Ambuli Mama
From Engal Selvi · 1960
- Lyricist
- Kuyilan
- Singers
- M. S. Rajeswari, A. L. Ragavan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Engal Selvi1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ambuli mama varuvaayae | Uncle Moon, will you come? |
| Azhagu nilaavai tharuvaayae | Will you give your beautiful moonlight? |
| Chorus | |
| Ambuli mama varuvaayae | Uncle Moon, will you come? |
| Azhagu nilaavai tharuvaayae | Will you give your beautiful moonlight? |
| Female | |
| Inbamudan vilaiyaada | To play together with joy, |
| Endrum thunaiyae purivaayae | Will you always keep me company? |
| Female | |
| Ambuli mama | Uncle Moon... |
| Chorus :Ambuli mama | Chorus: Uncle Moon... |
| Ambuli mama Aa…aa….aa… | Uncle Moon, Ah... ah... ah... |
| Male | |
| Kanmani pappa azhaiththaalae | If my darling child calls, |
| Kattaayam varuven tharai melae | I will surely come down to earth. |
| Kanmani pappa azhaihthaalae | If my darling child calls, |
| Kattaayam varuven tharai melae | I will surely come down to earth. |
| Thunbamellaam odidume | All sorrows will flee, |
| Unnudan saernthu siriththaalae | If I laugh together with you. |
| Kanmani pappa…. | Darling child... |
| Chorus :Aa….oo….oo…. | Chorus: Ah... oo... oo... |
| Female | |
| Ettaatha thooraththil kittaatha pazhamaai | As an unreachable fruit at an unreachable distance, |
| Iruppathu edharkkaaga | Why are you staying up there? |
| Chorus :Nee iruppathu edharkaga | Chorus: Why are you staying up there? |
| Male | |
| Kettavar kaiyil ettaathu irunthaal | If I remain out of reach from evil people, |
| Nallathu adharkkaaga rompa nallathu adharkkaga | It is for a good reason, a very good reason. |
| Kanmani pappa….aa….aa… | Darling child... ah... ah... |
| Female :Mmm….mmm….mm… | Female: Mmm... mmm... mm... |
| Female | |
| Pagalil engae sendraayo | Where did you go during the day? |
| Iravil mattum vanthaayae | Why did you come only at night? |
| Iravil mattum vanthaayae | Why did you come only at night? |
| Male | |
| Pagalil thaayin panividai seithu | Serving my mother during the day, |
| Iravil ungalai kaana vanthaen | I came to see you all at night. |
| Female :Oo…oo… | Female: Oo... oo... |
| Male :Aa….aa….aa… | Male: Ah... ah... ah... |
| Female :Mm….mm….m…. | Female: Mm... mm... m... |
| Female | |
| Unthan amma yaaro | Who is your mother? |
| Aval irupathu entha ooro | Which town does she live in? |
| Male | |
| Enthan ullae kudu kudu kizhavi | Inside me, a hunchbacked old woman, |
| Iruppathai neengal ariveero | Do you know that she resides? |
| Kanmani pappa….aa…aa.. | Darling child... ah... ah... |
| Chorus :Mm….mm…mm… | Chorus: Mm... mm... mm... |
| Female | |
| Thaayodu vaazhnthidum thumbigalae | Oh dragonflies living with your mother, |
| Thaayillaa pillaigalai kandanaiyo | Have you seen motherless children? |
| Thaayodu vaazhnthidum thumbigalae | Oh dragonflies living with your mother, |
| Thaayillaa pillaigalai kandanaiyo | Have you seen motherless children? |
| Female | |
| Thaayaar madiyil anbodu | With love on mother's lap, |
| Valarnthum ammaa illaiyae | Though grown up, I have no mother, |
| Idhu thandanaiyaa ambuli mama | Is this a punishment, Uncle Moon? |
| Male :Kanmani pappa…aa….aa…. | Male: Darling child... ah... ah... |
| Female | |
| Ambuli mama…aa…aaa…. | Uncle Moon... ah... ah... |
| Male | |
| Kanmani pappa….. | Darling child... |
| Chorus :Mmm…mm…mm… | Chorus: Mmm... mm... mm... |
| Male :Aaa….aaa…. | Male: Ah... ah... |
| Chorus :Mmm…mm…mmm…. | Chorus: Mmm... mm... mmm... |
அம்புலி மாமா வருவாயே
அழகு நிலாவை தருவாயே
Uncle Moon, will you come?
Will you give your beautiful moonlight?
அம்புலி மாமா வருவாயே
அழகு நிலாவை தருவாயே
Uncle Moon, will you come?
Will you give your beautiful moonlight?
இன்பமுடன் விளையாட
என்றும் துணையே புரிவாயே
To play together with joy,
Will you always keep me company?
அம்புலி மாமா
குழு
: அம்புலி மாமா
அம்புலி மாமாஆ......ஆ....ஆ....
Uncle Moon...
Chorus: Uncle Moon...
Uncle Moon, Ah... ah... ah...
கண்மணி பாப்பா அழைத்தாலே
கட்டாயம் வருவேன் தரை மேலே
கண்மணி பாப்பா அழைத்தாலே
கட்டாயம் வருவேன் தரை மேலே
துன்பமெல்லாம் ஓடிடுமே
உன்னுடன் சேர்ந்து சிரித்தாலே
கண்மணி பாப்பா.......
குழு :
ஆ........ஓ........ஓ.........
If my darling child calls,
I will surely come down to earth.
If my darling child calls,
I will surely come down to earth.
All sorrows will flee,
If I laugh together with you.
Darling child...
Chorus: Ah... oo... oo...
எட்டாத தூரத்தில் கிட்டாத பழமாய்
இருப்பது எதற்காக
குழு :
நீ இருப்பது எதற்காக.......
As an unreachable fruit at an unreachable distance,
Why are you staying up there?
Chorus: Why are you staying up there?
கெட்டவர் கையில் எட்டாது இருந்தால்
நல்லது அதற்காக ரொம்ப நல்லது அதற்காக
கண்மணி பாப்பா ஆ.......ஆ......
ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்.....
If I remain out of reach from evil people,
It is for a good reason, a very good reason.
Darling child... ah... ah...
Female: Mmm... mmm... mm...
பெண்
: பகலில் எங்கே சென்றாயோ
இரவில் மட்டும் வந்தாயே
இரவில் மட்டும் வந்தாயே ...............
Where did you go during the day?
Why did you come only at night?
Why did you come only at night?
பகலில் தாயின் பணிவிடை செய்து
இரவில் உங்களை காண வந்தேன்
ஓ.....ஓ.......
ஆ......ஆ.....ஆ......
ம்.....ம்......ம்......ம்....
Serving my mother during the day,
I came to see you all at night.
Female: Oo... oo...
Male: Ah... ah... ah...
Female: Mm... mm... m...
உந்தன் அம்மா யாரோ
அவள் இருப்பது எந்த ஊரோ
Who is your mother?
Which town does she live in?
எந்தன் உள்ளே குடுகுடு கிழவி
இருப்பதை நீங்கள் அறிவீரோ
கண்மணி பாப்பா....ஆ.....ஆ........
குழு :
ம்ம்....ம்ம்.....ம்ம்.......
Inside me, a hunchbacked old woman,
Do you know that she resides?
Darling child... ah... ah...
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
தாயோடு வாழ்ந்திடும் தும்பிகளே
தாயில்லா பிள்ளைகளை கண்டனையா
தாயோடு வாழ்ந்திடும் தும்பிகளே
தாயில்லா பிள்ளைகளை கண்டனையா
Oh dragonflies living with your mother,
Have you seen motherless children?
Oh dragonflies living with your mother,
Have you seen motherless children?
தாயார் மடியில் அன்போடு
வளர்ந்தும் அம்மா இல்லையே
இது தண்டைனையா அம்புலி மாமா .......
கண்மணி பாப்பா....
With love on mother's lap,
Though grown up, I have no mother,
Is this a punishment, Uncle Moon?
Male: Darling child... ah... ah...
எத்தனை கோடி துணை இருந்தாலும்
அது குறைதானே என்றும் அது குறைதானே
பெற்றவள் இல்லா குழந்தைகளோடே
பிரியம் காட்டுதல் முறைதானே
பிரியம் காட்டுதல் முறைதானே
கண்மணி பாப்பா......ஆ......ஆ......
Uncle Moon... ah... ah...
அம்புலி மாமா....ஆஅ....ஆஅ....
Darling child...
Chorus: Mmm... mm... mm...
Male: Ah... ah...
Chorus: Mmm... mm... mmm...
கண்மணி பாப்பா
குழு :
ம்ம்ம்....ம்ம்...ம்ம்....
ஆஅ....ஆஅ....
குழு :
ம்ம்ம்....ம்ம்...ம்ம்....
Ambuli mama varuvaayae
Uncle Moon, will you come?
Azhagu nilaavai tharuvaayae
Will you give your beautiful moonlight?
Ambuli mama varuvaayae
Uncle Moon, will you come?
Azhagu nilaavai tharuvaayae
Will you give your beautiful moonlight?
Inbamudan vilaiyaada
To play together with joy,
Endrum thunaiyae purivaayae
Will you always keep me company?
Ambuli mama
Uncle Moon...
Chorus :Ambuli mama
Chorus: Uncle Moon...
Ambuli mama Aa…aa….aa…
Uncle Moon, Ah... ah... ah...
Kanmani pappa azhaiththaalae
If my darling child calls,
Kattaayam varuven tharai melae
I will surely come down to earth.
Kanmani pappa azhaihthaalae
If my darling child calls,
Kattaayam varuven tharai melae
I will surely come down to earth.
Thunbamellaam odidume
All sorrows will flee,
Unnudan saernthu siriththaalae
If I laugh together with you.
Kanmani pappa….
Darling child...
Chorus :Aa….oo….oo….
Chorus: Ah... oo... oo...
Ettaatha thooraththil kittaatha pazhamaai
As an unreachable fruit at an unreachable distance,
Iruppathu edharkkaaga
Why are you staying up there?
Chorus :Nee iruppathu edharkaga
Chorus: Why are you staying up there?
Kettavar kaiyil ettaathu irunthaal
If I remain out of reach from evil people,
Nallathu adharkkaaga rompa nallathu adharkkaga
It is for a good reason, a very good reason.
Kanmani pappa….aa….aa…
Darling child... ah... ah...
Female :Mmm….mmm….mm…
Female: Mmm... mmm... mm...
Pagalil engae sendraayo
Where did you go during the day?
Iravil mattum vanthaayae
Why did you come only at night?
Iravil mattum vanthaayae
Why did you come only at night?
Pagalil thaayin panividai seithu
Serving my mother during the day,
Iravil ungalai kaana vanthaen
I came to see you all at night.
Female :Oo…oo…
Female: Oo... oo...
Male :Aa….aa….aa…
Male: Ah... ah... ah...
Female :Mm….mm….m….
Female: Mm... mm... m...
Unthan amma yaaro
Who is your mother?
Aval irupathu entha ooro
Which town does she live in?
Enthan ullae kudu kudu kizhavi
Inside me, a hunchbacked old woman,
Iruppathai neengal ariveero
Do you know that she resides?
Kanmani pappa….aa…aa..
Darling child... ah... ah...
Chorus :Mm….mm…mm…
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
Thaayodu vaazhnthidum thumbigalae
Oh dragonflies living with your mother,
Thaayillaa pillaigalai kandanaiyo
Have you seen motherless children?
Thaayodu vaazhnthidum thumbigalae
Oh dragonflies living with your mother,
Thaayillaa pillaigalai kandanaiyo
Have you seen motherless children?
Thaayaar madiyil anbodu
With love on mother's lap,
Valarnthum ammaa illaiyae
Though grown up, I have no mother,
Idhu thandanaiyaa ambuli mama
Is this a punishment, Uncle Moon?
Male :Kanmani pappa…aa….aa….
Male: Darling child... ah... ah...
Ambuli mama…aa…aaa….
Uncle Moon... ah... ah...
Kanmani pappa…..
Darling child...
Chorus :Mmm…mm…mm…
Chorus: Mmm... mm... mm...
Male :Aaa….aaa….
Male: Ah... ah...
Chorus :Mmm…mm…mmm….
Chorus: Mmm... mm... mmm...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a charming and poignant musical dialogue between a young motherless girl and 'Ambuli Mama' (Uncle Moon). The child asks innocent, imaginative questions—why the moon lives so far away like unreachable fruit, where he goes during the daytime, and who his mother is. The moon answers comfortingly, explaining that staying far keeps him safe from bad people, and that he works by day serving his mother before visiting children at night.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Ambuli mama varuvaayae”
Addressing the moon as a maternal uncle ('Ambuli mama') and attributing human actions to it, such as serving its mother and visiting children.
Metaphor
“Ettaatha thooraththil kittaatha pazhamaai”
Comparing the distant moon to an unreachable fruit on a high tree.
Edugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Unthan amma yaaro / Enthan ullae kudu kudu kizhavi”
The second letters 'th' rhyme across lines ('Unthan' / 'Enthan').
Cultural Allusion
“Enthan ullae kudu kudu kizhavi”
Refers to the traditional Tamil folklore myth of a 'kudu kudu kizhavi' (old spinning woman) living inside the moon.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in 'Engal Selvi' (1960), this song showcases singer M. S. Rajeswari's signature childlike vocals, which made her famous for playing and singing for children in Golden Era Tamil cinema. The song blends innocent childlike wonder with deep emotional undertones regarding maternal absence.
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