Amma Unthan Kaivalaiyai
From Nijangal · 1982
- Lyricist
- Bharathidasan
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- M. B. Sreenivas
- Details
- Nijangal1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa | Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands? |
| Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa | Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands? |
| Alungi kulungi nadakkaiyilae paadamaattaenaa | Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling? |
| Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa…. | Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah... |
| Female | |
| Amma unthan kadhaniyaaga aagamaattaenaa | Mother, won't I become the earring adorning your ear? |
| Asainthasainthu kadhaigalinai solla maattaenaa | Won't I tell stories as I sway back and forth? |
| Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa…. | Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah... |
| Female | |
| Amma unthan nettri pottaai aagamaattaenaa | Mother, won't I become the bindi on your forehead? |
| Azhagoliyaai nettri vaanil minunga maattaenaa | Won't I shine bright as a beautiful light in the sky of your forehead? |
| Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa…. | Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah... |
| Female | |
| Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa | Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands? |
| Alungi kulungi nadakkaiyilae paadamaattaenaa | Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling? |
| Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa…. | Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah... |
அம்மா உந்தன் கைவளையாய் ஆகமாட்டேனா
அம்மா உந்தன் கைவளையாய் ஆகமாட்டேனா
அலுங்கி குலுங்கி நடக்கையிலே பாடமாட்டேனா
அம்மா ஆ.......அம்மா......ஆ.....அம்மா.....ஆ.....
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling?
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
அம்மா உந்தன் காதணியாக ஆகமாட்டேனா
அசைந்தசைந்து கதைகளினைச் சொல்ல மாட்டேனா
அம்மா ஆ.......அம்மா......ஆ.....அம்மா.....ஆ.....
Mother, won't I become the earring adorning your ear?
Won't I tell stories as I sway back and forth?
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
அம்மா உந்தன் நெற்றிப் பொட்டாய் ஆகமாட்டேனா
அழகொளியாய் நெற்றி வானில் மினுங்க மாட்டேனா
அம்மா ஆ.......அம்மா......ஆ.....அம்மா.....ஆ.....
Mother, won't I become the bindi on your forehead?
Won't I shine bright as a beautiful light in the sky of your forehead?
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
அம்மா உந்தன் கைவளையாய் ஆகமாட்டேனா
அலுங்கி குலுங்கி நடக்கையிலே பாடமாட்டேனா
அம்மா ஆ.......அம்மா......ஆ.....அம்மா.....ஆ.....
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling?
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Alungi kulungi nadakkaiyilae paadamaattaenaa
Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling?
Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa….
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
Amma unthan kadhaniyaaga aagamaattaenaa
Mother, won't I become the earring adorning your ear?
Asainthasainthu kadhaigalinai solla maattaenaa
Won't I tell stories as I sway back and forth?
Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa….
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
Amma unthan nettri pottaai aagamaattaenaa
Mother, won't I become the bindi on your forehead?
Azhagoliyaai nettri vaanil minunga maattaenaa
Won't I shine bright as a beautiful light in the sky of your forehead?
Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa….
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa
Mother, won't I become a hand-held toy in your hands?
Alungi kulungi nadakkaiyilae paadamaattaenaa
Won't I sing as you walk along, gently swaying and jingling?
Amma aa….amma….aa…amma….aa….
Mother ah... mother... ah... mother... ah...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song expresses a child's pure, intimate love for her mother, wishing to transform into various ornaments and items close to her mother's body so she can always stay near her. Written by Bharathidasan, the child imagines becoming a toy in her mother's hand that sings as she walks, an earring that sways and whispers stories into her ear, and a bright bindi shining like a star in the vast sky of her forehead.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Azhagoliyaai nettri vaanil minunga maattaenaa”
Compares the mother's forehead to a vast sky ('nettri vaanil'), portraying the bindi as a beautiful star shining within it.
Onomatopoeia & Reduplication (Adukkuthodar)
“Alungi kulungi nadakkaiyilae paadamaattaenaa”
Uses rhythmic, repeating movement words like 'Alungi kulungi' and 'Asainthasainthu' to evoke the swaying motion of ornaments and toys.
Anaphora (Initial Rhyme / Monai)
“Amma unthan kaialiyaai aagamaattaenaa”
Repeats the phrase 'Amma unthan' at the start of several stanzas to emphasize deep devotion and maintain structural rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics were originally written as a children's poem by the renowned Tamil poet 'Puratchi Kavignar' Bharathidasan. It reflects his ability to write sweet, childlike verses alongside his famed socio-political and revolutionary works. It was adapted into film music by M. B. Sreenivas for the 1982 movie 'Nijangal'.
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