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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sooriyane Kanna Thodaichikka

From Maayi · 2000

Lyricist
R. Ravishankar
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Details
Maayi2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Aa….aaraaroroAh... lullaby chant
Aariraro aaraariroLullaby refrain
Female
SooriyanaeOh Sun!
Kanna thodachchikka sooriyanaeWipe your tears, my Sun
Thooraththilae yaengiLonging from a distance
Thavikkithu thaaimanamaeA mother's heart suffers in agony
Female
Kallamillaatha pillai nilaaThe innocent moon-like child
Annaiyai theduthuIs searching for his mother
Kuttramillaatha petra manamThe blameless heart of the mother who gave birth
Sogaththil vaaduthuIs wilting in deep sorrow
Female
SooriyanaeOh Sun!
Kanna thodachchikka sooriyanaeWipe your tears, my Sun
Female
Vishamum thaayin kaipadaEven poison touched by a mother's hand
Amirtham aagumaeWould turn into nectar
Un thaayin paalil vishamadaaYet there is poison in your mother's milk, my child
Enna siyuvaenWhat can I do?
Female
Alli edukka aasaithaanI desire to gather you in my arms
Theenda vithiyillaiyaeFate does not permit me to touch you
Muththam kodukka aasaithaanI desire to give you a kiss
Yogam enakkillaiyaeI am not blessed with that good fortune
Nenjila theeuyum kannula neerumFire in my heart and tears in my eyes
Annai pettra varamoIs this the boon a mother receives?
Female
SooriyanaeOh Sun!
Kanna thodachchikka sooriyanaeWipe your tears, my Sun
Chorus
Aariro aariraariroLullaby refrain
Aariro aaraaroLullaby refrain
Female
Oorukkaaga nathiyunduThere is a river for the village
Nathikku thaayillaBut the river has no mother
Uyirukkaaga kaattrunduThere is air for life
Kaattrukku thaayillaBut the air has no mother
Female
Megam mazhaiyaa irangittaOnce the cloud descends as rain
Megam irupaththillaThe cloud ceases to exist
Soodam koluththi mudinjathumOnce camphor burns out after lighting
Soodam irupathillaThe camphor ceases to exist
Ennuyiraaga kannmani vaazhaFor my precious child to live as my life
Unnil kalanthirupenI will merge and remain within you
Female
SooriyanaeOh Sun!
Kanna thodachchikka sooriyanaeWipe your tears, my Sun
Thooraththilae yaengiLonging from a distance
Thavikkithu thaaimanamaeA mother's heart suffers in agony
Female
Kallamillaatha pillai nilaaThe innocent moon-like child
Annaiyai theduthuIs searching for his mother
Kuttramillaatha petra manamThe blameless heart of the mother who gave birth
Sogaththil vaaduthuIs wilting in deep sorrow
Female
SooriyanaeOh Sun!
Kanna thodachchikka sooriyanae….Wipe your tears, my Sun...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sooriyanae is a heartbreaking maternal lullaby from the movie Maayi (2000). The song portrays the tragic plight of a mother who is forced to stay away from her innocent child due to cruel twists of fate. Despite her intense yearning to hold, comfort, and nurture her young one, circumstances prevent her from fulfilling her maternal duties, making her milk feel like 'poison' that she cannot feed him. Through poignant metaphors of nature—such as clouds dissolving to give rain and camphor sacrificing itself to give light—the song illustrates a mother's ultimate sacrifice. She promises to invisibly merge into her child's life and protect him, even as her heart burns with sorrow and her eyes overflow with tears. S. Janaki's soulful rendition amplifies the emotional weight of a mother's boundless, self-sacrificing love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Kallamillaatha pillai nilaa

Comparing the child to a flawless moon ('pillai nilaa') to highlight innocence and beauty.

Simile / Analogy (Uvamai)

Megam mazhaiyaa irangitta Megam irupaththilla

Comparing the mother's sacrifice to clouds dissolving as rain and camphor burning away to give light.

Hyperbole / Oxymoron (Muran / Uyarvu Navirtchi)

Vishamum thaayin kaipada Amirtham aagumae

Juxtaposing poison and mother's milk/nectar to emphasize extreme distress and tragic helplessness.

Alliteration / Rhyme (Moonaai / Ethirai)

Aariro aariraariro Aariro aaraaro

Use of rhyming pairs and rhythm structure common in traditional Tamil lullabies (Lullaby refrain / Thaalaattu).

Did you know?

Trivia

S. A. Rajkumar's composition coupled with S. Janaki's evocative vocals made 'Sooriyanae' one of the most memorable emotional lullabies in Tamil cinema during the early 2000s, frequently highlighting the tragic drama elements of the film Maayi starring Sarathkumar.

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