Vetti Veru Vasam
From Muthal Mariyathai · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Muthal Mariyathai1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu | Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too. |
| Male | |
| Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae | But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own? |
| Female :Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Male | |
| Pacha kiliyo..ooohoo pottukiruchu..uuu | The green parrot has applied the mark... |
| Icha kiliyo…ooohoo othukiruchu…uuu | The loving parrot has consented... |
| Female | |
| Pacha neruppu..uuu othikiruchu..uuu | The green fire has drawn close... |
| Pacha manasu..uuu pathikirichu…uuu | The innocent heart has caught fire... |
| Male | |
| Kaiya katti nikka sonna | If you ask a wild flood to stand with hands tied, |
| Kaattu vellam nikaathu | A wild flood will never stop. |
| Female :Kaadhal mattum koodathunna | Female: If love alone is forbidden, |
| Bhoomi inghu suthaathu | The earth here will cease to rotate. |
| Male | |
| Saami kitta kelu yaaru potta kodu | Ask God who drew this boundary line. |
| Female :Panju kulla theeya vechu suthi vachavaga yaaru | Female: Who wrapped fire inside cotton and tied it up? |
| Male | |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Female :Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu | Female: Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too. |
| Male | |
| Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae | But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own? |
| Female :Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Female | |
| Unna kandu naan..aaan | Seeing you, I... |
| Sokki nikurennn.. | Stand mesmerized... |
| Kannukulla naan thanni veikiren | I hold tears inside my eyes. |
| Male | |
| Sollaama..aaa thaan thathalikiren | Without expressing it, I struggle within. |
| Thaalama thaan thalli nikkirenn.. | Out of hesitation, I stand at a distance. |
| Female | |
| Paasam ulla bandham ithu | This bond filled with deep affection, |
| Paavamunnu sollaathu | Do not call it a sin. |
| Male :Kuruvi kattum koottukulla | Male: Inside the nest built by a bird, |
| Gundu vekka koodaathu | One shouldn't place a bomb. |
| Female | |
| Budhi ketta dhesam podi vechu pesum | A foolish society will speak with hidden malice. |
| Male :Saadhi madha bedham ellaam | Male: All caste and religious divides |
| Munnavanga senja mosam | Are deceptions committed by our ancestors. |
| Female | |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam | The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl. |
| Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu | Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too. |
| Male | |
| Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae | But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own? |
| Female :Vetti veru vaasam | Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, |
| Male :Vedala pulla nesam | Male: The affection of a young girl. |
வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம் வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம் பூவுக்கு வாசம்
உண்டு பூமிக்கும் வாசம்
உண்டு
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
வேருக்கு வாசம்
வந்ததுண்டோ மானே
பெண் : வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம்
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
பச்ச கிளியோ
ஓஹோ போட்டுக்கிருச்சு
இச்ச கிளியோ ஓஹோ
ஒத்துகிருச்சு
The green parrot has applied the mark...
The loving parrot has consented...
பச்ச நெருப்பு
ஒத்திகிருச்சு பச்ச மனசு
பத்திகிருச்சு
The green fire has drawn close...
The innocent heart has caught fire...
கைய கட்டி
நிக்க சொன்னா காட்டு
வெள்ளம் நிக்காது
பெண் : காதல் மட்டும்
கூடாதுன்னா பூமி
இங்கு சுத்தாது
If you ask a wild flood to stand with hands tied,
A wild flood will never stop.
Female: If love alone is forbidden,
The earth here will cease to rotate.
சாமி கிட்ட
கேளு யாரு போட்ட
கோடு
பஞ்சுக்குள்ள
தீய வெச்சு சுத்தி
வச்சவக யாரு
Ask God who drew this boundary line.
Female: Who wrapped fire inside cotton and tied it up?
வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம் வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம்
பூவுக்கு வாசம்
உண்டு பூமிக்கும் வாசம்
உண்டு
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Female: Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
வேருக்கு வாசம்
வந்ததுண்டோ மானே
பெண் : வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம்
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
உன்ன கண்டு
நான் சொக்கி நிக்குறேன்
கண்ணுக்குள்ள நான்
தண்ணி வெக்கிறேன்
Seeing you, I...
Stand mesmerized...
I hold tears inside my eyes.
சொல்லாம
தான் தத்தளிக்கிறேன்
தாளாம தான் தள்ளி
நிக்கிறேன்
Without expressing it, I struggle within.
Out of hesitation, I stand at a distance.
பாசம் உள்ள
பந்தம் இது பாவமுன்னு
சொல்லாது
குருவி கட்டும்
கூட்டுக்குள்ள குண்டு
வெக்க கூடாது
This bond filled with deep affection,
Do not call it a sin.
Male: Inside the nest built by a bird,
One shouldn't place a bomb.
புத்தி கெட்ட
தேசம் பொடி வெச்சு
பேசும்
சாதி மத
பேதம் எல்லாம்
முன்னவங்க செஞ்ச
மோசம்
A foolish society will speak with hidden malice.
Male: All caste and religious divides
Are deceptions committed by our ancestors.
வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம் வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம் வெடல புள்ள
நேசம் பூவுக்கு வாசம்
உண்டு பூமிக்கும் வாசம்
உண்டு
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
வேருக்கு வாசம்
வந்ததுண்டோ மானே
வெட்டி வேரு
வாசம்
வெடல புள்ள
நேசம்
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root,
Male: The affection of a young girl.
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu
Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female :Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Pacha kiliyo..ooohoo pottukiruchu..uuu
The green parrot has applied the mark...
Icha kiliyo…ooohoo othukiruchu…uuu
The loving parrot has consented...
Pacha neruppu..uuu othikiruchu..uuu
The green fire has drawn close...
Pacha manasu..uuu pathikirichu…uuu
The innocent heart has caught fire...
Kaiya katti nikka sonna
If you ask a wild flood to stand with hands tied,
Kaattu vellam nikaathu
A wild flood will never stop.
Female :Kaadhal mattum koodathunna
Female: If love alone is forbidden,
Bhoomi inghu suthaathu
The earth here will cease to rotate.
Saami kitta kelu yaaru potta kodu
Ask God who drew this boundary line.
Female :Panju kulla theeya vechu suthi vachavaga yaaru
Female: Who wrapped fire inside cotton and tied it up?
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Female :Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu
Female: Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female :Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Unna kandu naan..aaan
Seeing you, I...
Sokki nikurennn..
Stand mesmerized...
Kannukulla naan thanni veikiren
I hold tears inside my eyes.
Sollaama..aaa thaan thathalikiren
Without expressing it, I struggle within.
Thaalama thaan thalli nikkirenn..
Out of hesitation, I stand at a distance.
Paasam ulla bandham ithu
This bond filled with deep affection,
Paavamunnu sollaathu
Do not call it a sin.
Male :Kuruvi kattum koottukulla
Male: Inside the nest built by a bird,
Gundu vekka koodaathu
One shouldn't place a bomb.
Budhi ketta dhesam podi vechu pesum
A foolish society will speak with hidden malice.
Male :Saadhi madha bedham ellaam
Male: All caste and religious divides
Munnavanga senja mosam
Are deceptions committed by our ancestors.
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam
The fragrance of vetiver root, the affection of a young girl.
Poovukku vaasam undu bhoomikkum vaasam undu
Flowers have fragrance, and the earth has fragrance too.
Verukku vaasam vandhadhundo maanae
But tell me, my dear, has a root ever possessed a fragrance of its own?
Female :Vetti veru vaasam
Female: The fragrance of vetiver root,
Male :Vedala pulla nesam
Male: The affection of a young girl.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Vetti Veru Vaasam is a deeply evocative folk ballad from the film Muthal Mariyathai, expressing the tender yet unspoken love between two individuals bound by rigid social structures. Through rustic imagery—such as vetiver roots, sparrows, and wild floods—the song highlights how natural, spontaneous affection cannot be suppressed or restricted by societal boundaries. The lyrics explicitly critique social prejudices, caste distinctions, and narrow-minded gossip, asserting that love is a divine and natural force as fundamental as the rotation of the earth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Vetti veru vaasam vedala pulla nesam”
Repetition of the 'V' sound at the beginning of words in the line.
Ezhugai / Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pacha kiliyo... / Icha kiliyo...”
Rhyming of the second letter 'cha' across consecutive lines.
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Kaiya katti nikka sonna / Kaattu vellam nikaathu”
Comparing uncontrollable human emotion and love to a wild flood ('Kaattu vellam') that cannot be tied down.
Paradox / Imagery
“Panju kulla theeya vechu suthi vachavaga yaaru”
The image of 'fire wrapped in cotton' represents an intense passion or truth suppressed within fragile surroundings.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu, Muthal Mariyathai (1985) won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil, and Vairamuthu won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for his poetic work across the album. This song was rendered by Malaysia Vasudevan and S. Janaki.
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