Maadha Un Kovilil
From Achchani · 1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Thaaiyendru unnai thaan | Only as a mother, you alone |
| Thaaiyendru unnai thaan | Only as a mother, you alone |
| Pillaikku kaatinen maadha | I have shown to the child, O Mother |
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Female | |
| Meipan illadha mandhai | A flock without a shepherd |
| Vazhi maarumae..ae….ae….. | Will stray off its path... |
| Meipan illadha mandhai | A flock without a shepherd |
| Vazhi maarumae..ae….ae….. | Will stray off its path... |
| Female | |
| Mary unn jothi kandaal | Mary, if it sees your divine light |
| Vidhi maarumae | Fate itself will change |
| Mezhugu pol uruginom | We have melted like wax |
| Kannerai maatra vaa maadha | Come to change our tears into happiness, O Mother |
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Female | |
| Kaaval illadha jeevan | A soul without protection |
| Kannerilae…ae….. | Is drowning in tears... |
| Kaaval illadha jeevan | A soul without protection |
| Kannerilae…ae….. | Is drowning in tears... |
| Female | |
| Karai kandidaadha odam | A boat that has not reached the shore |
| Thaneerilae | Is stranded in the water |
| Arul tharum thiruchabai maniyosai | Will the sound of the grace-bestowing holy church bell |
| Ketkumoo maadhaaaaa | Be heard, O Mother? |
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Female | |
| Pillai peradha penmai | A woman who has not given birth |
| Thaaiyanadhu ….uuu… | Has become a mother... |
| Pillai peradha penmai | A woman who has not given birth |
| Thaaiyanadhu ….uuu… | Has become a mother... |
| Female | |
| Annai illadha maganai | To a motherless son |
| Thalaatudhu | She sings a lullaby |
| Kartharin kattalai naan enna | What can I say about |
| Solvadhu maadha | The Lord's divine command, O Mother? |
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
| Thaaiyendru unnai thaan | Only as a mother, you alone |
| Thaaiyendru unnai thaan | Only as a mother, you alone |
| Pillaikku kaatinen maadha | I have showed to the child, O Mother |
| Female | |
| Maadha un kovilil | Mother, in your temple |
| Mani dheepam yetrinen | I have lit a precious lamp |
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
Only as a mother, you alone
Only as a mother, you alone
I have shown to the child, O Mother
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
தாயென்று உன்னைதான்
தாயென்று உன்னைதான்
பிள்ளைக்கு காட்டினேன் மாதா
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
A flock without a shepherd
Will stray off its path...
A flock without a shepherd
Will stray off its path...
{மேய்ப்பன் இல்லாத மந்தை
வழி மாறுமே... ஏ ஏ...} (2)
Mary, if it sees your divine light
Fate itself will change
We have melted like wax
Come to change our tears into happiness, O Mother
மேரி உன் ஜோதி கண்டால்
விதி மாறுமே.....
மெழுகு போல் உருகினோம்
கண்ணீரை மாற்ற வா மாதா
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
A soul without protection
Is drowning in tears...
A soul without protection
Is drowning in tears...
{காவல் இல்லாத ஜீவன்
கண்ணீரிலே....} (2)
A boat that has not reached the shore
Is stranded in the water
Will the sound of the grace-bestowing holy church bell
Be heard, O Mother?
கரை கண்டிடாத ஓடம்...
தண்ணீரிலே
அருள்தரும் திருச்சபை
மணியோசை கேட்குமோ மாதா
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
A woman who has not given birth
Has become a mother...
A woman who has not given birth
Has become a mother...
{பிள்ளை பெறாத பெண்மை
தாயானது.....} (2)
To a motherless son
She sings a lullaby
What can I say about
The Lord's divine command, O Mother?
அன்னை இல்லாத மகனை
தாலாட்டுது
கர்த்தரின் கட்டளை...
நான் என்ன சொல்வது மாதா
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
Only as a mother, you alone
Only as a mother, you alone
I have showed to the child, O Mother
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
தாயென்று உன்னைதான்
தாயென்று உன்னைதான்
பிள்ளைக்கு காட்டினேன் மாதா
Mother, in your temple
I have lit a precious lamp
மாதா உன் கோவிலில்....
மணி தீபம் ஏற்றினேன்
ஹ்ஹீம்ம்ம் ஹீம்ம்ம்......
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Thaaiyendru unnai thaan
Only as a mother, you alone
Thaaiyendru unnai thaan
Only as a mother, you alone
Pillaikku kaatinen maadha
I have shown to the child, O Mother
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Meipan illadha mandhai
A flock without a shepherd
Vazhi maarumae..ae….ae…..
Will stray off its path...
Meipan illadha mandhai
A flock without a shepherd
Vazhi maarumae..ae….ae…..
Will stray off its path...
Mary unn jothi kandaal
Mary, if it sees your divine light
Vidhi maarumae
Fate itself will change
Mezhugu pol uruginom
We have melted like wax
Kannerai maatra vaa maadha
Come to change our tears into happiness, O Mother
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Kaaval illadha jeevan
A soul without protection
Kannerilae…ae…..
Is drowning in tears...
Kaaval illadha jeevan
A soul without protection
Kannerilae…ae…..
Is drowning in tears...
Karai kandidaadha odam
A boat that has not reached the shore
Thaneerilae
Is stranded in the water
Arul tharum thiruchabai maniyosai
Will the sound of the grace-bestowing holy church bell
Ketkumoo maadhaaaaa
Be heard, O Mother?
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Pillai peradha penmai
A woman who has not given birth
Thaaiyanadhu ….uuu…
Has become a mother...
Pillai peradha penmai
A woman who has not given birth
Thaaiyanadhu ….uuu…
Has become a mother...
Annai illadha maganai
To a motherless son
Thalaatudhu
She sings a lullaby
Kartharin kattalai naan enna
What can I say about
Solvadhu maadha
The Lord's divine command, O Mother?
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Thaaiyendru unnai thaan
Only as a mother, you alone
Thaaiyendru unnai thaan
Only as a mother, you alone
Pillaikku kaatinen maadha
I have showed to the child, O Mother
Maadha un kovilil
Mother, in your temple
Mani dheepam yetrinen
I have lit a precious lamp
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
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