Pillai Thoonga Thaalattu
From Pattikattu Thambi · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- P. Susheela, K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Pattikattu Thambi1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep, |
| Kannan thoonga en paattu | My song for my Kannan to sleep. |
| Endhan thookam engo | Where has my sleep |
| Thoongi ponathoo oo oo oo | Gone off to sleep? Oo oo oo oo |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep. |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal kolla mannanum illai | There is no beloved king to embrace in love, |
| Kangal thoongumaa | Will these eyes ever sleep? |
| Kaaval kolla annanum illai | There is no elder brother to guard and protect, |
| Amaidhi thondrumaa | Will peace ever dawn? |
| Female | |
| Uthirnthu pona uravugal ingae | Will relationships that have withered away here |
| Ondru koodumaa | Ever reunite? |
| Udaindhu pona mann kudam meendum | Will a broken earthen pot again |
| Ondru serumaa | Piece together as one? |
| Karaigal rendum illamal | Without both of its banks, |
| Nadhiyum nagaruma | Can a river ever flow? |
| Kallaana deivangal bathilai sollumaa | Will gods carved of stone offer an answer? |
| Male | |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep, |
| Thangai thoonga en paattu | My song for my sister to sleep. |
| Kaalam koodum pennae | Time will favor you, young girl, |
| Kangal thoongumaa oo oo oo | Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep. |
| Male | |
| Iravu maarum pagal vandhu serum | Night will turn and day will arrive, |
| Iyarkai sonnadhu | So says nature. |
| Inbam thunbam rendukkum endrum | Both pleasure and pain always |
| Mudivu ulladhu | Have an inevitable end. |
| Male | |
| Alli thaettra aal illai endru | Who said there is no one |
| Yaar sonnadhu | To scoop you up and comfort you? |
| Anaithu kollum uravugal ellam | The loving relationships that embrace you |
| Arugil ulladhu | Are right beside you. |
| Imaiyai moodi kollamal vizhiyum azhudhadhu | Without closing its eyelids, the eye wept, |
| Naanaaga naan maara naalum vandhadhu | The day has come for me to become my true self. |
| Male | |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep, |
| Thangai thoonga en paattu | My song for my sister to sleep. |
| Kaalam koodum pennae | Time will favor you, young girl, |
| Kangal thoongumaa oo oo oo | Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep, |
| Pillai thoonga thaalaattu | A lullaby for the child to sleep. |
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு
கண்ணன் தூங்க என் பாட்டு
எந்தன் தூக்கம் எங்கோ
தூங்கி போனதோ ஓஓஓ
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
My song for my Kannan to sleep.
Where has my sleep
Gone off to sleep? Oo oo oo oo
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
காதல் கொள்ள மன்னனும் இல்லை
கண்கள் தூங்குமா
காவல் கொள்ள அண்ணனும் இல்லை
அமைதி தோன்றுமா
There is no beloved king to embrace in love,
Will these eyes ever sleep?
There is no elder brother to guard and protect,
Will peace ever dawn?
உதிர்ந்து போன உறவுகள்
இங்கே ஒன்று கூடுமா
உடைந்து போன மண் குடம்
மீண்டும் ஒன்று சேருமா
கரைகள் ரெண்டும் இல்லாமல்
நதியும் நகருமா
கல்லான தெய்வங்கள் பதிலை சொல்லுமா
Will relationships that have withered away here
Ever reunite?
Will a broken earthen pot again
Piece together as one?
Without both of its banks,
Can a river ever flow?
Will gods carved of stone offer an answer?
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு
தங்கை தூங்க என் பாட்டு
காலம் கூடும் பெண்ணே
கண்கள் தூங்கம்மா ஓஓஒ
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு...
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
My song for my sister to sleep.
Time will favor you, young girl,
Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
இரவு மாறும் பகல் வந்து சேரும்
இயற்கை சொன்னது
இன்பம் துன்பம் ரெண்டுக்கும் என்றும்
முடிவு உள்ளது
Night will turn and day will arrive,
So says nature.
Both pleasure and pain always
Have an inevitable end.
அள்ளி தேற்ற ஆளில்லை என்று
யார் சொன்னது
அணைத்து கொள்ளும் உறவுகள் எல்லாம்
அருகில் உள்ளது
இமையை மூடிக் கொள்ளாமல்
விழியும் அழுதது
நானாக நான் மாற நாளும் வந்தது...
Who said there is no one
To scoop you up and comfort you?
The loving relationships that embrace you
Are right beside you.
Without closing its eyelids, the eye wept,
The day has come for me to become my true self.
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு
தங்கை தூங்க என் பாட்டு
காலம் கூடும் பெண்ணே
கண்கள் தூங்கம்மா ஓஓஒ
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு...
பிள்ளை தூங்க தாலாட்டு
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
My song for my sister to sleep.
Time will favor you, young girl,
Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
Kannan thoonga en paattu
My song for my Kannan to sleep.
Endhan thookam engo
Where has my sleep
Thoongi ponathoo oo oo oo
Gone off to sleep? Oo oo oo oo
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
Kaadhal kolla mannanum illai
There is no beloved king to embrace in love,
Kangal thoongumaa
Will these eyes ever sleep?
Kaaval kolla annanum illai
There is no elder brother to guard and protect,
Amaidhi thondrumaa
Will peace ever dawn?
Uthirnthu pona uravugal ingae
Will relationships that have withered away here
Ondru koodumaa
Ever reunite?
Udaindhu pona mann kudam meendum
Will a broken earthen pot again
Ondru serumaa
Piece together as one?
Karaigal rendum illamal
Without both of its banks,
Nadhiyum nagaruma
Can a river ever flow?
Kallaana deivangal bathilai sollumaa
Will gods carved of stone offer an answer?
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
Thangai thoonga en paattu
My song for my sister to sleep.
Kaalam koodum pennae
Time will favor you, young girl,
Kangal thoongumaa oo oo oo
Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
Iravu maarum pagal vandhu serum
Night will turn and day will arrive,
Iyarkai sonnadhu
So says nature.
Inbam thunbam rendukkum endrum
Both pleasure and pain always
Mudivu ulladhu
Have an inevitable end.
Alli thaettra aal illai endru
Who said there is no one
Yaar sonnadhu
To scoop you up and comfort you?
Anaithu kollum uravugal ellam
The loving relationships that embrace you
Arugil ulladhu
Are right beside you.
Imaiyai moodi kollamal vizhiyum azhudhadhu
Without closing its eyelids, the eye wept,
Naanaaga naan maara naalum vandhadhu
The day has come for me to become my true self.
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
Thangai thoonga en paattu
My song for my sister to sleep.
Kaalam koodum pennae
Time will favor you, young girl,
Kangal thoongumaa oo oo oo
Will your eyes sleep? Oo oo oo oo
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep,
Pillai thoonga thaalaattu
A lullaby for the child to sleep.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a poignant, emotional dialogue structured as a lullaby between a sorrowful woman and a comforting brotherly figure. The woman laments her isolation, wondering if broken family ties can ever be repaired, metaphorically comparing her life to a broken clay pot and a bankless river, while questioning if stone idols will ever respond to her suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Udaindhu pona mann kudam meendum ondru serumaa”
Compares fractured human relationships to an irreplaceable broken earthen pot ('mann kudam') and a bankless river ('karaigal rendum illamal nadhi').
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Aani)
“Kallaana deivangal bathilai sollumaa”
Uses a series of unanswerable questions to emphasize deep helplessness and sorrow.
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kaadhal kolla mannanum illai / Kaaval kolla annanum illai”
The second consonant sound 'dha' matches across lines (Kaadhal / Kaaval).
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Chandrabose with lyrics by Vairamuthu, this song beautifully blends the melancholy of a woman in distress with the soothing warmth of a brother's consolation, featuring vocals by K. J. Yesudas and P. Susheela.
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