- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Bharathwaj, Gunavathy
- Music director
- Bharathwaj
- Movie name
- Onbadhu Roobai Nottu
- Movie release year
- 2007
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Mar 2019
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vellaaviyil vecha sela
Saayam povalaam
Un vella machaan vecha
Aasa saayam povumaa
Vellaaviyil vecha sela
Saayam povalaam
Un vella machaan vecha
Aasa saayam povumaa
Mullu mela kaaya potta
Thuniyum thirumbalaam
Un meesa mela kaaya potta
Manasu thirumbumaa
10 manikku vaadi
Naan palaa sula tharuven
3 manikku vaadi
Naan mundhari pazham tharuven
Nee moonu mudichu podu..
Enna muzhusa unakku tharuven
Vellaaviyil vecha sela
Saayam povalaam
Un vella machaan vecha
Aasa saayam povumaa
……………………….
Maangili mel aasailla
Mynaa mela aasailla
Vechirukkum aasa ellaam onnu
Enakku vannathi poochi mela kannu
Pavunu mela aasailla
Pattuchaela mela aasa illa
Theeradha aasa ellaam onnu
Un vervai patta vaetti mela kannu
Malai malaiya aasa irukku
Un manasula
Adhai thuni pottu
Yendi amma nee maraikkura
Pachavaazhai kuzhai irukku
En thoppula
Adhu pazhukkum munnae
Kaththi veikka nee nenaikkura
Vellaaviyil vecha sela
Saayam povalaam
Un vella machaan vecha
Aasa saayam povumaa
Suththi oru naadhi illa
Muthamitta kelvi illa
Kaaval kaakka aal illadha thoppu
En kaiyirendu mattum thaanae kaapu
Kaiyaala kaiya katti
Vaayaala vaaya katti
Sundharikku poda poren soappu
Ippa vandhirukkum vetkam ellam doopu
Kola kolaiya mundharikka
En thoppula
Nee nari pola suththi vandhu
Yen marikkira
Uththu paarthu uththu paarthu
Naan malaikkiren
Un usarathukku ennai yendi
Nee valaikkira
Vellaaviyil vecha sela
Saayam povalaam
Un vella machaan vecha
Aasa saayam povumaa
Mullu mela kaaya potta
Thuniyum thirumbalaam
Un meesa mela kaaya potta
Manasu thirumbumaa
10 manikku vaadi
Naan palaa sula tharuven
3 manikku vaadi
Naan mundhari pazham tharuven
Nee moonu mudichu podu..
Enna muzhusa unakku tharuven
A saree boiled in the washer's vat
may lose its colour,
but the love your honest sweetheart gave—
will that love ever fade?
A saree boiled in the washer's vat
may lose its colour,
but the love your honest sweetheart gave—
will that love ever fade?
Clothes spread to dry on thorns
can still be recovered,
but a heart spread out to dry on your moustache—
will that heart ever return?
Come at ten o'clock, girl,
I will give you sweet jackfruit.
Come at three o'clock, girl,
I will give you cashew fruit.
You tie the three sacred wedding knots,
and I will give all of myself to you.
A saree boiled in the washer's vat
may lose its colour,
but the love your honest sweetheart gave—
will that love ever fade?
...
I have no desire for the mango parrot,
I have no desire for the myna bird.
All the desire I hold is just one—
my eyes are set on the butterfly!
I have no desire for gold coins,
I have no desire for silk sarees.
All my endless desire is just one—
my eyes are set on the dhoti soaked in your sweat!
There are mountains of desire
inside your heart,
so covering it with a cloth,
why are you hiding it, my girl?
There are bunches of raw plantains
in my grove,
yet even before they ripen,
you want to harvest and sell them!
A saree boiled in the washer's vat
may lose its colour,
but the love your honest sweetheart gave—
will that love ever fade?
There is no one around anywhere,
no one will question us if we kiss.
In a grove with no guard to keep watch,
my two arms are the only protection!
Holding hand with hand,
locking lips with lips,
I am going to butter up my beauty—
all this shyness you show now is fake!
Heavy bunches of cashews hang
in my grove,
yet circling around like a fox,
why are you cornering me?
Staring and staring right at you,
I am left spellbound.
To bring me to your height,
why, girl, are you bending me down?
A saree boiled in the washer's vat
may lose its colour,
but the love your honest sweetheart gave—
will that love ever fade?
Clothes spread to dry on thorns
can still be recovered,
but a heart spread out to dry on your moustache—
will that heart ever return?
Come at ten o'clock, girl,
I will give you sweet jackfruit.
Come at three o'clock, girl,
I will give you cashew fruit.
You tie the three sacred wedding knots,
and I will give all of myself to you.
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song from 'Onbadhu Roobai Nottu' is a playful rural duet expressing intense love, affection, and desire between two village lovers. Through rich agrarian metaphors—like washing clothes in steam, drying garments on thorns, jackfruit, cashew groves, and raw banana clusters—the lyrics contrast temporary physical objects with the permanent nature of true romance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Vellaaviyil vecha sela Saayam povalaam”
Compares love and affection to color on a saree that never fades even in a hot steam wash.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaiyaala kaiya katti / Vaayaala vaaya katti”
Matching initial consonants across words in the line for rhythmic flow.
Imagery
“Un vervai patta vaetti mela kannu”
Uses vivid rural and natural elements (cashew groves, sweat-soaked veshti, green bananas) to ground the romance in rustic village life.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Onbadhu Roobai Nottu' (2007) was directed by Thangar Bachan and based on his own novel of the same name. The film's music was composed by Bharathwaj, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu, highlighting rich rural Tamil metaphors.
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