Amma Amma Amma
From Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam · 1957
- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- Ghantasala
- Music director
- P. Aadhinarayana Rao
- Details
- Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam1957
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Amma amma amma enum | Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared? |
| Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo | Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden? |
| Amma amma amma enum | Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared? |
| Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo | Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden? |
| Ariyaadha maganae puriyadha ulagil | Oh innocent son, in this incomprehensible world, |
| Alaindhaalum therivaayoo | Even if you wander, will you recognize her? |
| Evvidham ammaavai purivaayoo | In what way will you understand your mother? |
| Male | |
| Padhi vaazhvai izhandhae | Having lost half her life's happiness, |
| Pasu kandrai pirindhae | Separated like a cow from her calf, |
| Pala veshathaal alaindhae | Wandering in various disguises, |
| Nilai maari annai alaimodhum velai | At a time when mother is tossing about in an altered state, |
| Arivaayooda maganae | Will you know it, my son? |
| Ammavai therivaayoodaa maganae | Will you recognize your mother, my son? |
| Male | |
| Vidhi seidha leelai vibaridha velai | This game played by fate, this disastrous hour, |
| Vinaiyaaga nerndhadhada | Has befallen as a karmic misfortune. |
| Urumaari thandhai nilai maarinaan | Disguised, the father too has changed his status, |
| Nee unarvaayoodaa maganae | Will you realize this, my son? |
| Thandhaiyae therivaayoodaa maganae | Will you recognize your father, my son? |
| Male | |
| Andho anadhaiyai | Alas, why do you test this orphan child, |
| Sodhanai seivadhaen deivamae | Why do you test him, Oh God? |
| Than thaai thandhaiyin | Due to the sorrow of his mother and father, |
| Sogathaal yengugiraan selvamae | This precious child is yearning, |
| Male | |
| Alai maevidum thurumbagavae | Like a piece of straw floating on wave-tossed waters, |
| Nilaimaarinaan paaraai | Look, his state has changed, |
| Muraiyagumaa deivamae | Is this fair, Oh God? |
| Muraiyagumaa deivamae | Is this fair, Oh God? |
| Kurai kelada deivamae | Listen to this grievance, Oh God! |
அம்மா அம்மா அம்மா எனும்
அணையாத தீபம் எங்கே மறைந்தாளோ
அம்மா அம்மா அம்மா எனும்
அணையாத தீபம் எங்கே மறைந்தாளோ
அறியாத மகனே புரியாத உலகில்
அலைந்தாலும் தெரிவாயோ
எவ்விதம் அம்மாவை புரிவாயோ......
Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared?
Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden?
Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared?
Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden?
Oh innocent son, in this incomprehensible world,
Even if you wander, will you recognize her?
In what way will you understand your mother?
பதிவாழ்வை இழந்தே பசு கன்றை பிரிந்தே
பல வேஷத்தால் அலைந்தே
நிலை மாறி அன்னை அலைமோதும் வேளை
அறிவாயோடா மகனே
அம்மாவை தெரிவாயோடா மகனே
Having lost half her life's happiness,
Separated like a cow from her calf,
Wandering in various disguises,
At a time when mother is tossing about in an altered state,
Will you know it, my son?
Will you recognize your mother, my son?
விதி செய்த லீலை விபரீத வேலை
வினையாக நேர்ந்ததடா
உருமாறி தந்தை நிலை மாறினான்
நீ உணர்வாயோடா மகனே
தந்தையை தெரிவாயோடா மகனே
This game played by fate, this disastrous hour,
Has befallen as a karmic misfortune.
Disguised, the father too has changed his status,
Will you realize this, my son?
Will you recognize your father, my son?
அந்தோ அனாதையை
சோதனை செய்வதேன் தெய்வமே
தன் தாய் தந்தையின்
சோகத்தால் ஏங்குகிறான் செல்வமே
Alas, why do you test this orphan child,
Why do you test him, Oh God?
Due to the sorrow of his mother and father,
This precious child is yearning,
அலை மேவிடும் துரும்பாகவே
நிலைமாறினான் பாராய்
முறையாகுமா தெய்வமே
முறையாகுமா தெய்வமே
குறை கேளடா தெய்வமே.......
Like a piece of straw floating on wave-tossed waters,
Look, his state has changed,
Is this fair, Oh God?
Is this fair, Oh God?
Listen to this grievance, Oh God!
Amma amma amma enum
Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared?
Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo
Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden?
Amma amma amma enum
Where has the unquenchable lamp named 'Mother, mother, mother' disappeared?
Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo
Where has that unquenchable lamp hidden?
Ariyaadha maganae puriyadha ulagil
Oh innocent son, in this incomprehensible world,
Alaindhaalum therivaayoo
Even if you wander, will you recognize her?
Evvidham ammaavai purivaayoo
In what way will you understand your mother?
Padhi vaazhvai izhandhae
Having lost half her life's happiness,
Pasu kandrai pirindhae
Separated like a cow from her calf,
Pala veshathaal alaindhae
Wandering in various disguises,
Nilai maari annai alaimodhum velai
At a time when mother is tossing about in an altered state,
Arivaayooda maganae
Will you know it, my son?
Ammavai therivaayoodaa maganae
Will you recognize your mother, my son?
Vidhi seidha leelai vibaridha velai
This game played by fate, this disastrous hour,
Vinaiyaaga nerndhadhada
Has befallen as a karmic misfortune.
Urumaari thandhai nilai maarinaan
Disguised, the father too has changed his status,
Nee unarvaayoodaa maganae
Will you realize this, my son?
Thandhaiyae therivaayoodaa maganae
Will you recognize your father, my son?
Andho anadhaiyai
Alas, why do you test this orphan child,
Sodhanai seivadhaen deivamae
Why do you test him, Oh God?
Than thaai thandhaiyin
Due to the sorrow of his mother and father,
Sogathaal yengugiraan selvamae
This precious child is yearning,
Alai maevidum thurumbagavae
Like a piece of straw floating on wave-tossed waters,
Nilaimaarinaan paaraai
Look, his state has changed,
Muraiyagumaa deivamae
Is this fair, Oh God?
Muraiyagumaa deivamae
Is this fair, Oh God?
Kurai kelada deivamae
Listen to this grievance, Oh God!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song conveys the intense tragedy of a family separated by misfortune. The narrator addresses a young, innocent child who is unaware that both his mother and father are suffering in disguise nearby. The mother is described as an eternal lamp that has been hidden, enduring terrible grief like a mother cow separated from her calf. Meanwhile, the father's life has also been upended by the cruel turns of fate. The song serves as a melancholic lament directed towards God, questioning why an innocent child must suffer as if he were an orphan, floating helplessly like straw on tumultuous waves. Through emotional questioning and vivid imagery, the lyricist captures the despair of separation and appeals to divine justice to hear their plight.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo”
The mother's love and presence are portrayed as an 'unquenchable lamp' (Anaiyaadha deepam).
Simile (உவமையணி)
“Pasu kandrai pirindhae”
The painful separation of the mother and child is compared to a cow separated from her calf (Pasu kandrai pirindhae).
Simile (உவமையணி)
“Alai maevidum thurumbagavae”
The helpless child's unstable condition in life is compared to a piece of straw tossed on oceanic waves (Alai maevidum thurumbagavae).
Alliteration / Monai (மோனை)
“Vidhi seidha leelai vibaridha velai”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'v' in 'Vidhi', 'vibaridha', and 'Vinaiyaaga'.
Rhetorical Question (வினா அணி)
“Muraiyagumaa deivamae”
The speaker asks God 'Is this fair?' repeatedly to emphasize helplessness and injustice.
Did you know?
Trivia
Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam (1957) was a prominent bilingual film release (made simultaneously in Telugu as Anasuya). Directed by Vedantam Raghavaiah with music scored by P. Adinarayana Rao, the song features iconic vocals by Ghantasala, renowned for bringing deep emotional depth to tragic solos written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass.
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