Babu Mani Sad
From Pillai Selvam · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Sakthi Kumar
- Details
- Pillai Selvam1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| O babu mani babu | O Babu, precious Babu! |
| Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo | Are you not the child gifted by God? |
| En kulankatha vallalallavo | Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage? |
| Maanikka thottil vairathil kattil | A cradle of rubies, a bed of diamonds, |
| Unakku ethanai mottukkal | How many flower buds are there for you! |
| Babu mani babu | Babu, precious Babu! |
| Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo | Are you not the child gifted by God? |
| En kulankatha vallalalavo | Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage? |
| Female | |
| Mayangathe mugathil maatram aagathuda | Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child; |
| Jagamellam amma madiyallada | The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear! |
| Mayangathe mugathil maatram aagathuda | Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child; |
| Jagamellam amma madiyallada | The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear! |
| Kanna un kangalil kanneerum pongutha | Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes? |
| Kanna un kangalil kanneerum pongutha | Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes? |
| Kalakamenna punnagaiyai kattada | Why this worry? Show me your smile, my boy! |
| Kalam unathada | Time is yours! |
| Babu mani babu | Babu, precious Babu! |
| Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo | Are you not the child gifted by God? |
| En kulankatha vallalalavo | Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage? |
ஓ.....பாபு.......மணி பாபு.......
நீ தெய்வம் தந்த பிள்ளை அல்லவோ
என் குலங்காத்த வள்ளலல்லவோ
மாணிக்கத் தொட்டில் வைரத்தில் கட்டில்
உனக்கெத்தனை முத்துக்கள்
பாபு.......மணி பாபு.......
நீ தெய்வம் தந்த பிள்ளை அல்லவோ
என் குலங்காத்த வள்ளலல்லவோ
O Babu, precious Babu!
Are you not the child gifted by God?
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
A cradle of rubies, a bed of diamonds,
How many flower buds are there for you!
Babu, precious Babu!
Are you not the child gifted by God?
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
மயங்காதே முகத்தில் மாற்றம் ஆகாதுடா
ஜெகமெல்லாம் அம்மா மடியல்லடா
மயங்காதே முகத்தில் மாற்றம் ஆகாதுடா
ஜெகமெல்லாம் அம்மா மடியல்லடா
கண்ணா உன் கண்களில் கண்ணீரும் பொங்குதா
கண்ணா உன் கண்களில் கண்ணீரும் பொங்குதா
கலக்கமென்ன புன்னகையை காட்டடா
காலம் உனதடா
பாபு.......மணி பாபு.......
நீ தெய்வம் தந்த பிள்ளை அல்லவோ
என் குலங்காத்த வள்ளலல்லவோ
Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child;
The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear!
Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child;
The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear!
Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes?
Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes?
Why this worry? Show me your smile, my boy!
Time is yours!
Babu, precious Babu!
Are you not the child gifted by God?
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
O babu mani babu
O Babu, precious Babu!
Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo
Are you not the child gifted by God?
En kulankatha vallalallavo
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
Maanikka thottil vairathil kattil
A cradle of rubies, a bed of diamonds,
Unakku ethanai mottukkal
How many flower buds are there for you!
Babu mani babu
Babu, precious Babu!
Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo
Are you not the child gifted by God?
En kulankatha vallalalavo
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
Mayangathe mugathil maatram aagathuda
Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child;
Jagamellam amma madiyallada
The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear!
Mayangathe mugathil maatram aagathuda
Do not be faint-hearted, let there be no sorrow on your face, my child;
Jagamellam amma madiyallada
The whole world is like a mother's lap, my dear!
Kanna un kangalil kanneerum pongutha
Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes?
Kanna un kangalil kanneerum pongutha
Oh Kanna, are tears welling up in your eyes?
Kalakamenna punnagaiyai kattada
Why this worry? Show me your smile, my boy!
Kalam unathada
Time is yours!
Babu mani babu
Babu, precious Babu!
Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo
Are you not the child gifted by God?
En kulankatha vallalalavo
Are you not the benevolent protector who saved my lineage?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This tender lullaby from 'Pillai Selvam' (1973), written by Kannadasan and sung by P. Susheela, captures a mother's unconditional love and comforting words to her child. She celebrates her son as a divine blessing who preserves her family line, embellishing her adoration with lavish imagery of ruby cradles and diamond beds. Seeing tears in her child's eyes, she encourages him to stay strong and smile, reassuring him that the world is as safe as a mother's lap and that a bright future awaits him.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Maanikka thottil vairathil kattil”
The child's humble resting place is metaphorically elevated to a cradle of rubies and a bed of diamonds to emphasize the priceless worth of the child to the mother.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Kanna un kangalil kanneerum pongutha”
Repetition of the 'Ka' sound in Kanna, Kangalil, and Kanneerum creates a smooth, gentle musicality ideal for a lullaby.
Rhetorical Question
“Nee deivam thantha pillai allavo”
The line asks 'Are you not the child given by God?' as a rhetorical assertion of the child's sacred origin.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is a classic example of Kannadasan's mastery in writing maternal affection lyrics. Rendered soulfully by P. Susheela under Sakthi Kumar's musical direction, 'O Babu Mani Babu' remains a cherished lullaby in Tamil cinema history.
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