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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ada Appan Mavane

From Sathya Sundharam · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Sathya Sundharam
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
18 Dec 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aariro aariraro
Aariro aariraro
Naan yaaro nee yaaro
Ungammaa yaro appaa yaro
Kannu yaaro mookku yaaro kaadhu yaaro
Ada koppan maganae
Mummy unakku dummythaanappaa
Edam thappaa poranthanthathai ippo nenachchu
Azhuvathu yaenappaa…..azhuvathu yaenappaa
Ada koppan maganae
Mummy unakku dummythaanappaa
Edam thappaa poranthanthathai ippo nenachchu
Azhuvathu yaenappaa…..azhuvathu yaenappaa
Paalootta theriyala seeraatta theriyala
Thaalaatta theriyala poraalae veliyilae
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Aariro aariraro
Paaloota yaaraachchum vaareeyalaa
Aariro aariraro
Paaloota yaaraachchum vaareeyalaa
Kadavul idhilae unakkum uravo
Avanin ammaa appaa evaro
Kadavul idhilae unakkum uravo
Avanin ammaa appaa evaro
Avarae oru naal thaayum aanaar
Umaiyaal paalil samanthar vaazhnthaar
Thaayaarai kaanaamalae
Yaar yaaro vaazhnthaaradaa
Aiyyaavin kaipaalilae
Medhaigal aanaaradaa….
Paalootta theriyala seeraatta theriyala
Thaalaatta theriyala poraalae veliyilae
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Aariro aariraro
Paaloota yaaraachchum vaareeyalaa
Ada koppan maganae
Mummy unakku dummythaanappaa
Edam thappaa poranthanthathai ippo nenachchu
Azhuvathu yaenappaa…..azhuvathu yaenappaa
Thaaimai uravae thamizhin magimai
Thaayin madiyil amarnthaal perumai
Thaaimai uravae thamizhin magimai
Thaayin madiyil amarnthaal perumai
Unakko oruththi irunthum illai
Unakko neethaan uravin ellai
Kallaana ammaavai nee
Kannaalum paaraathedaa
Aiyyaa un vaazhnaalilae
Amma endrazhaikkathaedaa
Paalootta theriyala seeraatta theriyala
Thaalaatta theriyala poraalae veliyilae
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Avalaa ongammaa nee azhaama thoongappaa
Aariro aariraro
Paaloota yaaraachchum vaareeyalaa
Aariro aariraro
Aariro aariraro aariraro aariraro
Aariro, aariraro...
Aariro, aariraro...
Who am I, and who are you?
Who is your mother, and who is your father?
Whose eyes are these, whose nose, and whose ears?
Hey, your father's boy!
Your mummy is just a fake, my child.
Thinking about being born in the wrong place,
why are you crying now? Why are you crying?
Hey, your father's boy!
Your mummy is just a fake, my child.
Thinking about being born in the wrong place,
why are you crying now? Why are you crying?
She does not know how to nurse you or comfort you,
she does not know how to sing a lullaby, and she just walks out!
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Aariro, aariraro...
Is there anyone coming to feed this child milk?
Aariro, aariraro...
Is there anyone coming to feed this child milk?
Is God also like a kin to you in this?
Who knows who His own mother and father are?
Is God also like a kin to you in this?
Who knows who His own mother and father are?
Even He became a mother one day,
and blessed by Goddess Uma's milk, Sambandar lived on.
Without ever seeing their mothers,
so many people have lived and thrived, my boy!
Raised on milk fed by their father's hand,
they grew up to become great minds!
She does not know how to nurse you or comfort you,
she does not know how to sing a lullaby, and she just walks out!
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Aariro, aariraro...
Is there anyone coming to feed this child milk?
Hey, your father's boy!
Your mummy is just a fake, my child.
Thinking about being born in the wrong place,
why are you crying now? Why are you crying?
The bond of motherhood is the pride of Tamil heritage,
and sitting on a mother's lap brings true dignity.
The bond of motherhood is the pride of Tamil heritage,
and sitting on a mother's lap brings true dignity.
Yet for you, having a mother is as good as having none;
you are the only family you have in this world.
To that stone-hearted mother of yours,
do not even look at her with your eyes, my boy!
My dear child, in your entire lifetime,
never call her 'Mother' ever again!
She does not know how to nurse you or comfort you,
she does not know how to sing a lullaby, and she just walks out!
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Is she even your mother? Do not cry, just sleep, my boy.
Aariro, aariraro...
Is there anyone coming to feed this child milk?
Aariro, aariro...
Aariro, aariraro... aariraro, aariraro...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

In 'Ada Koppan Magane / Mummy Unakku Dummy' from Sathya Sundharam (1981), a heartbroken father sings a poignant lullaby to his infant child after being deserted or neglected by the mother. He contrasts the traditional Tamil reverence for sacred motherhood with the coldness of a modern mother who abandons her nurturing duties. To soothe the crying infant, the father invokes philosophical themes and devotional myth—citing how Lord Shiva once acted as a mother (Thayumanavar) and how Tamil saint Sambandar was nurtured by Goddess Parvati. He urges his child to stay strong, grow up under his fatherly care, and forego affection for an unloving mother.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme / Repetitive Refrain)

“Paalootta theriyala seeraatta theriyala / Thaalaatta theriyala poraalae veliyilae”

The rhythmic repetition of '-theriyala' across parallel phrases creates a catchy, nursery-rhyme-like cadence expressing incapacity and neglect.

Irony and English Loanword Juxtaposition

“Mummy unakku dummythaanappaa”

Kannadasan pairs 'Mummy' with 'Dummy' to sarcastically highlight the mother's superficial role in her infant's life.

Allusion (Samaya Puranam)

“Umaiyaal paalil samanthar vaazhnthaar”

References the Saivite tradition where Saint Thirugnana Sambandar was fed milk directly by Goddess Parvati (Umaiyaal), reinforcing divine sustenance when earthly mothers fail.

Ethukai (Second Letter Assonance)

“Kallaana ammaavai nee”

The second consonant sound 'll' matches across lines ('Kallaana' / 'Ellai'), adding melic cohesion.

Did you know?

Trivia

Sathya Sundharam (1981), starring Sivaji Ganesan, featured music by M. S. Viswanathan and lyrics by Kannadasan. Sung by T. M. Soundararajan, this track is famous for combining traditional Tamil lullaby rhythms ('Aariro') with urban English loanwords ('Mummy', 'Dummy') to convey emotional tragedy through satirical lyricism.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Poomarathu Nizhalumundu1969
Kuzhanthai UllamMotherhoodChildhood
Aaraaro Aasai Kanmaniye1956
Kannin ManigalGriefMotherhood
Mannavar Paadum Tamizh1989
Pongi Varum KaveriMotherhoodResilience
Chinnamma (Female)1995
VeluchamiGriefChildhood
Thedamal Deivam Irandu1984
Kudumbam (1984)MotherhoodFamily
Per Solla Vantha1982
Magane MaganeMotherhoodFamily

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