Thottil Kili Thoongadi
From Marudhani · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Marudhani1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thottil kili thoongadi | Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle. |
| Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro | Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby. |
| Appan ingae yaaradi | Who is your father here? |
| Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro | Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby. |
| Oomaikiliyo oppivittathu | The mute parrot was handed over, |
| Appan kiliyo thappivittathu | While the father parrot escaped. |
| Ho ho….ho…oo…. | Ho ho....ho...oo.... |
| Female | |
| Thottil kili thoongadi | Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle. |
| Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro | Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby. |
| Appan ingae yaaradi | Who is your father here? |
| Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro | Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby. |
| Female | |
| Pombalainga ellaam thalaiyaattaththaan | Women are expected only to nod their heads in silent acceptance, |
| Aambalaikku ellaam velaiyaattuththaan | While for men, everything is just a casual game. |
| Paththu maatha santhaiyila | In the ten-month market of pregnancy, |
| Paavi unna vaangi vanthaen | Wretched me bought and brought you here. |
| Female | |
| Karpaththukku noguminnu | Fearing it might hurt the womb, |
| Paiya paiya moochchu vittaen | I breathed ever so softly and gently. |
| Thaai manam thaangala thanthaiya kaangala | A mother's heart cannot bear this, and the father is nowhere to be seen. |
| Enna seiya yaezhai | What can a poor helpless woman do? |
| Female | |
| Thottil kili thoongadi | Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle. |
| Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro | Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby. |
| Appan ingae yaaradi | Who is your father here? |
| Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro | Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby. |
| Female | |
| Katti vachcha thaali athu poliyaa | Was the sacred thread tied around my neck a fake? |
| Bedha ponnu naanaa idhu keliyaa | Am I an innocent girl to be made a mock of? Is this a joke? |
| Maanam kettu ponavarae | Oh man who abandoned all honor and shame, |
| Vanthayila kettu vachchen | I tied my complaints in a cloth bundle. |
| Female | |
| Aandavanum ketkkal | Even God did not listen to me, |
| Un kaathileyum pottu vachchen | Yet I whispered it all into your little ears. |
| Kalamae marumae kaayamae aarumae | Time will change and wounds will heal, |
| Kanneer enna maanae…. | Why these tears, my dear child like a deer... |
| Female | |
| Thottil kili thoongadi | Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle. |
| Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro | Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby. |
| Appan ingae yaaradi | Who is your father here? |
| Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro | Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby. |
| Oomaikiliyo oppivittathu | The mute parrot was handed over, |
| Appan kiliyo thappivittathu | While the father parrot escaped. |
| Ho ho….ho…oo…. | Ho ho....ho...oo.... |
| Female | |
| Thottil kili thoongadi | Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle. |
| Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro | Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby. |
| Appan ingae yaaradi | Who is your father here? |
| Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro | Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby. |
தொட்டில் கிளி தூங்கடி
சின்ன பூங்கொடி உறவே ஆராரோ
அப்பன் இங்கே யாரடி
வந்து கேளடி அழகே ஆராரோ
ஊமைக்கிளியோ ஒப்பிவிட்டது
அப்பன் கிளியோ தப்பிவிட்டது
ஹோ ஹோ......ஹோ....ஓ....
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Who is your father here?
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
The mute parrot was handed over,
While the father parrot escaped.
Ho ho....ho...oo....
தொட்டில் கிளி தூங்கடி
சின்ன பூங்கொடி உறவே ஆராரோ
அப்பன் இங்கே யாரடி
வந்து கேளடி அழகே ஆராரோ
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Who is your father here?
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
பொம்பளைங்க எல்லாம் தலையாட்டத்தான்
ஆம்பளைக்கு எல்லாம் வெளையாட்டுத்தான்
பத்து மாத சந்தையில
பாவி உன்ன வாங்கி வந்தேன்
Women are expected only to nod their heads in silent acceptance,
While for men, everything is just a casual game.
In the ten-month market of pregnancy,
Wretched me bought and brought you here.
கற்பத்துக்கு நோகுமின்னு
பைய பைய மூச்சு விட்டேன்
தாய் மனம் தாங்கல தந்தைய காங்கல
என்ன செய்ய ஏழை......
Fearing it might hurt the womb,
I breathed ever so softly and gently.
A mother's heart cannot bear this, and the father is nowhere to be seen.
What can a poor helpless woman do?
தொட்டில் கிளி தூங்கடி
சின்ன பூங்கொடி உறவே ஆராரோ
அப்பன் இங்கே யாரடி
வந்து கேளடி அழகே ஆராரோ
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Who is your father here?
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
கட்டி வச்ச தாலி அது போலியா...
பேதப் பொண்ணு நானா இது கேலியா
மானம் கெட்டு போனவரே
வந்தயில கேட்டு வச்சேன்
Was the sacred thread tied around my neck a fake?
Am I an innocent girl to be made a mock of? Is this a joke?
Oh man who abandoned all honor and shame,
I tied my complaints in a cloth bundle.
ஆண்டவனும் கேக்கல
உன் காதிலேயும் போட்டு வச்சேன்
காலமே மாறுமே காயமே ஆறுமே
கண்ணீர் என்ன மானே....
Even God did not listen to me,
Yet I whispered it all into your little ears.
Time will change and wounds will heal,
Why these tears, my dear child like a deer...
தொட்டில் கிளி தூங்கடி
சின்ன பூங்கொடி உறவே ஆராரோ
அப்பன் இங்கே யாரடி
வந்து கேளடி அழகே ஆராரோ
ஊமைக்கிளியோ ஒப்பிவிட்டது
அப்பன் கிளியோ தப்பிவிட்டது
ஹோ ஹோ......ஹோ....ஓ....
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Who is your father here?
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
The mute parrot was handed over,
While the father parrot escaped.
Ho ho....ho...oo....
தொட்டில் கிளி தூங்கடி
சின்ன பூங்கொடி உறவே ஆராரோ
அப்பன் இங்கே யாரடி
வந்து கேளடி அழகே ஆராரோ
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Who is your father here?
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Thottil kili thoongadi
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Appan ingae yaaradi
Who is your father here?
Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Oomaikiliyo oppivittathu
The mute parrot was handed over,
Appan kiliyo thappivittathu
While the father parrot escaped.
Ho ho….ho…oo….
Ho ho....ho...oo....
Thottil kili thoongadi
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Appan ingae yaaradi
Who is your father here?
Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Pombalainga ellaam thalaiyaattaththaan
Women are expected only to nod their heads in silent acceptance,
Aambalaikku ellaam velaiyaattuththaan
While for men, everything is just a casual game.
Paththu maatha santhaiyila
In the ten-month market of pregnancy,
Paavi unna vaangi vanthaen
Wretched me bought and brought you here.
Karpaththukku noguminnu
Fearing it might hurt the womb,
Paiya paiya moochchu vittaen
I breathed ever so softly and gently.
Thaai manam thaangala thanthaiya kaangala
A mother's heart cannot bear this, and the father is nowhere to be seen.
Enna seiya yaezhai
What can a poor helpless woman do?
Thottil kili thoongadi
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Appan ingae yaaradi
Who is your father here?
Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Katti vachcha thaali athu poliyaa
Was the sacred thread tied around my neck a fake?
Bedha ponnu naanaa idhu keliyaa
Am I an innocent girl to be made a mock of? Is this a joke?
Maanam kettu ponavarae
Oh man who abandoned all honor and shame,
Vanthayila kettu vachchen
I tied my complaints in a cloth bundle.
Aandavanum ketkkal
Even God did not listen to me,
Un kaathileyum pottu vachchen
Yet I whispered it all into your little ears.
Kalamae marumae kaayamae aarumae
Time will change and wounds will heal,
Kanneer enna maanae….
Why these tears, my dear child like a deer...
Thottil kili thoongadi
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Appan ingae yaaradi
Who is your father here?
Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Oomaikiliyo oppivittathu
The mute parrot was handed over,
Appan kiliyo thappivittathu
While the father parrot escaped.
Ho ho….ho…oo….
Ho ho....ho...oo....
Thottil kili thoongadi
Sleep, my little parrot in the cradle.
Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro
Little flowering vine of a relation, lullaby.
Appan ingae yaaradi
Who is your father here?
Vanthu keladi azhagae aaraaro
Come and ask, my beautiful one, lullaby.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional lullaby depicts a mother grieving her betrayal and abandonment by her husband while trying to put her infant child to sleep. She reflects on the societal plight of women who are forced to suffer in silence while men treat relationships recklessly. She laments how the father escaped his responsibilities, leaving her alone to raise their child amidst betrayal and shame. Despite the severe heartbreak and feeling abandoned even by God, she finds solace in her newborn. She reassures herself and her baby that time will eventually heal their deep emotional wounds and bring a change to their sorrowful life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Thottil kili thoongadi / Chinna poongkodi uravae aaraaro”
The child is affectionately addressed using metaphors like 'Thottil kili' (parrot in a cradle) and 'Chinna poongkodi' (little flowering vine).
Contrast / Anthesis
“Oomaikiliyo oppivittathu / Appan kiliyo thappivittathu”
Contrasts the helpless mother ('Oomaikili' - mute parrot) who is left behind with the irresponsible father ('Appan kili' - father parrot) who escaped.
Rhyme (Ethirai / Iyaibu)
“Pombalainga ellaam thalaiyaattaththaan / Aambalaikku ellaam velaiyaattuththaan”
Use of matching second letters and rhyming end sounds like 'Pombalainga' / 'Aambalaikku' and 'oppivittathu' / 'thappivittathu'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is a classic emotional lullaby from the movie Marudhani (1985) featuring lyrics penned by Vairamuthu that reflect social commentary on desertion and maternal resilience.
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