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Lyrics & meaning

Malligai Pooppottu Kannanukku

From Thalattu – 1969 Film · 1969

Lyricist
Mayavanathan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi
Music director
M. L. Srikanth
Movie name
Thalattu – 1969 Film
Movie release year
1969
Lyrics added on
17 Jun 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Malligai poopottu
Kannanukku mangala neerattu
Male :Sembaga poopottu
Paadu oru senthamizh thaalattu
Malligai poopottu
Kannanukku mangala neerattu
Male :Sembaga poopottu
Paadu oru senthamizh thaalattu
Senthamizh thaalattu
Aayar kudiyinil oodhu kuzhalodu
Kannan vilayattu
Andha devi yasodharai maarbil
Avanukku eppavum thaalattu
Aayar kudiyinil oodhu kuzhalodu
Kannan vilayattu
Andha devi yasodharai maarbil
Avanukku eppavum thaalattu
Thaavi urithanil yeri irukkira
Vennai thirudi vittu
Thaavi urithanil yeri irukkira
Vennai thirudi vittu
Avan thathi nadakkira paadhathil
Konjidum muthu sathangai kattu
Avan thathi nadakkira paadhathil
Konjidum muthu sathangai kattu
Malligai poopottu
Kannanukku mangala neerattu
Female :Sembaga poopottu
Paadu oru senthamizh thaalattu
Senthamizh thaalattu
Vaanvelidhanil poovirundhaal
Adhai thedi parikkatuma
Vaanvelidhanil poovirundhaal
Adhai thedi parikkatuma
Indha gyaana maganukku korththu
Koduthathai soodi kalikattumaa
Indha gyaana maganukku korththu
Koduthathai soodi kalikattumaa
Devaraasukku thoodhanuppi avar
Thaeraiyum ketkkattuma
Devaraasukku thoodhanuppi avar
Thaeraiyum ketkkattuma
Magan oorvalam pogindra kaalthilae
Nindru paarthu rasikkattumaa
Magan oorvalam pogindra kaalthilae
Nindru paarthu rasikkattumaa
Haaa…..aaa…
Female :Haa….aa….
Both :Hmm mm mm …hmm mm mm
A dot of jasmine flower,
An auspicious bath for little Kannan!
A dot of champak flower,
Sing a lullaby in sweet Tamil!
A dot of jasmine flower,
An auspicious bath for little Kannan!
A dot of champak flower,
Sing a lullaby in sweet Tamil!
A sweet Tamil lullaby...
In the cowherd hamlet, with his flute,
Kannan plays his games.
Resting on mother Yashoda's chest,
There is always a lullaby for him.
In the cowherd hamlet, with his flute,
Kannan plays his games.
Resting on mother Yashoda's chest,
There is always a lullaby for him.
Leaping up to reach the hanging pot,
After stealing all the butter,
Leaping up to reach the hanging pot,
After stealing all the butter,
On his tiny, toddling feet,
Tie the sweet, tinkling pearl anklets!
On his tiny, toddling feet,
Tie the sweet, tinkling pearl anklets!
A dot of jasmine flower,
An auspicious bath for little Kannan!
A dot of champak flower,
Sing a lullaby in sweet Tamil!
A sweet Tamil lullaby...
If there are flowers across the sky,
Shall I search and pluck them?
If there are flowers across the sky,
Shall I search and pluck them?
Stringing them for this precious son,
Shall I rejoice watching him wear them?
Stringing them for this precious son,
Shall I rejoice watching him wear them?
Shall I send word to the king of gods,
And ask for his chariot too?
Shall I send word to the king of gods,
And ask for his chariot too?
When my son rides in a grand procession,
Shall I stand by and admire him with joy?
When my son rides in a grand procession,
Shall I stand by and admire him with joy?
Ha... aa...
Ha... aa...
Hmm mm mm... hmm mm mm
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil lullaby from the film Thalattu (1969) expresses the deep love and adoration of parents for their child by comparing the baby to Lord Krishna. The song describes bathing the newborn child with auspicious ritual care, adorning the baby with flower marks, and fastening pearl anklets on the child's toddling feet as he learns to walk.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Rupakam)

“Kannanukku mangala neerattu”

The child is tenderly metaphorized as Lord Krishna ('Kannan'), elevating maternal affection to divine devotion.

Rhyme / Monai & Edhukai

“Malligai poopottu / Sembaga poopottu”

Rhyming initial and second consonant sounds across lines ('Malligai poopottu' and 'Sembaga poopottu').

Hyperbole (Athisayokthi)

“Vaanvelidhanil poovirundhaal adhai thedi parikkatuma”

Exaggeration used by the mother imagining plucking celestial flowers from space and borrowing Indra's divine chariot for her child's procession.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. L. Srikanth with lyrics by Mayavanathan, 'Thalattu' features a duet lullaby rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, a rare vocal pairing for lullabies in 1960s Tamil cinema.

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From the same album

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