Notes

This is rather long but here is a translation.

Paathira poo venam, Aathira raavu venam (2)
Paadi kalikkuvanai aalukal venam
Thudakkalam varuvenam thonikal aayiram aayiram venam
Kaayalil olam thullumbol!

Paathira poo venam, Aathira raavu venam (2)
Paadi kalikkuvanai aalukal venam
Thudakkalam varuvenam thonikal aayiram aayiram venam
Kaayalil olam thullumbol!

This is a boat race song, the songs they sing during or on the occasion of the boat race festival (vallamkali in malayalam, Vallam or thoni is boat, kali is game).
The song anticipates the exitement around the boat race, it compares the night
before to the thiruvathira day when people are waking up through the night.
It goes ahead and hopes that the boat race should be preceeded by a night of excitement like that of thiruvathira.


The first line is the reference to an astrologically and culturally significant day where the moon aligns with the same side of the sky as the betelguese (thiruvathira in malayalam, Aardra in Hindi/Sanskrit ) star. Young maidens take a bath and adorn their hairs with "Paathira Poovu"or midnight flowers, they wake through the night observing a vow to the gods (Vratha in sanskrit, Vrath in Hin., Vratham in Mal.). Normally to pass time they will engage in singing and traditional dance called thirvathira


"Paathira poo venam, Aathira raavu venam" "is a desire or a prayer that there should be women adorning themselves with flowers at the night like thiruvathira"

"Paadi kalikkuvanai aalukal venam" There should be people (read Women) to sing and dance through the night

"Thudakkalam varuvenam thonikal aayiram aayiram venam" And at dawn there should be the coming of thousands of boats (thoni)

"Kaayalil olam thullumbol!" when the waters of the backwaters dance merrily
(Backwaters are unique waterbodies seen in kerala, life around it is portrayed in many movies(Amen in Malayalam, Vinaithandi varuvaaya Tamil)

a smpler translation would be

Flowers should be worn at midnight, like the night of Aathira
There should be women to sing and dance (through the night )
The morning should come with thousands of boats
When the waves dance merrily in the backwater


THITHI THAARA THITHI THEY THITHEY THAKA THEY THEY THOM(4) (this are just rythmic syllables similar to 'bol' in tabla)

Paathira poo venam, Aathira raavu venam (2)
Paadi kalikkuvanai aalukal venam
Thudakkalam varuvenam thonikal aayiram aayiram venam
Kaayalil olam thullumbol!

THITHI THAARA THITHI THEY THITHEY THAKA THEY THEY THOM(4)

guitar solo bit

Puzhayorathu aake thingi vingum,
the banks would be thronged with people

Thoo mekham, poo thaanam, thoo vaanam nenjin aaravam aayi
Bright/white clouds, flower palettes, bright skies make the heart sing

Kuttanadin olangal!
The waves of (backwaters of) Kuttanad1

Puzhayoram neele neele chaayum
The banks would sway
Thaka thithey thaaro ()

Mazha megham neele neele chaarum
The rain ( clouds) would drizzle the length of the banks
Thaka thithey thaaro ()

Puzhayoram neele neele chaayum
The banks would sway
Thaka thithey thaaro ()

Poo vili poo vili aaravam aayi

The atmosphere will reverberate with flower calls (may mean whistles, cat calls) and celebrations, "poo vili" is also the call of
the children when the go out to collect flowers for making the flower patterns called athapoovu during onam

Kaayalil olam thullumbol!
When the waves dance in the backwaters