Aalaliloo
From Karu · 2018
- Lyricist
- Madhan Karky
- Singer
- Swagatha S. Krishnan
- Music director
- Sam C. S
- Details
- Karu2018
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aalaliloo | Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant) |
| Aalaliloo | Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant) |
| Nee paada maranthida kettal ival | She listened when you forgot to sing a lullaby, |
| Kannae yena muthae yena | Calling 'my dear eye', 'my precious gem', |
| Nee konjatha un chella thugal ival | She is your darling tiny child whom you never got to cuddle. |
| Female | |
| Aalaliloo | Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant) |
| Aalaliloo | Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant) |
| Nee paada maranthida kettal ival | She listened when you forgot to sing, |
| Sollamalae sollamalae | Without even putting it into words, |
| Amma endruthaan unnai azhaipaval | She is the one who still calls you 'Mother'. |
| Female | |
| Nee veesiya punnagai | Does the smile you once showered, |
| Pinnaal varutho | Follow behind you now? |
| Kelvi ondrai nenjil yenthi | Carrying a question in her heart, |
| Unnai paarkutho | Is she looking at you? |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal adhai sollavae | To express that deep love, |
| Uyir vendam yenavae | Feeling that even life itself isn't required, |
| Kaathirunthen paarthirunthae | Having waited and watched, |
| Kaadhalai sollutho | Is she expressing her love? |
| Female | |
| Un kannil pada | To fall in your sight, |
| Un kaigal thoda | To be touched by your hands, |
| Muthangal ida paarkindratho | Is she longing to shower you with kisses? |
| Ingethu vazhi | Where is the way out here? |
| Ingethu mozhi | Where is the language here? |
| Illatha vali mullagutho | Does an unfelt pain turn into a sharp thorn? |
| Mounam ondru sollagutho | Does a silence become a spoken word? |
| Female | |
| Un pol aval aavadhae | In her desire to become just like you, |
| Unnai unara | To truly feel your presence, |
| Podhavillai endrunardhu | Realizing it wasn't enough, |
| Un kaatraagiraal | She becomes the very air you breathe. |
| Female | |
| Nee oyivena saigaiyil | When you lean back to rest, |
| Un thookam avalae | She becomes your slumber itself; |
| Undhan kanavil thannai thedi | Searching for herself inside your dreams, |
| Paadhangal theigiraal | Her feet wear out as she wanders. |
| Female | |
| Vannangal ila | Devoid of any vibrant colors, |
| Un chinna nila | Your little moon, |
| Thannodu ula vaa endradho | Did she ask you to walk along with her? |
| Thee nindra agal | An oil lamp whose flame has gone cold, |
| Un vazhvin nagal | An exact replica of your own life, |
| Unullae thaanai vidhaikudho | Is she sowing herself inside you on her own? |
| Meendum unnai udhaikudho | Is she kicking inside your womb once again? |
ஆளாலிலோ
ஆளாலிலோ நீ பாட
மறந்திட கேட்டால்
இவள் கண்ணே என
முத்தே என நீ கொஞ்சாத
உன் செல்ல துகள் இவள்
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
She listened when you forgot to sing a lullaby,
Calling 'my dear eye', 'my precious gem',
She is your darling tiny child whom you never got to cuddle.
ஆளாலிலோ
ஆளாலிலோ நீ பாட
மறந்திட கேட்டால்
இவள் சொல்லாமலே
சொல்லாமலே அம்மா
என்றுதான் உன்னை
அழைப்பவள்
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
She listened when you forgot to sing,
Without even putting it into words,
She is the one who still calls you 'Mother'.
நீ வீசிய புன்னகை
பின்னால் வருதோ கேள்வி
ஒன்றை நெஞ்சில் ஏந்தி
உன்னை பார்க்குதோ
Does the smile you once showered,
Follow behind you now?
Carrying a question in her heart,
Is she looking at you?
காதல் அதை
சொல்லவே உயிர்
வேண்டாம் எனவே
காத்திருந்தேன்
பார்த்திருந்தேனே
காதலை சொல்லுதோ
To express that deep love,
Feeling that even life itself isn't required,
Having waited and watched,
Is she expressing her love?
உன் கண்ணில்
பட உன் கைகள் தொட
முத்தங்கள் இட பார்கின்றதோ
இங்கேது வழி இங்கேது மொழி
இல்லாத வழி முள்ளாகுதோ
மௌனம் ஒன்று சொல்லாகுதோ
To fall in your sight,
To be touched by your hands,
Is she longing to shower you with kisses?
Where is the way out here?
Where is the language here?
Does an unfelt pain turn into a sharp thorn?
Does a silence become a spoken word?
உன் போல் அவள்
ஆவதே உன்னை உணர
போதவில்லை என்றுணர்ந்து
உன் காற்றாகிறாள்
In her desire to become just like you,
To truly feel your presence,
Realizing it wasn't enough,
She becomes the very air you breathe.
நீ ஓய்வென
சாய்கையில் உன்
தூக்கம் அவளே உந்தன்
கனவில் தன்னை தேடி
பாதங்கள் தேய்கிறாள்
When you lean back to rest,
She becomes your slumber itself;
Searching for herself inside your dreams,
Her feet wear out as she wanders.
வண்ணங்கள் இல்லா
உன் சின்ன நிலா தன்னோடு
உலா வா என்றதோ தீ நின்ற
அகல் உன் வாழ்வின் நகல்
உன்னுள்ளே தன்னை
விதைக்குதோ மீண்டும்
உன்னை உதைக்குதோ
Devoid of any vibrant colors,
Your little moon,
Did she ask you to walk along with her?
An oil lamp whose flame has gone cold,
An exact replica of your own life,
Is she sowing herself inside you on her own?
Is she kicking inside your womb once again?
Aalaliloo
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Aalaliloo
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Nee paada maranthida kettal ival
She listened when you forgot to sing a lullaby,
Kannae yena muthae yena
Calling 'my dear eye', 'my precious gem',
Nee konjatha un chella thugal ival
She is your darling tiny child whom you never got to cuddle.
Aalaliloo
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Aalaliloo
Aalaliloo (Lullaby chant)
Nee paada maranthida kettal ival
She listened when you forgot to sing,
Sollamalae sollamalae
Without even putting it into words,
Amma endruthaan unnai azhaipaval
She is the one who still calls you 'Mother'.
Nee veesiya punnagai
Does the smile you once showered,
Pinnaal varutho
Follow behind you now?
Kelvi ondrai nenjil yenthi
Carrying a question in her heart,
Unnai paarkutho
Is she looking at you?
Kaadhal adhai sollavae
To express that deep love,
Uyir vendam yenavae
Feeling that even life itself isn't required,
Kaathirunthen paarthirunthae
Having waited and watched,
Kaadhalai sollutho
Is she expressing her love?
Un kannil pada
To fall in your sight,
Un kaigal thoda
To be touched by your hands,
Muthangal ida paarkindratho
Is she longing to shower you with kisses?
Ingethu vazhi
Where is the way out here?
Ingethu mozhi
Where is the language here?
Illatha vali mullagutho
Does an unfelt pain turn into a sharp thorn?
Mounam ondru sollagutho
Does a silence become a spoken word?
Un pol aval aavadhae
In her desire to become just like you,
Unnai unara
To truly feel your presence,
Podhavillai endrunardhu
Realizing it wasn't enough,
Un kaatraagiraal
She becomes the very air you breathe.
Nee oyivena saigaiyil
When you lean back to rest,
Un thookam avalae
She becomes your slumber itself;
Undhan kanavil thannai thedi
Searching for herself inside your dreams,
Paadhangal theigiraal
Her feet wear out as she wanders.
Vannangal ila
Devoid of any vibrant colors,
Un chinna nila
Your little moon,
Thannodu ula vaa endradho
Did she ask you to walk along with her?
Thee nindra agal
An oil lamp whose flame has gone cold,
Un vazhvin nagal
An exact replica of your own life,
Unullae thaanai vidhaikudho
Is she sowing herself inside you on her own?
Meendum unnai udhaikudho
Is she kicking inside your womb once again?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Aalaliloo' from the movie Karu (2018) is a poignant, haunting lullaby sung from the perspective of an aborted child's spirit addressing her mother. The lyrics convey the child's unspoken yearning for motherly warmth, affection, and touch that she was denied in life. Despite being an unfulfilled soul, she clings to her mother, becoming the air she breathes and the dreams she sleeps in. Written by Madhan Karky, the song delves into maternal grief, unseen connection, and spiritual bonding. The child seeks answers to her non-existent existence while longing to return to her mother's embrace, ending with the evocative thought of feeling the baby's kick once again inside the womb.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Thee nindra agal / Un vazhvin nagal”
Compares the unborn child to a colorless little moon ('chinna nila') and an unlit lamp ('thee nindra agal').
Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirai)
“Ingethu vazhi / Ingethu mozhi”
Couplet featuring rhyming pattern in the second letters across consecutive lines ('vazhi' / 'mozhi').
Personification
“Mounam ondru sollagutho”
Attributes human speech capabilities to abstract silence ('mounam').
Anaphora / Repetition (Adukku Thodar)
“Sollamalae sollamalae”
Repetition of 'sollamalae' to emphasize the wordless, deep emotional state.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Karu (also released as Diya in 2018), directed by A. L. Vijay and starring Sai Pallavi, centers around the supernatural presence of an aborted fetus. The musical score was composed by Sam C. S., and the lyrics by Madhan Karky beautifully capture the haunting yet emotional thread of unborn mother-child affection.
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