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Dheiva Thaai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unmaikku Veliyittu

From Dheiva Thaai · 1964

Lyricist
Aalangudi Somu
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Dheiva Thaai
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
12 Sept 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unmaiyai vaeli ittu
Unarchigalai karuga vittu
Penmai por anikalamaai
Pillai nalam kaathirundhaal
Pillai nalam kaathirundhaal
Kadhai mudiyum munnaalae
Kannai moodinaal
Sondha kadamaiyilae
Thaai kulathin deivam aaginaal
Vaazhvin kadhai mudiyum munnaalae
Kannai moodinaal
Sondha kadamaiyilae
Thaai kulathin deivam aaginaal
Padhi mugathai paarthirukkum
Vidhavai aaginaal ival
Badhil alikka mudiyaatha
Kaelvi aaginaal
Vidhi vagutha paadhaiyilae
Viraindhu odinaal
Unmai veliyaagum naerathilae
Oomai aaginaal
Ival deivathaai
Ival deivathaai
Ival deivathaai
Fencing in the truth,
letting her own feelings burn to ashes,
as a shining ornament to womanhood,
she watched over her child's well-being.
She watched over her child's well-being.
Before the story could end,
she closed her eyes forever.
Through the duty she carried out,
she became a goddess among mothers.
Before life's story could end,
she closed her eyes forever.
Through the duty she carried out,
she became a goddess among mothers.
Even while looking upon her husband's face,
she became a widow.
Impossible to answer,
she became a question herself.
Along the path laid down by fate,
she ran swiftly ahead.
Just as the truth was about to come to light,
she was silenced forever.
She is a divine mother.
She is a divine mother.
She is a divine mother.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song from the film 'Dheiva Thaai' honors the supreme sacrifice, silence, and dutiful resilience of a mother. To protect her child's future, she suppresses her deep-seated emotions and keeps a life-altering truth guarded, enduring immense hardship, widowhood, and the cruelty of fate. Ultimately, her tragic death right before the truth comes to light elevates her to the status of a divine, worshipped mother.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaal (Initial Alliteration)

“Unmaiyai vaeli ittu / Unarchigalai karuga vittu”

Matching initial vowel sounds across consecutive lines ('Unmaiyai' and 'Unarchigalai').

Metaphor

“Badhil alikka mudiyaatha Kaelvi aaginaal”

Comparing the tragic nature of her character and life to an unanswerable question ('Kaelvi aaginaal').

Anaphora (Repetition)

“Ival deivathaai”

Repetition of 'Ival deivathaai' at the end to emphasize her divine status through sacrifice.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Dheiva Thaai' (1964), directed by P. Madhavan and starring M.G. Ramachandran, featured veteran actress Pandari Bai in the title role of the sacrificial mother. Seerkazhi Govindarajan's grand, emotive vocal performance set to Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy's composition became an iconic ode to motherly sacrifice in Tamil cinema history.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Vaai Pesa Theriyatha Kanne1984
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Katti Karumbe Kanna1986
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En Aaruyirae Enadhu1968
Harichandra – 1968 FilmMotherhoodGrief
Thoonga Vaikkum1969
Chella PennMotherhoodSacrifice
Kannana Kanna Unnai Female1986
Neethaana Andha KuyilMotherhoodGrief
Kaalamellaam Endhan Vaazhvil1952
Kalyani (1952)GriefMournful

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