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Mahadevi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Singara Punnagai

From Mahadevi · 1957

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
M. S. Rajeswari, R. Balasaraswathi Devi
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Mahadevi
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
6 Aug 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Singara punnagai kannara kandaalae
Sangeetha veenaiyum yedhukkama
Oooooooooooooo
Singara punnagai kannaara kandaalae
Sangeetha veenaiyum yedhukkama
Mangaatha kangalil maiyittu paarthalae
Thangamum vairamum yedhukamma
Mangaatha kangalil maiyittu paarthalae
Thangamum vairamum yedhukamma
Oooooooooooooo
Singara punnagai kannaara kandaalae
Sangeetha veenaiyum yedhukkama
Kannadi kananngal kaangindra velaiyil
Ennangal geetham paadumae ooooo
Kannadi kananngal kaangindra velaiyil
Ennangal geetham paadumae
Pesamal pesum puruvangal kandaal
Pesaadha sirapamum yedhukamma
Pesamal pesum puruvangal kandaal
Pesaadha sirapamum yedhukamma
Oooooooooooooo
Singara punnagai kannaara kandaalae
Sangeetha veenaiyum yedhukkama
Mangaatha kangalil maiyittu paarthalae
Thangamum vairamum yedhukamma
Aaaa.aaaaaaaaaaaaa…(2)
Selvamae en jeevanae
Selvamae en jeevanae
Engal chozha mannilae vandha inba vellamae
Engal chozha mannilae vandha inba vellamae
Selvamae en jeevanae
Selvamae en jeevanae
Aadum kodiya naagangalum
Asaindhu varum neram
Un azhagu mugam kandu kondaal
Anbu kondu maarum
Chorus :Anbu kondu maarum
Anbu kondu maarum
Aadum kodiya naagangalum
Asaindhu varum neram
Un azhagu mugam kandu kondaal
Anbu kondu maarum
Chorus :Anbu kondu maarum
Anbu kondu maarum
Selvamae engal jeevanae
Engal selvamae engal jeevanae
Thanmaana selvangal vaazhgindra boomiyil
Vil yendhum veeran polavae
Ye ye ye ye ye ye ye ye ye
Both :Thanmaana selvangal vaazhgindra boomiyil
Vil yendhum veeran polavae
Maganae nee vandhaai
Mazhalai sol thandhaai
Vaazhnaalil ver enna vendumammaa
Chorus :Maganae nee vandhaai
Mazhalai sol thandhaai
Vaazhnaalil ver enna vendumammaa
Mangaatha kangalil maiyittu paarthalae
Thangamum vairamum yedhukamma
Just seeing your lovely smile to our heart's content,
why do we need a musical veena (stringed instrument)?
Oh...
Just seeing your lovely smile to our heart's content,
why do we need a musical veena?
When we line your bright eyes with kohl and gaze at you,
why do we need gold and diamonds?
When we line your bright eyes with kohl and gaze at you,
why do we need gold and diamonds?
Oh...
Just seeing your lovely smile to our heart's content,
why do we need a musical veena?
The moment we look at your mirror-smooth cheeks,
our thoughts begin to sing songs, oh...
The moment we look at your mirror-smooth cheeks,
our thoughts begin to sing songs.
When we see your eyebrows that speak without words,
why do we need a silent sculpture?
When we see your eyebrows that speak without words,
why do we need a silent sculpture?
Oh...
Just seeing your lovely smile to our heart's content,
why do we need a musical veena?
When we line your bright eyes with kohl and gaze at you,
why do we need gold and diamonds?
Aah...
My precious treasure, my very life!
My precious treasure, my very life!
A flood of joy that has arrived upon our Chola land!
A flood of joy that has arrived upon our Chola land!
My precious treasure, my very life!
My precious treasure, my very life!
Even dancing, venomous cobras,
as they glide along,
if they only catch sight of your lovely face,
will soften with love and transform.
Chorus: They will soften with love and transform.
They will soften with love and transform.
Even dancing, venomous cobras,
as they glide along,
if they only catch sight of your lovely face,
will soften with love and transform.
Chorus: They will soften with love and transform.
They will soften with love and transform.
Our precious treasure, our very life!
Our precious treasure, our very life!
Upon this land where proud, noble people dwell,
like a valiant warrior wielding a bow,
Yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay
Both: Upon this land where proud, noble people dwell,
like a valiant warrior wielding a bow,
my son, you have arrived,
bringing your sweet baby words.
What else could we ever need in this lifetime?
Chorus: My son, you have arrived,
bringing your sweet baby words.
What else could we ever need in this lifetime?
When we line your bright eyes with kohl and gaze at you,
why do we need gold and diamonds?
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from Mahadevi (1957) is a deeply affectionate lullaby celebrating the birth and beauty of a child. Lyricist Kannadasan poetically asserts that witnessing the baby's enchanting smile, radiant cheeks, expressive eyebrows, and kohl-lined eyes renders worldly luxuries like music, gold, diamonds, and fine sculptures obsolete. The joy brought by the child surpasses all material treasures. In the second half, the child is celebrated as a blessed arrival in the historic Chola region. The lyrics hyperbolically note that even lethal, swaying serpents soften into affection upon gazing at the baby's charming face. Envisioning the child growing into a bow-wielding hero of high self-respect, the song concludes that the sweet babble of a child fulfills all purpose and desire in a parent's life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Singara punnagai ... Sangeetha veenaiyum”

Matching first sound 'Si' in consecutive words creates melodic rhythm.

Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Mangaatha kangalil ... Thangamum vairamum”

Second letter consonant sound 'ng' rhymes between 'Mangaatha' and 'Thangamum'.

Hyperbole (Atisayokti)

“Aadum kodiya naagangalum ... Un azhagu mugam kandu kondaal Anbu kondu maarum”

Exaggeration that even fierce, dancing cobras lose their venomous nature and turn loving upon seeing the child's face.

Rhetorical Question

“Vaazhnaalil ver enna vendumammaa”

A question used to emphasize complete emotional fulfillment, implying nothing more could possibly be needed.

Did you know?

Trivia

Mahadevi (1957) starred M. G. Ramachandran and Savitri. The soundtrack by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy features this timeless lullaby sung as a duet by M. S. Rajeswari and R. Balasaraswathi Devi, which remains one of Tamil cinema's most revered mother-and-child melodies.

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