Moonu Vela Soru
From Vaazhga Valarga · 1987
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Vaazhga Valarga1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Female | |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa | Can you give that to me abundantly? |
| Female | |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Female | |
| {Vaeliyila sikkikkittu | Getting trapped in the fence, |
| Vaedhanaiya pattukkitten | I endured all the suffering. |
| Thaali illa pottum illa | Without a sacred thread, without a vermilion mark, |
| Pulla kooda pethukkitten} (2) | I even gave birth to a child. (2) |
| Female | |
| Ooru sanam kaaladiyil | Under the feet of the village folks, |
| Em pozhappa thaan midhikkum | Our livelihood will be trampled upon. |
| Oorukkulla kaathadichaa | If the wind blows in the town, |
| Enga kadha thaan parakkum | Our story alone will fly around as gossip. |
| Ingilaandhu raani enna | Whether it is the Queen of England, |
| Ammanaana saami yenna | Or a simple ascetic deity, |
| Aambalaiyin kaiyil avalum | In a man's hands, she too |
| Adangi thaanae poga venum | Must ultimately yield and submit. |
| Ezha ponnu enna kooda | Even a poor girl like me, |
| Raaniyaaga paakkum maamaa | He looks at as a queen, my man. |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa | Can you give that to me abundantly? |
| Female | |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Female | |
| {Oora chuthum kannu kutti | The calf that wanders around the town, |
| Saendhukkitta aattu kutti | And the kid goat that joined it, |
| Onna ippa vittu puttu | Leaving it behind now, |
| Ooru maeya povadhenna} (2) | Why go grazing around the town? (2) |
| Female | |
| Naan pudicha kannu kutti | The calf that I held, |
| Adhu pudicha aattu kutti | And the kid goat that it held, |
| Vattam pottu vandhadhenna | Why did it come around in circles? |
| Kaiya vittu ponadhenna | Why did it slip away from my hands? |
| Kai thunaiyaa yaarum illa | There is no helping hand for us, |
| Thaayum onnu pillaiyum onnu | A mother and a child, |
| Aathukkulla pogudhammaa | Are floating down the river, oh dear, |
| Kaagidhathu parisal mela | Aboard a fragile paper coracle. |
| Yaaru kadha enakkedhukku | Why do I care about someone else's story? |
| En kadhaiya kettu paaru | Just listen to my story! |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa | Can you give that to me abundantly? |
| Female | |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Moonu vaela soru podalaam… | You can feed me three meals a day... |
| Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam… | You can treat me like a queen... |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa | Peace of mind in the heart, my man, |
| Alli thara unnaala thaan ….. | Can you give that to me... |
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
அள்ளித் தர உன்னாலத்தான் ஆகுமா
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Can you give that to me abundantly?
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
{வேலியில சிக்கிக்கிட்டு
வேதனையப் பட்டுக்கிட்டேன்
தாலியில்ல பொட்டுமில்ல
புள்ளக்கூட பெத்துக்கிட்டேன்} (2)
Getting trapped in the fence,
I endured all the suffering.
Without a sacred thread, without a vermilion mark,
I even gave birth to a child. (2)
ஊருசனம் காலடியில்
என் பொழப்பதான் மிதிக்கும்
ஊருக்குள்ள காத்தடிச்சா
எங்க கதத்தான் பறக்கும்
இங்கிலாந்து ராணியென்ன
அம்மனான சாமியென்ன
ஆம்பளையின் கையில் அவளும்
அடங்கித்தானே போகவேண்டும்
ஏழைப் பொண்ணு என்னக் கூட
ராணியாக பாக்கும் மாமா
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
அள்ளித் தர உன்னாலத்தான் ஆகுமா
Under the feet of the village folks,
Our livelihood will be trampled upon.
If the wind blows in the town,
Our story alone will fly around as gossip.
Whether it is the Queen of England,
Or a simple ascetic deity,
In a man's hands, she too
Must ultimately yield and submit.
Even a poor girl like me,
He looks at as a queen, my man.
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Can you give that to me abundantly?
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
{ஊரச்சுத்தும் கன்னுக்குட்டி
சேந்துக்கிட்ட ஆட்டுக்குட்டி
உன்ன இப்ப விட்டுப்புட்டு
ஊரு மேய போவதென்ன} (2)
The calf that wanders around the town,
And the kid goat that joined it,
Leaving it behind now,
Why go grazing around the town? (2)
நான் புடிச்ச கன்னுக்குட்டி
அது புடிச்ச ஆட்டுக்குட்டி
வட்டம் போட்டு வந்ததென்ன
கைய விட்டு போனதென்ன
கைத்துணையா யாருமில்ல
தாயும் ஒண்ணு பிள்ளையும் ஒண்ணு
ஆத்துக்குள்ள போகுதம்மா
காகிதத்துப் பரிசல் மேலே
யாரு கதை எனக்கெதுக்கு
என் கதைய கேட்டுப் பாரு
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
அள்ளித் தர உன்னாலத்தான் ஆகுமா
The calf that I held,
And the kid goat that it held,
Why did it come around in circles?
Why did it slip away from my hands?
There is no helping hand for us,
A mother and a child,
Are floating down the river, oh dear,
Aboard a fragile paper coracle.
Why do I care about someone else's story?
Just listen to my story!
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Can you give that to me abundantly?
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
மூணு வேளை சோறு போடலாம்....
ராணியாக என்னை ஆக்கலாம்.....
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
நெஞ்சத்திலே நிம்மதிய மாமா
அள்ளித் தர உன்னாலத்தான்
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
You can feed me three meals a day...
You can treat me like a queen...
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Can you give that to me...
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa
Can you give that to me abundantly?
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
{Vaeliyila sikkikkittu
Getting trapped in the fence,
Vaedhanaiya pattukkitten
I endured all the suffering.
Thaali illa pottum illa
Without a sacred thread, without a vermilion mark,
Pulla kooda pethukkitten} (2)
I even gave birth to a child. (2)
Ooru sanam kaaladiyil
Under the feet of the village folks,
Em pozhappa thaan midhikkum
Our livelihood will be trampled upon.
Oorukkulla kaathadichaa
If the wind blows in the town,
Enga kadha thaan parakkum
Our story alone will fly around as gossip.
Ingilaandhu raani enna
Whether it is the Queen of England,
Ammanaana saami yenna
Or a simple ascetic deity,
Aambalaiyin kaiyil avalum
In a man's hands, she too
Adangi thaanae poga venum
Must ultimately yield and submit.
Ezha ponnu enna kooda
Even a poor girl like me,
Raaniyaaga paakkum maamaa
He looks at as a queen, my man.
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa
Can you give that to me abundantly?
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
{Oora chuthum kannu kutti
The calf that wanders around the town,
Saendhukkitta aattu kutti
And the kid goat that joined it,
Onna ippa vittu puttu
Leaving it behind now,
Ooru maeya povadhenna} (2)
Why go grazing around the town? (2)
Naan pudicha kannu kutti
The calf that I held,
Adhu pudicha aattu kutti
And the kid goat that it held,
Vattam pottu vandhadhenna
Why did it come around in circles?
Kaiya vittu ponadhenna
Why did it slip away from my hands?
Kai thunaiyaa yaarum illa
There is no helping hand for us,
Thaayum onnu pillaiyum onnu
A mother and a child,
Aathukkulla pogudhammaa
Are floating down the river, oh dear,
Kaagidhathu parisal mela
Aboard a fragile paper coracle.
Yaaru kadha enakkedhukku
Why do I care about someone else's story?
En kadhaiya kettu paaru
Just listen to my story!
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Alli thara unnaala thaan aagumaa
Can you give that to me abundantly?
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
Moonu vaela soru podalaam…
You can feed me three meals a day...
Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…
You can treat me like a queen...
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Nenjathula nimmadhiya maamaa
Peace of mind in the heart, my man,
Alli thara unnaala thaan …..
Can you give that to me...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song is a poignant, emotion-filled narrative of a woman confronting the harsh realities of life, societal stigma, and emotional longing. While a man might provide material comforts such as regular food and high status ('treating her like a queen'), she emphasizes that true peace of mind ('Nenjathula nimmadhi') cannot easily be given. She laments her plight of being trapped in a life of social dishonor—bearing a child out of wedlock ('thaali illa pottum illa')—and how public gossip and social judgment trample on her dignity. Through rural metaphors like stray calves, goats, and a fragile paper coracle floating down a river, she conveys her deep sense of vulnerability, abandonment, and existential helplessness. She highlights the universal condition of women across all strata of society being controlled by men, while pleading for genuine peace and asking society to listen to her painful reality.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Kaagidhathu parisal mela”
The image of a mother and child riding on a 'paper boat/coracle' (Kaagidhathu parisal) on a river symbolizes the extremely fragile, precarious nature of their existence in society.
Contrast (Edhiri)
“Moonu vaela soru podalaam… / Raaniyaaga ennai aakkalaam…”
Contrasts superficial material comfort ('three meals', 'status of a queen') against the inner psychological need for peace of mind ('Nenjathula nimmadhi').
Folk Allegory
“Oora chuthum kannu kutti / Saendhukkitta aattu kutti”
Uses innocent farm animals ('kannu kutti', 'aattu kutti') as an allegory for human companionship, wanderlust, betrayal, and separation.
Rhyme / Monai-Yedhugai (Tamil Assonance & Consonance)
“Vaeliyila sikkikkittu / Vaedhanaiya pattukkitten”
Couplets use internal rhyming structure ('Vaeliyila sikkikkittu' / 'Vaedhanaiya pattukkitten') typical of folk ballad style.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics for this song were penned by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja himself for the film 'Vaazhga Valarga' (1987). Ilaiyaraaja is widely known for integrating authentic rural Tamil folklore idioms and metaphors into his lyrics.
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