Maada Vilakke
From Virumaandi · 2004
- Lyricist
- Muthulingam
- Singer
- Kamal Haasan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Virumaandi2004
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Maada vilakkae | Oh lamp in the alcove, |
| Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna} (2) | Who lit you by the street side now? (2) |
| Malligai poovai | The jasmine flower, |
| Yaaru ippo veliyila soottuna | Who adorned it outside now? |
| Male | |
| Kizhakkae vidiyayilae | As dawn breaks in the east, |
| Maerkaala dhaan karuthiduma | Will it turn dark in the west? |
| Aathaadi… | Oh mother... |
| Male | |
| Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma | Was it enough to raise me with such protective care? |
| Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama | Is it fair to abandon me all alone? |
| Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma | Why did you shrink and wither away, mother? |
| Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma | You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this? |
| Male | |
| Maada vilakkae | Oh lamp in the alcove, |
| Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna | Who lit you by the street side now? |
| Male | |
| Velai vetti illaadha | Having no job or work, |
| Vetti payal naanu | I am a useless fellow. |
| Vaayai katti valathadhellaam | All that you raised me with by starving yourself, |
| Aanadhenna veenu | Has it all gone to waste? |
| Male | |
| Aaraaga nee oda | As you flowed like a river, |
| Udhavaa karai naanu | I remained a useless riverbank. |
| Eeram illaa nenjaanaalum | Though my heart was devoid of tender emotion, |
| Oothudhadi kannu | My eyes are overflowing with tears. |
| Male | |
| Valartha kadan theerkaliyae | I haven't repaid the debt of your upbringing, |
| Vaarthai solli pogaliyae | You didn't even say a final word before leaving. |
| Nee enakku senjadhellaam | Everything that you did for me, |
| Solli azha koodaliyae | I couldn't even recount and weep properly. |
| Aathaa nee nenachadhenna sollu | Tell me, mother, what were you thinking? |
| Nimmadhi illai… | There is no peace of mind... |
| Male | |
| Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma | Was it enough to raise me with such protective care? |
| Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama | Is it fair to abandon me all alone? |
| Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma | Why did you shrink and wither away, mother? |
| Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma | You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this? |
| Male | |
| Maada vilakkae | Oh lamp in the alcove, |
| Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna | Who lit you by the street side now? |
| Malligai poovai | The jasmine flower, |
| Yaaru ippo veliyila soottuna | Who adorned it outside now? |
| Male | |
| Kizhakkae vidiyayilae | As dawn breaks in the east, |
| Maerkaala dhaan karuthiduma | Will it turn dark in the west? |
| Aathaadi… | Oh mother... |
| Male | |
| Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma | Was it enough to raise me with such protective care? |
| Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama | Is it fair to abandon me all alone? |
| Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma | Why did you shrink and wither away, mother? |
| Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma | You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this? |
{ மாட விளக்கே
யாரு இப்போ தெரு ஓரம்
ஏத்துனா } (2)
மல்லிகை பூவை யாரு
இப்போ வேலியில சூட்டுனா
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Who lit you by the street side now? (2)
The jasmine flower,
Who adorned it outside now?
கிழக்கே விடியயிலே
மேற்கால தான் கருத்திடுமா
ஆத்தாடி
As dawn breaks in the east,
Will it turn dark in the west?
Oh mother...
பொத்தி வளத்தது
போதுமா என்னை ஒத்தையில்
விட்டது நியாயமா நீ ஓஞ்சி
நின்னது ஏதம்மா இப்போ சாஞ்சி
கிடக்குற தாங்குமா
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
மாட விளக்கே
யாரு இப்போ தெரு ஓரம்
ஏத்துனா
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Who lit you by the street side now?
வேலை வெட்டி
இல்லாத வெட்டி பையல்
நானு வாயை கட்டி வளத்தது
எல்லாம் ஆனதென்ன வீணு
Having no job or work,
I am a useless fellow.
All that you raised me with by starving yourself,
Has it all gone to waste?
ஆறாக நீ ஓட
உதவாக்கரை நானு
ஈரம் இல்லா நெஞ்சானாலும்
ஊத்துதடி கண்ணு
As you flowed like a river,
I remained a useless riverbank.
Though my heart was devoid of tender emotion,
My eyes are overflowing with tears.
வளர்த்த கடன்
தீர்க்கலியே வார்த்தை
சொல்லி போகலியே
நீ எனக்கு செஞ்தெல்லாம்
சொல்லி அழ கூடலியே
ஆத்தா நீ நெனச்சதென்ன
சொல்லு நிம்மதி இல்லை
I haven't repaid the debt of your upbringing,
You didn't even say a final word before leaving.
Everything that you did for me,
I couldn't even recount and weep properly.
Tell me, mother, what were you thinking?
There is no peace of mind...
பொத்தி வளத்தது
போதுமா என்னை ஒத்தையில்
விட்டது நியாயமா நீ ஓஞ்சி
நின்னது ஏதம்மா இப்போ
சாஞ்சி கிடக்குற தாங்குமா
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
மாட விளக்கே
யாரு இப்போ தெரு ஓரம்
ஏத்துனா மல்லிகை பூவை
யாரு இப்போ வேலியில
சூட்டுனா
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Who lit you by the street side now?
The jasmine flower,
Who adorned it outside now?
கிழக்கே விடியயிலே
மேற்கால தான் கருத்திடுமா
ஆத்தாடி
As dawn breaks in the east,
Will it turn dark in the west?
Oh mother...
பொத்தி வளத்தது
போதுமா என்னை ஒத்தையில்
விட்டது நியாயமா நீ ஓஞ்சி
நின்னது ஏதம்மா இப்போ சாஞ்சி
கிடக்குற தாங்குமா
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
{Maada vilakkae
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna} (2)
Who lit you by the street side now? (2)
Malligai poovai
The jasmine flower,
Yaaru ippo veliyila soottuna
Who adorned it outside now?
Kizhakkae vidiyayilae
As dawn breaks in the east,
Maerkaala dhaan karuthiduma
Will it turn dark in the west?
Aathaadi…
Oh mother...
Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
Maada vilakkae
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna
Who lit you by the street side now?
Velai vetti illaadha
Having no job or work,
Vetti payal naanu
I am a useless fellow.
Vaayai katti valathadhellaam
All that you raised me with by starving yourself,
Aanadhenna veenu
Has it all gone to waste?
Aaraaga nee oda
As you flowed like a river,
Udhavaa karai naanu
I remained a useless riverbank.
Eeram illaa nenjaanaalum
Though my heart was devoid of tender emotion,
Oothudhadi kannu
My eyes are overflowing with tears.
Valartha kadan theerkaliyae
I haven't repaid the debt of your upbringing,
Vaarthai solli pogaliyae
You didn't even say a final word before leaving.
Nee enakku senjadhellaam
Everything that you did for me,
Solli azha koodaliyae
I couldn't even recount and weep properly.
Aathaa nee nenachadhenna sollu
Tell me, mother, what were you thinking?
Nimmadhi illai…
There is no peace of mind...
Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
Maada vilakkae
Oh lamp in the alcove,
Yaaru ippo theru oram yethuna
Who lit you by the street side now?
Malligai poovai
The jasmine flower,
Yaaru ippo veliyila soottuna
Who adorned it outside now?
Kizhakkae vidiyayilae
As dawn breaks in the east,
Maerkaala dhaan karuthiduma
Will it turn dark in the west?
Aathaadi…
Oh mother...
Poththi vazhathadhu podhuma
Was it enough to raise me with such protective care?
Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama
Is it fair to abandon me all alone?
Nee onji ninnadhu yedhamma
Why did you shrink and wither away, mother?
Ippo saanchi kidakkura thaanguma
You lie fallen down now, how can I endure this?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Maada Vilakkae is a deeply emotional mourning song (Oppari style) from the movie Virumaandi, expressing the profound grief and guilt of a son who has lost his mother. He compares his mother to a sacred lamp in a niche (Maada Vilakku) and a fragrant jasmine flower, lamenting how death has cruelly moved her away from home to the desolate outdoors. The lyrics express deep despair over her sudden demise and the tragic absurdity of life taking her away while leaving him behind helpless. The son reflects on his own shortcomings, viewing himself as an idle, good-for-nothing person who failed to repay the immensity of her sacrifices. Through poignant rural imagery, such as comparing her selflessness to a flowing river and himself to a useless riverbank, he grieves that she left without even a parting word, leaving his once hardened heart overflowing with tears.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Maada vilakkae”
Compares the mother to a 'Maada Vilakku' (a sacred lamp placed inside a wall niche), symbolizing her role as the guiding light of the home.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Aaraaga nee oda / Udhavaa karai naanu”
Compares the mother's endless, giving nature to a flowing river ('Aaru') and the son's unhelpful presence to an unproductive bank ('Udhavaa karai').
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)
“Ennai oththaiyil vittadhu nyaayama”
Uses dramatic questioning to express the agony and sense of injustice behind the mother's sudden departure.
Alliteration & Rhyme (Monai and Etukai)
“Velai vetti illaadha / Vetti payal naanu”
Employs initial consonant sound repetition ('V' sound in Velai/Vetti) and second-letter matching to emphasize the rhythm of regret.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although credited in various song listings with mixed details, the track is composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung soulfully by Kamal Haasan himself for his directorial venture 'Virumaandi' (2004). The song vividly captures authentic rural Tamil funeral traditions and folk mourning (Oppari) musical structures.
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