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Aduthathu Albert album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Sondhangale

From Aduthathu Albert · 1985

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Aduthathu Albert
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
18 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
Intha thangangal pogattumae
Ungal dharmangal vaazhattumae
Intha thangangal pogattumae
Ungal dharmangal vaazhattumae
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
Naal kurikka thee valarkka
Poo mudikka kiligal ninaikka
Naal vanthathu thee vanthathu
Poo vanththathu edhuvo nadanthathu
Vaangi vantha maalai
Malar valaiyam aagum vaelai
Saadhiyum jaadhgam
Saadhiyum jaadhgam yaar parppatho…
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
………………….
Thaam sumantha thol irandil
Thaer sumanthaan isaiyai maranthaan
Thaai orunaal paal koduththaal
Yaen avalae paalai theliththaal
Paavi pona pinbu azhuthu paarkkum anbu
Sogamae…..aarumaa….
Sogamae aarumaa naalaagumaa
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
Intha thangangal pogattumae
Ungal dharmangal vaazhattumae
Intha thangangal pogattumae
Ungal dharmangal vaazhattumae
Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….
Sogam enna sollungalaen…..
………………….
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
Let this gold be gone...
May your righteousness live on...
Let this gold be gone...
May your righteousness live on...
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
To fix the date, to kindle the wedding fire,
As the parrots longed to wear floral adornments,
The day arrived, the fire arrived,
The flowers arrived, but something tragic happened.
The garland brought for the wedding,
At the moment it becomes a funeral wreath,
Caste and horoscope,
Who will look at caste and horoscope now?...
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
...
On the two shoulders that once carried him,
He carried the funeral bier, forgetting his music.
A mother gave him milk one day,
Why did she herself pour the final milk ritual?
Love that weeps only after the wretched one is gone,
Oh sorrow... will it ever heal?...
Will sorrow heal, or will it take time?
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
Let this gold be gone...
May your righteousness live on...
Let this gold be gone...
May your righteousness live on...
Oh relatives... oh kith and kin...
Please tell me, what is your sorrow?...
...
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song from Aduthathu Albert expresses deep grief over a tragedy that turned a celebratory occasion into a funeral. It questions the societal norms, caste considerations, and rigid traditional values that often lead to tragic loss of young lives, asking relatives to reflect on their choices.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mogana / Alliteration (Monnai)

Sonthangalae…..sutrangalae….

Repetition of initial consonants like 'Sonthangalae' and 'Sutrangalae', or 'Saadhiyum' and 'Jaadhgam'.

Irony / Contrast

Vaangi vantha maalai / Malar valaiyam aagum vaelai

Contrasting joyous bridal traditions (wedding garlands, celebratory milk, holy fire) with funeral rituals (wreath, funeral milk, pyre).

Metaphor

Poo mudikka kiligal ninaikka

'Kiligal' (parrots) is used as a metaphor for the young lovers dreaming of marriage.

Did you know?

Trivia

Aduthathu Albert (1985) is a Tamil film starring Prabhu and Urvashi. The song features poignant lyrics written by Vairamuthu, contrasting wedding celebrations directly with mortality.

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