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Ore Oru Gramathiley album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ola Kudisaiyile

From Ore Oru Gramathiley · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ore Oru Gramathiley
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
13 Aug 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oo oo hoo oo ooo
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Rekkai innum molaikka villai
Indha pinjukku
Thaayin thunai venum amma
Chinna pinjukku
Rekkai innum molaikka villai
Indha pinjukku
Thaayin thunai venum amma
Chinna pinjukku
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Muthukku yaarum muzhugathaan venum
Muzhugaama naanae mutheduthaenae
Malaiyodi paayum manimuthu aaru
Madiyaeri aadum maganaachu paaru
Naan paadum paattu thoongaathae kaettu
Anjaatha singam pol aiyaa nee munnaeru
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Rekkai innum molaikka villai
Indha pinjukku
Thaayin thunai venum amma
Chinna pinjukku
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Naan senja paavam maar vathi pochu
Vaanathai paartha mann pola aachu
Mann paanai koozha kudichaalum ezha
Mannaalum vela vara koodum naala
Meenatchi aathaa kann kondu paarthaa
Mann ellaam ponnaagum
Mull ellaam poovaagum
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Rekkai innum molaikka villai
Indha pinjukku
Thaayin thunai venum amma
Chinna pinjukku
Ola kudisaiyilae palansaelaiyil
Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju
Indha poompinju
Oo oo hoo oo oo
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
Wings have not yet grown
for this tiny little one;
it needs a mother's care,
this tiny little one.
Wings have not yet grown
for this tiny little one;
it needs a mother's care,
this tiny little one.
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
One must dive deep into the sea to find a pearl,
yet without even diving, I found my precious pearl!
Like the Manimuthu river rushing down from the hills,
look, you have become a son playing on my lap!
Do not just fall asleep listening to my song—
march forward like a fearless lion, my boy!
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
Wings have not yet grown
for this tiny little one;
it needs a mother's care,
this tiny little one.
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
Because of my past sins, my breast milk dried up,
leaving me like parched earth staring up at the sky.
Though this poor boy drinks porridge from a clay pot today,
tomorrow the time may come for him to rule the land!
If Mother Goddess Meenakshi looks down with grace,
all this dust will turn to gold,
and every thorn will become a flower!
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
Wings have not yet grown
for this tiny little one;
it needs a mother's care,
this tiny little one.
In a thatched hut, inside an old saree cradle,
swings a baby cuckoo,
this tender little flower!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This tender lullaby from the movie Ore Oru Gramathiley depicts a mother's profound love, resilience, and hope for her young child amidst extreme poverty. Living in a humble thatched hut and cradling her baby in a hammock made from an old saree, she likens her infant to a flightless bird chick requiring maternal warmth and protection. Despite facing immense hardship and drying milk, she places her faith in divine grace and encourages her child to grow up strong like a fearless lion to overcome adversity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

“Oonjal aadum kuyilin kunju”

Compares the tender infant resting in a improvised cradle to a cuckoo bird chick swinging on a branch.

Uvamai (Simile)

“Anjaatha singam pol aiyaa nee munnaeru”

Compares the child to a fearless lion who should march forward bravely.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Muzhugaama naanae mutheduthaenae”

Refers to the infant as a precious pearl ('muthu') that was obtained without having to dive deep into the sea.

Ethirpaaru (Contrast / Metaphor)

“Mann ellaam ponnaagum / Mull ellaam poovaagum”

Presents dramatic transformation metaphors where dirt/soil turns to gold and thorns turn into flowers under divine grace.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Ore Oru Gramathiley' (1989) is a social drama film directed by K. Jyothi Pandian, starring Nizhalgal Ravi and Shobana. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by the renowned poet Vaali.

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