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Lyrics & meaning

Kettaalum Kedaikkaadhamaa

From Saattai Illatha Pambaram · 1983

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Gangai Amaran, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Saattai Illatha Pambaram1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaEven if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Female
Hmm mm hmm mmHmm mm hmm mm
Male
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Female
Hmm mm hmm mmHmm mm hmm mm
Male
Kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaEven if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Thaalaattu paadum thaai kulamaeO motherly clan that sings lullabies!
Female
Aa haahha haaAa haahha haa
Male
En sippikkullae muthu irukkuThere is a pearl inside my oyster shell.
Female
Aa haa haaAa haa haa
Male
Naan saethu vecha sothu irukkuThere is wealth that I have saved up.
Female
Hoi hoi hoiHoi hoi hoi
Male
Kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaEven if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Thaalaattu paadum thaai kulamaeO motherly clan that sings lullabies!
Female
Naan patta thunbam ellaamAll the suffering I have endured,
Magan pattaa thaangaadhaiyaaI cannot bear if my son endures it, sir.
Naan petha raasa azhudhaaIf the kingly son I birthed cries,
En kannu thoongaadhaiyaaMy eyes will not sleep, sir.
Male
En pillai ennaattam thaan iruppaan deeMy son will be just like me, my dear.
Thunbatha thoosaaga thaan nenappaan deeHe will consider suffering as trivial as dust, my dear.
Female
Ponnaana kaalangal thannaalae undaagumGolden times will automatically come into being.
Kanneera panneeraakku naeramum vandhaalae hoiThe time has arrived to turn tears into rosewater, hoi!
Male
Kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaEven if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Thaalaattu paadum thaai kulamaeO motherly clan that sings lullabies!
Female
Aa haahha haaAa haahha haa
Male
En sippikkullae muthu irukkuThere is a pearl inside my oyster shell.
Female
Aa haa haaAa haa haa
Male
Naan saethu vecha sothu irukkuThere is wealth that I have saved up.
Female
Hoi hoi hoiHoi hoi hoi
Male
Magaraasan sirichaa podhumIf the prince smiles, that is enough,
Mullellaam poovaa maarumAll thorns will turn into flowers.
Mazhala chol kaettaa podhumIf I hear his babbling words, that is enough,
Mannellaam ponnaa maarumAll the earth will turn to gold.
Female
Maganaalae aanandham thaan malarattumLet happiness bloom because of the son.
Vidiyaadha iravellaam thaan vidiyattumLet all endless dark nights turn into dawn.
Male
Aaraaro nee paada thaalaelo naan paadaAs you sing lullabies (Aaraaro) and I sing lullabies (Thaalaelo),
Vittathil thottil katta vaelaiyum vandhadhadiThe time has come to hang a cradle from the ceiling beam, my dear.
Male
Haei kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaHey, even if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Thaalaattu paadum thaai kulamaeO motherly clan that sings lullabies!
Ae thannaa naanae tharanaa naanae naanaanaaAe thannaa naanae tharanaa naanae naanaanaa
Ae thaanae naenae tharanaa naanaa naanaanaeAe thaanae naenae tharanaa naanaa naanaanae
Male
Kaettaalum kedaikkaadhammaaEven if asked for, it cannot be obtained, O mother.
Kedachadha nee vaenaangalaamaaShould you reject what you have obtained?
Thaalaattu paadum thaai kulamaeO motherly clan that sings lullabies!
Thannaanaa thaanaa naanaaThannaanaa thaanaa naanaa
Tharanaanaa thaaraa naanaaTharanaanaa thaaraa naanaa
Thaanaanae thaanae naa nananaeThaanaanae thaanae naa nananae

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kaettaalum Kedaikkaadhammaa from the film Saattai Illatha Pambaram (1983) is a tender song celebrating the incomparable joy of parenthood and the birth of a child. The lyrics emphasize that a child is a rare, precious gift—likened to a pearl inside an oyster shell—that cannot be obtained merely by wishing or through material wealth. The parent resolves to protect the child from the hardships they once faced, praying that the child grows up resilient enough to treat troubles like trivial dust. The song conveys a deep sense of optimism, depicting how a baby's laughter and innocent babble transform all sorrow into joy, turning metaphorical thorns into flowers and dark endless nights into bright dawns.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

En sippikkullae muthu irukku

Compares the child inside the family to a pearl nurtured inside an oyster shell, highlighting rarity and preciousness.

Hyperbole (Adukkuthodar / Udhaarana Uvami)

Mullellaam poovaa maarum ... Mannellaam ponnaa maarum

Exaggerates the positive emotional impact of the child's smile and babble, claiming it can turn thorns to flowers and soil to gold.

Rhyme & Parallelism (Edhugai)

Magaraasan sirichaa podhum / Mazhala chol kaettaa podhum

Uses parallel conditional structures ('sirichaa podhum' and 'kaettaa podhum') combined with rhyming cadence to create melodic rhythm.

Contrast / Anthesis

Kanneera panneeraakku naeramum vandhaalae hoi

Contrasts past grief and tears with bright rosewater and golden times to signify dramatic positive transformation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Saattai Illatha Pambaram (1983) stars Sivakumar and Poornima Bhagyaraj, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics penned by Vaali. The song blends classic folk lullaby refrains (such as 'thannaanaa' and 'aaraaro') with expressive theatrical poetry typical of Vaali's 1980s maternal and family sentiment songs.

Keep listening

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