Ai Erandu Thingalai
From Thandatti · 2023
- Lyricist
- Pattinathar
- Singer
- Mukesh
- Music director
- Sundaramurthy KS
- Details
- Thandatti2023
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ai irandu thingalaai | For five plus five, ten long months, |
| Angamellam nondhu pettru | Enduring pain throughout her body, she gave birth. |
| Paiye endru bodhae | When told it was a child, |
| Amma | Mother! |
| Paiyal endra podhae parindhu eduthu | The moment she heard it was a boy, she lovingly gathered him, |
| Seiya iru kai purathil yendhi | Holding the child gently in both her hands, |
| Kanaga moolai thandhaalae amma | She offered her golden breast milk, oh Mother! |
| Unai eppirappil ini kaanbaenoo | In which lifetime will I ever see you again? |
| Male | |
| Mundhi thavam kedanthu | Performing penance prior to my birth, |
| Munnoru naal sumandhu | Carrying me in her womb in days gone by, |
| Andhi pagalaai sivanai aadharithu | Praying to Lord Shiva day and night, |
| Thondhi sariya sumandhu pettra | Carrying her heavy belly and giving birth to me, |
| Thaaiyirkkor meiyilae thee moottuven | To such a mother's body, I am setting fire! |
| Male | |
| Pattililum thottililum | In silk garments and in a cradle, |
| Maar melum thol melum | Upon her chest and on her shoulders, |
| Kattililum veithu ennai | Placing me upon the bed, |
| Kaadhalithu mutha siragilittu | Loving me and showering me with affectionate kisses, |
| Kaapattri seeratiya | Protecting and caring for me, |
| Thaaiyirkkor meiyilae thee moottuven | To such a mother's body, I am setting fire! |
| Male | |
| Nondhu sumandhu pettru | Suffering through pregnancy and giving birth, |
| Nogamaal yendhi mulai thandhu | Lifting me softly without hurt and feeding me milk, |
| Valartheduthu | Nurturing and bringing me up, |
| Thaanavae andhi pagal kaiyilae | Holding me in her own hands day and night, |
| Kaiyilae kondu ennai kaapattriya | Protecting me constantly in her embrace, |
| Thaaithanakko meiyilae thee moottuven | To that very mother's body, I am now setting fire! |
ஐ இரண்டு திங்களாய்
அங்கமெல்லாம் நொந்து பெற்று
பையே என்று போதே
அம்மா
பையல் என்ற போதே பரிந்து எடுத்து
செய்ய இரு கை புறத்தில் ஏந்தி
கனக மூளை தந்தாளே அம்மா
உனை எப்பிறப்பில் இனி காண்பேனோ
For five plus five, ten long months,
Enduring pain throughout her body, she gave birth.
When told it was a child,
Mother!
The moment she heard it was a boy, she lovingly gathered him,
Holding the child gently in both her hands,
She offered her golden breast milk, oh Mother!
In which lifetime will I ever see you again?
முந்தி தவம் கெடந்து
முன்னூறு நாள் சுமந்து
அந்தி பகலாய் சிவனை ஆதரித்து
தொந்தி சரிய சுமந்து பெற்ற
தாய்க்கோர் மெய்யிலே தீ மூட்டுவேன்
Performing penance prior to my birth,
Carrying me in her womb in days gone by,
Praying to Lord Shiva day and night,
Carrying her heavy belly and giving birth to me,
To such a mother's body, I am setting fire!
பட்டிலிலும் தொட்டிலிலும்
மார் மேலும் தோள் மேலும்
கட்டிலிலும் வைத்து என்னை
காதலித்து முத்த சிறகிலிட்டு
காப்பாற்றி சீராட்டிய
தாய்க்கோர் மெய்யிலே தீ மூட்டுவேன்
In silk garments and in a cradle,
Upon her chest and on her shoulders,
Placing me upon the bed,
Loving me and showering me with affectionate kisses,
Protecting and caring for me,
To such a mother's body, I am setting fire!
நொந்து சுமந்து பெற்று
நோகாமல் ஏந்தி முளை தந்து
வளர்த்தெடுத்து
தானாவே அந்தி பகல்
கையிலே கொண்டு என்னை காப்பாற்றிய
தாய் தனக்கோ மெய்யிலே தீ மூட்டுவேன்
Suffering through pregnancy and giving birth,
Lifting me softly without hurt and feeding me milk,
Nurturing and bringing me up,
Holding me in her own hands day and night,
Protecting me constantly in her embrace,
To that very mother's body, I am now setting fire!
Ai irandu thingalaai
For five plus five, ten long months,
Angamellam nondhu pettru
Enduring pain throughout her body, she gave birth.
Paiye endru bodhae
When told it was a child,
Amma
Mother!
Paiyal endra podhae parindhu eduthu
The moment she heard it was a boy, she lovingly gathered him,
Seiya iru kai purathil yendhi
Holding the child gently in both her hands,
Kanaga moolai thandhaalae amma
She offered her golden breast milk, oh Mother!
Unai eppirappil ini kaanbaenoo
In which lifetime will I ever see you again?
Mundhi thavam kedanthu
Performing penance prior to my birth,
Munnoru naal sumandhu
Carrying me in her womb in days gone by,
Andhi pagalaai sivanai aadharithu
Praying to Lord Shiva day and night,
Thondhi sariya sumandhu pettra
Carrying her heavy belly and giving birth to me,
Thaaiyirkkor meiyilae thee moottuven
To such a mother's body, I am setting fire!
Pattililum thottililum
In silk garments and in a cradle,
Maar melum thol melum
Upon her chest and on her shoulders,
Kattililum veithu ennai
Placing me upon the bed,
Kaadhalithu mutha siragilittu
Loving me and showering me with affectionate kisses,
Kaapattri seeratiya
Protecting and caring for me,
Thaaiyirkkor meiyilae thee moottuven
To such a mother's body, I am setting fire!
Nondhu sumandhu pettru
Suffering through pregnancy and giving birth,
Nogamaal yendhi mulai thandhu
Lifting me softly without hurt and feeding me milk,
Valartheduthu
Nurturing and bringing me up,
Thaanavae andhi pagal kaiyilae
Holding me in her own hands day and night,
Kaiyilae kondu ennai kaapattriya
Protecting me constantly in her embrace,
Thaaithanakko meiyilae thee moottuven
To that very mother's body, I am now setting fire!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This deeply emotional verse, originally composed by the saint-poet Pattinathar, captures the existential sorrow of a son performing the last rites for his deceased mother. He reminisces about her immense maternal sacrifices: enduring ten months of painful pregnancy, praying endlessly to Lord Shiva, cradling him in silk and on her shoulders, and tenderly nourishing him throughout his childhood. The heartbreaking irony lies in the realization that the very body that gave him life and endured endless hardship must now be set on fire by his own hands.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Etukai (Second letter rhyme)
“Pattililum thottililum”
The second consonant sound matches across consecutive phrases ('Pattililum' / 'Kattililum'), adding rhythmic musicality.
Monai (Initial letter rhyme)
“Mundhi thavam kedanthu”
Matching initial vowel/consonant sounds ('Mundhi' / 'Munnoru') creating structural alignment.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kanaga moolai thandhaalae amma”
Describing mother's milk as 'Kanaga moolai' (golden breast milk) to emphasize its sacred and priceless value.
Refrain (Madaku/Thirumba Varuvan)
“Thaaiyirkkor meiyilae thee moottuven”
The agonizing repetition of 'meiyilae thee moottuven' (I light fire to her body) reinforces the deep grief and irony of the funeral ritual.
Did you know?
Trivia
These lines are attributed to Pattinathar, a 10th-century Tamil saint and philosopher who renounced his immense wealth to become an ascetic. Legend has it that he composed these heartbreaking verses at the funeral pyre of his own mother. The traditional poem was adapted into the soundtrack of the 2023 movie 'Thandatti', composed by Sundaramurthy KS.
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