Thene Thenpaandi
From Udhaya Geetham · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Udhaya Geetham1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Maanae ila maanae | Deer, young deer |
| Male | |
| Needhaan sendhaamaarai | You are the red lotus |
| Aareeraaroo | Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo) |
| Netri moondraampirai | Forehead like the third-day crescent moon |
| Thaalaelaeloo | Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo) |
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Maanae ila maanae | Deer, young deer |
| Male | |
| Maalai veiyil velaiyil | In the evening sunshine |
| Madhurai varum thendralae | Oh breeze coming from Madurai |
| Aadi maadha vaigaiyil | In the Vaigai river during the month of Aadi |
| Aadi varum vellamae | Oh flood dancing along |
| Male | |
| Nanjai punjai naalum undu | Wetland and dryland are always there |
| Neeyum adhai aalalaam | You can rule over them |
| Maaman veettu mayilum undu | There is also a peacock in your uncle's house |
| Maalai katti podalaam | You can place a garland around her |
| Raajaa needhan nenjathilae | King, you are the child |
| Nirkum pillai | Who stands in my heart |
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Male | |
| Paal kudutha nenjilae | In the heart that gave milk |
| Eeram innum kaayalae | The warmth and moisture haven't dried yet |
| Paal manathai paarkkiren | I see the innocent milky heart |
| Pillai undhan vaayilae | In your mouth, my child |
| Male | |
| Paadhai konjam maari ponaal | Even if the path strays a little |
| Paasam vittu pogumaa | Will deep affection ever fade? |
| Thaazham poovai dhoora vaithaal | If you keep the screwpine flower far away |
| Vaasam vittu pogumaa | Will its natural fragrance leave it? |
| Raaja needhaan | You are the king |
| Naan edutha muthu pillai | The pearl child I held in my hands |
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Maanae ila maanae | Deer, young deer |
| Male | |
| Needhaan sendhaamaarai | You are the red lotus |
| Aareeraaroo | Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo) |
| Netri moondraampirai | Forehead like the third-day crescent moon |
| Thaalaelaeloo | Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo) |
| Male | |
| Thaenae thenpaandi meenae | Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region |
| Isai thenae isai thenae | Nectar of music, nectar of music |
| Maanae ila maanae | Deer, young deer |
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
மானே இள மானே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Deer, young deer
நீதான் செந்தாமாரை
ஆரீராரோ
நெற்றி மூன்றாம் பிறை
தாலே லே லோ
You are the red lotus
Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo)
Forehead like the third-day crescent moon
Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo)
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
மானே இள மானே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Deer, young deer
மாலை வெயில் வேளையில்
மதுரை வரும் தென்றலே
ஆடி மாதம் வைகையில்
ஆடி வரும் வெள்ளமே
In the evening sunshine
Oh breeze coming from Madurai
In the Vaigai river during the month of Aadi
Oh flood dancing along
நஞ்சை புஞ்சை நாளும் உண்டு
நீயும் அதை ஆளலாம்
மாமன் வீட்டு மயிலும் உண்டு
மாலை கட்டிப் போடலாம்
ராஜா நீ தான் நெஞ்சத்திலே
நிற்கும் பிள்ளை
Wetland and dryland are always there
You can rule over them
There is also a peacock in your uncle's house
You can place a garland around her
King, you are the child
Who stands in my heart
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
பால் குடுத்த நெஞ்சிலே
ஈரம் இன்னும் காயலே
பால் மனத்தைப் பார்க்கிறேன்
பிள்ளை உந்தன் வாயிலே
In the heart that gave milk
The warmth and moisture haven't dried yet
I see the innocent milky heart
In your mouth, my child
பாதை கொஞ்சம் மாறிப் போனால்
பாசம் விட்டுப் போகுமா
தாழம் பூவை தூர வைத்தல்
வாசம் விட்டு போகுமா
ராஜா நீ தான்
நான் எடுத்த முத்துப் பிள்ளை
Even if the path strays a little
Will deep affection ever fade?
If you keep the screwpine flower far away
Will its natural fragrance leave it?
You are the king
The pearl child I held in my hands
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
மானே இள மானே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Deer, young deer
நீதான் செந்தாமாரை
ஆரீராரோ
நெற்றி மூன்றாம் பிறை
தாலே லே லோ
You are the red lotus
Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo)
Forehead like the third-day crescent moon
Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo)
தேனே தென்பாண்டி மீனே
இசை தேனே இசைத்தேனே
மானே இள மானே
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Deer, young deer
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Maanae ila maanae
Deer, young deer
Needhaan sendhaamaarai
You are the red lotus
Aareeraaroo
Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo)
Netri moondraampirai
Forehead like the third-day crescent moon
Thaalaelaeloo
Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo)
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Maanae ila maanae
Deer, young deer
Maalai veiyil velaiyil
In the evening sunshine
Madhurai varum thendralae
Oh breeze coming from Madurai
Aadi maadha vaigaiyil
In the Vaigai river during the month of Aadi
Aadi varum vellamae
Oh flood dancing along
Nanjai punjai naalum undu
Wetland and dryland are always there
Neeyum adhai aalalaam
You can rule over them
Maaman veettu mayilum undu
There is also a peacock in your uncle's house
Maalai katti podalaam
You can place a garland around her
Raajaa needhan nenjathilae
King, you are the child
Nirkum pillai
Who stands in my heart
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Paal kudutha nenjilae
In the heart that gave milk
Eeram innum kaayalae
The warmth and moisture haven't dried yet
Paal manathai paarkkiren
I see the innocent milky heart
Pillai undhan vaayilae
In your mouth, my child
Paadhai konjam maari ponaal
Even if the path strays a little
Paasam vittu pogumaa
Will deep affection ever fade?
Thaazham poovai dhoora vaithaal
If you keep the screwpine flower far away
Vaasam vittu pogumaa
Will its natural fragrance leave it?
Raaja needhaan
You are the king
Naan edutha muthu pillai
The pearl child I held in my hands
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Maanae ila maanae
Deer, young deer
Needhaan sendhaamaarai
You are the red lotus
Aareeraaroo
Lullaby chant (Aareeraaroo)
Netri moondraampirai
Forehead like the third-day crescent moon
Thaalaelaeloo
Lullaby chant (Thaalaelaeloo)
Thaenae thenpaandi meenae
Sweet as honey, fish of the southern Pandya region
Isai thenae isai thenae
Nectar of music, nectar of music
Maanae ila maanae
Deer, young deer
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Thaenae Thenpaandi Meenae' from Udhaya Geetham (1985) is an iconic Tamil lullaby that expresses deep emotional warmth, bonding, and unconditional love towards a child. Lyricist Vaali uses rich cultural motifs from Tamil literature—referencing Madurai, the Vaigai river flood, and the ancient Pandya dynasty symbol of the fish—to extol the child's purity and royalty in the speaker's eyes. The song poetically argues that just as fragrance cannot be separated from a screwpine flower, maternal/paternal affection can never be severed by mere distance or changes in life's path. Ilaiyaraaja's soothing melodic composition and gentle rhythmic structure enhance the timeless lullaby quality of the track.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagaim (Metaphor)
“Needhaan sendhaamaarai”
Comparing the child directly to 'thenpaandi meenae' (Pandyan fish), 'sendhaamaarai' (red lotus), and 'muthu pillai' (pearl child) to denote value and purity.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Paadhai konjam maari ponaal”
Rhyming of the second consonant sound across lines such as 'Paadhai' and 'Thaazham', or 'Nanjai' and 'Maaman'.
Anaapora / Repetition
“Isai thenae isai thenae”
Repetition of 'Isai thenae' and lullaby refrain words ('Aareeraaroo', 'Thaalaelaeloo') to establish a gentle rhythmic pattern.
Imagery (Visual & Olfactory)
“Thaazham poovai dhoora vaithaal / Vaasam vittu pogumaa”
Evoking strong sensory images through references to the Madurai breeze, Aadi river flood, and the sweet scent of the screwpine flower (Thaazhampoo).
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the user context mentions unknown details, this celebrated lullaby from Udhaya Geetham was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, written by Vaali, and rendered in distinct emotional versions by K.J. Yesudas and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam.
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