Aalaiyin Sange Nee
From Ratha Kanneer · 1954
- Lyricist
- Udumalai Narayanakavi
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- C. S. Jayaraman
- Details
- Ratha Kanneer1954
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo | Oh factory siren, won't you blow? |
| Panjaalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo | Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow? |
| Mani ainthaana pinnum | Even after the clock has struck five, |
| Panjaalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo | Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow? |
| Female | |
| Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae | Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor, |
| Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae | Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor, |
| Aaa….aa….aa….aa….aa…aa… | Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aa...aa... |
| Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae | Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor, |
| Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae | Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor, |
| Female | |
| Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo | Oh factory siren, won't you blow? |
| Female | |
| Melai thisaithanil veyyilum saainthathae | In the western direction, the sun has set, |
| Yae…yae..yae…yae….yae….yae… | Yae…yae..yae…yae….yae….yae… |
| Melai thisaithanil veyyilum saainthathae | In the western direction, the sun has set, |
| Veedhi paarththiruntha en kannum ointhathae | My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired, |
| Veedhi paarththiruntha en kannum ointhathae | My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired, |
| Female | |
| Melum avar sol ovvondrum | Furthermore, every single word of his |
| Inbam vaainthathae | Is filled with sweet joy, |
| Melum avar sol ovvondrum | Furthermore, every single word of his |
| Inbam vaainthathae | Is filled with sweet joy, |
| Vinnai pilakkum | That pierces the very sky, |
| Un thondai yaen kaainthathae | Why has your throat dried up? |
| Female | |
| Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo | Oh factory siren, won't you blow? |
| Female | |
| Kulikka oru naazhigai yaagilum kazhiyum | At least a little time will be spent taking a bath, |
| Aaa…aa….aa…aa… | Aaa…aa….aa…aa… |
| Kulikka oru naazhigai yaagilum kazhiyum | At least a little time will be spent taking a bath, |
| Kunthi pesa oru naazhigai ozhiyum | Some time will be available to sit down and talk, |
| Vilaiththa unavir konja neramum azhiyim | A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal, |
| Vilaiththa unavir konja neramum azhiyim | A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal, |
| Velli mulaikku mattum kadhal thaen pozhiyum | Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth, |
| Velli mulaikku mattum kadhal thaen pozhiyum | Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth, |
| Female | |
| Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo… | Oh factory siren, won't you blow? |
ஆலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ
பஞ்சாலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ
மணி ஐந்தான பின்னும்
பஞ்சாலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow?
Even after the clock has struck five,
Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow?
காலை முதல் அவர் நெஞ்சம் கொதிக்கவே
காலை முதல் அவர் நெஞ்சம் கொதிக்கவே
ஆஅ.....ஆ......ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....
காலை முதல் அவர் நெஞ்சம் கொதிக்கவே
வேளை செய்தாரே என் வீட்டை மிதிக்கவே
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aa...aa...
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
ஆலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
மேலைத் திசைதனில் வெய்யிலும் சாய்ந்ததே
ஏ....ஏ.....ஏ.....ஏ.....ஏ.......ஏ.....
மேலைத் திசைதனில் வெய்யிலும் சாய்ந்ததே
வீதி பார்த்திருந்த என் கண்ணும் ஓய்ந்ததே
வீதி பார்த்திருந்த என் கண்ணும் ஓய்ந்ததே
In the western direction, the sun has set,
Yae…yae..yae…yae….yae….yae…
In the western direction, the sun has set,
My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired,
My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired,
மேலும் அவர் சொல் ஒவ்வொன்றும்
இன்பம் வாய்ந்ததே
மேலும் அவர் சொல் ஒவ்வொன்றும்
இன்பம் வாய்ந்ததே
விண்ணைப் பிளக்கும்
உன் தொண்டை ஏன் காய்ந்ததே
Furthermore, every single word of his
Is filled with sweet joy,
Furthermore, every single word of his
Is filled with sweet joy,
That pierces the very sky,
Why has your throat dried up?
ஆலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
குளிக்க ஒரு நாழிகை யாகிலும் கழியும்
ஆஅ.....ஆ......ஆ.....ஆ.....
குளிக்க ஒரு நாழிகை யாகிலும் கழியும்
குந்திப் பேச இரு நாழிகை ஒழியும்
நாங்கள் குந்திப் பேச இரு நாழிகை ஒழியும்
விளைத்த உணவிற் கொஞ்ச நேரமும் அழியும்
விளைத்த உணவிற் கொஞ்ச நேரமும் அழியும்
வெள்ளி முளைக்கு மட்டும் காதல் தேன் பொழியும்
வெள்ளி முளைக்கு மட்டும் காதல் தேன் பொழியும்
At least a little time will be spent taking a bath,
Aaa…aa….aa…aa…
At least a little time will be spent taking a bath,
Some time will be available to sit down and talk,
A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal,
A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal,
Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth,
Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth,
ஆலையின் சங்கே நீ ஊதாயோ....
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Panjaalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo
Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow?
Mani ainthaana pinnum
Even after the clock has struck five,
Panjaalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo
Oh cotton mill siren, won't you blow?
Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….aa…aa…
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aa...aa...
Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae
Since morning, his heart has been boiling with hard labor,
Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Melai thisaithanil veyyilum saainthathae
In the western direction, the sun has set,
Yae…yae..yae…yae….yae….yae…
Yae…yae..yae…yae….yae….yae…
Melai thisaithanil veyyilum saainthathae
In the western direction, the sun has set,
Veedhi paarththiruntha en kannum ointhathae
My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired,
Veedhi paarththiruntha en kannum ointhathae
My eyes that kept watching the street have grown tired,
Melum avar sol ovvondrum
Furthermore, every single word of his
Inbam vaainthathae
Is filled with sweet joy,
Melum avar sol ovvondrum
Furthermore, every single word of his
Inbam vaainthathae
Is filled with sweet joy,
Vinnai pilakkum
That pierces the very sky,
Un thondai yaen kaainthathae
Why has your throat dried up?
Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Kulikka oru naazhigai yaagilum kazhiyum
At least a little time will be spent taking a bath,
Aaa…aa….aa…aa…
Aaa…aa….aa…aa…
Kulikka oru naazhigai yaagilum kazhiyum
At least a little time will be spent taking a bath,
Kunthi pesa oru naazhigai ozhiyum
Some time will be available to sit down and talk,
Vilaiththa unavir konja neramum azhiyim
A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal,
Vilaiththa unavir konja neramum azhiyim
A short time will be spent eating the cooked meal,
Velli mulaikku mattum kadhal thaen pozhiyum
Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth,
Velli mulaikku mattum kadhal thaen pozhiyum
Until the morning star rises, the honey of love will pour forth,
Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo…
Oh factory siren, won't you blow?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is sung from the perspective of a loving wife waiting anxiously for her husband to return home after a long, exhausting shift at the cotton mill. She pleads directly to the factory siren, urging it to sound and signal the end of the work shift, noting that the clock has already struck five and the evening sun has set in the west. Her eyes have grown tired of gazing down the street in anticipation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe (Personification)
“Aalaiyin sangae nee oodhaayo”
The singer addresses the inanimate factory siren directly as 'nee' (you) as if it were a living entity capable of hearing her plea.
Hyperbole (Urvai)
“Vinnai pilakkum”
The siren's sound is poetically described as loud enough to split or pierce the sky ('Vinnai pilakkum').
Metaphor (Uruvakam)
“Velli mulaikku mattum kadhal thaen pozhiyum”
The joy of intimate marital love is metaphorically depicted as pouring honey ('kadhal thaen pozhiyum').
Anaphora / Repetition
“Kaalai Mudhal avar nenjam kothikkavae”
Repetition of key lines throughout the stanza reinforces the heroine's deep yearning and sense of time passing.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the seminal 1954 Tamil film 'Ratha Kanneer' starring M. R. Radha, this song was composed by C. S. Jayaraman and penned by the reformist poet Udumalai Narayanakavi. Sung by Carnatic virtuoso M. L. Vasanthakumari, the song subtly highlights the grueling hours and physical toll faced by industrial textile workers of that era, contrasting harsh mill work with domestic warmth.
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