Thenpandi Cheemai
From Nadodi Pattukkaran · 1992
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Then paandi cheema | Southern Pandya region, |
| Thamil kodutha thaaiyae | Oh mother who gave us Tamil, |
| Themmangu raagam | Folk rhythm music, |
| Kalanthu koduthaayae.. | You blended and gave it to us.. |
| Male | |
| Thaalattu paattil | In the lullaby song, |
| Thaai onna paarthen | I saw you, my mother, |
| Ezhezhu jenmam eduppen hoo | I will take seven times seven births, |
| En thaaiyai kandu rasipen | To see and admire my mother. |
| Male | |
| Then paandi cheema | Southern Pandya region, |
| Thamil kodutha thaaiyae | Oh mother who gave us Tamil, |
| Themmangu raagam | Folk rhythm music, |
| Kalanthu koduthaayae.. | You blended and gave it to us.. |
| Male | |
| Kannupadum pillaikendrae | For the child who catches the evil eye, |
| Kalladiyil manneduppaal | She takes soil from under a stone, |
| Kaal mulaithae odi vitaal | If the child runs after growing feet, |
| Kann vizhithae thaai thudipaal | The mother's heart twitches even awake. |
| Male | |
| Pallikku pogaatha paaviaval | She is a poor soul who never went to school, |
| Ullathil nermaiyil yogiaval | Yet in honesty of heart, she is a saint. |
| Saamikkum kaanikkai pottu vaippaal | She places offerings for God, |
| Than pillaikkae varam kettuvaipaal | But asks for blessings only for her child. |
| Male | |
| Naan vaazhaththaanae | Just for me to live, |
| Thaan vaazhntha pedhai | She lived like a simple fool, |
| Aanaalum medhai aval thaano | Yet isn't she truly a genius? |
| Anbaana annai ival thaan | She is the loving mother. |
| Male | |
| Then paandi cheema | Southern Pandya region, |
| Thamil kodutha thaaiyae | Oh mother who gave us Tamil, |
| Themmangu raagam | Folk rhythm music, |
| Kalanthu koduthaayae.. | You blended and gave it to us.. |
| Male | |
| En mugathil than mugathai | On my face, her face, |
| Yekkathudan paarthirupaal | She would look with deep longing, |
| Pillaikkoru thunbam vandhaal | If trouble comes to the child, |
| Ull manasil verththirupaal | Her inner heart sweats with agony. |
| Male | |
| Vairaththil mookuththi kettadhillai | She never asked for a diamond nose-pin, |
| Maanathil thaai endrum ezhai illai | In self-respect, a mother is never poor. |
| Maarmeedhum pillaikku yeni thandhaal | She became a ladder on her own chest, |
| Vaanaththai naan thoda aasai pattaal | When I desired to touch the sky. |
| Male | |
| Paasaththukaaga | For the sake of affection, |
| Rosaththai kooda | Even her self-pride, |
| Paaratta maattaal annai thaan hoo | Mother will not care to hold onto, |
| Naan paartha dheivam ival thaano | Is she the living deity I have seen? |
| Male | |
| Then paandi cheema | Southern Pandya region, |
| Thamil kodutha thaaiyae | Oh mother who gave us Tamil, |
| Themmangu raagam | Folk rhythm music, |
| Kalanthu koduthaayae.. | You blended and gave it to us.. |
| Male | |
| Thaalattu paattil | In the lullaby song, |
| Thaai onna paarthen | I saw you, my mother, |
| Ezhezhu jenmam eduppen hoo | I will take seven times seven births, |
| En thaaiyai kandu rasipen | To see and admire my mother. |
| Male | |
| Then paandi cheema | Southern Pandya region, |
| Thamil kodutha thaaiyae | Oh mother who gave us Tamil, |
| Themmangu raagam | Folk rhythm music, |
| Kalanthu koduthaayae.. | You blended and gave it to us.. |
தென்பாண்டி சீமை
தமிழ் கொடுத்த தாயே...
தெம்மாங்கு ராகம்
கலந்து கொடுத்தாயே...ஏ
Southern Pandya region,
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Folk rhythm music,
You blended and gave it to us..
தாலட்டுப் பாட்டில்
தாய் உன்னைப் பார்த்தேன்
ஏழெழு ஜென்மம் எடுப்பேன்
ஹோ என் தாயைக் கண்டு ரசிப்பேன்
In the lullaby song,
I saw you, my mother,
I will take seven times seven births,
To see and admire my mother.
தென்பாண்டி சீமை
தமிழ் கொடுத்த தாயே...
தெம்மாங்கு ராகம்
கலந்து கொடுத்தாயே...ஏ...
Southern Pandya region,
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Folk rhythm music,
You blended and gave it to us..
கண்ணுபடும் பிள்ளைக்கென்றே
காலடியில் மண்ணெடுப்பாள்
கால் முளைத்தே ஓடி விட்டால்
கண் விழித்தே தாய் துடிப்பாள்
For the child who catches the evil eye,
She takes soil from under a stone,
If the child runs after growing feet,
The mother's heart twitches even awake.
பள்ளிக்கு போகாத பாவியவள்
உள்ளத்தில் நேர்மையில் யோகியவள்
சாமிக்கும் காணிக்கை போட்டு வைப்பாள்
தன் பிள்ளைக்கே வரம் கேட்டு வைப்பாள்
She is a poor soul who never went to school,
Yet in honesty of heart, she is a saint.
She places offerings for God,
But asks for blessings only for her child.
நான் வாழத்தானே
தான் வாழ்ந்த பேதை
ஆனாலும் மேதை அவள்தானோ
அன்பான அன்னை இவள்தான்
Just for me to live,
She lived like a simple fool,
Yet isn't she truly a genius?
She is the loving mother.
தென்பாண்டி சீமை
தமிழ் கொடுத்த தாயே...
தெம்மாங்கு ராகம்
கலந்து கொடுத்தாயே...ஏ...
Southern Pandya region,
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Folk rhythm music,
You blended and gave it to us..
என் முகத்தில் தன் முகத்தை
ஏக்கத்துடன் பார்த்திருப்பாள்
பிள்ளைக்கொரு துன்பம் வந்தால்
உள் மனசில் வேர்த்திருப்பாள்
On my face, her face,
She would look with deep longing,
If trouble comes to the child,
Her inner heart sweats with agony.
வைரத்தில் மூக்குத்தி கேட்டதில்லை
மானத்தில் தாய் என்றும் ஏழையில்லை
மார்மீதும் பிள்ளைக்கு ஏணி தந்தாள்
வானத்தை நான் தொட ஆசைப்பட்டாள்
She never asked for a diamond nose-pin,
In self-respect, a mother is never poor.
She became a ladder on her own chest,
When I desired to touch the sky.
பாசத்துக்காக ரோசத்தைக்
கூட பாராட்ட மாட்டாள்
அன்னை தான் ஹோ நான்
பார்த்த தெய்வம் இவள்தானோ
For the sake of affection,
Even her self-pride,
Mother will not care to hold onto,
Is she the living deity I have seen?
தென்பாண்டி சீமை
தமிழ் கொடுத்த தாயே...
தெம்மாங்கு ராகம்
கலந்து கொடுத்தாயே...ஏ...
Southern Pandya region,
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Folk rhythm music,
You blended and gave it to us..
தாலட்டுப் பாட்டில்
தாய் உன்னைப் பார்த்தேன்
ஏழெழு ஜென்மம் எடுப்பேன்
ஹோ என் தாயைக் கண்டு ரசிப்பேன்
In the lullaby song,
I saw you, my mother,
I will take seven times seven births,
To see and admire my mother.
தென்பாண்டி சீமை
தமிழ் கொடுத்த தாயே...
தெம்மாங்கு ராகம்
கலந்து கொடுத்தாயே...ஏ...
Southern Pandya region,
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Folk rhythm music,
You blended and gave it to us..
Then paandi cheema
Southern Pandya region,
Thamil kodutha thaaiyae
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Themmangu raagam
Folk rhythm music,
Kalanthu koduthaayae..
You blended and gave it to us..
Thaalattu paattil
In the lullaby song,
Thaai onna paarthen
I saw you, my mother,
Ezhezhu jenmam eduppen hoo
I will take seven times seven births,
En thaaiyai kandu rasipen
To see and admire my mother.
Then paandi cheema
Southern Pandya region,
Thamil kodutha thaaiyae
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Themmangu raagam
Folk rhythm music,
Kalanthu koduthaayae..
You blended and gave it to us..
Kannupadum pillaikendrae
For the child who catches the evil eye,
Kalladiyil manneduppaal
She takes soil from under a stone,
Kaal mulaithae odi vitaal
If the child runs after growing feet,
Kann vizhithae thaai thudipaal
The mother's heart twitches even awake.
Pallikku pogaatha paaviaval
She is a poor soul who never went to school,
Ullathil nermaiyil yogiaval
Yet in honesty of heart, she is a saint.
Saamikkum kaanikkai pottu vaippaal
She places offerings for God,
Than pillaikkae varam kettuvaipaal
But asks for blessings only for her child.
Naan vaazhaththaanae
Just for me to live,
Thaan vaazhntha pedhai
She lived like a simple fool,
Aanaalum medhai aval thaano
Yet isn't she truly a genius?
Anbaana annai ival thaan
She is the loving mother.
Then paandi cheema
Southern Pandya region,
Thamil kodutha thaaiyae
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Themmangu raagam
Folk rhythm music,
Kalanthu koduthaayae..
You blended and gave it to us..
En mugathil than mugathai
On my face, her face,
Yekkathudan paarthirupaal
She would look with deep longing,
Pillaikkoru thunbam vandhaal
If trouble comes to the child,
Ull manasil verththirupaal
Her inner heart sweats with agony.
Vairaththil mookuththi kettadhillai
She never asked for a diamond nose-pin,
Maanathil thaai endrum ezhai illai
In self-respect, a mother is never poor.
Maarmeedhum pillaikku yeni thandhaal
She became a ladder on her own chest,
Vaanaththai naan thoda aasai pattaal
When I desired to touch the sky.
Paasaththukaaga
For the sake of affection,
Rosaththai kooda
Even her self-pride,
Paaratta maattaal annai thaan hoo
Mother will not care to hold onto,
Naan paartha dheivam ival thaano
Is she the living deity I have seen?
Then paandi cheema
Southern Pandya region,
Thamil kodutha thaaiyae
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Themmangu raagam
Folk rhythm music,
Kalanthu koduthaayae..
You blended and gave it to us..
Thaalattu paattil
In the lullaby song,
Thaai onna paarthen
I saw you, my mother,
Ezhezhu jenmam eduppen hoo
I will take seven times seven births,
En thaaiyai kandu rasipen
To see and admire my mother.
Then paandi cheema
Southern Pandya region,
Thamil kodutha thaaiyae
Oh mother who gave us Tamil,
Themmangu raagam
Folk rhythm music,
Kalanthu koduthaayae..
You blended and gave it to us..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional folk song from Nadodi Pattukkaran celebrates maternal love and devotion, framing the mother as the true embodiment of the Southern Pandya region's rich Tamil heritage and soul-stirring folk music. The singer praises his mother's endless sacrifices—her unlettered simplicity contrasting with her innate wisdom and saintly heart. Despite her humble life and lack of material wealth, her pride and love for her child remain boundless. The song highlights how a mother willingly disregards her own ego and comfort to serve as a stepping stone for her child's aspirations. Deeming her a living deity, the speaker expresses a yearning to be reborn across countless lifetimes just to witness and cherish her unconditional love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Then paandi cheema / Thamil kodutha thaaiyae”
Repetition of the initial 'Th' sound across consecutive lines creating melodic continuity.
Paradox / Antithesis
“Pallikku pogaatha paaviaval / Ullathil nermaiyil yogiaval”
Contrasting her lack of formal education with her profound moral and spiritual wisdom.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Maarmeedhum pillaikku yeni thandhaal / Vaanaththai naan thoda aasai pattaal”
Comparing the mother's nurturing chest and guidance to a ladder for the child to reach the sky.
Did you know?
Trivia
Nadodi Pattukkaran (1992) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Parinaman. The song uses traditional 'Themmangu' folk rhythms, rooted in the rural culture of Southern Tamil Nadu (Pandya region).
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