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Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Yerriyile Elanthamaram

From Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo · 1981

Lyricist
Panchu Arunachalam
Singers
Ilayaraja, S. Janaki, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
10 Mar 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni saa….
Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni saa….
Thanthana naathinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naathinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naathinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naathinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naathinam thanthaana
Thanthaana thanathaana
Thanthana naathinamnnaa
Thanthana naathinam thanthaana
Thanthaana thanathaana thanthana naathinam
Thanthana naathinamnnaa
Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Chorus :Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Female :Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Yaeriyilae elantha maram
Thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram
Female :Thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram
Oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
Yaeriyilae elantha maram
Thangachchi vaichcha maram
……………….
Velli malaiyila thaenaruvi
Chorus :Thaenaruvi…. thaenaruvi.. thaenaruvi… thaenaruvi
Female :Vaeppa maraththila poonguruvi
Chorus :Poonguravi…..poonguruvi…..poonguruvi….poonguruvi
Velli malaiyila thaenaruvi
Vaeppa maraththila poonguruvi
Vaazhai ilaiyila odura kaaththu
Aadura kooththu kaanalaiyo
Azhagu peththa cholaiyilae
Nerunji mullal veligalaam
Chorus :Azhagu peththa cholaiyilae
Nerunji mullal veligalaam
Senduga melae vanduga vanthu
Undathu thenai bodhaiyilae
Anantham thaanae pogaiyilae
Yaeriyilae….
Chorus :Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Yaeriyilae elantha maram
Thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram
Oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
……………..
Alli kulaiththila thamaraiyaam
Chorus :Thamaraiyaam…..thamaraiyaam
Thamaraiyaam…..thamaraiyaam
Female :Mullai kodiyilae shenbagamaam
Chorus :Shenbagamaam……shenbagamaam
Shenbagamaam……shenbagamaam
Alli kulaiththila thamaraiyaam
Mullai kodiyilae Shenbagamaam
Thennai maraththilae maangaai thedum
Madaiyan sonnaan kettukkodaa
Valarnthu vitta vaaththukkalae
Odura pakkam odungalaen
Chorus :Valarnthu vitta vaaththukkalae
Odura pakkam odungalaen
Female :Vanthathu maalai kaalaiyilae
Sendrathu megam bhoomiyilae
Sendrathu megam bhoomiyilae
Yaeriyilae….
Chorus :Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Yaeriyilae elantha maram
Thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram
Female :Thangachchi vaichcha maram
Oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
Chorus :Vachcha maram oru kaayumilla poovumilla
Un thangachchi vaichcha maram
Yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..yaeriyilae…..
Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni sa...
Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni sa...
Thanthana naadhinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naadhinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naadhinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naadhinam thanthanannaa
Thanthana naadhinam thanthaanaa
Thanthaanaa thanadhaanaa
Thanthana naadhinamnaa
Thanthana naadhinam thanthaanaa
Thanthaanaa thanadhaanaa thanthana naadhinam
Thanthana naadhinamnaa
By the lake... by the lake... by the lake...
Chorus: By the lake... by the lake... by the lake...
Female: By the lake... by the lake... by the lake...
A jujube tree by the lake,
The tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted!
Female: The tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted!
There is no fruit, there is no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted has no fruit and no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
A jujube tree by the lake,
The tree your little sister planted!
...
A stream of honey on the silver mountain,
Chorus: Stream of honey... stream of honey... stream of honey... stream of honey,
Female: A little songbird in the neem tree,
Chorus: Songbird... songbird... songbird... songbird,
A stream of honey on the silver mountain,
A little songbird in the neem tree!
The wind rushing over the banana leaves—
Haven't you seen the playful dance it puts on?
In this wondrously beautiful grove,
They say the fence is made of sharp thorns!
Chorus: In this wondrously beautiful grove,
They say the fence is made of sharp thorns!
Bees landed upon the flower clusters,
Drank their fill of nectar in high spirits,
And flew away in pure delight!
By the lake...
Chorus: By the lake... by the lake...
A jujube tree by the lake,
The tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted!
There is no fruit, there is no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted has no fruit and no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
...
They say there is a lotus in the lily pond,
Chorus: A lotus, they say... a lotus, they say,
A lotus, they say... a lotus, they say!
Female: They say there is a champak flower on the jasmine vine!
Chorus: A champak, they say... a champak, they say,
A champak, they say... a champak, they say!
They say there is a lotus in the lily pond,
They say there is a champak flower on the jasmine vine!
Looking for a mango on a coconut tree—
Listen to what that silly fool has to say!
O fully grown ducks,
Run in whatever direction you are headed!
Chorus: O fully grown ducks,
Run in whatever direction you are headed!
Female: Evening arrived right in the morning,
The cloud drifted all the way down to the earth,
The cloud drifted all the way down to the earth!
By the lake...
Chorus: By the lake... by the lake...
A jujube tree by the lake,
The tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted!
Female: The tree your little sister planted!
There is no fruit, there is no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
Chorus: The tree she planted has no fruit and no flower,
On the tree your little sister planted!
By the lake... by the lake... by the lake...
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song 'Yaeriyilae Elantha Maram' from 'Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo' (1981) is a vibrant Tamil folk track rich in pastoral imagery, rural humor, and playful teasing. Utilizing traditional call-and-response folk structures, the song revolves around nature metaphors—a jujube tree by a lake that yields no flowers or fruit, honey streams on silver mountains, and bees intoxicated by nectar. The lyrics mix comedic absurdities (like looking for a mango on a coconut tree or expecting a champak flower on a jasmine vine) with romantic undertones. Panchu Arunachalam's lyrics evoke the earthy ethos of Tamil village culture, contrasting moments of scenic beauty with witty banter and whimsical observations about life, growth, and love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-Letter Rhyming)

Velli malaiyila thaenaruvi / Vaeppa maraththila poonguruvi

The second consonant sound ('lli' / 'ppa' maintaining strict structural syllable count) creates rhythm across consecutive lines.

Personification

Vaazhai ilaiyila odura kaaththu / Aadura kooththu kaanalaiyo

The breeze moving across a banana leaf is personified as a dancer performing a 'kooththu' (folk theatrical dance).

Metaphor / Paradoxical Imagery

Thennai maraththilae maangaai thedum / Madaiyan sonnaan kettukkodaa

Searching for a mango on a coconut tree is used as a metaphor for foolish, misplaced expectations.

Folk Refrain (Chorus Syncing)

Thanthana naathinam thanthanannaa

Standard Tamil 'Nattupura Pattu' rhythmic non-lexical vocables used to establish time signature and participatory group singing.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo' (1981) was directed by G. N. Rangarajan and based on a famous thriller novel by renowned writer Sujatha Rangarajan. The soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja is celebrated for seamlessly blending classical Carnatic swaras ('Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni') at the beginning into raw, authentic Tamil folk beats. S. Janaki's vocal performance alongside Ilaiyaraaja and chorus is considered one of the iconic representations of 1980s Tamil cinema village folk songs.

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