Vellai Manam Konda
From Patham Pasali · 1970
- Lyricist
- Aalangudi Somu
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Patham Pasali1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vellai manam konda pillai onnu | A child with a pure heart |
| Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu | Is putting on a show, unable to sleep |
| Vellai manam konda pillai onnu | A child with a pure heart |
| Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu | Is putting on a show, unable to sleep |
| Mullai saramae chella killiyae | O garland of jasmine, darling parrot |
| Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma | Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep |
| Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro | Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro |
| Male | |
| Kaatradikudhu mazhaiyum kottudhu | The wind blows hard and the rain pours down |
| Olai kudisaiyilae | Inside this thatched hut |
| Ingu kattilum illai methaiyum illai | There is neither a bed nor a mattress here |
| Unakkum thookkam illai | And you too have no sleep |
| Male | |
| Kaasum illai padippum illai | There is no wealth nor education |
| Anbukku panjam illai | Yet there is no shortage of love |
| Unnai kaalam ingae anuppi vecha | I do not understand the math |
| Kanakkum puriyavillai | Behind time sending you here |
| Male | |
| Vellai manam konda pillai onnu | A child with a pure heart |
| Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu | Is putting on a show, unable to sleep |
| Mullai saramae chella killiyae | O garland of jasmine, darling parrot |
| Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma | Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep |
| Male | |
| Thookku kayittrai thottil kayiraai | Did you come to turn a hangman's noose |
| Maatra vandhaayo | Into a cradle's rope? |
| Andha thookkathukku thadai vidhichi | Did you come to put a halt to that final sleep |
| Paarkka vandhaayoo | And watch over us? |
| Male | |
| Thunbathilae sirikka solli | Telling us to smile through grief |
| Rasikka vandhaayoo | Did you come to teach us to appreciate life? |
| Deivam onnu irukkudhinnu | To show us that a God truly exists |
| Katta vandhaaiyoo | Did you come to demonstrate that? |
| Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro | Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro |
| Female | |
| Vellai manam konda pillai onnu | A child with a pure heart |
| Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu | Is putting on a show, unable to sleep |
| Mullai saramae chella killiyae | O garland of jasmine, darling parrot |
| Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma | Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep |
| Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro | Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro |
வெள்ளை மனம் கொண்ட பிள்ளை ஒண்ணு
வேடிக்கை காட்டுது தூக்கமின்னு
வெள்ளை மனம் கொண்ட பிள்ளை ஒண்ணு
வேடிக்கை காட்டுது தூக்கமின்னு
முல்லைச் சரமே செல்லக் கிளியே
கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா
ஆராரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரிரரோ
A child with a pure heart
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
A child with a pure heart
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
காற்றடிக்கிது மழையும் கொட்டுது
ஓலைக் குடிசையிலே
இங்கு கட்டிலுமில்லை மெத்தையுமில்லை
உனக்கும் தூக்கம் இல்லை
The wind blows hard and the rain pours down
Inside this thatched hut
There is neither a bed nor a mattress here
And you too have no sleep
காசுமில்லை படிப்புமில்லை
அன்புக்கு பஞ்சமில்லை
உன்னைக் காலமிங்கே அனுப்பி வச்ச
கணக்கும் புரியவில்லை
There is no wealth nor education
Yet there is no shortage of love
I do not understand the math
Behind time sending you here
வெள்ளை மனம் கொண்ட பிள்ளை ஒண்ணு
வேடிக்கை காட்டுது தூக்கமின்னு
முல்லைச் சரமே செல்லக் கிளியே
கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா
A child with a pure heart
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
தூக்குக் கயிற்றை தொட்டில் கயிறாய்
மாற்ற வந்தாயோ
அந்த தூக்கத்துக்கு தடை விதிச்சி
பார்க்க வந்தாயோ
Did you come to turn a hangman's noose
Into a cradle's rope?
Did you come to put a halt to that final sleep
And watch over us?
துன்பத்திலே சிரிக்கச் சொல்லி
ரசிக்க வந்தாயோ
தெய்வம் ஒண்ணு இருக்குதின்னு
காட்ட வந்தாயோ
ஆராரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரிரரோ
Telling us to smile through grief
Did you come to teach us to appreciate life?
To show us that a God truly exists
Did you come to demonstrate that?
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
வெள்ளை மனம் கொண்ட பிள்ளை ஒண்ணு
வேடிக்கை காட்டுது தூக்கமின்னு
முல்லைச் சரமே செல்லக் கிளியே
கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா கண்மூடித் தூங்கம்மா
ஆராரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரீரோ ஆரிரரோ
A child with a pure heart
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Vellai manam konda pillai onnu
A child with a pure heart
Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
Vellai manam konda pillai onnu
A child with a pure heart
Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
Mullai saramae chella killiyae
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Kaatradikudhu mazhaiyum kottudhu
The wind blows hard and the rain pours down
Olai kudisaiyilae
Inside this thatched hut
Ingu kattilum illai methaiyum illai
There is neither a bed nor a mattress here
Unakkum thookkam illai
And you too have no sleep
Kaasum illai padippum illai
There is no wealth nor education
Anbukku panjam illai
Yet there is no shortage of love
Unnai kaalam ingae anuppi vecha
I do not understand the math
Kanakkum puriyavillai
Behind time sending you here
Vellai manam konda pillai onnu
A child with a pure heart
Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
Mullai saramae chella killiyae
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
Thookku kayittrai thottil kayiraai
Did you come to turn a hangman's noose
Maatra vandhaayo
Into a cradle's rope?
Andha thookkathukku thadai vidhichi
Did you come to put a halt to that final sleep
Paarkka vandhaayoo
And watch over us?
Thunbathilae sirikka solli
Telling us to smile through grief
Rasikka vandhaayoo
Did you come to teach us to appreciate life?
Deivam onnu irukkudhinnu
To show us that a God truly exists
Katta vandhaaiyoo
Did you come to demonstrate that?
Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Vellai manam konda pillai onnu
A child with a pure heart
Vaedikkai kattudhu thokkaminnu
Is putting on a show, unable to sleep
Mullai saramae chella killiyae
O garland of jasmine, darling parrot
Kanmoodi thoongamma kanmoodi thoongamma
Close your eyes and sleep, close your eyes and sleep
Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Lullaby sound: Aararo aareeroo aareeroo aariraaro
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Vellai Manam Konda Pillai Onnu' is a poignant lullaby from the 1970 film Patham Pasali, composed by V. Kumar and written by Aalangudi Somu. The song portrays a parent singing lovingly to a pure-hearted child inside a meager thatched hut while a storm blows outside. Though trapped in poverty with no material comforts, the parent finds profound love, hope, and spiritual renewal in the innocent child. The lyrics touchingly reflect how the arrival of the child transformed despair into hope, symbolically changing a 'hangman's noose into a cradle's rope.' The child serves as a divine reminder to smile through hardship and find joy despite life's overwhelming struggles.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Thookku kayittrai thottil kayiraai”
Comparing the hanging rope (representing despair/suicide) with a cradle rope (representing life and hope).
Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)
“Kaasum illai padippum illai / Anbukku panjam illai”
'Kaasum' and 'Anbukku' follow second-letter consonant harmony pattern in Tamil poetic tradition.
Monaai (Alliteration)
“Kaatradikudhu mazhaiyum kottudhu”
Repetition of 'Ka' sound in 'Kaatradikudhu' and 'kottudhu'.
End Rhyme / Anaphora
“Ingu kattilum illai methaiyum illai”
Repetition of 'illai' at the end of consecutive line segments to emphasize poverty and lack of luxury.
Did you know?
Trivia
Patham Pasali (1970) features memorable music by V. Kumar, who was known as 'Mellisai Maamani'. Lyricist Aalangudi Somu's powerful contrast between a hangman's rope and a cradle rope ('Thookku kayittrai thottil kayiraai') remains one of the most celebrated philosophical lines in Tamil lullaby cinema songs.
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