- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Achchani
- Movie release year
- 1978
- Lyrics added on
- 25 Oct 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Maadha Un Kovilil' from the film Achchani (1978) is a soulful prayer addressed to Mother Mary. A woman who acts as a foster mother to an orphaned child pours her heart out in a church, seeking divine guidance, comfort, and protection. She compares her situation and life's struggles to a flock without a shepherd and a boat lost in the waters without a shore. Through emotionally charged lyricism, Vaali highlights the themes of maternal love transcending biological bonds, surrender to divine destiny, and hope for redemption. The song remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous Christian devotional compositions.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Mezhugu pol uruginom”
Compares human suffering and heartbreak directly to melting wax using the comparison word 'pol'.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Meipan illadha mandhai”
Metaphorically compares helpless human life to a flock without a shepherd.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Karai kandidaadha odam”
Compares a helpless soul lost in despair to a boat stranded in water without reaching the shore.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Meipan illadha mandhai / Mary unn jothi kandaal / Mezhugu pol uruginom”
The initial letter 'M' is repeated across lines for rhythmic aesthetic ('Meipan', 'Mary', 'Mezhugu').
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and famously rendered by S. Janaki, 'Maadha Un Kovilil' is one of the iconic Christian Tamil film songs that transcends cinematic context and is frequently played during church festivals and devotional gatherings throughout Tamil Nadu.
Keep listening
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