Athaimadi Methaiyadi
From Karpagam · 1963
- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Karpagam1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| ………………………. | ... |
| Female | |
| { Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama | is a comfortable bed for you to play and dance, my child, |
| Aadum varai aadi vitu | after playing as much as you want, |
| Alli vizhi moodamaa | close your lily-like eyes and sleep, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi } (2) | is a comfortable bed. |
| Female | |
| Aadi vilaiyadama | Play and dance, my child, |
| Aadum varai aadi vitu | after playing as much as you want, |
| Alli vizhi moodamaa | close your lily-like eyes and sleep. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi | is a comfortable bed. |
| Female | |
| ………………… | ... |
| Female | |
| { Moonraam | The crescent |
| Piraiyil thottil katti | moon made into a cradle, |
| Mullai malligai methaiyitu } (2) | adorned with a bed of jasmine and night-blooming jasmine flowers. |
| Then kuyil kootam pan paadum | A flock of sweet cuckoos sings melodious tunes, |
| Indha maan kutti ketu kan moodum | listening to which this little fawn-like child closes her eyes in sleep. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama | is a bed for you to play and dance, |
| Aadum varai aadi vitu | after playing as much as you want, |
| Alli vizhi moodamaa | close your lily-like eyes and sleep. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi | is a comfortable bed. |
| Female | |
| { Ver oar | No other |
| Deivathai potravillai | god did I praise or worship, |
| Ver oar deepathai yetravillai } (2) | no other lamp did I kindle. |
| Female | |
| Andror | Back then, |
| Koyilai aaki vaithen | I made a temple for you, |
| Ambigaiyaai unnai | and placed you inside like Goddess Ambigai, |
| Thooki vaithen adhil | exalting you up high, |
| Ambigaiyaai unnai | placed you like Goddess Ambigai, |
| Thooki vaithen | exalting you up high. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama | is a bed for you to play and dance, |
| Aadum varai aadi vitu | after playing as much as you want, |
| Alli vizhi moodamaa | close your lily-like eyes and sleep. |
| Female | |
| Athai madi | Aunt's lap |
| Methaiyadi | is a comfortable bed. |
........................
...
{ அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி ஆடி
விளையாடம்மா ஆடும்
வரை ஆடி விட்டு அல்லி
விழி மூடம்மா
Aunt's lap
is a comfortable bed for you to play and dance, my child,
after playing as much as you want,
close your lily-like eyes and sleep, my dear.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி } (2)
Aunt's lap
is a comfortable bed.
ஆடி
விளையாடம்மா ஆடும்
வரை ஆடி விட்டு அல்லி
விழி மூடம்மா
Play and dance, my child,
after playing as much as you want,
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி
Aunt's lap
is a comfortable bed.
........................
...
{ மூன்றாம் பிறையில்
தொட்டில் கட்டி முல்லை
மல்லிகை மெத்தையிட்டு } (2)
தேன் குயில் கூட்டம் பண்
பாடும் இந்த மான் குட்டி
கேட்டு கண் மூடும்
The crescent
moon made into a cradle,
adorned with a bed of jasmine and night-blooming jasmine flowers.
A flock of sweet cuckoos sings melodious tunes,
listening to which this little fawn-like child closes her eyes in sleep.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி ஆடி
விளையாடம்மா ஆடும்
வரை ஆடி விட்டு அல்லி
விழி மூடம்மா
Aunt's lap
is a bed for you to play and dance,
after playing as much as you want,
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி
Aunt's lap
is a comfortable bed.
{ வேர் ஓர்
தெய்வத்தை போற்றவில்லை
வேர் ஓர் தீபத்தை
ஏற்றவில்லை } (2)
No other
god did I praise or worship,
no other lamp did I kindle.
அன்றோர்
கோயிலை ஆக்கி
வைத்தேன் அம்பிகையாய்
உன்னை தூக்கி வைத்தேன்
அதில் அம்பிகையாய்
உன்னை தூக்கி வைத்தேன்
Back then,
I made a temple for you,
and placed you inside like Goddess Ambigai,
exalting you up high,
placed you like Goddess Ambigai,
exalting you up high.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி ஆடி
விளையாடம்மா ஆடும்
வரை ஆடி விட்டு அல்லி
விழி மூடம்மா
Aunt's lap
is a bed for you to play and dance,
after playing as much as you want,
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
அத்தை மடி
மெத்தையடி
Aunt's lap
is a comfortable bed.
……………………….
...
{ Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama
is a comfortable bed for you to play and dance, my child,
Aadum varai aadi vitu
after playing as much as you want,
Alli vizhi moodamaa
close your lily-like eyes and sleep, my dear.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi } (2)
is a comfortable bed.
Aadi vilaiyadama
Play and dance, my child,
Aadum varai aadi vitu
after playing as much as you want,
Alli vizhi moodamaa
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi
is a comfortable bed.
…………………
...
{ Moonraam
The crescent
Piraiyil thottil katti
moon made into a cradle,
Mullai malligai methaiyitu } (2)
adorned with a bed of jasmine and night-blooming jasmine flowers.
Then kuyil kootam pan paadum
A flock of sweet cuckoos sings melodious tunes,
Indha maan kutti ketu kan moodum
listening to which this little fawn-like child closes her eyes in sleep.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama
is a bed for you to play and dance,
Aadum varai aadi vitu
after playing as much as you want,
Alli vizhi moodamaa
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi
is a comfortable bed.
{ Ver oar
No other
Deivathai potravillai
god did I praise or worship,
Ver oar deepathai yetravillai } (2)
no other lamp did I kindle.
Andror
Back then,
Koyilai aaki vaithen
I made a temple for you,
Ambigaiyaai unnai
and placed you inside like Goddess Ambigai,
Thooki vaithen adhil
exalting you up high,
Ambigaiyaai unnai
placed you like Goddess Ambigai,
Thooki vaithen
exalting you up high.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi aadi vilaiyadama
is a bed for you to play and dance,
Aadum varai aadi vitu
after playing as much as you want,
Alli vizhi moodamaa
close your lily-like eyes and sleep.
Athai madi
Aunt's lap
Methaiyadi
is a comfortable bed.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Athai Madi Methaiyadi' is an iconic Tamil lullaby expressing deep maternal love and affection for a young child. The speaker describes her lap as a soft bed where the child can play freely before drifting off to sleep. She uses magical imagery, picturing a cradle carved out of the crescent moon layered with fragrant jasmine blossoms, accompanied by sweet cuckoo songs that lull the fawn-like child to rest. In the concluding verses, the speaker expresses pure devotion, declaring that she worships no other deity or lamp except the child, whom she reveres like Goddess Ambigai in the temple of her heart. The tender tone highlights unconditional love and protection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Alli vizhi moodamaa”
'Alli vizhi' compares the child's soft, tender eyes directly to lily blossoms.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Indha maan kutti ketu kan moodum”
'Maan kutti' affectionately equates the innocent child to a gentle fawn.
Second Letter Rhyme (Ethirhai)
“Athai madi / Methaiyadi”
'Athai' and 'Methai' share the second consonant sound 'thai', creating melodic harmony.
Hyperbole / Imagery
“Moonraam Piraiyil thottil katti Mullai malligai methaiyitu”
Imagining the crescent moon as a physical cradle bed adorned with jasmine flowers creates vivid, dreamlike poetic imagery suitable for a lullaby.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Athai Madi Methaiyadi' from the 1963 film 'Karpagam' was composed by the duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, written by legendary lyricist Vaali, and sung by P. Susheela. The movie and its songs were a major breakthrough for Vaali, cementing his status as one of Tamil cinema's premier lyricists.
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