam paadaadhae
Onna maathi kaattaama
Machaanae naan thoonga maatten
Vaetti uduthurappo
Oru man vaasam irukkudhadi
Kodi panam irundhum
Naan maaraadha manusanadi
Pattikkaadu onna
Endha ponnu paappaa
Pattanam nee vandhaa yaerkkaadhu
Pattikkaadu illaiyinnaa
Yaedhu soru
Anga thaan yaer otta aal yaedhu
Poyaa nee thaan sutha
Vaeppam enna
Kettaa sollum namma ooru thinna
Eppavumae ippadi thaan naanae
Onna maathi kaattaama
Machaanae naan thoonga maatten
Mela yaethi pakkaama
Machaanae pin vaanga maatten
Hhahahahaha
Oru potti en kitta vekkaadhae..haan
En vaetti saelaikku thokkaadhae…ahaa..
Thalaiyaatti bomma pol aadaadhae…heii
Veli naattu paattellaam paadaadhae
Onna maathi kaattaama
Machaanae naan thoonga maatten
Without giving you a makeover,
Darling, I will not go to sleep!
Without lifting you to the top,
Darling, I will not back down!
I want to see you take off that veshti,
And dress you up in style like a lord!
We must change your village style,
And put you in a new suit and coat!
Without changing you...
Is that so? Transforming me
Is something you can never do, my girl!
Oh dear, don't throw your weight around
With me, of all people!
Don't you try to compete with me,
My veshti will never lose to your saree!
Don't bob around like a dancing doll,
And don't sing those foreign tunes!
Transforming me
Is something you can never do, my girl!
On Star TV,
I want to see you shine as a star!
Asking "Who is this gentleman?",
The whole town should come to me!
On the TV in your dreams,
Go watch your star!
Stop this nuisance now, I don't want it!
For every Tom, Dick, and Harry,
Putting on a show,
Let's show off your handsome charm, come on darling!
Am I a fool to fall for your silly tricks?
You keep circling me like an oil press!
I swear on your father, I will never change!
Without giving you a makeover,
Darling, I will not go to sleep!
Without lifting you to the top,
Darling, I will not back down!
Don't you try to compete with me,
My veshti will never lose to your saree!
Don't bob around like a dancing doll,
And don't sing those foreign tunes!
Without giving you a makeover,
Darling, I will not go to sleep!
When I wear this veshti,
It carries the fragrance of the soil, girl!
Even with millions in wealth,
I am a man who will never change!
A rustic fellow like you,
Which girl would even look at?
If you go to the city, they won't accept you!
If there were no villages,
Where would food come from?
Who is there to plough the fields in a city anyway?
Get lost, you are as bitter
As pure neem oil!
Just ask our village verandas, they will tell you,
I have always been like this!
Without giving you a makeover,
Darling, I will not go to sleep!
Without lifting you to the top,
Darling, I will not back down!
Hahaha!
Don't you try to compete with me... haan!
My veshti will never lose to your saree... aha!
Don't bob around like a dancing doll... hey!
And don't sing those foreign tunes!
Without giving you a makeover,
Darling, I will not go to sleep!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Onna maathi kaattaama is a playful, upbeat duet from the 1993 Tamil movie Uthama Raasa. The song depicts a lighthearted battle of ideals between a modern-aspiring heroine and a proud, traditional hero. The female protagonist dreams of modernizing her partner, wishing to see him dressed in suits like a high-society star on television. In contrast, the hero firmly defends his rooted, rural lifestyle, arguing that tradition, hard work in the fields, and the authentic fragrance of the soil hold far more value than modern urban appearances. Through witty banter and clever rhymes, lyricist Vaali highlights the classic theme of rural simplicity versus modern sophistication.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (Rhyme)

Onna maathi kaattaama / Machaanae naan thoonga maatten

The song uses repetitive end-rhymes (maatten, kaattaama, pakkaama) to give a rhythmic and playful tone suited for a banter song.

Upamai (Simile / Metaphor)

Thalaiyaatti bomma pol aadaadhae

Compares mindless adoption of western style or foolish dancing to a traditional Tanjore nodding doll.

Edhugai (Second letter agreement / Rhyme)

Kuppanukkum suppanukkum

Pairs colloquial names with matching second-letter rhythm to denote common everyday villagers.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics refer to 'Star TV', capturing the cultural wave in early 1990s South India when satellite cable television was newly introduced and represented modern global exposure to rural audiences.

Keep listening

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