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Maanikka Thottil album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Rajathi Petredupaal

From Maanikka Thottil · 1974

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Maanikka Thottil
Movie release year
1974
Lyrics added on
20 Nov 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Thambi pappa intha veettin ilaiyakumaran
Alli thallaatta naalu pengal
Udan pirappaagum
Thambi pappa intha veettin ilaiyakumaran
Alli thallaatta naalu pengal
Udan pirappaagum
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Sanginaal paal koduththaal
Santhanavaai nogumendru
Sanginaal paal koduththaal
Santhanavaai nogumendru
Thangathaal sangi seithu
Tharuvaaraam thanthaiyadi
Pachai magan paduthuranga
Pavala mani thottiladi
Mannavan kannuranga
Maanikka thottiladi
Maanikka thottil raththinapattu
Thambikku kondaattam
Maambazhachittu kannaththai thottu
Engalin kondaattam
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Archanrukku geedhai sonnaan
Annalavan kannanadi
Archanrukku geedhai sonnaan
Annalavan kannanadi
Thanthaiyidam manthiraththai
Saattriyavan kandhanadi
Ellorukkum kalvi thanthaan
Sivakaami selvanadi
En maganum avar polae
Valarnthu varum thalaivanadi
Maanikka thottil raththinapattu
Thambikku kondaattam
Maambazhachittu kannaththai thottu
Engalin kondaattam
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Thanthaikku thambi tharum
Thangamani kadigaaram
Thanthaikku thambi tharum
Thangamani kadigaaram
Annaikku avan tharuvaan
Aaru poun muththaaram
Akkaavin thirumanaththil
Ainthu vandi seervarisai
Ammaadi enna solvaen
Aasai magan paer varisai
Maanikka thottil raththinapattu
Thambikku kondaattam
Maambazhachittu kannaththai thottu
Engalin kondaattam
Thambi pappa intha veettin ilaiyakumaran
Alli thallaatta naalu pengal
Udan pirappaagum
Aa…aa…aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….
Aa…aa…aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
Rajaththi pettredupaal rajakumaran
En rajavukku avan oru nandhakumaran
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
A baby boy will be the youngest prince of this home,
With four sisters to hold him close and rock him to sleep,
Born as his very own siblings...
A baby boy will be the youngest prince of this home,
With four sisters to hold him close and rock him to sleep,
Born as his very own siblings...
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
If we feed him milk from a conch-shell spoon,
Fearing it might hurt his sandalwood-soft mouth,
If we feed him milk from a conch-shell spoon,
Fearing it might hurt his sandalwood-soft mouth,
His father will make a spoon of pure gold,
And give it to him, my dear!
For this tender newborn boy to lie down and sleep,
A cradle of coral and gems, my dear!
For our little king to close his eyes and sleep,
A cradle carved of rubies, my dear!
A ruby cradle and a bed of fine silk,
What a celebration for the little brother!
Touching the mango-soft cheeks of our little bird,
What a joy for all of us...
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
The one who taught the Gita to Arjuna
Was our noble Lord Krishna, my dear!
The one who taught the Gita to Arjuna
Was our noble Lord Krishna, my dear!
The one who taught the sacred mantra to his father
Was Lord Murugan, my dear!
The one who gave education to everyone
Was Sivakami's blessed son (Kamaraj), my dear!
Just like them, my son too
Will grow up to become a great leader, my dear!
A ruby cradle and a bed of fine silk,
What a celebration for the little brother!
Touching the mango-soft cheeks of our little bird,
What a joy for all of us...
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
The little brother will gift his father
A gleaming gold wristwatch,
The little brother will gift his father
A gleaming gold wristwatch,
To his mother, he will give
A pearl necklace of six gold sovereigns,
For his elder sister's wedding,
Five cartloads of bridal gifts,
Oh my goodness, how can I describe
The endless honors my darling son will bring!
A ruby cradle and a bed of fine silk,
What a celebration for the little brother!
Touching the mango-soft cheeks of our little bird,
What a joy for all of us...
A baby boy will be the youngest prince of this home,
With four sisters to hold him close and rock him to sleep,
Born as his very own siblings...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
The queen will give birth to a prince,
To my king, he will be a darling little Krishna.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil lullaby portrays a mother's sweet dream and high aspirations for her unborn or newborn son. She visualizes the joy her child will bring to the family, envisioning how his four sisters will pamper him and how his father will craft lavish items like a golden milk-feeder and a ruby-encrusted cradle for him. Beyond material luxury, the lyrics weave spiritual and social ideals into the baby's future. Kannadasan compares the infant to Lord Krishna (who preached the Bhagavad Gita), Lord Murugan (who imparted supreme wisdom to Lord Shiva), and K. Kamaraj (referred to as Sivakami's son, who introduced widespread free education). The mother envisions her son growing up into a benevolent, noble leader who brings prosperities and pride to his parents and sisters.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Sanginaal paal koduththaal / Santhanavaai nogumendru”

Matching of the second consonant in consecutive lines, standard in classical Tamil prosody (e.g., 'Rajaththi' / 'En rajavukku' with 'ja', or 'Sanginaal' / 'Santhanavaai' / 'Thangathaal').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Archanrukku geedhai sonnaan / Annalavan kannanadi”

Repetition of the initial letter or sound across adjacent words in a line.

Metaphor & Imagery

“Maambazhachittu kannaththai thottu”

'Santhanavaai' compares the baby's mouth to delicate, fragrant sandalwood paste, while 'Maambazhachittu' compares tender cheeks to ripe mangoes.

Historical and Puranic Allusion

“Ellorukkum kalvi thanthaan Sivakaami selvanadi”

Referencing Lord Krishna teaching Arjuna, Lord Murugan teaching Lord Shiva, and K. Kamaraj (Sivakami's son) providing free education across Tamil Nadu.

Did you know?

Trivia

The line 'Ellorukkum kalvi thanthaan Sivakaami selvanadi' is a tribute to K. Kamaraj, the legendary Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who revolutionized school education and mid-day meal programs. Kamaraj's mother was Sivakami Ammal. Lyricist Kannadasan brilliantly seamlessly integrated political/historical praise into a maternal lullaby.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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