- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Annai Or Aalayam
- Movie release year
- 1979
- Lyrics added on
- 9 Oct 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song from 'Annai Or Aalayam' expresses the deep grief, reverence, and helplessness of a son upon losing his mother. He compares his mother to a temple and a living deity, stating that just as plants cannot sprout without rain, no living being—human or animal—can thrive without maternal love. Deprived of her presence, he feels like a helpless bird with broken wings and a fish out of water, yearning for her rebirth so she can bless him once again.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Annai orr aalayam”
Compares the mother directly to a sacred temple ('aalayam') and a deity ('theivam').
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Siragodintha killai”
Compares the grieving son to a helpless parrot with broken wings.
Simile / Analogy (Uvamai)
“Neer ilaatha meeno”
Compares the son's plight without his mother to a fish struggling without water, and to dry earth without rain.
Rhyme / Alliteration (Monai & Ethirai)
“Mannil enna thondra koodum / Mazhai ilaatha podhu”
Use of matching initial consonants across lines such as 'Mannil' / 'Mazhai' / 'Manidhano' for rhythmic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Annai Or Aalayam' (1979) was a box-office success produced by Devar Films and directed by R. Thyagarajan, starring Rajinikanth and a trained baby elephant. The iconic soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Vaali and the primary male version rendered emotionally by T. M. Soundararajan.
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