Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Thunaivi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aathoram Vedha

From Thunaivi · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Thunaivi
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
27 Feb 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaththoram vedha vedhachchu andraadadam neer erachchi
Aaththoram vedha vedhachchu andraadadam neer erachchi
Ava kaaththirunthaa ava kan vizhichchaa
Ava kaalamellaam kanavu kandaa kannammaa
Ava kaavalukku oru niyaayamillai
Verum kanneerthaan michcham aachchu chinnammaa
Sevalukkum kozhikkumthaan sonthamillae
Kozhi peththa kunjukkumaa banthamilae
Naalu kunjum naalu vazhi ponapinnae
Ada yaarai nambi vaazhuvathu kooru kannae
Aaththoram vedha vedhachchu andraadadam neer erachchi
Ava kaaththirunthaa ava kan vizhichchaa
Ava kaalamellaam kanavu kandaa kannammaa
Thaai nenachcha nenappilae oru nokkam undu
Thattu ketta pillaikellaam enna undu
Kandathellaam kaatchi aachchu ulagaththilae
Ada kattupaadu udainju pochchu idhayaththilae
Maanam kettu sela vaangi kattanumaa
Madhiyum kettu soru vaangi unnanumaa
Naanam kettu bhoomiyilae nadakkanumaa
Ada naalum kettu uyirai vachchu vaazhanumaa
Aaththoram vedha vedhachchu andraadadam neer erachchi
Ava kaaththirunthaa ava kan vizhichchaa
Ava kaalamellaam kanavu kandaa kannammaa
Ava kaavalukku oru niyaayamillai
Verum kanneerthaan michcham aachchu chinnammaa
She sowed seeds by the riverbank and drew water every day,
She sowed seeds by the riverbank and drew water every day,
She waited with hope, staying awake through the nights,
She spent her whole life dreaming, oh Kannamma!
There was no justice for all her tireless care,
Only tears were left for her in the end, oh Chinnamma!
The rooster and the hen may share no bond,
But do the chicks born to the mother hen have no bond either?
When all four chicks have gone four separate ways,
Tell me, my dear, who is left to rely on to live?
She sowed seeds by the riverbank and drew water every day,
She waited with hope, staying awake through the nights,
She spent her whole life dreaming, oh Kannamma!
There was a purpose in everything the mother dreamed,
But what good sense do wayward children have?
Everything seen in this world has turned into a spectacle,
And all self-restraint has shattered in their hearts...
Must one lose self-respect just to buy a saree and wear it?
Must one lose all good sense just to get food to eat?
Must one cast away shame to walk upon this earth?
Losing all decency and self-worth, is life still worth living?
She sowed seeds by the riverbank and drew water every day,
She waited with hope, staying awake through the nights,
She spent her whole life dreaming, oh Kannamma!
There was no justice for all her tireless care,
Only tears were left for her in the end, oh Chinnamma!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant track expresses a mother's deep agony and existential grief after dedicating her lifetime to raising her children, only to find herself abandoned and uncared for in old age. Kannadasan uses folk-inspired agrarian metaphors, comparing motherly nurturance to laboriously sowing seeds and drawing river water daily, only for the crop to go unharvested.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (உருவகம் - Uruvagam)

“Aaththoram vedha vedhachchu andraadadam neer erachchi”

Compares nurturing children to the laborious task of sowing seeds by the river and irrigating them every day.

Analogy (உவமை - Uvamai)

“Kozhi peththa kunjukkumaa banthamilae / Naalu kunjum naalu vazhi ponapinnae”

Uses the image of a hen raising chicks that scatter in four directions to illustrate children growing up and abandoning their mother.

Second-letter Rhyme (எதுகை - Edhugai)

“Maanam kettu... / Madhiyum kettu... / Naanam kettu... / Naalum kettu...”

Consonant agreement on the second letter ('-na-') across four sequential rhetorical questions emphasizing loss of character.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan, 'Thunaivi' (1981) features a rare reflective folk-style melody rendered by L. R. Eswari, highlighting thematic themes of maternal sacrifice and social morality.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Nadantha Kathaiyai Solla1975
Uravu Solla OruvanGriefLonging
Yaar Yaaro2007
Onbadhu Roobai NottuMelancholicFamily
Chinna Chinna Ithazh1966
Thedi Vantha ThirumagalHeartbreakMelancholic
Nee Azhutha Kanneer Mazhaiyachu1990
Ulagam Pirandhadhu EnakkagaGriefHeartbreak
Rosa Malare1981
RajangamGriefLoss
Ammadi Idhu Enna1986
Mannukkul VairamGriefFamily

From the same album

More songs from Thunaivi

View album
Raja Magane1981
ThunaiviFlirtatious
Muthu Manikka Kangal1981
ThunaiviRomantic

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.