Thooliyile Aada Vantha
From Chinna Thambi · 1991
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Mano
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Chinna Thambi1991
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ooo … hooo … ooo …hooo … ooo …. hooo | Ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo |
| Male | |
| Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae | O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle! |
| Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae | O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean! |
| Thottil melae muthu maala | A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle, |
| Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada | As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise. |
| Male | |
| Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae | O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle! |
| Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae | O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean! |
| Male | |
| {Paateduthu naan padicha kaattaruvi kanurangum | When I take up a tune and sing, even the wild forest stream falls asleep. |
| Pattamaram poomalarum paaraiyilum neersurakum} (2) | A dried tree blossoms into flowers, and water springs forth even from a rock. |
| Male | |
| Raagamena thaalamena arinjaa naan padichen | Did I sing because I knew ragas or rhythmic beats? |
| Ezhu katta ettu katta therinja naan padichen | Did I sing because I understood musical pitches and scales? |
| Naan padicha gnyaanamelaam yaar kodutha saamidhaan | All the wisdom in my singing was gifted solely by God. |
| Yededuthu padichadhilla saatchiyindha boomidhaan | I never learned from books; this mother Earth itself is the witness. |
| Male | |
| Thottil melae muthu maala | A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle, |
| Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada | As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise. |
| Male | |
| { Sorupoda thaai iruka pattiniya paarthadhilla | With a mother to feed me food, I have never known starvation. |
| Thaai irukum kaaranathaal koyiluku ponadhilla } (2) | Because my mother is right here, I have never felt the need to visit a temple. |
| Thaai adichu valichadhilla irundhum naan azhuven | Even though my mother hitting me never hurt, I would still cry. |
| Naan azhudha thaangiduma odanae thaai azhuva | Can a mother bear my tears? She would instantly weep too. |
| Male | |
| Aagamotham thaai manasu pol nadakum pilla dhaan | Ultimately, a child who lives according to the mother's heart and wishes, |
| Vaazhugira vaazhkaiyilae tholvigalae illadhaan | Will never face defeat in the life they live. |
| Thottil melae muthu maala | A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle, |
| Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada | As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise. |
| Male | |
| Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae | O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle! |
| Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae | O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean! |
| Thottil melae muthu maala | A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle, |
| { Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada } (2) | As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise. |
ஓ ஹோ ....
ஓ ஹோ ... ஓ ஹோ
Ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo
தூளியிலே
ஆடவந்த வானத்து
மின்விளக்கே ஆழியிலே
கண்டெடுத்த அற்புத
ஆணிமுத்தே தொட்டில்
மேலே முத்து மாலை
வண்ண பூவா விளையாட
சின்னத் தம்பி எசபாட
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
தூளியிலே
ஆடவந்த வானத்து
மின்விளக்கே ஆழியிலே
கண்டெடுத்த அற்புத
ஆணிமுத்தே
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
{ பாட்டெடுத்து
நான் படிச்சா காட்டருவி
கண்ணுறங்கும் பட்டமரம்
பூமலரும் பாறையிலும்
நீர்சுரக்கும் } (2)
When I take up a tune and sing, even the wild forest stream falls asleep.
A dried tree blossoms into flowers, and water springs forth even from a rock.
ராகமென்ன
தாளமென்ன அறிஞ்சா
நான் படிச்சேன் ஏழு கட்ட
எட்டுக் கட்ட தெரிஞ்சா
நான் படிச்சேன் நான் படிச்ச
ஞானமெல்லாம் யார் கொடுத்தா
சாமிதான் ஏடெடுத்துப் படிச்சதில்ல
சாட்சியிந்த பூமி தான்
Did I sing because I knew ragas or rhythmic beats?
Did I sing because I understood musical pitches and scales?
All the wisdom in my singing was gifted solely by God.
I never learned from books; this mother Earth itself is the witness.
தொட்டில் மேலே
முத்து மாலை வண்ண
பூவா விளையாட சின்னத்
தம்பி எசபாட
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
{ சோறுபோடத்
தாயிருக்க பட்டினியப்
பார்த்ததில்ல தாயிருக்கும்
காரணத்தால் கோயிலுக்குப்
போனதில்ல } (2)
தாயடிச்சு வலிச்சதில்ல
இருந்தும் நான் அழுவேன்
நான் அழுதா தாங்கிடுமா
உடனே தாய் அழுவா
With a mother to feed me food, I have never known starvation.
Because my mother is right here, I have never felt the need to visit a temple.
Even though my mother hitting me never hurt, I would still cry.
Can a mother bear my tears? She would instantly weep too.
ஆகமொத்தம்
தாய் மனசு போல்
நடக்கும் பிள்ளை தான்
வாழுகிற வாழ்க்கையிலே
தோல்விகளே இல்லைதான்
தொட்டில் மேலே முத்து மாலை
வண்ண பூவா விளையாட
சின்னத் தம்பி எசபாட
Ultimately, a child who lives according to the mother's heart and wishes,
Will never face defeat in the life they live.
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
தூளியிலே
ஆடவந்த வானத்து
மின்விளக்கே ஆழியிலே
கண்டெடுத்த அற்புத
ஆணிமுத்தே தொட்டில்
மேலே முத்து மாலை
வண்ண பூவா விளையாட
சின்னத் தம்பி எசபாட
வண்ண பூவா விளையாட
சின்னத் தம்பி எசபாட
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
Ooo … hooo … ooo …hooo … ooo …. hooo
Ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo... ooo... hooo
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
Thottil melae muthu maala
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
{Paateduthu naan padicha kaattaruvi kanurangum
When I take up a tune and sing, even the wild forest stream falls asleep.
Pattamaram poomalarum paaraiyilum neersurakum} (2)
A dried tree blossoms into flowers, and water springs forth even from a rock.
Raagamena thaalamena arinjaa naan padichen
Did I sing because I knew ragas or rhythmic beats?
Ezhu katta ettu katta therinja naan padichen
Did I sing because I understood musical pitches and scales?
Naan padicha gnyaanamelaam yaar kodutha saamidhaan
All the wisdom in my singing was gifted solely by God.
Yededuthu padichadhilla saatchiyindha boomidhaan
I never learned from books; this mother Earth itself is the witness.
Thottil melae muthu maala
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
{ Sorupoda thaai iruka pattiniya paarthadhilla
With a mother to feed me food, I have never known starvation.
Thaai irukum kaaranathaal koyiluku ponadhilla } (2)
Because my mother is right here, I have never felt the need to visit a temple.
Thaai adichu valichadhilla irundhum naan azhuven
Even though my mother hitting me never hurt, I would still cry.
Naan azhudha thaangiduma odanae thaai azhuva
Can a mother bear my tears? She would instantly weep too.
Aagamotham thaai manasu pol nadakum pilla dhaan
Ultimately, a child who lives according to the mother's heart and wishes,
Vaazhugira vaazhkaiyilae tholvigalae illadhaan
Will never face defeat in the life they live.
Thottil melae muthu maala
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
O bright star of the sky that came to swing in the cradle!
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
O wondrous, precious pearl found deep within the ocean!
Thottil melae muthu maala
A pearl necklace hanging over the cradle,
{ Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada } (2)
As a colorful flower plays, Chinna Thambi sings in praise.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Thooliyilae Aadavandha' is a heart-rending lullaby and expressive song from the blockbuster film Chinna Thambi (1991). The song conveys deep affection, innocence, and reverent devotion to motherhood and nature. The protagonist praises the beauty of a child/loved one by comparing them to a star swinging in a cradle and a rare pearl from the ocean. He reflects on his unlearned, innate musical talent as a pure gift from God and Earth that can soothe wild streams and bring dead trees back to life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae”
Compares the beloved child directly to a sky lamp/star ('vaanathu minvilakae') and a rare pearl ('arpudha aanimuthae').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)
“Paateduthu naan padicha kaattaruvi kanurangum”
Exaggerates the power of music by stating that the singer's melody lulls wild forest streams to sleep and makes dead trees bloom.
Ethirai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thooliyilae aadavandha / Aazhiyilae kandedutha”
The second consonant sound 'loo' in 'Thooliyilae' matches 'zhi' in 'Aazhiyilae', fitting Tamil poetic rhyming rules.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Gangai Amaran, 'Thooliyile Aadavandha' (sung by Mano in the male version and K. S. Chithra in the female version) became one of the most iconic lullabies in Tamil cinema history, contributing significantly to the film's mega-blockbuster status in 1991.
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