Ammavum Appavum Vellai
From Anbai Thedi · 1974
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Pushpalatha
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Anbai Thedi1974
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial | Mother and father are gentle white cats, |
| Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai | And I, their daughter, am a little kitten. |
| Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial | Mother and father are gentle white cats, |
| Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai | And I, their daughter, am a little kitten. |
| Ennathaan avargal sandai podattum | No matter how much they quarrel, |
| Ennathaan avargal sandai podattum | No matter how much they quarrel, |
| Adhu viraivinil samarasam aagividum | It quickly turns into harmony and peace. |
| Female | |
| Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial | Mother and father are gentle white cats, |
| Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai | And I, their daughter, am a little kitten. |
| Female | |
| Thaayin manamo roja poo | My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower, |
| En thanthai gunamo perum neruppu | My father's temper is like a blazing fire. |
| Thaayin manamo roja poo | My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower, |
| En thanthai gunamo perum neruppu | My father's temper is like a blazing fire. |
| Roja poo neruppinil vizhunthathillai | Yet the rose flower never falls into the fire, |
| Antha neruppum adhanai erinthathillai | Nor has that fire ever burned the tender rose. |
| Female | |
| Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial | Mother and father are gentle white cats, |
| Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai | And I, their daughter, am a little kitten. |
| Female | |
| Arasanai kandaal rajangam | When seeing a king, he acts like royalty, |
| Oru aandiyai kandaal sanyaasam | When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint. |
| Arasanai kandaal rajangam | When seeing a king, he acts like royalty, |
| Oru aandiyai kandaal sanyaasam | When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint. |
| Kadhaigalai polae maariduvaar | He changes constantly like characters in stories, |
| Avar kanavinil thaanae vaazhugindraar | Living completely within his own world of dreams. |
| Female | |
| Mamavin manasu vellai manasu | My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart, |
| Maranthum adhilae kalangamillai | There is no blemish in it, even by mistake. |
| Female | |
| Oorukku avaro komaali | To the outside world, he might seem like a fool, |
| Intha uravukku avaro yaemaali | To this family, he is simple and gullible. |
| Oorukku avaro komaali | To the outside world, he might seem like a fool, |
| Intha uravukku avaro yaemaali | To this family, he is simple and gullible. |
| Naalaikku avarthaan medhaavi | Tomorrow, he alone will prove to be a true genius, |
| En naakkinil solpaval sridevi | For Goddess Saraswati herself speaks through my tongue. |
| Female | |
| Mamavin manasu vellai manasu | My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart, |
| Maranthum adhilae kalangamillai | There is no blemish in it, even by mistake. |
| Female | |
| Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial | Mother and father are gentle white cats, |
| Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai | And I, their daughter, am a little kitten. |
அம்மாவும் அப்பாவும் வெள்ளைப் பூனைகள்
அவர்களின் மகள் நான் சின்னப் பூனை
அம்மாவும் அப்பாவும் வெள்ளைப் பூனைகள்
அவர்களின் மகள் நான் சின்னப் பூனை
என்னதான் அவர்கள் சண்டைப் போடட்டும்
என்னதான் அவர்கள் சண்டைப் போடட்டும்
அது விரைவினில் சமரசம் ஆகிவிடும்
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
No matter how much they quarrel,
No matter how much they quarrel,
It quickly turns into harmony and peace.
அம்மாவும் அப்பாவும் வெள்ளைப் பூனைகள்
அவர்களின் மகள் நான் சின்னப் பூனை
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
தாயின் மனமோ ரோஜாப்பூ
என் தந்தை குணமோ பெரும் நெருப்பு
தாயின் மனமோ ரோஜாப்பூ
என் தந்தை குணமோ பெரும் நெருப்பு
ரோஜாப்பூ நெருப்பினில் விழுந்ததில்லை
அந்த நெருப்பும் அதனை எரித்ததில்லை
My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower,
My father's temper is like a blazing fire.
My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower,
My father's temper is like a blazing fire.
Yet the rose flower never falls into the fire,
Nor has that fire ever burned the tender rose.
அம்மாவும் அப்பாவும் வெள்ளைப் பூனைகள்
அவர்களின் மகள் நான் சின்னப் பூனை
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
அரசனைக் கண்டால் ராஜாங்கம்
ஒரு ஆண்டியைக் கண்டால் சன்யாசம்
அரசனைக் கண்டால் ராஜாங்கம்
ஒரு ஆண்டியைக் கண்டால் சன்யாசம்
கதைகளைப் போலே மாறிடுவார்
அவர் கனவினில் தானே வாழுகின்றார்
When seeing a king, he acts like royalty,
When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint.
When seeing a king, he acts like royalty,
When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint.
He changes constantly like characters in stories,
Living completely within his own world of dreams.
மாமாவின் மனசு வெள்ளை மனசு
மறந்தும் அதிலே களங்கமில்லை
My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart,
There is no blemish in it, even by mistake.
ஊருக்கு அவரோ கோமாளி
இந்த உறவுக்கு அவரோ ஏமாளி
ஊருக்கு அவரோ கோமாளி
இந்த உறவுக்கு அவரோ ஏமாளி
நாளைக்கு அவர்தான் மேதாவி
என் நாக்கினில் சொல்பவள் ஸ்ரீதேவி
To the outside world, he might seem like a fool,
To this family, he is simple and gullible.
To the outside world, he might seem like a fool,
To this family, he is simple and gullible.
Tomorrow, he alone will prove to be a true genius,
For Goddess Saraswati herself speaks through my tongue.
மாமாவின் மனசு வெள்ளை மனசு
மறந்தும் அதிலே களங்கமில்லை
My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart,
There is no blemish in it, even by mistake.
அம்மாவும் அப்பாவும் வெள்ளைப் பூனைகள்
அவர்களின் மகள் நான் சின்னப் பூனை
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Ennathaan avargal sandai podattum
No matter how much they quarrel,
Ennathaan avargal sandai podattum
No matter how much they quarrel,
Adhu viraivinil samarasam aagividum
It quickly turns into harmony and peace.
Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Thaayin manamo roja poo
My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower,
En thanthai gunamo perum neruppu
My father's temper is like a blazing fire.
Thaayin manamo roja poo
My mother's heart is a delicate rose flower,
En thanthai gunamo perum neruppu
My father's temper is like a blazing fire.
Roja poo neruppinil vizhunthathillai
Yet the rose flower never falls into the fire,
Antha neruppum adhanai erinthathillai
Nor has that fire ever burned the tender rose.
Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Arasanai kandaal rajangam
When seeing a king, he acts like royalty,
Oru aandiyai kandaal sanyaasam
When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint.
Arasanai kandaal rajangam
When seeing a king, he acts like royalty,
Oru aandiyai kandaal sanyaasam
When seeing an ascetic, he turns detached like a saint.
Kadhaigalai polae maariduvaar
He changes constantly like characters in stories,
Avar kanavinil thaanae vaazhugindraar
Living completely within his own world of dreams.
Mamavin manasu vellai manasu
My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart,
Maranthum adhilae kalangamillai
There is no blemish in it, even by mistake.
Oorukku avaro komaali
To the outside world, he might seem like a fool,
Intha uravukku avaro yaemaali
To this family, he is simple and gullible.
Oorukku avaro komaali
To the outside world, he might seem like a fool,
Intha uravukku avaro yaemaali
To this family, he is simple and gullible.
Naalaikku avarthaan medhaavi
Tomorrow, he alone will prove to be a true genius,
En naakkinil solpaval sridevi
For Goddess Saraswati herself speaks through my tongue.
Mamavin manasu vellai manasu
My uncle's heart is a pure, innocent heart,
Maranthum adhilae kalangamillai
There is no blemish in it, even by mistake.
Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial
Mother and father are gentle white cats,
Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai
And I, their daughter, am a little kitten.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This lighthearted song from the movie Anbai Thedi captures the innocent perspective of a young child observing her family. She affectionately compares her parents to gentle white cats and describes their harmless, temporary quarrels that always end in loving reconciliation. She beautifully contrasts her mother's gentle, rose-like disposition with her father's fiery character, pointing out how love ensures neither ever hurts the other. She also lovingly portrays her uncle as an eccentric, pure-hearted dreamer who may seem simple to society, but possesses an untainted soul and potential for greatness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Ammaavum appaavum vellai poonaial / Avargalin magal naan chinna poonai”
Comparing parents directly to white cats and the daughter to a kitten metaphorically highlights their innocence and harmless nature.
Antithesis / Contrast
“Thaayin manamo roja poo / En thanthai gunamo perum neruppu”
Contrasting the delicate rose flower with intense fire to symbolize two opposite personalities harmoniously coexisting.
Monai (Initial Alliteration / Assonance)
“Arasanai kandaal rajangam / Oru aandiyai kandaal sanyaasam”
The repetition of starting sound patterns created by 'Arasanai' and 'Aandiyai' in adjacent thoughts.
Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Oorukku avaro komaali / Intha uravukku avaro yaemaali”
End-rhyme pairing between 'komaali' (jester) and 'yaemaali' (gullible person).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song from 'Anbai Thedi' (1974), starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa, features music composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics written by Kannadasan. The track is sung from the perspective of a child, offering a charming commentary on domestic harmony.
Keep listening
More from Anbai Thedi
Anbai Thedi
Anbai Thedi
Anbai Thedi