Aele Aele Male
From Pasumpon · 1995
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Details
- Pasumpon1995
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aelae aelae maayi | Oh mother, oh mother! |
| Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan | Why did the Creator give me a heart? |
| Aelae sella thaayi | Oh dear mother! |
| Porandhavan yendi manasa odachaan | Why did the child who was born break my heart? |
| Male | |
| Garbathula ulla mattum | Only as long as it remains inside the womb, |
| Andha pulla sondha pulla | Is that child truly one's own child. |
| Thoppul kodi vetti puttaa | Once the umbilical cord is cut, |
| Sondham illa bandham illa | There is no kinship, there is no bond left. |
| Male | |
| Aelae aelae maayi | Oh mother, oh mother! |
| Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan | Why did the Creator give me a heart? |
| Aelae sella thaayi | Oh dear mother! |
| Porandhavan yendi manasa odachaan | Why did the child who was born break my heart? |
ஏலே ஏலே மாயி
படைச்சவன் ஏன்டா மனச படைச்சான்
ஏலே செல்லத் தாயி
பொறந்தவன் ஏன்டி மனச ஒடைச்சான்
Oh mother, oh mother!
Why did the Creator give me a heart?
Oh dear mother!
Why did the child who was born break my heart?
கர்பத்துல உள்ள மட்டும்
அந்தப் புள்ள சொந்தப் புள்ள
தொப்புள் கொடி வெட்டிப் புட்டா
சொந்தம் இல்ல பந்தம் இல்ல
Only as long as it remains inside the womb,
Is that child truly one's own child.
Once the umbilical cord is cut,
There is no kinship, there is no bond left.
ஏலே ஏலே மாயி
படைச்சவன் ஏன்டா மனச படைச்சான்
ஏலே செல்லத் தாயி
பொறந்தவன் ஏன்டி மனச ஒடைச்சான்
Oh mother, oh mother!
Why did the Creator give me a heart?
Oh dear mother!
Why did the child who was born break my heart?
Aelae aelae maayi
Oh mother, oh mother!
Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan
Why did the Creator give me a heart?
Aelae sella thaayi
Oh dear mother!
Porandhavan yendi manasa odachaan
Why did the child who was born break my heart?
Garbathula ulla mattum
Only as long as it remains inside the womb,
Andha pulla sondha pulla
Is that child truly one's own child.
Thoppul kodi vetti puttaa
Once the umbilical cord is cut,
Sondham illa bandham illa
There is no kinship, there is no bond left.
Aelae aelae maayi
Oh mother, oh mother!
Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan
Why did the Creator give me a heart?
Aelae sella thaayi
Oh dear mother!
Porandhavan yendi manasa odachaan
Why did the child who was born break my heart?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant folk song reflects a mother's profound heartbreak and grief over being alienated from her own child. The singer questions the Creator for bestowing feelings upon human hearts, only for those hearts to be shattered by the ones they birthed. The lyrics draw a powerful contrast between the absolute unity of mother and child during pregnancy and the harsh distance that can grow after birth, using the cutting of the umbilical cord as a symbol for the tragic loss of emotional bonds.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan / Porandhavan yendi manasa odachaan”
The second consonant sound matches between lines (Padachavan / Porandhavan), creating a melodic rhythmic flow typical of Tamil folk music.
Metaphor
“Thoppul kodi vetti puttaa sondham illa bandham illa”
The cutting of the umbilical cord (Thoppul kodi) is used as a poignant metaphor for the physical and emotional disconnection between mother and child.
Rhetorical Question
“Padachavan yendaa manasa padachaan”
Asking why the Creator made human hearts serves to emphasize helpless grief and sorrow rather than seeking a literal answer.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the music for 'Pasumpon' (1995) is composed by Vidyasagar, its rural score and folk arrangements were so authentic that listeners often mistook it for Ilaiyaraaja's work. The film stars Prabhu and Sivaji Ganesan, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu exploring complex family dynamics.
Keep listening
More from Pasumpon
Pasumpon
Pasumpon
Pasumpon
Pasumpon
Pasumpon
Pasumpon