Alli Thantha Bhoomi
From Nandu · 1981
- Lyricist
- Madhukoor Kannan
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Nandu1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Mmmmm…..mmmmm….mmmm…. | Mmmmm... mmmmm... mmmm... |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Male | |
| Aadum naal paadum naal thaalangal | Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats, |
| Ini anantham aarambam vaarungal | Now happiness begins, come along everyone! |
| Aadum naal paadum naal thaalangal | Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats, |
| Ini anantham aarambam vaarungal | Now happiness begins, come along everyone! |
| Male | |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Male | |
| Sevai seitha kattrae pesaayo | O breeze that served us, won't you speak? |
| Shemangal laabangal yaatho | What are the blessings and gains here? |
| Palli sendra kaala paadhaigalae | O pathways from the days of going to school, |
| Paalangal maadangal aahaa | Ah, the bridges and grand mansions! |
| Male | |
| Purandu odum nadhi magal | The river daughter rolling and flowing along, |
| Irandu karaiyum kavithaigal | Both her banks are like living poems. |
| Thaniththa kaalam valarntha idangalae | O places where I grew up during times of solitude, |
| Ilamai ninaivai isaikkum therukkal | O streets that play music from youth memories! |
| Male | |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Male | |
| Kaaval seitha kottai kaanaayo | Do you not see the fort that guarded us? |
| Kangalin seedhanamthaano | Is it a gift of treasure for the eyes? |
| Kalli nindra kaattil mulligale | O thorns in the wild forest of cacti, |
| Kaaranam maathenum theno | Is there a reason you yield honey instead? |
| Male | |
| Viriyum pookkal vaanangal | The blooming flowers are like skies of fireworks, |
| Visiriyaagum naanalgal | The swaying reeds turn into hand fans. |
| Maraththin vaerum magizhchchi padukkaiyae | Even the root of a tree is a bed of joy, |
| Pazhaiya sogam iniyum illai | Old sorrows exist no longer. |
| Male | |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa | Is not the earth that gave generously our mother? |
| Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa | Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father? |
| Mmm….mm…..mmm….mmmm…. | Mmm... mm... mmm... mmmm... |
ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்.......ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்.....ம்ம்ம்ம்.....
அள்ளித் தந்த பூமி அன்னையல்லவா
சொல்லித் தந்த வானம் தந்தையல்லவா
அள்ளித் தந்த பூமி அன்னையல்லவா
சொல்லித் தந்த வானம் தந்தையல்லவா
Mmmmm... mmmmm... mmmm...
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
ஆடும் நாள் பாடும் நாள் தாளங்கள்
இனி ஆனந்தம் ஆரம்பம் வாருங்கள்
ஆடும் நாள் பாடும் நாள் தாளங்கள்
இனி ஆனந்தம் ஆரம்பம் வாருங்கள்
Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats,
Now happiness begins, come along everyone!
Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats,
Now happiness begins, come along everyone!
அள்ளித் தந்த பூமி அன்னையல்லவா
சொல்லித் தந்த வானம் தந்தையல்லவா
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
சேவை செய்த காற்றே பேசாயோ
சேமங்கள் லாபங்கள் யாதோ
பள்ளி சென்ற கால பாதைகளே
பாலங்கள் மாடங்கள் ஆகா
O breeze that served us, won't you speak?
What are the blessings and gains here?
O pathways from the days of going to school,
Ah, the bridges and grand mansions!
புரண்டு ஓடும் நதி மகள்
இரண்டு கரையும் கவிதைகள்
தனித்த காலம் வளர்ந்த இடங்களே
இளமை நினைவை இசைக்கும் தெருக்கள்
The river daughter rolling and flowing along,
Both her banks are like living poems.
O places where I grew up during times of solitude,
O streets that play music from youth memories!
அள்ளித் தந்த பூமி அன்னையல்லவா
சொல்லித் தந்த வானம் தந்தையல்லவா
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
காவல் செய்த கோட்டை காணாயோ
கண்களின் சீதனம்தானோ
கள்ளி நின்ற காட்டில் முல்லைகளே
காரணம் மாதெனும் தேனோ
Do you not see the fort that guarded us?
Is it a gift of treasure for the eyes?
O thorns in the wild forest of cacti,
Is there a reason you yield honey instead?
விரியும் பூக்கள் வானங்கள்
விசிறியாகும் நாணல்கள்
மரத்தின் வேரும் மகிழ்ச்சிப் படுக்கையே
பழைய சோகம் இனியும் இல்லை
The blooming flowers are like skies of fireworks,
The swaying reeds turn into hand fans.
Even the root of a tree is a bed of joy,
Old sorrows exist no longer.
அள்ளித் தந்த பூமி அன்னையல்லவா
சொல்லித் தந்த வானம் தந்தையல்லவா
ஆடும் நாள் பாடும் நாள் தாளங்கள்
இனி ஆனந்தம் ஆரம்பம் வாருங்கள்
ம்ம்ம்....ம்ம்ம்.......ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்ம்......
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Mmm... mm... mmm... mmmm...
Mmmmm…..mmmmm….mmmm….
Mmmmm... mmmmm... mmmm...
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Aadum naal paadum naal thaalangal
Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats,
Ini anantham aarambam vaarungal
Now happiness begins, come along everyone!
Aadum naal paadum naal thaalangal
Days to dance, days to sing, and rhythmic beats,
Ini anantham aarambam vaarungal
Now happiness begins, come along everyone!
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Sevai seitha kattrae pesaayo
O breeze that served us, won't you speak?
Shemangal laabangal yaatho
What are the blessings and gains here?
Palli sendra kaala paadhaigalae
O pathways from the days of going to school,
Paalangal maadangal aahaa
Ah, the bridges and grand mansions!
Purandu odum nadhi magal
The river daughter rolling and flowing along,
Irandu karaiyum kavithaigal
Both her banks are like living poems.
Thaniththa kaalam valarntha idangalae
O places where I grew up during times of solitude,
Ilamai ninaivai isaikkum therukkal
O streets that play music from youth memories!
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Kaaval seitha kottai kaanaayo
Do you not see the fort that guarded us?
Kangalin seedhanamthaano
Is it a gift of treasure for the eyes?
Kalli nindra kaattil mulligale
O thorns in the wild forest of cacti,
Kaaranam maathenum theno
Is there a reason you yield honey instead?
Viriyum pookkal vaanangal
The blooming flowers are like skies of fireworks,
Visiriyaagum naanalgal
The swaying reeds turn into hand fans.
Maraththin vaerum magizhchchi padukkaiyae
Even the root of a tree is a bed of joy,
Pazhaiya sogam iniyum illai
Old sorrows exist no longer.
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa
Is not the earth that gave generously our mother?
Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa
Is not the sky that taught us wisdom our father?
Mmm….mm…..mmm….mmmm….
Mmm... mm... mmm... mmmm...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Alli Thantha Bhoomi is a soulful celebration of nature, root origins, and nostalgic memories from the film Nandu (1981). The song personifies nature, honoring the earth as a bountiful mother and the sky as a protective father. Through vivid imagery of childhood pathways, rivers, trees, and wind, the narrator relives fond memories of growing up, finding solace and pure happiness in his surroundings, leaving all past sorrows behind.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa / Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa”
The earth is personified as a mother who gives abundantly, and the sky as a father who teaches wisdom.
Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Alli thantha bhoomi annaiyallavaa / Solli thantha vaanam thanthaiyallavaa”
The second consonant 'lla' (அல்லி / சொல்லி) rhymes across consecutive lines, following classical Tamil poetic conventions.
Metaphor
“Viriyum pookkal vaanangal”
Blooming flowers are metaphorically compared to vibrant fireworks across the sky.
Did you know?
Trivia
Nandu (1981), directed by Mahendran and based on a story by Sivasankari, features iconic music composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Sung with heartfelt warmth by Malaysia Vasudevan, this track remains a quintessential example of Ilaiyaraaja's ability to fuse pastoral warmth with rich melodic orchestration.
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