Thoonga Vaikkum
From Chella Penn · 1969
- Lyricist
- Kumaradevan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- B. A. Chidambaranathan
- Details
- Chella Penn1969
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thoonga veikkum iravellaam | Every night that is meant to make one sleep, |
| Yenga veikkum iravamma | Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother. |
| Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam | All the relationships I brought into my life, |
| Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam | All the relationships I brought into my life, |
| Vaatugindra uravamma | Are relationships that torment me, oh mother. |
| Female | |
| Thoonga veikkum iravellaam | Every night that is meant to make one sleep, |
| Yenga veikkum iravamma | Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother. |
| Female | |
| Nenjinilae konda sumai | Before the burden held in my heart |
| Neengividum munnalae | Could leave and be relieved, |
| Nenjinilae konda sumai | Before the burden held in my heart |
| Neengividum munnalae | Could leave and be relieved, |
| Vayittril oru pudhu sumaiyum | A new burden inside my womb |
| Valarudhamma ini | Is growing now, oh mother. |
| Indha sumai irangi vandhu | When this burden comes down into the world |
| Amma endru azhaikaiyilae | And calls me 'Mother', |
| Endha sumai vandhidumoo | What kind of burden might follow? |
| Ammamma amma… amma… | Oh mother... mother... mother... |
| Female | |
| Thoonga veikkum iravellaam | Every night that is meant to make one sleep, |
| Yenga veikkum iravamma | Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother. |
| Female | |
| Eendrathumae vettugiraar | Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit, |
| Endraalum vaazhaimaram | The banana tree |
| Eenaamal thaaimai thanai verpathillaiyae | Does not hate motherhood without giving birth. |
| Eendrathumae vettugiraar | Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit, |
| Endraalum vaazhaimaram | The banana tree |
| Eenaamal thaaimai thanai verpathillaiyae | Does not hate motherhood without giving birth. |
| Female | |
| Muthedukkum nerathilae | At the moment the pearl is harvested, |
| Sethuvidum sippikooda | Even the oyster dies, |
| Muthai tharum thaaimai thanai veruppadhillaiyae | Yet it does not hate motherhood that yields a pearl. |
| Penmaiyin muzhumaiyae thaaimai thaan endraalum | Even if motherhood is the ultimate completeness of womanhood, |
| Perumaiyaaga magizha ennaal | To celebrate it proudly, |
| mudiyavillaiyae | I am unable to do so. |
| Amma…. amma | Oh mother.... mother |
| Female | |
| Thoonga veikkum iravellaam | Every night that is meant to make one sleep, |
| Yenga veikkum iravamma | Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother. |
| Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam | All the relationships I brought into my life, |
| Vaatugindra uravamma | Are relationships that torment me, oh mother. |
| Female | |
| Thoonga veikkum iravellaam | Every night that is meant to make one sleep, |
| Yenga veikkum iravamma | Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother. |
தூங்க வைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்
ஏங்க வைக்கும் இரவம்மா
நான் வாங்கி வந்த உறவெல்லாம்
நான் வாங்கி வந்த உறவெல்லாம்
வாட்டுகின்ற உறவம்மா....
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
All the relationships I brought into my life,
All the relationships I brought into my life,
Are relationships that torment me, oh mother.
தூங்க வைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்
ஏங்க வைக்கும் இரவம்மா
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
நெஞ்சினிலே கொண்ட சுமை
நீங்கிவிடும் முன்னாலே
நெஞ்சினிலே கொண்ட சுமை
நீங்கிவிடும் முன்னாலே
வயிற்றிலொரு புதுச் சுமையும்
வளருதம்மா இனி
இந்தச் சுமை இறங்கி வந்து
அம்மா என்றழைக்கையிலே
எந்த சுமை வந்திடுமோ..
அம்மம்மா அம்மா அம்மா...
Before the burden held in my heart
Could leave and be relieved,
Before the burden held in my heart
Could leave and be relieved,
A new burden inside my womb
Is growing now, oh mother.
When this burden comes down into the world
And calls me 'Mother',
What kind of burden might follow?
Oh mother... mother... mother...
தூங்க வைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்
ஏங்க வைக்கும் இரவம்மா
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
ஈன்றதுமே வெட்டுகிறார்
என்றாலும் வாழைமரம்
ஈனாமல் தாய்மைதனை வெறுப்பதில்லையே
ஈன்றதுமே வெட்டுகிறார்
என்றாலும் வாழைமரம்
ஈனாமல் தாய்மைதனை வெறுப்பதில்லையே
Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit,
The banana tree
Does not hate motherhood without giving birth.
Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit,
The banana tree
Does not hate motherhood without giving birth.
முத்தெடுக்கும் நேரத்திலே
செத்துவிடும் சிப்பிகூட
முத்தைத் தரும் தாய்மைதனை
வெறுப்பதில்லையே
பெண்மையின் முழுமையே
தாய்மைதானென்றாலும்
பெருமையாக மகிழ என்னால் முடியவில்லையே
அம்மா அம்மா.....
At the moment the pearl is harvested,
Even the oyster dies,
Yet it does not hate motherhood that yields a pearl.
Even if motherhood is the ultimate completeness of womanhood,
To celebrate it proudly,
I am unable to do so.
Oh mother.... mother
தூங்க வைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்
ஏங்க வைக்கும் இரவம்மா
நான் வாங்கி வந்த உறவெல்லாம்
வாட்டுகின்ற உறவம்மா....
தூங்க வைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்
ஏங்க வைக்கும் இரவம்மா
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
All the relationships I brought into my life,
Are relationships that torment me, oh mother.
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Thoonga veikkum iravellaam
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Yenga veikkum iravamma
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam
All the relationships I brought into my life,
Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam
All the relationships I brought into my life,
Vaatugindra uravamma
Are relationships that torment me, oh mother.
Thoonga veikkum iravellaam
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Yenga veikkum iravamma
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Nenjinilae konda sumai
Before the burden held in my heart
Neengividum munnalae
Could leave and be relieved,
Nenjinilae konda sumai
Before the burden held in my heart
Neengividum munnalae
Could leave and be relieved,
Vayittril oru pudhu sumaiyum
A new burden inside my womb
Valarudhamma ini
Is growing now, oh mother.
Indha sumai irangi vandhu
When this burden comes down into the world
Amma endru azhaikaiyilae
And calls me 'Mother',
Endha sumai vandhidumoo
What kind of burden might follow?
Ammamma amma… amma…
Oh mother... mother... mother...
Thoonga veikkum iravellaam
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Yenga veikkum iravamma
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Eendrathumae vettugiraar
Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit,
Endraalum vaazhaimaram
The banana tree
Eenaamal thaaimai thanai verpathillaiyae
Does not hate motherhood without giving birth.
Eendrathumae vettugiraar
Even though it gets cut down as soon as it yields fruit,
Endraalum vaazhaimaram
The banana tree
Eenaamal thaaimai thanai verpathillaiyae
Does not hate motherhood without giving birth.
Muthedukkum nerathilae
At the moment the pearl is harvested,
Sethuvidum sippikooda
Even the oyster dies,
Muthai tharum thaaimai thanai veruppadhillaiyae
Yet it does not hate motherhood that yields a pearl.
Penmaiyin muzhumaiyae thaaimai thaan endraalum
Even if motherhood is the ultimate completeness of womanhood,
Perumaiyaaga magizha ennaal
To celebrate it proudly,
mudiyavillaiyae
I am unable to do so.
Amma…. amma
Oh mother.... mother
Thoonga veikkum iravellaam
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Yenga veikkum iravamma
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Naan vaangi vandha uravellaam
All the relationships I brought into my life,
Vaatugindra uravamma
Are relationships that torment me, oh mother.
Thoonga veikkum iravellaam
Every night that is meant to make one sleep,
Yenga veikkum iravamma
Is a night that makes me yearn, oh mother.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from Chella Penn expresses the anguish and melancholy of a woman experiencing a complex pregnancy amidst personal torment. Nights that are meant for peaceful sleep instead become endless hours of longing and distress over painful relationships. She reflects on the emotional burden in her heart which hasn't healed, while a new physical burden grows inside her womb, leaving her uncertain about what future hardships her child's arrival might bring. To process her pain, she draws powerful analogies from nature: the banana tree that is chopped down right after bearing fruit, and the pearl oyster that perishes upon yielding its precious pearl. Both accept their sacrificial duty without despising motherhood. While motherhood is considered the ultimate fulfillment of womanhood, her tragic life circumstances prevent her from celebrating it with pride, filling her song with sorrowful despair.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edukai (Second letter rhyming)
“Thoonga veikkum iravellaam / Yenga veikkum iravamma”
The second letter '஺' matches across words, creating a rhythmic and melancholic resonance.
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Eendrathumae vettugiraar / Endraalum vaazhaimaram / Eenaamal thaaimai thanai verpathillaiyae”
The banana tree dying after yielding fruit is used as a metaphor for the self-sacrificing nature of motherhood.
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Muthedukkum nerathilae / Sethuvidum sippikooda / Muthai tharum thaaimai thanai veruppadhillaiyae”
The oyster dying upon releasing its pearl symbolizes a mother enduring life-threatening pain or sacrifice for her child.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by B. A. Chidambaranathan with evocative lyrics by Kumaradevan and rendered by P. Susheela, this track stands out for its rich natural imagery comparing human maternal sacrifice to banana trees and pearl oysters.
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