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Aaradhanai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Kunguma Chengamalam

From Aaradhanai · 1981

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Aaradhanai
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
27 Feb 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru kunguma chengamalam
Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam
Oru kunguma chengamalam
Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam
Pasi thoondum amudham
Thara vendum kamalam
Un koondhal poo vanam mm…
Oru kunguma chengamalam
Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam
Oru kunguma chengamalam
Haaa…aaa….. haaa…aa..
Thiruvaai malarvaai
Tharuvaai en paavaai
Varuvaai viraivaai
Naan soodum poovaai
Saambal rusikka thaniyaavaai
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Kaayai pusikkum kaniyaavaai
Female :Aaaa…
Poovaikku naangal
Poo vaikka vendum
Boologam yaavum
Poo koiya vendum
Minnalilae
Female :Laa lalalaa…
Male :Oru kayiru edu
Female :Laa lalalaa…
Megangalaal oru thooli idu
Kadhiro thaliro
Ila magaladhu thirumugam
Laalalal laalala
Laa lala laalalal laalala laa
Lala laalalal laalala laa…
Laallala laallala laallala laallaa…
Laallala laallala laallala laallaa…
Aahaa aahaa laallalaa laallaa
Aaaa aaaa laa laalaa…
Mudhumai oru naal
Nammai vandhu theendum
Moondraam kaalil
Naam nirkka vendum
Mudiyai paarthaal muzhu vellai
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Madiyil thavazhum magan pillai
Female :Aaaaa…
Nee yendhi konja
Naan konjam kenja
Female :Hahaha
Male :Poo pondra pinju
En nenjil thunja
Paai adhanil
Female :Laa lalalaa…
Male :Nee saaindhirukka
Female :Laa lalalaa…
Male :Pasi adangi naan oindhirukka
Irukkum varaikkum
Ennai dhinasari anusari
Kunguma chengamalam
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Pasi thoondum amudham
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Thara vendum kamalam
Un koondhal poo vanam mm…
Kunguma chengamalam
Female :Aaaa…
Male :Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam
Oru kunguma chengamalam
Female :Laalaalaalaa…
A red lotus bright with kumkum (sacred red powder)
Is the golden face of a young woman
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Is the golden face of a young woman
Nectar that awakens desire
The lotus must offer it to me
Your hair is a garden of flowers, mmm...
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Is the golden face of a young woman
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Haa... aa... haa... aa..
Open your sweet lips and speak
Give yourself to me, my doll
Come to me quickly
Like a flower I can wear
Become the ember that tastes the ash
Female: Aaaa...
Male: Become the ripe fruit that consumes the unripe
Female: Aaaa...
For this lovely woman, we
Must adorn her hair with blossoms
From all across the earth
We must gather flowers
From the flash of lightning
Female: La lalalaa...
Male: Take a rope
Female: La lalalaa...
And make a cradle from the clouds
Is it a beam of sunlight or a tender sprout?
The glowing face of our young daughter
Lalalal laalala
La lala laalalal laalala la
Lala laalalal laalala la...
Laallala laallala laallala laallaa...
Laallala laallala laallala laallaa...
Aaha aaha laallalaa laallaa
Aa aa la laalaa...
Old age, one day,
Will come and touch us
Upon a third leg (a walking stick)
We will have to stand
Looking at our hair, it will be completely white
Female: Aaaa...
Male: With a baby boy crawling on your lap
Female: Aaaaa...
As you hold him and cuddle him
And I plead gently for your attention
Female: Hahaha
Male: That flower-like little child
Falling asleep on my chest
Upon that woven mat
Female: La lalalaa...
Male: As you lean back and relax
Female: La lalalaa...
Male: My longing fulfilled, as I rest
For as long as we live,
Be there by my side every single day
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Female: Aaaa...
Male: Is the golden face of a young woman
Female: Aaaa...
Male: Nectar that awakens desire
Female: Aaaa...
Male: The lotus must offer it to me
Your hair is a garden of flowers, mmm...
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Female: Aaaa...
Male: Is the golden face of a young woman
A red lotus bright with kumkum
Female: Laalaalaalaa...
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic romantic track 'Oru Kunguma Chengamalam' from the film Aaradhanai (1981) paints a poetic portrait of deep romantic passion, marital intimacy, and lifelong devotion. The song opens with rich sensory imagery, describing the heroine's delicate beauty through floral and celestial metaphors—comparing her face to a golden red lotus and her hair to a fragrant garden.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ila mangaiyin thanga mugam

Compares the face of the young maiden directly to gold ('thanga mugam'), highlighting her radiant radiance.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Un koondhal poo vanam

Compares the heroine's long hair to a flower garden ('poo vanam').

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Thiruvaai malarvaai / Tharuvaai en paavaai / Varuvaai viraivaai

Multiple consecutive words end with the rhyming sound 'vaai' and 'paavaai', creating a melodious rhythm.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Moondraam kaalil naam nirkka vendum

'Third leg' ('moondraam kaal') is a Tamil poetic metaphor referring to a walking stick used in old age.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although listed with unknown credits in the query, 'Oru Kunguma Chengamalam' is a classic romantic duet composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for the 1981 film 'Aaradhanai' (starring Suman and Sumalatha). The song was rendered by legendary singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki, featuring lyrics by Vairamuthu.

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