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Chinna Thambi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thooliyile Aada Vantha

From Chinna Thambi · 1991

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
Mano
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Chinna Thambi
Movie release year
1991
Lyrics added on
6 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ooo … hooo … ooo …hooo … ooo …. hooo
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
Thottil melae muthu maala
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
{Paateduthu naan padicha kaattaruvi kanurangum
Pattamaram poomalarum paaraiyilum neersurakum} (2)
Raagamena thaalamena arinjaa naan padichen
Ezhu katta ettu katta therinja naan padichen
Naan padicha gnyaanamelaam yaar kodutha saamidhaan
Yededuthu padichadhilla saatchiyindha boomidhaan
Thottil melae muthu maala
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
{ Sorupoda thaai iruka pattiniya paarthadhilla
Thaai irukum kaaranathaal koyiluku ponadhilla } (2)
Thaai adichu valichadhilla irundhum naan azhuven
Naan azhudha thaangiduma odanae thaai azhuva
Aagamotham thaai manasu pol nadakum pilla dhaan
Vaazhugira vaazhkaiyilae tholvigalae illadhaan
Thottil melae muthu maala
Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada
Thooliyilae aadavandha vaanathu minvilakae
Aazhiyilae kandedutha arpudha aanimuthae
Thottil melae muthu maala
{ Vanna poovaa vilaiyaada chinna thambi yesapaada } (2)
Oh... ho... oh... ho... oh... ho...
O bright light from the skies, come to sway in this cloth cradle,
O precious, flawless pearl found in the deep ocean!
A garland of pearls hangs above the cradle,
As you play like a colorful flower, Chinna Thambi sings you a song.
O bright light from the skies, come to sway in this cloth cradle,
O precious, flawless pearl found in the deep ocean!
When I begin to sing, even the wild forest waterfall falls asleep,
Dead trees burst into bloom, and water springs from solid rock.
Did I sing knowing what ragas and rhythms are?
Did I sing knowing musical pitch and scales?
Who gave me all this musical wisdom? Only God did!
I never learned from books, and this earth is my witness.
A garland of pearls hangs above the cradle,
As you play like a colorful flower, Chinna Thambi sings you a song.
With a mother to feed me, I have never known hunger,
Because my mother is here, I have never gone to a temple.
It never hurts when my mother hits me, yet I still cry,
Can she bear to see me cry? Right away, she cries too!
Truly, a child who lives by their mother's heart,
Will never face defeat in this life!
A garland of pearls hangs above the cradle,
As you play like a colorful flower, Chinna Thambi sings you a song.
O bright light from the skies, come to sway in this cloth cradle,
O precious, flawless pearl found in the deep ocean!
A garland of pearls hangs above the cradle,
As you play like a colorful flower, Chinna Thambi sings you a song.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'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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