Amma Nee Kannamoochi
From Ketti Melam · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Uma Ramanan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Ketti Melam1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aa..aaa…aaa…aaa.. | Ah... ah... |
| Aaa…aa…aaa…aaa.. | Ah... ah... |
| Aa..aa…aaa…aa..aaa..aaa.. | Ah... ah... |
| Aaa..aaa..aaa..aaa… | Ah... ah... |
| Female | |
| Ammaa nee kannaamoochi | Mother, should you play hide-and-seek |
| Aadidalaamaa | With me like this? |
| Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan | Without seeing your loving face, should I |
| Vaadidalaamaa | Wither away? |
| Female | |
| Oru manam mezhugena | A heart like wax |
| Urugudhu unnaalae | Is melting because of you. |
| Unai azhaithenae | I called out to you, |
| Kural koduthenae | I gave my voice calling for you. |
| Female | |
| Ammaa nee kannaamoochi | Mother, should you play hide-and-seek |
| Aadidalaamaa | With me like this? |
| Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan | Without seeing your loving face, should I |
| Vaadidalaamaa | Wither away? |
| Female | |
| Oorgolam pogum megangalae | Oh clouds marching in procession, |
| Engae en thaai endru koorungalae | Please tell me where my mother is. |
| Aagaayam neendhum paravaigalae | Oh birds swimming through the sky, |
| En thaaiyai azhaithingu vaarungalae | Please bring my mother back here. |
| Female | |
| Iruvarum veru dhisai irukka | While the two of us are in different directions, |
| Idaiyinil kaalam thirai irukka | And time stands as a curtain between us, |
| Thiraigalum ingae vilagaadho | Will these curtains not move aside here? |
| Thaai mugam kannil theriyaadho | Will my mother's face not appear before my eyes? |
| Female | |
| Oru manam mezhugena | A heart like wax |
| Urugudhu unnaalae | Is melting because of you. |
| Unai azhaithenae | I called out to you, |
| Kural koduthenae | I gave my voice calling for you. |
| Female | |
| Ammaa nee kannaamoochi | Mother, should you play hide-and-seek |
| Aadidalaamaa | With me like this? |
| Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan | Without seeing your loving face, should I |
| Vaadidalaamaa | Wither away? |
| Female | |
| Seethaavai thedi | In search of Sita, |
| Sri raaman thaan | Lord Rama himself |
| Kaadendrum medendrum | Wandered through forests and hills, |
| Alaindhaanammaa | Oh mother! |
| Female | |
| Maadhaavai thedi | Searching for her mother, |
| Magal vandhadhu | A daughter has come now; |
| Vaalmeeki ezhudhaadha | This is a story unwritten |
| Kadhai thaanammaa | By Valmiki, oh mother! |
| Female | |
| Thudikkudhu ingae oru manamae | A heart quivers here in pain, |
| Kidaithida vendum dharisanamae | Hoping to get a glimpse of you. |
| Ninaivugal yaavum neeyaaga | With all my memories centered on you, |
| Pala vazhi thaandi naan poga | I cross many paths to go forward. |
| Female | |
| Oru manam mezhugena | A heart like wax |
| Urugudhu unnaalae | Is melting because of you. |
| Unai azhaithenae | I called out to you, |
| Kural koduthenae | I gave my voice calling for you. |
| Female | |
| Ammaa nee kannaamoochi | Mother, should you play hide-and-seek |
| Aadidalaamaa | With me like this? |
| Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan | Without seeing your loving face, should I |
| Vaadidalaamaa | Wither away? |
| Female | |
| Oru manam mezhugena | A heart like wax |
| Urugudhu unnaalae | Is melting because of you. |
| Unai azhaithenae | I called out to you, |
| Kural koduthenae | I gave my voice calling for you. |
ஆஅ ஆஅ ஆஆ.....
ஆஅ ஆஆஅ ஆஆஅ.......
ஆஅ ஆஆஅ ஆஆஅ.......
ஆஅ ஆஆஅ ஆஆஅ.......
Ah... ah...
Ah... ah...
Ah... ah...
Ah... ah...
அம்மா நீ கண்ணாமூச்சி
ஆடிடலாமா
அன்பு முகம் காணாமல்
நான் வாடிடலாமா
ஒரு மனம் மெழுகென
உருகுது உன்னாலே
உன்னை அழைத்தேனே
குரல் கொடுத்தேனே......
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
With me like this?
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Wither away?
அம்மா நீ கண்ணாமூச்சி
ஆடிடலாமா
அன்பு முகம் காணாமல்
நான் வாடிடலாமா
A heart like wax
Is melting because of you.
I called out to you,
I gave my voice calling for you.
ஊர்கோலம் போகும் மேகங்களே
எங்கே என் தாய் என்று கூறுங்களே
ஆகாயம் நீந்தும் பறவைகளே
என் தாயை அழைத்திங்கு
வாருங்களே
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
With me like this?
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Wither away?
இருவரும் வேறு திசை இருக்க
இடையினில் காலம் திரை இருக்க
திரைகளும் இங்கே விலகாதோ
தாய் முகம் கண்ணில் தெரியாதோ.....
Oh clouds marching in procession,
Please tell me where my mother is.
Oh birds swimming through the sky,
Please bring my mother back here.
ஒரு மனம் மெழுகென
உருகுது உன்னாலே
உன்னை அழைத்தேனே
குரல் கொடுத்தேனே......
While the two of us are in different directions,
And time stands as a curtain between us,
Will these curtains not move aside here?
Will my mother's face not appear before my eyes?
அம்மா நீ கண்ணாமூச்சி
ஆடிடலாமா
அன்பு முகம் காணாமல்
நான் வாடிடலாமா
A heart like wax
Is melting because of you.
I called out to you,
I gave my voice calling for you.
சீதாவைத் தேடி ஸ்ரீராமன்தான்
காடென்றும் மேடென்றும்
அலைந்தானம்மா
மாதாவைத் தேடி மகள் வந்தது
வால்மீகி எழுதாத கதை தானம்மா
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
With me like this?
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Wither away?
துடிக்குது இங்கே ஒரு மனமே
கிடைத்திட வேண்டும் தரிசனமே
நினைவுகள் யாவும் நீயாக
பலவழி தாண்டி நான் போக...
In search of Sita,
Lord Rama himself
Wandered through forests and hills,
Oh mother!
ஒரு மனம் மெழுகென
உருகுது உன்னாலே
உன்னை அழைத்தேனே
குரல் கொடுத்தேனே......
Searching for her mother,
A daughter has come now;
This is a story unwritten
By Valmiki, oh mother!
அம்மா நீ கண்ணாமூச்சி
ஆடிடலாமா
அன்பு முகம் காணாமல்
நான் வாடிடலாமா
ஒரு மனம் மெழுகென
உருகுது உன்னாலே
உன்னை அழைத்தேனே
குரல் கொடுத்தேனே......
A heart quivers here in pain,
Hoping to get a glimpse of you.
With all my memories centered on you,
I cross many paths to go forward.
A heart like wax
Is melting because of you.
I called out to you,
I gave my voice calling for you.
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
With me like this?
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Wither away?
A heart like wax
Is melting because of you.
I called out to you,
I gave my voice calling for you.
Aa..aaa…aaa…aaa..
Ah... ah...
Aaa…aa…aaa…aaa..
Ah... ah...
Aa..aa…aaa…aa..aaa..aaa..
Ah... ah...
Aaa..aaa..aaa..aaa…
Ah... ah...
Ammaa nee kannaamoochi
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
Aadidalaamaa
With me like this?
Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Vaadidalaamaa
Wither away?
Oru manam mezhugena
A heart like wax
Urugudhu unnaalae
Is melting because of you.
Unai azhaithenae
I called out to you,
Kural koduthenae
I gave my voice calling for you.
Ammaa nee kannaamoochi
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
Aadidalaamaa
With me like this?
Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Vaadidalaamaa
Wither away?
Oorgolam pogum megangalae
Oh clouds marching in procession,
Engae en thaai endru koorungalae
Please tell me where my mother is.
Aagaayam neendhum paravaigalae
Oh birds swimming through the sky,
En thaaiyai azhaithingu vaarungalae
Please bring my mother back here.
Iruvarum veru dhisai irukka
While the two of us are in different directions,
Idaiyinil kaalam thirai irukka
And time stands as a curtain between us,
Thiraigalum ingae vilagaadho
Will these curtains not move aside here?
Thaai mugam kannil theriyaadho
Will my mother's face not appear before my eyes?
Oru manam mezhugena
A heart like wax
Urugudhu unnaalae
Is melting because of you.
Unai azhaithenae
I called out to you,
Kural koduthenae
I gave my voice calling for you.
Ammaa nee kannaamoochi
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
Aadidalaamaa
With me like this?
Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Vaadidalaamaa
Wither away?
Seethaavai thedi
In search of Sita,
Sri raaman thaan
Lord Rama himself
Kaadendrum medendrum
Wandered through forests and hills,
Alaindhaanammaa
Oh mother!
Maadhaavai thedi
Searching for her mother,
Magal vandhadhu
A daughter has come now;
Vaalmeeki ezhudhaadha
This is a story unwritten
Kadhai thaanammaa
By Valmiki, oh mother!
Thudikkudhu ingae oru manamae
A heart quivers here in pain,
Kidaithida vendum dharisanamae
Hoping to get a glimpse of you.
Ninaivugal yaavum neeyaaga
With all my memories centered on you,
Pala vazhi thaandi naan poga
I cross many paths to go forward.
Oru manam mezhugena
A heart like wax
Urugudhu unnaalae
Is melting because of you.
Unai azhaithenae
I called out to you,
Kural koduthenae
I gave my voice calling for you.
Ammaa nee kannaamoochi
Mother, should you play hide-and-seek
Aadidalaamaa
With me like this?
Anbu mugam kaanaamal naan
Without seeing your loving face, should I
Vaadidalaamaa
Wither away?
Oru manam mezhugena
A heart like wax
Urugudhu unnaalae
Is melting because of you.
Unai azhaithenae
I called out to you,
Kural koduthenae
I gave my voice calling for you.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional song from the movie Ketti Melam (1985) expresses a daughter's deep anguish and longing for her missing mother. The lyricist Vaali compares the mother's absence to a game of hide-and-seek (kannaamoochi), asking why she must suffer without seeing her affectionate face. She addresses nature—the traveling clouds and birds flying across the sky—begging them to locate her mother and bring her back, while describing how time acts as a cruel curtain keeping them separated in different directions. In the second verse, Vaali employs a poignant mythological contrast: while the epic Ramayana tells of Lord Rama wandering through forests searching for Sita, this daughter's quest for her mother is an unwritten tale that sage Valmiki never penned. With a melting heart like wax and memories filled only with her mother, the daughter continues her journey across multiple paths in hopes of achieving a sacred reunion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Oru manam mezhugena”
Compares the emotional state of the heart melting in grief to wax melting ('Oru manam mezhugena urugudhu').
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Idaiyinil kaalam thirai irukka”
Compares time to an intervening curtain ('kaalam thirai') separating mother and daughter.
Personification / Apostrophe
“Oorgolam pogum megangalae”
Directly addressing non-human entities like clouds and birds to act as messengers.
Emona / Rhyme (Tamil Rhyming)
“Seethaavai thedi / Maadhaavai thedi”
Second-letter rhyming across lines: 'Iruvarum' and 'Idaiyinil' (r sound harmony), and 'Seethaavai' / 'Maadhaavai'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Ketti Melam' (1985) stars Karthik and Sulakshana. The lyrics written by legendary poet Vaali feature a famous mythological allusion comparing the daughter's quest to a story Valmiki forgot to write ('Vaalmeeki ezhudhaadha kadhai thaanammaa').
Keep listening
More from Ketti Melam
Ketti Melam
Ketti Melam
Ketti Melam
Ketti Melam
Ketti Melam