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Lyrics & meaning

Aadum Ponne Aasai Kanne

From Karpukkarasi · 1957

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singers
K. Jamunarani, Chorus
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Karpukkarasi1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Aadum pennae aasai kannaeDancing girl, my beloved eye,
Aadum pennae aasai kannaeDancing girl, my beloved eye,
Ooridum thenae ooviya vaanaeSweet oozing honey, beautiful sky of a painting,
Ooridum thenae ooviya vaanaeSweet oozing honey, beautiful sky of a painting,
Moodiya kaigal rendum theduvathu ennaeWhat are your two closed hands searching for?
Moodiya kaigal rendum theduvathu ennaeWhat are your two closed hands searching for?
Chorus
Aadum pennae aasai kannaeDancing girl, my beloved eye,
Female
Kaveri polae kaashini melaeLike the River Kaveri upon this earth,
Aadharavaai endrum vaazhvaayaeMay you live forever as a source of support,
Kaaviya noolae nee valarnthaalaeIf you grow up like a great epic poem,
Vaal munaiyaal puviyaavaayaeYou shall conquer the world with the tip of a sword,
Chorus
Maamalar vannamuga maathu thantha maniyaeO precious gem birthed by the lady with a flower-like face,
Aadum pennae aasaik kannae….Dancing girl, my beloved eye...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Karpukkarasi' (1957) is a tender lullaby and song of praise filled with maternal affection and high aspirations for a child. The singer lovingly compares the child to sweet honey, a painted sky, and a precious gem, while playfully asking what her tiny clenched fists are reaching out to find.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvam)

Ooridum thenae ooviya vaanae

The child is directly addressed as 'ooridum thenae' (flowing honey) and 'ooviya vaanae' (artistic sky), endearingly equating her to natural beauty.

Simile (Uwamai)

Kaveri polae kaashini melae

The explicit comparison word 'polae' (like) compares the child's future nourishing presence on earth to the life-giving River Kaveri.

Initial Alliteration (Monai)

Kaveri polae kaashini melae / Kaaviya noolae nee valarnthaalae

The repetition of the initial 'Kaa' sound ('Kaveri' and 'Kaaviya') creates a rhythmic phonetic harmony across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the famed poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, this song subtly injects progressive ideas by wishing that a female child grows up strong and heroic enough to 'rule the world at the tip of a sword', going beyond typical passive lullaby tropes of the 1950s.

Keep listening

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