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Kumbakonam Gopalu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Nandavana Kuyil

From Kumbakonam Gopalu · 1998

Lyricist
Vasan
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kumbakonam Gopalu
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
14 Jan 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Jo jo jo jo
Azhaadhadaa kannaa kannula
Thandhana thandhananaa
Thandhananaa thandhananaa haan
Thandhana thandhananaa
Thandhananaa thandhanananaa
Oru nandhavana kuyil
Sonnadhu thaalaattu
Adhai kondu vandhu ingu
Thandhadhu poongaatru
Thathi thavazhum chithiram neeyo
Thathi thavazhndhidum chithiramo
Mutham pozhindhidum poo charamo
Maaman manadhinil paasa malargalai
Thooviya poo mazhaiyo ooo
Oru nandhavana kuyil
Sonnadhu thaalaattu
Adhai kondu vandhu ingu
Thandhadhu poongaatru
Paadham padhiyum vazhiyil
Poo marangal naan naduven
Unaiyae uyiraai naan dhinam kaappen
Paadham padhiyum vazhiyil
Poo marangal naan naduven
Unaiyae uyiraai naan dhinam kaappen
Inidhaana edhir kaalam un kaiyilae
Kai veesi nadai podu poonthendralae
Azhagaana nadhiyae karaiyaaga varuven
Thulli thirundhidum sandhana thaamaraiyae
Oru nandhavana kuyil
Sonnadhu thaalaattu
Adhai kondu vandhu ingu
Thandhadhu poongaatru
Thathi thavazhndhidum chithiramo
Mutham pozhindhidum poo charamo
Maaman manadhinil paasa malargalai
Thooviya poo mazhaiyo ooo
Minminiyai nee ninaithaal
Thaaragaigal naan tharuven
Pirai nee valarvaai pournamiyaaga
Minminiyai nee ninaithaal
Thaaragaigal naan tharuven
Pirai nee valarvaai pournamiyaaga
Kannaalae nee potta valai thaanadaa
Adhil chinna meenaaga vizhundhenadaa
Poo ondrai kettaal poongaavai tharuven
Endhan kanavilum unnai anaithiruppen
Oru nandhavana kuyil
Sonnadhu thaalaattu
Adhai kondu vandhu ingu
Thandhadhu poongaatru
Thathi thavazhum chithiram neeyo
Thathi thavazhndhidum chithiramo
Mutham pozhindhidum poo charamo
Maaman manadhinil paasa malargalai
Thooviya poo mazhaiyo ooo
Oru nandhavana kuyil
Sonnadhu thaalaattu
Adhai kondu vandhu ingu
Thandhadhu poongaatru
Jo jo jo jo
Don't cry, my darling child
Thanthana thanthananaa
Thanthananaa thanthananaa, haan
Thanthana thanthananaa
Thanthananaa thanthanananaa
A cuckoo from the flower garden
Sang a sweet lullaby,
And bringing it all the way here,
The gentle breeze delivered it.
Are you a living picture that toddles and crawls?
Are you a lovely portrait crawling with tiny steps?
Or a string of flowers showering kisses?
In your uncle's heart, with flowers of love,
Are you the gentle rain that scattered them?
A cuckoo from the flower garden
Sang a sweet lullaby,
And bringing it all the way here,
The gentle breeze delivered it.
Along the path where your tiny feet tread,
I will plant blooming trees.
I will protect you every day as my own life.
Along the path where your tiny feet tread,
I will plant blooming trees.
I will protect you every day as my own life.
A bright and sweet future rests in your hands;
Swing your arms and walk with joy, my gentle breeze.
You are a beautiful river, and I will be the riverbank guarding you.
Oh sweet lotus, bounding and playing with joy!
A cuckoo from the flower garden
Sang a sweet lullaby,
And bringing it all the way here,
The gentle breeze delivered it.
Are you a lovely portrait crawling with tiny steps?
Or a string of flowers showering kisses?
In your uncle's heart, with flowers of love,
Are you the gentle rain that scattered them?
If you wish for a firefly,
I will bring you the shining stars.
You are a crescent moon who will grow into a full moon.
If you wish for a firefly,
I will bring you the shining stars.
You are a crescent moon who will grow into a full moon.
It was a net you cast with your sweet eyes,
And I got caught in it like a little fish.
If you ask for a single flower, I will give you the entire garden.
Even in my dreams, I will hold you close.
A cuckoo from the flower garden
Sang a sweet lullaby,
And bringing it all the way here,
The gentle breeze delivered it.
Are you a living picture that toddles and crawls?
Are you a lovely portrait crawling with tiny steps?
Or a string of flowers showering kisses?
In your uncle's heart, with flowers of love,
Are you the gentle rain that scattered them?
A cuckoo from the flower garden
Sang a sweet lullaby,
And bringing it all the way here,
The gentle breeze delivered it.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This touching lullaby expresses deep parental and familial affection toward a child. The singer (a maternal uncle or fatherly figure) gently lulls the child to sleep, comparing the lullaby itself to a tune sung by a cuckoo in a lush garden and carried over by a soft breeze. The child is affectionately addressed as a walking painting, a garland of flowers, and a crescent moon blossoming into a full moon.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Thathi thavazhum chithiram neeyo

The child is metaphorically described as a 'crawling painting' (chithiram), metaphorically assigning living movement to artwork.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi Ani)

Minminiyai nee ninaithaal / Thaaragaigal naan tharuven

An exaggeration where the speaker promises to retrieve stars from the sky if the child asks merely for a tiny firefly.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Poo ondrai kettaal poongaavai tharuven

The repetition of the initial consonant sound 'Poo' ('Poo' / 'poongaa') creates rhythm.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Paadham padhiyum vazhiyil / Poo marangal naan naduven

The second letter harmony occurs across lines ('Paadham' and 'Poo' share consonant harmony in classical Tamil prosody patterns).

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist Vasan for the film 'Kumbakonam Gopalu' (1998), this song exemplifies the classic Tamil lullaby genre (Thaalaattu Paattu) centered around maternal/paternal bonds and maternal uncle ('Maaman') affection, a culturally rich motif in Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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