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Isaimozhi
Neela Malargal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Madham Oru

From Neela Malargal · 1979

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Neela Malargal
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
3 Aug 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hoo ho ho ho ooo ooo
Hoo hoo hoo hooo ooo oo
Haaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…
Hoo hoo oooo
Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo
Varusham oru poo malarum magizham poo
Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo
Varusham oru poo malarum magizham poo
Pannirendu aandugalil oru murai
Malai meedhu malaruvadhu enna poo
Hmm eenna poo
Pannirendu aandugalil oru murai
Malai meedhu malaruvadhu enna poo
Pachaik kili pesuvadhu akkakkaa
Paadum kuyil koovuvadhu kukkukkoo
Pachai kili pesuvadhu akkakkaa
Paadum kuyil koovuvadhu kukkukkoo
Ichaiyulla enadhu pillai ennidam
Inimaiyaaga cholluvadhu enna enna
Ichaiyulla enadhu pillai ennidam
Inimaiyaaga cholluvadhu ammaa ammaa
Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo
Varusham oru poo malarum magizham poo
Aayiramaam sippigalil oru muthu
Aalamara kilaigalilae oru sittu
Aayiramaam sippigalil oru muthu
Aalamara kilaigalilae oru sittu
Karpagathil kanindhu varum oru kani
En kangalilae aadudhadaa ponmani
Karpagathil kanindhu varum oru kani
En kangalilae aadudhadaa ponmani
Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo
Varusham oru poo malarum magizham poo
Thaai arindha kozhi kunju neeyadaa
Thanai arindhu vaazhugindra thaayadaa
Thaai arindha kozhi kunju neeyadaa
Thanai arindhu vaazhugindra thaayadaa
Naalai indha ulagam unnai vanangumae
Nee nadandhu sellum vazhiyil maalai vazhangumae
Nee nadandhu sellum vazhiyil maalai vazhangumae
Nee nadandhu sellum vazhiyil maalai vazhangumae
Aaraari raari raari raari raariro…
Aaraari raari raari raari raaraaro…
Hoo ho ho ho oh oh
Hoo hoo hoo ho oh oh
Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Hoo hoo oh oh
A water lily blooms once a month,
A magizham flower blooms once a year,
A water lily blooms once a month,
A magizham flower blooms once a year,
Once in twelve years,
what flower blooms upon the mountain?
Hmm, hey, what flower is that?
Once in twelve years,
what flower blooms upon the mountain?
The green parrot calls out, 'Akka-kav',
The singing cuckoo coos, 'Cuckoo-koo',
The green parrot calls out, 'Akka-kav',
The singing cuckoo coos, 'Cuckoo-koo',
What does my precious little child
sweetly say to me?
What my precious little child
sweetly says to me is, 'Amma, Amma!'
A water lily blooms once a month,
A magizham flower blooms once a year,
A single pearl among a thousand shells,
A little sparrow on the banyan tree branches,
A single pearl among a thousand shells,
A little sparrow on the banyan tree branches,
Like a ripe fruit from the wishing tree,
my precious gem dances before my eyes!
Like a ripe fruit from the wishing tree,
my precious gem dances before my eyes!
A water lily blooms once a month,
A magizham flower blooms once a year,
You are a little chick that knows its mother,
and I am a mother who knows herself and lives for you.
You are a little chick that knows its mother,
and I am a mother who knows herself and lives for you.
Tomorrow, this world will honor you,
and shower garlands wherever you walk.
and shower garlands wherever you walk.
and shower garlands wherever you walk.
Aarari raari raari raari raariro...
Aarari raari raari raari raararo...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic lullaby from 'Neela Malargal' (1979) is an affectionate maternal song celebrating the precious nature of a child. The lyrics draw rich comparisons between rare natural occurrences—such as monthly water lilies, yearly magizham blossoms, and the famous Kurinji flower blooming once every twelve years—to highlight how uniquely special and rare the child's sweet words are.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

“Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo / Varusham oru poo malarum magizham poo”

The second consonant 'dh' matches in 'Maadham' and 'Varusham' (phonetically matched rhythm) as well as 'Pachai' and 'Ichai'.

Monaai (Initial alliteration)

“Maadham oru poo malarum alli poo”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in words like 'Maadham' and 'Malarum'.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Aayiramaam sippigalil oru muthu”

Comparing the child to a rare pearl in a thousand shells ('Aayiramaam sippigalil oru muthu') and a divine fruit from the Karpaga tree.

Onomatopoeia

“Pachaik kili pesuvadhu akkakkaa / Paadum kuyil koovuvadhu kukkukkoo”

Imitation of natural bird sounds 'akkakkaa' for the parrot and 'kukkukkoo' for the cuckoo.

Did you know?

Trivia

The riddle in the song referencing a flower blooming once every 12 years on the mountain refers to the famous Kurinji flower (Strobilanthes kunthiana) native to the Western Ghats. The music for this movie was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and the film features Sivaji Ganesan and K. R. Vijaya.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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