Thaimatha Pongalukku
From Nilave Nee Saatchi · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Nilave Nee Saatchi1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thai maadha pongalukku | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival, |
| Thaai thantha sengarumbae | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother, |
| Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae | Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Thai maadha pongalukku | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival, |
| Thaai thantha sengarumbae | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother, |
| Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae | Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Maiyaadum poo vizhiyil | In your flower-like eyes adorned with kohl, |
| Maanaadum naadagathai | The playful drama where a deer dances, |
| Mayangi mayangi rasikka vendum vaadi | I want to swoon and admire it endlessly, my dear! |
| Nee ennai thaeduvadhum | Your act of searching for me, |
| Kaanamal vaaduvadhum | And wilting away when I am not in sight, |
| Kadavul thantha kaadhaladi vaadi | Is a divine love bestowed by God, my dear! |
| Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo | Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...) |
| Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham | Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...) |
| Female | |
| Thai maadha pongalukku | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival, |
| Thaai thantha sengarumbae | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother, |
| Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae | Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Poonthendral oorengum | The gentle breeze traveling across the entire town, |
| Un mugathai thaedi | In search of your sweet face, |
| Pudhu veedu kandathadi vaadi | Has finally found its new abode, my dear! |
| Thaenoorum thaamaraiyai | To catch a glimpse of the lotus filled with honey, |
| Paarthaaga vendum endru | Desiring to behold its pure beauty, |
| Nooru kangal vaadudhadi vaadi | A hundred eyes are yearning eagerly, my dear! |
| Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo | Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...) |
| Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham | Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...) |
| Female | |
| Thai maadha pongalukku | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival, |
| Thaai thantha sengarumbae | Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother, |
| Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae | Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Thaaiyaaga naan maari | Transforming into a mother myself, |
| Thanga magal vaazha | So that my golden child may thrive, |
| Thandhuvitten ennaiyadi vaadi | I have completely surrendered my heart, my dear! |
| Yaarodu yaar endru | Who is destined to be with whom, |
| Kaalamagal ezhudhiyadhai | Whatever the Goddess of Time has written, |
| Yaar maatra mudiyumadi vaadi | Who can ever alter that fate, my dear? |
| Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo | Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...) |
| Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham | Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...) |
தை மாத பொங்கலுக்கு
தாய் தந்த செங்கரும்பே
தள்ளாடி வாடி தங்கம் போலே
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
தை மாத பொங்கலுக்கு
தாய் தந்த செங்கரும்பே
தள்ளாடி வாடி தங்கம் போலே
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
மையாடும் பூவிழியில்
மானாடும் நாடகத்தை
மயங்கி மயங்கி ரசிக்க வேண்டும் வாடி
நீ என்னைத் தேடுவதும்
காணாமல் வாடுவதும்
கடவுள் தந்த காதலடி வாடி
ஆரிராரீராரோ ஓஓ ஓஓ......
சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம்
In your flower-like eyes adorned with kohl,
The playful drama where a deer dances,
I want to swoon and admire it endlessly, my dear!
Your act of searching for me,
And wilting away when I am not in sight,
Is a divine love bestowed by God, my dear!
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
தை மாத பொங்கலுக்கு
தாய் தந்த செங்கரும்பே
தள்ளாடி வாடி தங்கம் போலே
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
பூந்தென்றல் ஊரெங்கும்
உன் முகத்தை தேடி
புது வீடு கண்டதடி வாடி
தேனூறும் தாமரையை
பார்த்தாக வேண்டுமென்று
நூறு கண்கள் வாடுதடி வாடி
ஆரிராரீராரோ ஓஓ ஓஓ.....
சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம்
The gentle breeze traveling across the entire town,
In search of your sweet face,
Has finally found its new abode, my dear!
To catch a glimpse of the lotus filled with honey,
Desiring to behold its pure beauty,
A hundred eyes are yearning eagerly, my dear!
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
தை மாத பொங்கலுக்கு
தாய் தந்த செங்கரும்பே
தள்ளாடி வாடி தங்கம் போலே
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
தாயாக நான் மாறி
தங்க மகள் வாழ
தந்துவிட்டேன் என்னையடி வாடி
யாரோடு யார் என்று காலமகள் எழுதியதை
யார் மாற்ற முடியுமடி வாடி
ஆரிராரீராரோ ஓஓ ஓஓ......
சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம் சம்
Transforming into a mother myself,
So that my golden child may thrive,
I have completely surrendered my heart, my dear!
Who is destined to be with whom,
Whatever the Goddess of Time has written,
Who can ever alter that fate, my dear?
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
Thai maadha pongalukku
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Thaai thantha sengarumbae
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
Thai maadha pongalukku
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Thaai thantha sengarumbae
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
Maiyaadum poo vizhiyil
In your flower-like eyes adorned with kohl,
Maanaadum naadagathai
The playful drama where a deer dances,
Mayangi mayangi rasikka vendum vaadi
I want to swoon and admire it endlessly, my dear!
Nee ennai thaeduvadhum
Your act of searching for me,
Kaanamal vaaduvadhum
And wilting away when I am not in sight,
Kadavul thantha kaadhaladi vaadi
Is a divine love bestowed by God, my dear!
Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
Thai maadha pongalukku
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Thaai thantha sengarumbae
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
Poonthendral oorengum
The gentle breeze traveling across the entire town,
Un mugathai thaedi
In search of your sweet face,
Pudhu veedu kandathadi vaadi
Has finally found its new abode, my dear!
Thaenoorum thaamaraiyai
To catch a glimpse of the lotus filled with honey,
Paarthaaga vendum endru
Desiring to behold its pure beauty,
Nooru kangal vaadudhadi vaadi
A hundred eyes are yearning eagerly, my dear!
Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
Thai maadha pongalukku
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother for the Thai month Pongal festival,
Thaai thantha sengarumbae
Oh sweet sugarcane given by the mother,
Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae
Come toddling towards me like pure gold, my dear!
Thaaiyaaga naan maari
Transforming into a mother myself,
Thanga magal vaazha
So that my golden child may thrive,
Thandhuvitten ennaiyadi vaadi
I have completely surrendered my heart, my dear!
Yaarodu yaar endru
Who is destined to be with whom,
Kaalamagal ezhudhiyadhai
Whatever the Goddess of Time has written,
Yaar maatra mudiyumadi vaadi
Who can ever alter that fate, my dear?
Aareeraareeroo ooo ooo
Lullaby refrain (Aareeraareeroo...)
Cham cham cham cham cham cham cham cham
Rhythmic vocal sound (Cham cham cham...)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This beautiful song from 'Nilave Nee Saatchi' (1970) blends the affection of a mother's lullaby with deep emotional devotion. The speaker addresses a beloved child (or endearing loved one), comparing them to the precious red sugarcane gifted during the auspicious harvest festival of Pongal in the month of Thai. The lyrics express sheer joy in watching the child's playful gaze and affectionate dependency, framing their mutual bond as a divine gift bestowed by God. As the song progresses, the lyricist Kannadasan reflects on fate, maternal sacrifice, and destiny. The speaker notes how surrounding eyes gaze upon this cherished child like a honey-filled lotus and affirms that maternal selflessness is a transformation rooted in destiny. The song concludes with a philosophical thought on how no one can alter what the Goddess of Time has preordained, wrapped in comforting lullaby refrains.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Thallaadi vaadi thangam polae”
Compares the gentle, toddling steps of the child to shiny pure gold ('thangam polae').
Metaphor (Uvagam)
“Thaai thantha sengarumbae”
Compares the child to fresh, sweet sugarcane ('sengarumbu') gifted during the festival of Pongal.
Ethukai (Second-letter Assonance)
“Maiyaadum poo vizhiyil / Maanaadum naadagathai”
The second consonant sound 'i'/'n' matches across adjacent lines ('Maiyaadum' and 'Maanaadum').
Personification
“Kaalamagal ezhudhiyadhai”
Personifies time as a goddess ('Kaalamagal') who writes human destiny.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary poet Kannadasan, 'Nilave Nee Saatchi' (1970) features emotional melodies centered on family relationships and destiny. The song uses traditional Tamil cultural motifs, specifically the Thai Pongal sugarcane ('sengarumbu'), as a sweet metaphor for a child, connecting harvest abundance with domestic happiness.
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