Galeer Galeer
From Devathai – (1979) · 1979
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Shyam
- Details
- Devathai – (1979)1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Galeer galeer endrae kaalam | With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time |
| Thannaal ingae munneruthu | Advances forward here all on its own. |
| Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu | Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability. |
| Vannangalae enthan ennangalae | Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts! |
| Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae | Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive? |
| Female | |
| Galeer galeer endrae kaalam | With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time |
| Thannaal ingae munneruthu | Advances forward here all on its own. |
| Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu | Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability. |
| Vannangalae enthan ennangalae | Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts! |
| Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae | Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive? |
| Female | |
| Maangalya pennaaga | As a wedded woman with the sacred thread, |
| Manavaalan munnaalae | In front of her wedded husband, |
| Vanthaayo pennae nee | Did you arrive, oh young woman? |
| Vandai naadi poo varalaama | Should a flower ever go seeking out the bee? |
| Female | |
| Thaanaaga inbangal thaedi varaathu | Joys will not come searching for us on their own. |
| Naamaaga theendum varai nammai thodaathu | Unless we reach out, happiness will not touch us. |
| Suga yogangalai kaana vendumaa | If you wish to experience delightful bliss, |
| Sila thiyaagangalai seithu paarammaa | Try making a few sacrifices, dear woman. |
| Female | |
| Galeer galeer endrae kaalam | With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time |
| Thannaal ingae munneruthu | Advances forward here all on its own. |
| Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu | Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability. |
| Vannangalae enthan ennangalae | Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts! |
| Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae | Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive? |
| Female | |
| Maasiyilae nel vithaiththa | The one who sowed paddy in the month of Maasi, |
| Panguniyil ponavan | The one who departed in the month of Panguni, |
| Margazhiyil vanthaana | Did he return in the month of Margazhi? |
| Aruvadaikku naal kuriththaanaa | Did he fix a date for the harvest? |
| Female | |
| Oorellaam un peyarai uchcharikkaatho | Won't the entire town chant your honorable name? |
| Vaanaalum deivam | Won't the God ruling over the heavens |
| Unnai vaazhththuraikkaatho | Shower his divine blessings upon you? |
| Nee maatharil orr devathai amma | You are an angel among women, my dear woman. |
| Un vaazhkkai ellaam vedham amma | Your entire life is a holy scripture, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Galeer galeer endrae kaalam | With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time |
| Thannaal ingae munneruthu | Advances forward here all on its own. |
| Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu | Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability. |
| Vannangalae enthan ennangalae | Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts! |
| Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae | Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive? |
| Female | |
| Galeer galeer galeer galeer galeer galeer…. | Jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling.... |
கலீர் கலீர் என்றே காலம்
தன்னால் இங்கே முன்னேறுது
நூலாய் என் வாழ்க்கைதான் தள்ளாடுது
வண்ணங்களே எந்தன் எண்ணங்களே
சொல்லுங்களேன் வாராதோ இன்பங்களே..
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Advances forward here all on its own.
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
கலீர் கலீர் என்றே காலம்
தன்னால் இங்கே முன்னேறுது
நூலாய் என் வாழ்க்கைதான் தள்ளாடுது
வண்ணங்களே எந்தன் எண்ணங்களே
சொல்லுங்களேன் வாராதோ இன்பங்களே..
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Advances forward here all on its own.
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
மாங்கல்யப் பெண்ணாக
மணவாளன் முன்னாலே
வந்தாயோ பெண்ணே நீ.....
வண்டை நாடி பூ வரலாமா....
As a wedded woman with the sacred thread,
In front of her wedded husband,
Did you arrive, oh young woman?
Should a flower ever go seeking out the bee?
தானாக இன்பங்கள் தேடி வராது
நாமாக தீண்டும் வரை நம்மை தொடாது
சுக யோகங்களை காண வேண்டுமா
சில தியாகங்களை செய்து பாரம்மா
Joys will not come searching for us on their own.
Unless we reach out, happiness will not touch us.
If you wish to experience delightful bliss,
Try making a few sacrifices, dear woman.
கலீர் கலீர் என்றே காலம்
தன்னால் இங்கே முன்னேறுது
நூலாய் என் வாழ்க்கைதான் தள்ளாடுது
வண்ணங்களே எந்தன் எண்ணங்களே
சொல்லுங்களேன் வாராதோ இன்பங்களே..
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Advances forward here all on its own.
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
மாசியிலே நெல் விதைத்த
பங்குனியில் போனவன்
மார்கழியில் வந்தானா
அறுவடைக்கு நாள் குறித்தானா
The one who sowed paddy in the month of Maasi,
The one who departed in the month of Panguni,
Did he return in the month of Margazhi?
Did he fix a date for the harvest?
ஊரெல்லாம் உன் பெயரை உச்சரிக்காதோ
வானாளும் தெய்வம்
உன்னை வாழ்த்துரைக்காதோ
நீ மாதரில் ஓர் தேவதை அம்மா
உன் வாழ்க்கை எல்லாம் வேதம் அம்மா
Won't the entire town chant your honorable name?
Won't the God ruling over the heavens
Shower his divine blessings upon you?
You are an angel among women, my dear woman.
Your entire life is a holy scripture, my dear.
கலீர் கலீர் என்றே காலம்
தன்னால் இங்கே முன்னேறுது
நூலாய் என் வாழ்க்கைதான் தள்ளாடுது
வண்ணங்களே எந்தன் எண்ணங்களே
சொல்லுங்களேன் வாராதோ இன்பங்களே..
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Advances forward here all on its own.
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
கலீர் கலீர் கலீர் கலீர் கலீர் கலீர்....
Jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling....
Galeer galeer endrae kaalam
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Thannaal ingae munneruthu
Advances forward here all on its own.
Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Vannangalae enthan ennangalae
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
Galeer galeer endrae kaalam
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Thannaal ingae munneruthu
Advances forward here all on its own.
Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Vannangalae enthan ennangalae
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
Maangalya pennaaga
As a wedded woman with the sacred thread,
Manavaalan munnaalae
In front of her wedded husband,
Vanthaayo pennae nee
Did you arrive, oh young woman?
Vandai naadi poo varalaama
Should a flower ever go seeking out the bee?
Thaanaaga inbangal thaedi varaathu
Joys will not come searching for us on their own.
Naamaaga theendum varai nammai thodaathu
Unless we reach out, happiness will not touch us.
Suga yogangalai kaana vendumaa
If you wish to experience delightful bliss,
Sila thiyaagangalai seithu paarammaa
Try making a few sacrifices, dear woman.
Galeer galeer endrae kaalam
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Thannaal ingae munneruthu
Advances forward here all on its own.
Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Vannangalae enthan ennangalae
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
Maasiyilae nel vithaiththa
The one who sowed paddy in the month of Maasi,
Panguniyil ponavan
The one who departed in the month of Panguni,
Margazhiyil vanthaana
Did he return in the month of Margazhi?
Aruvadaikku naal kuriththaanaa
Did he fix a date for the harvest?
Oorellaam un peyarai uchcharikkaatho
Won't the entire town chant your honorable name?
Vaanaalum deivam
Won't the God ruling over the heavens
Unnai vaazhththuraikkaatho
Shower his divine blessings upon you?
Nee maatharil orr devathai amma
You are an angel among women, my dear woman.
Un vaazhkkai ellaam vedham amma
Your entire life is a holy scripture, my dear.
Galeer galeer endrae kaalam
With a jingling sound of 'galeer galeer', time
Thannaal ingae munneruthu
Advances forward here all on its own.
Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu
Like a delicate thread, my life sways in instability.
Vannangalae enthan ennangalae
Oh colors! Oh my inner thoughts!
Sollungalaen vaaraatho inbangalae
Please tell me, will joy not ever arrive?
Galeer galeer galeer galeer galeer galeer….
Jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling, jingling....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Galeer Galeer Endrae Kaalam' from the 1979 film Devathai is a deeply reflective and philosophical track composed by Shyam and penned by the master lyricist Kannadasan. Sung with immense emotional grace by S. Janaki, the song meditates on the relentless march of time ('kaalam') contrasted against the delicate, uncertain nature of human existence, which the protagonist compares to a fragile thread ('noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu'). The lyrics weave cultural allegories and nature metaphors—such as agricultural cycles across Tamil months and the dynamic between a flower and a bee—to express that true happiness and fulfillment do not arrive passively; they require effort, patience, and sacrifice. The song celebrates the woman's selfless life, exalting her as a divine angel ('maatharil orr devathai') whose virtuous journey is as sacred as scripture.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Onomatopoeia (Rettai Kilavi)
“Galeer galeer endrae kaalam”
'Galeer galeer' imitates the rhythmic jingling sound of anklets, representing the steady, uninterrupted movement of time.
Simile (Upamai)
“Noolaai en vaazhkkaithaan thallaaduthu”
Life's vulnerability and lack of stability are directly compared to a fragile piece of thread swaying in the wind.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nee maatharil orr devathai amma / Un vaazhkkai ellaam vedham amma”
The lyricist directly equates the woman to an angel ('devathai') among women and her life journey to sacred scripture ('vedham').
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Thaanaaga inbangal thaedi varaathu / Naamaaga theendum varai nammai thodaathu”
The second letter 'aa' in 'Thaanaaga' and 'Naamaaga' creates a harmonious Tamil poetic meter (Ethugai).
Rhetorical Question
“Vandai naadi poo varalaama”
Kannadasan uses a rhetorical metaphor ('Should a flower go seeking a bee?') to question social norms and expectations.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Devathai' (1979) features a musical score by Shyam, a prominent composer who delivered iconic tracks in both Tamil and Malayalam cinema in the late 70s and 80s. The song showcases Kannadasan's signature style of blending high philosophical truths with simple, evocative Tamil imagery, flawlessly brought to life by S. Janaki's expressive vocals.
Keep listening
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Devathai – (1979)
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