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Isaimozhi
Vaazhai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thenkizhakku

From Vaazhai · 2024

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singer
Dhee
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Movie name
Vaazhai
Movie release year
2024
Lyrics added on
14 Jun 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thenkizhakku thaen chittu
Sembaruthi poo mottu
Chellam konjuthe thaalaatta
Ethanaiyo kaalam vaaratha vaanavil
Vanthathu pol nee pesa
Uchiyila neenthum aagasa meenena
Thulliduthae un aasa
Mazhai adikkum un sirippil
Sedi molaikkun naan poovaaga
Veyil adikkum naal varaikkum
Koda pudippen un thaayaaga
Nee nee sollum kadha
Naan naan kekkum vara
Naam aavom maya paraivagale
Thenkizhakku thaen chittu
Sembaruthi poo mottu
Chellam konjuthe thaalaatta
Othaiyila pogum vettaveli megam
Metteduthu paadaatho rekka virichu
Sitherumbu podum natchathira kolam
Solleduthu veesatho unna rasichu
Therinje nee seiyum settai
Thelivaaga unna kaatta
Adhil kodi raagam
Naanum meetta
Theruvenggum thaera otta
Maramellam oonjal aatta
Perugaatho kaalam vegam kootta
Panagkarukkum paal surakkum
Atha nenache nee kondaadu
Pasi marakkum naal pirakkum
Vali maranthe nee kooththaadu
Humming….
Panagkarukkum paal surakkum
Adha nenache nee kondaadu
Pasi marakkum naal pirakkum
Vali maranthe nee kooththaadu
Panagkarukkum
(Nee nee sollum katha)
Paal surakkum
(Naan naan kekkum vara)
Adha nenache nee kondaadu
(Naam aavom maya paraivagale)
Pasi marakkum
(Nee nee sollum katha)
Naal pirakkum
(Naan naan kekkum vara)
Vali maranthe nee kooththaadu
(Naam aavom maya paraivagale)
Panagkarukkum paal surakkum
Vali maranthe nee kooththaadu
A little sunbird of the southeast,
A tender hibiscus flower bud,
Showers sweet love to sing a lullaby.
Like a rainbow that hasn't appeared in ages,
You speak as though it has finally arrived.
Like a fish swimming in the highest sky,
Your dreams leap up with joy.
In the rain of your sweet laughter,
Plants will sprout, and I will bloom as a flower.
Through all the days the scorching sun beats down,
I will hold an umbrella for you like a mother.
With the stories you keep telling,
And the way I keep listening,
We will turn into magical birds.
A little sunbird of the southeast,
A tender hibiscus flower bud,
Showers sweet love to sing a lullaby.
Won't the cloud drifting alone across the open sky
Spread its wings and sing a sweet tune?
Won't the tiny ant making star-like patterns
Shower words of praise, admiring you?
The mischief you do on purpose
Shows your pure self so clearly;
As I strum countless melodies
Flowing from that joy,
Chariots roll through every street,
Swings sway from every tree,
Won't time speed up and overflow with life?
Even the hard palmyra stalk will yield sweet milk,
Think of that and celebrate!
A day will dawn when hunger is forgotten,
Forget your pain and dance with joy!
(Humming...)
Even the hard palmyra stalk will yield sweet milk,
Think of that and celebrate!
A day will dawn when hunger is forgotten,
Forget your pain and dance with joy!
The hard palmyra stalk...
(With the stories you keep telling)
...will yield sweet milk!
(And the way I keep listening)
Think of that and celebrate!
(We will turn into magical birds)
Hunger will be forgotten...
(With the stories you keep telling)
...a new day will dawn!
(And the way I keep listening)
Forget your pain and dance with joy!
(We will turn into magical birds)
Even the hard palmyra stalk will yield sweet milk,
Forget your pain and dance with joy!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thenkizhakku Thaen Chittu from Mari Selvaraj's film Vaazhai (2024) is a deeply comforting lullaby filled with innocent joy, maternal affection, and hope. Sung from the tender perspective of an elder sibling or motherly figure to a young child, the lyrics paint pastoral landscapes using nature imagery—sunbirds, hibiscus buds, clouds, ants, and rainbows—to convey pure affection amidst life's struggles.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Ethanaiyo kaalam vaaratha vaanavil / Vanthathu pol nee pesa / Uchiyila neenthum aagasa meenena”

Compares the child's words to a rare rainbow ('vaanavil vanthathu pol') and their soaring desires to a fish swimming high in the sky ('aagasa meenena').

Personification (Uruvagim)

“Othaiyila pogum vettaveli megam / Metteduthu paadaatho rekka virichu / Sitherumbu podum natchathira kolam”

Gives human qualities to nature, describing clouds singing melodies with spread wings and tiny ants drawing star patterns out of admiration.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

“Panagkarukkum paal surakkum”

'Panagkarukkum paal surakkum' uses the image of a hard palmyra shoot yielding sweet milk as a metaphor for sweet hope and comfort emerging from harsh, dry realities.

Rhyme & Alliteration (Ethirai & Monai)

“Pasi marakkum naal pirakkum / Vali maranthe nee kooththaadu”

Syllabic harmony and rhythmic couplets like 'Thenkizhakku' / 'Sembaruthi' and 'Pasi marakkum' / 'Vali maranthe' create a soothing lullaby effect.

Did you know?

Trivia

Vaazhai (2024), directed by Mari Selvaraj, is an autobiographical drama rooted in his childhood experiences in banana plantations. Santhosh Narayanan composed the score, and singer Dhee's earthy, soulful rendition brings out the deep tenderness of rural sibling affection portrayed in the film.

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