Oru Thanga Rathathil
From Dharma Yuddham · 1979
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Dharma Yuddham1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
| En deivam thantha …. | Given by my God... |
| En deivam thantha en thangai | My sister, given by my God. |
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
| Male | |
| Semmannilae thanneerai | Like water absorbed in red soil, |
| Pol undaana sontham idhu | This relationship was naturally born. |
| Sinthaamani jothiyai pol | Like the brilliant light of the Chinthamani gem, |
| Ondraana bantham idhu | This bond has merged into one. |
| Male | |
| Thangai alla ……. aa | She is not just a sister... ah |
| Thangai alla thaayaanaval | She is not just a sister, she has become a mother. |
| Kodi paadal naan | A crore songs, for me... |
| Paada porulaanaal | She became the inspiration to sing! |
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
| Male | |
| Kanneerinaal neeraatinaal | Even if bathed with tears, |
| En aasai theeraathamma | My deep longing will not end, my dear. |
| Munnooru naal thaalaatinaal | Even if rocked in a cradle for three hundred days, |
| En paasam pogaathamma | My love for you will never vanish, my dear. |
| Male | |
| En aalayam pon | My temple's golden... |
| Gopuram ezhezhu jenmangal | ...gopuram (tower); even across seven lifetimes, |
| Aanaalum maaraathamma | It will never change, my dear. |
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
| Male | |
| Raajavai naan raajaathiku | As a king, I... for my princess, |
| Thunaiyaaga paarpenamma | Will find a worthy partner, my dear. |
| Devargalin pallaakilae | In the palanquin of the celestial gods, |
| Oorkolam vaipenamma | I will hold a grand procession, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Manamangalam thiru kungumam | Wishing her marital bliss and auspicious vermilion, |
| Vaazhga endru pallaandu naan paaduven | I will sing 'May you live long' for many years to come. |
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
| En deivam thantha …. | Given by my God... |
| En deivam thantha en thangai | My sister, given by my God. |
| Male | |
| { Oru thanga rathathil | { In a golden chariot, |
| Pon manjal nilavu } (2) | A golden-yellow moon } (2) |
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
என் தெய்வம் தந்த என்
தெய்வம் தந்த என் தங்கை
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Given by my God...
My sister, given by my God.
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
செம்மண்ணிலே
தண்ணீரை போல் உண்டான
சொந்தம் இது சிந்தாமணி
ஜோதியை போல் ஒன்றான
பந்தம் இது
Like water absorbed in red soil,
This relationship was naturally born.
Like the brilliant light of the Chinthamani gem,
This bond has merged into one.
தங்கை அல்ல
தங்கை அல்ல தாயானவள்
கோடி பாடல் நான் பாட
பொருள் ஆனாள்
She is not just a sister... ah
She is not just a sister, she has become a mother.
A crore songs, for me...
She became the inspiration to sing!
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
கண்ணீரினால்
நீராட்டினால் என் ஆசை
தீராதம்மா முன்னூறு நாள்
தாலாட்டினால் என் பாசம்
போகாதம்மா
Even if bathed with tears,
My deep longing will not end, my dear.
Even if rocked in a cradle for three hundred days,
My love for you will never vanish, my dear.
என் ஆலயம்
பொன் கோபுரம் ஏழேழு
ஜென்மங்கள் ஆனாலும்
மாறாதம்மா
My temple's golden...
...gopuram (tower); even across seven lifetimes,
It will never change, my dear.
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
ராஜாவை நான்
ராஜாத்திக்கு துணையாக
பார்ப்பேனம்மா தேவர்களின்
பல்லாக்கிலே ஊர்கோலம்
வைப்பேனம்மா
As a king, I... for my princess,
Will find a worthy partner, my dear.
In the palanquin of the celestial gods,
I will hold a grand procession, my dear.
மணமங்கலம்
திருக்குங்குமம் வாழ்க
என்று பல்லாண்டு நான்
பாடுவேன்
Wishing her marital bliss and auspicious vermilion,
I will sing 'May you live long' for many years to come.
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
என் தெய்வம் தந்த என்
தெய்வம் தந்த என் தங்கை
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Given by my God...
My sister, given by my God.
{ ஒரு தங்கரதத்தில்
பொன்மஞ்சள் நிலவு } (2)
{ In a golden chariot,
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
En deivam thantha ….
Given by my God...
En deivam thantha en thangai
My sister, given by my God.
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Semmannilae thanneerai
Like water absorbed in red soil,
Pol undaana sontham idhu
This relationship was naturally born.
Sinthaamani jothiyai pol
Like the brilliant light of the Chinthamani gem,
Ondraana bantham idhu
This bond has merged into one.
Thangai alla ……. aa
She is not just a sister... ah
Thangai alla thaayaanaval
She is not just a sister, she has become a mother.
Kodi paadal naan
A crore songs, for me...
Paada porulaanaal
She became the inspiration to sing!
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Kanneerinaal neeraatinaal
Even if bathed with tears,
En aasai theeraathamma
My deep longing will not end, my dear.
Munnooru naal thaalaatinaal
Even if rocked in a cradle for three hundred days,
En paasam pogaathamma
My love for you will never vanish, my dear.
En aalayam pon
My temple's golden...
Gopuram ezhezhu jenmangal
...gopuram (tower); even across seven lifetimes,
Aanaalum maaraathamma
It will never change, my dear.
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Raajavai naan raajaathiku
As a king, I... for my princess,
Thunaiyaaga paarpenamma
Will find a worthy partner, my dear.
Devargalin pallaakilae
In the palanquin of the celestial gods,
Oorkolam vaipenamma
I will hold a grand procession, my dear.
Manamangalam thiru kungumam
Wishing her marital bliss and auspicious vermilion,
Vaazhga endru pallaandu naan paaduven
I will sing 'May you live long' for many years to come.
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
En deivam thantha ….
Given by my God...
En deivam thantha en thangai
My sister, given by my God.
{ Oru thanga rathathil
{ In a golden chariot,
Pon manjal nilavu } (2)
A golden-yellow moon } (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song expresses the profound, selfless love and affection a brother harbors for his younger sister. He poetically describes her as a golden-yellow moon riding on a golden chariot, viewing her not merely as a sibling but as a motherly figure and a sacred gift granted by God. He compares their bond to water seamlessly blending into red soil—a deep-rooted, indestructible union.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Semmannilae thanneerai Pol undaana sontham idhu”
Compares the natural and inseparable bond between brother and sister to rainwater quickly and completely absorbing into red soil, an ancient Tamil Sangam literary trope.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pon manjal nilavu”
Directly metaphors the sister as a radiant 'golden-yellow moon'.
Simile (Upamai)
“Sinthaamani jothiyai pol Ondraana bantham idhu”
Compares the brightness and purity of their bond to the divine glow of the mythical Chinthamani gem.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Thangai alla... Thangai alla thaayaanaval”
The repetition of 'Thangai alla' emphasizes the transition of her status from merely a sister to that of a caring mother.
Did you know?
Trivia
Though listed as unknown in the prompt, 'Oru Thanga Rathathil' from Dharma Yuddham (1979) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by Malaysia Vasudevan. Lyricist Kannadasan famously drew inspiration from classical Sangam Tamil poetry (specifically Kuruntokai 40, 'Sembula peyal neer pola') for the line 'Semmannilae thanneerai pol', adapting ancient literary imagery into modern cinema music.
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