- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Thalapathi
- Movie release year
- 1991
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Feb 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Yamunai Aatrilae is a deeply soul-stirring classical song from the 1991 movie Thalapathi, written by Vaali. The song uses the divine motif of Radha waiting yearningly for Lord Krishna along the banks of the Yamuna River. She waits through endless days and nights with unblinking eyes, hoping Krishna will return to dance with her. As time passes without his arrival, her hope turns into quiet agony, making her question if intense devotion and love ultimately bring nothing but heartache.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Paarvai poothida / Paadhai paarthida / Paavai raadhaiyo vaada”
Repetition of the initial letter 'P' sound across consecutive lines creates a rhythmic melodic flow.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Yamunai aatrilae / Eera kaatrilae”
Both lines end with the matching suffix 'lae', providing a pleasant poetic harmony.
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Paarvai poothida”
The act of waiting with intense hope is metaphorically described as her gaze 'blossoming' like a flower.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Iravum ponathu / Pagalum ponathu”
Both lines end with the identical word 'ponathu' to emphasize the persistent passage of time.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Thalapathi
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.