Kathayai Kelada
From Thai Ullam · 1952
- Lyricist
- Kanakasurabhi
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music directors
- Chittor V. Nagaiah, A. Rama Rao
- Details
- Thai Ullam1952
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae | Listen to the story, my dear child. |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa | Listen to the story. |
| Female | |
| Vellai nira pasu ondru kannae…. | A white cow, my dear... |
| Vellai nira pasu ondru | A white cow, |
| Thullung kandrodu oru veetil | In a house with a frisking calf, |
| Anbil thoindhu kidakayilae | When it was immersed in love, |
| Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada | A sly fox came and disrupted it. |
| Female | |
| Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada | A sly fox came and disrupted it. |
| Vellai manamum karuthathada | Even its pure white heart turned dark. |
| Vellai nira pasu ondru | A white cow, |
| Thullung kandrodu | With a frisking calf, |
| Anbil thoindhu kidakkum naalil | On the day it lay immersed in love, |
| Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada | A sly fox came and disrupted it. |
| Female | |
| Vellai manamum karuthathada | Even its pure white heart turned dark. |
| Paasamellaam paranthathada | All affection flew away. |
| Pallathil pasuvum paaindhadhadaa | And the cow plunged into a pit. |
| Aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…. | Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... |
| Female | |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae | Listen to the story, my dear child. |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa | Listen to the story. |
| Female | |
| Kangal thiranthu ezhunthathada | It opened its eyes and woke up. |
| Kandrai ninainthu alainthathada | Thinking of its calf, it wandered around. |
| Manadhu odiyum velaiyilae | At the moment its heart was broken, |
| Ammaa enungural kettadhada | It heard a voice calling 'Amma' (mother). |
| Thaavi odi anaithathada | It leaped, ran, and embraced the calf. |
| Aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa….aaa..aaa…aaa…aaa…. | Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... |
| Female | |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae | Listen to the story, my dear child. |
| Kadhaiyai keladaa | Listen to the story. |
| Kannum maniyum kalanthathada | The eye and its pupil merged as one. |
| Kadhaiyum mudindhu pochuthadaa | And the story came to an end. |
| Kannae keladaa maniyae keladaa | Listen my dear, listen my precious one. |
| Kanmaniyae keladaa | Listen my darling child. |
கதையைக் கேளடா கண்ணே
கதையைக் கேளடா....
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Listen to the story.
வெள்ளை நிறப் பசு ஒன்று கண்ணே....
வெள்ளை நிறப் பசு ஒன்று
துள்ளுங் கன்றோடு ஒரு வீட்டில்
அன்பில் தோய்ந்து கிடக்கையிலே
குள்ள நரி வந்து கலைத்ததடா
A white cow, my dear...
A white cow,
In a house with a frisking calf,
When it was immersed in love,
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
குள்ள நரி வந்து கலைத்ததடா
வெள்ளை மனமும் கருத்ததடா
வெள்ளை நிறப் பசு ஒன்று
துள்ளுங் கன்றோடு
அன்பில் தோய்ந்து கிடக்கும் நாளில்
குள்ள நரி வந்து கலைத்ததடா
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
Even its pure white heart turned dark.
A white cow,
With a frisking calf,
On the day it lay immersed in love,
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
வெள்ளை மனமும் கருத்ததடா
பாசமெல்லாம் பறந்ததடா
பள்ளத்தில் பசுவும் பாய்ந்ததடா......
ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....
Even its pure white heart turned dark.
All affection flew away.
And the cow plunged into a pit.
Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa...
கதையைக் கேளடா கண்ணே
கதையைக் கேளடா....
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Listen to the story.
கண்கள் திறந்து எழுந்ததடா
கன்றை நினைத்து அலைந்ததடா
மனது ஒடியும் வேளையிலே
அம்மா எனுங் குரல் கேட்டதடா
தாவி ஓடி அணைத்ததடா.....
ஆஅ.....ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....
It opened its eyes and woke up.
Thinking of its calf, it wandered around.
At the moment its heart was broken,
It heard a voice calling 'Amma' (mother).
It leaped, ran, and embraced the calf.
Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa...
கதையைக் கேளடா கண்ணே
கதையைக் கேளடா....
கண்ணும் மணியும் கலந்ததட
கதையும் முடிந்து போச்சுதடா
கண்ணே கேளடா....மணியே கேளடா....
கண்மணியே கேளடா........
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Listen to the story.
The eye and its pupil merged as one.
And the story came to an end.
Listen my dear, listen my precious one.
Listen my darling child.
Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Kadhaiyai keladaa
Listen to the story.
Vellai nira pasu ondru kannae….
A white cow, my dear...
Vellai nira pasu ondru
A white cow,
Thullung kandrodu oru veetil
In a house with a frisking calf,
Anbil thoindhu kidakayilae
When it was immersed in love,
Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
Vellai manamum karuthathada
Even its pure white heart turned dark.
Vellai nira pasu ondru
A white cow,
Thullung kandrodu
With a frisking calf,
Anbil thoindhu kidakkum naalil
On the day it lay immersed in love,
Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada
A sly fox came and disrupted it.
Vellai manamum karuthathada
Even its pure white heart turned dark.
Paasamellaam paranthathada
All affection flew away.
Pallathil pasuvum paaindhadhadaa
And the cow plunged into a pit.
Aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa….
Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa...
Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Kadhaiyai keladaa
Listen to the story.
Kangal thiranthu ezhunthathada
It opened its eyes and woke up.
Kandrai ninainthu alainthathada
Thinking of its calf, it wandered around.
Manadhu odiyum velaiyilae
At the moment its heart was broken,
Ammaa enungural kettadhada
It heard a voice calling 'Amma' (mother).
Thaavi odi anaithathada
It leaped, ran, and embraced the calf.
Aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa….aaa..aaa…aaa…aaa….
Aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa... aaa...
Kadhaiyai keladaa kannae
Listen to the story, my dear child.
Kadhaiyai keladaa
Listen to the story.
Kannum maniyum kalanthathada
The eye and its pupil merged as one.
Kadhaiyum mudindhu pochuthadaa
And the story came to an end.
Kannae keladaa maniyae keladaa
Listen my dear, listen my precious one.
Kanmaniyae keladaa
Listen my darling child.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This lullaby-style allegorical song tells a story to a young child about a pure white cow and its energetic calf who live happily surrounded by maternal love. Their tranquil existence is disrupted by a cunning sly fox, causing sorrow and driving the pure-hearted mother into despair and separation from her child. However, upon waking and wandering in distress, the mother cow hears the endearing call of her calf. She rushes to embrace her young one, culminating in a joyful reunion where mother and child become inseparable again like the eye and its pupil.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allegory / Metaphor
“Kullanari vandhu kalaithathada”
The white cow represents pure maternal innocence, while the sly fox ('Kullanari') symbolizes evil or malicious third-party deceit that tears families apart.
Color Imagery & Contrast
“Vellai manamum karuthathada”
Contrasts 'Vellai' (white, representing innocence and joy) with 'karuthathada' (darkened, representing grief and despair).
Ethirai (Second-Letter Rhyme)
“Kangal thiranthu ezhunthathada / Kandrai ninainthu alainthathada”
The second letter consonant 'n' ('ண') rhymes across consecutive lines (Kangal / Kandrai / Manadhu).
Idiomatic Simile
“Kannum maniyum kalanthathada”
'Kannum maniyum kalanthathada' compares the deep emotional bond of mother and child to the inseparable unity of the eye and its pupil.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Thai Ullam' (1952) was an adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel 'Les Misérables'. The music for this film was composed jointly by V. Nagayya and A. Rama Rao, featuring evocative allegorical lyrics written by lyricist Kanakasurabhi.
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