This is the comprehensive thathuvam repository. If you come across one that isn’t here, or make up an entirely new one, send it to me at navin at mail dot com, and I’ll include it here! I have credited authors wherever I can – most of these have reached me after being forwarded multiple times, and their authors, brilliant thought they are, have been lost in the mists of internet antiquity!

For a short account of what a thathuvam is, see my post “Return of the Kadi.”

So, here they are, in no particular order!

Enjoy!

1
Minnala parthaa kannu poiddum;
Pakkalainaaa… minnaley poiddum!

2
Nee evalo periya swimmera irundhaalum,
Tumbler thannila neechal adikka mudiyaathu!

3
Ghee roastla ghee irukkum,
Paper roastla paper irukkuma!

4
Thanneera Thanninnu sollalaam;
Panneera panninnu solla mudiyuma?

5
Cream biscuitla cream irukkum,
Ana naai biscuitla naai irukkumaa?

6
Cycle carrierla tiffen-a vechu eduthuttu pogalam;
Tiffin carrierla cycle-a vechu eduthuttu poga mudiyathu!

7
Nee evalo periya dancer aa irundhaalum
Un saavukku unnaala aada mudiyuma?

8
Kaakka ennadhaan karuppa irundhaalum adhu podara muttai vellai!
Muttai ennadhaan vellaiya irundhaalum adhukulla irukka kaakka karuppudhaan!

9
Trainkku ticket vaangi platformla ukkaaralaam;
Aana platformku ticket vangi trainla ukkara mudiyathu!

10
Sodava fridgela vacha cooling soda aagum,
Athukkaaga atha washing machinela vacha washing soda aagumaa?

11
Iron boxaala iron panna mudiyum;
Aana pencil boxaala pencil panna mudiyaadhu!

12
Ticket vangitu ulla poradu cinema theatre;
Ulla poitu ticket vanguradu operation theatre!

13
Sirpi kalla uliyaala adicha adhu kalai;
Naama sirpiya uliyaala adicha adhu kolai!

14
Nama evalavu vegama nadanthaalum
Oru kaal munnadi pona oru kaal pinnadithaan pogum!

15
Quarter adichittu kuppura padukkalaam;
Aana kupura paduthuttu quarter adikka mudiyathu!

16
Vaayaala naainu sollalaam;
Aana, naayaala vaainu sollamudiyuma?

17
Mandaia mandaia aatradhu disco;
Mandaia potta aadrathu dappankuthu!

18
If you drink ethanol, you will dance in front of others.
If you drink methanol, others will dance in front of you!

19
Velaya senja soru;
Velaya romba senja boru!

20
Car kulla tyre irundha adhu stepney;
Adhey namma mela andha tyre irundha, naama chutney!

21
Adayar Anandha Bhavanoda branch neraya edathula irukkum;
Aana Adayar aala marathoda branch Adayarla mattum thaan irukkum!

22
Thoonga poradhukku munnala thoonga porennu sollalaam;
Yendhirikkirathukku munnala yendhrika porennu solla mudiyumaa?

23
Neenga bikela evlo thaan fasta ponaalum
ungalayae neenga overtake panna mudiyaathu.

24
Gold chaina adagu vachu cycle vaangalaam;
Aaana cycle chaina adagu vachu gold vaanga mudiyaathu!

25
Ambalainga adi patta ambulance varum;
Pombalainga adi patta pombulance varuma?

25
Railway stationla police station irukkalam;
Ana police stationla railway station irukka mudiyadhu.

26
Poison 10 naal aanalum payasam aaga mudiyaadhu;
Aana, payasam 10 naal aana poison aaidum!

27
Oru erumbu nenacha 1000 yanaya kadikkum;
Ana 1000 yana nenachalum oru erumba kooda kadikka mudiyadhu!

28
Puyalala karaya kadaka mudiyum;
Aana karayala puyala kadaka mudiyuma?

29
Cellula balance illana call panna mudiyathu;
Aaana manushanukku call illana, balance panna mudiyathu!

30
Nee enna thaan costly mobile vachirundhalum,
Athula evalavu thaan recharge pannalum,
Unnalla unakkae call panna mudiyathu!

31
Enna thaan meenuku neendha therinjalum
adhala meen kolambula neendha mudiyadhu!

32
Innaiku thoonguna nalaiku enthirikalam;
Aana naalaiku thoonguna inaiku enthirika mudiyuma?

33
Yenna dhaan naai nadri ulladhaa irundhaalum,
Adhaala “thank you” solla mudiyaadhu!

34
Yenna dhaan neruppu koliyaa irundhaalum
adhaala avicha mutta poda mudiyumaa?

35
Naaikku naalu kaal irukkalaam; aanaalum adhaala kaal mela kaal pottu
ukkaara mudiyaadhu!

36
Yennadhaan nagapaambu attagaasama padam yeduthaalum
Adha theatrela release panni kaasu panna mudiyuma?

37
Lunch bagula lunch eduthuttu polaam;
Aana school bagula schoola eduthuttu poga mudiyumaa?

38
Arisi kottina, vaera arisi vaangalaam;
Paal kottina, vaera paal vaangalaam;
Aana, thael kottina, vaera thael vaangamudiyumaa?

39
Files naa ukanthu paakanum;
Piles naa paathu ukkaranum!

40
Nee evalo periya padipaaliya irundhalum
Exam hall la poi padikka mudiyadhu!

41
School testla bit adikkalaam;
College testla bit adikkalaam;
Aanaa blood testla bit adikka mudiyaadhu!

42
Aayiram dhaan irundhaalum,
Aayirathi onnu dhaan perusu!

43
Yennathan ahimsaivaadhiya irundhaalum
Chappathiya suttu dhaan saappidanum!

44
Nee yenna dhaan veerana irundhaalum,
Kulir adicha thirumba adikka mudiyathu!

45
Kaasu irundhaa call taxi;
Kaasu illainaa kaal dhaan taxi!

46
Kovil maniya namma adichaa saththam varum;
Aanaa kovil mani nammala adichaa raththam dhaan varum!

47
Meluga vachchu melugu vathi seyyalam;
Aanaa kosuva vachchu kosu vathi seyya mudiyathu!

48
Pallu valina palla pudungalam;
Aanaa kannu valina kanna pudunga mudiyuma!

49
Idli podiya thottu idly saappidalaam;
Aanaa, mookku podiya thottu mookka saappida mudiyuma?

50
Pant pottu mutti poda mudiyum;
Aanaa mutti pottu pant poda mudiyuma?

51
Yennadhaan yezhu thalamuraikku ukkaandhu saapidara alavukku sothu irundhaalum,
Fast food kadaila ninnu dhaan saapidanum!

52
Konjam panam kuduthaa kodai vaangalaam;
Yevalo panam kuduthaalum mazhai vaanga mudiyumaa?

53
Hotella kaasu illainaa mavvaatta solluvaanga;
Aanaa, busla kaasu illana bus ota solluvangala?

54
Sun TVla sorgam paarkkalaam;
Aanaa, sorgathula Sun TV paarka mudiyumaa?

55
Chairman chair mela ukkaralaam;
Aanaa watchman watch mela ukkaara mudiyumaa?

56
Lovers’ Day annaikku lovera kiss pannalaam;
Aanaa Teachers’ Day annaikku teachera kiss panna mudiyumaa?

57
Paaku marathula paaku irukum,
Thaeku marathula thaeku irukum,
Aanaa panamarathula panam irukaadhu!

58
Ennadhan aeroplane maela parandhaalum,
Petrol poda keelathaan varanum!

59
Mechanical engineer mechanic aagalam;
Aanaa software engineer software aaga mudiyaathu!

60
Tea cupla tea irukkalam;
Aanaa World Cupla World irukka mudiyaathu!

61
Evvalo kaasu kuduthu planela ponaalum,
Jannala thiranthu vedikkaa paarkka mudiyaathu!

62
Key boardla key irrukkum;
Aanaa motherboardla mother irruka mudiyaathu!

63
Brush vachu pallu clean pannalam;
Aanaa pallu vachu brush clean panna mudiyathu!

64
Pant Pottu Mutti poda mudiyum
Aanaa mutti pottu pant poda mudiyaathu…..!!!!

65
Tool boxla toolsa parka mudiyum;
Aanaa match boxla matcha paarka mudiyaathu!

66
Irukkurappa enna dhaan complan, bournvitanu kudichalum
Sethathukkappuram ellarukkum paal thaan!

67
South India-la Narthangai kidaikkum;
Aanaa North India-la Southangai kidaikkumaa?

68
Pacha milagaile pacha irukkum
Aanaa kodamolagaale koda irukkaathu!

69
Nee evlo periya paruppa irunthalum,
Unga veettu samayalukku paruppu kadaila than vaanganum!

70
Cyclela poana cycling,
Trainla poana training-a?

71
Thel kottina valikkum,
Paambu kottina valikkum
Mudi kottina valikkuma?

72
Naaikku naalu kaal irukkalaam.
Aana adhala LOCAL call, STD call, ISD call, even MISSED call kooda panna mudiyaathu!

73
Gangai aathula meen pidikkalaam
Kaavery aathula meen pidikkalaam
Aana Iyer aathula meen pidikka mudiyuma?

74
Thiruvalluvar 1330 kural ezhidhirundhaalum
avarala oru kuralil thaan paesa mudiyum

75
Enna thaan un thalai suthinaalum,
Un mudhukai nee paakka mudiyumaa?

76
Meen pidikiravana meenavan-nnu sollalam
Naai pidikiravana naayavan-nnu solla mudiyumaa?