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Gowri Kalyanam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vellaik Kamalathile Aval

From Gowri Kalyanam · 1966

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singer
Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Gowri Kalyanam
Movie release year
1966
Lyrics added on
24 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vellai kamathilae
Aval veetriiruppaal pugazh yaetriirupaal
Vellai kamathilae
Aval veetriiruppaal pugazh yaetriirupaal
Kollai kaniyisaithaan
Nangu kottudhal yaazhinai kondrirupaal
Kollai kaniyisaithaan
Nangu kottudhal yaazhinai kondrirupaal
Vellai kamathilae
Vellai kamathilae
Kalla kadal amudhai
Nigar kada thoor poonthamil kavi sollavae
Kalla kadal amudhai
Nigar kada thoor poonthamil kavi sollavae
Pillai paruvathilae enai
Pa vena vandhaalarul poona vandhaal
Pillai paruvathilae enai
Pa vena vandhaalarul poona vandhaal
Vellai kamathilae
Vellai kamathilae
Sorpa paru naya marivaar
Isai thoindhida thogupathin suvai arivaar
Sorpa paru naya marivaar
Isai thoindhida thogupathin suvai arivaar
Virpana thamizh pulavoor andha melavar
Naavena malar padha thaal
Virpana thamizh pulavoor andha melavar
Naavena malar padha thaal
Vellai kamathilae
Vellai kamathilae
Vaaniyai saran pugundhen
Arul vaakkalippaal ena thidam irundhen
Vaaniyai saran pugundhen
Arul vaakkalippaal ena thidam irundhen
Paeniya perunthavathaal
Nilam peyar alavum peyar peyaraa aaal
Paeniya perunthavathaal
Nilam peyar alavum peyar peyaraa aaal
Vellai kamathilae
Aval veetriiruppaal pugazh yaetriirupaal
Kollai kaniyisaithaan
Nangu kottudhal yaazhinai kondrirupaal
Vellai kamathilae
Vellai kamathilae
In a white lotus,
She sits gracefully, celebrated in all her glory.
In a white lotus,
She sits gracefully, celebrated in all her glory.
With sweet, abundant melodies,
She holds a veena (lute) that pours them forth.
With sweet, abundant melodies,
She holds a veena (lute) that pours them forth.
In a white lotus,
In a white lotus,
Rivaling the sweet nectar of the ocean,
To compose blossoming, beautiful Tamil poetry,
Rivaling the sweet nectar of the ocean,
To compose blossoming, beautiful Tamil poetry,
In my childhood,
She came telling me to sing, blessing me with her grace.
In my childhood,
She came telling me to sing, blessing me with her grace.
In a white lotus,
In a white lotus,
Understanding the subtle beauty of words and meaning,
Knowing the joy of blending them steeped in music—
Understanding the subtle beauty of words and meaning,
Knowing the joy of blending them steeped in music—
Learned Tamil poets, those noble souls,
Her flower-like feet rest upon their tongues.
Learned Tamil poets, those noble souls,
Her flower-like feet rest upon their tongues.
In a white lotus,
In a white lotus,
I surrendered to Vani (Goddess Saraswati),
Confident that she would bless me with gifted speech.
I surrendered to Vani (Goddess Saraswati),
Confident that she would bless me with gifted speech.
Through deep and cherished devotion,
Even if the earth shifts, one's name will never fade.
Through deep and cherished devotion,
Even if the earth shifts, one's name will never fade.
In a white lotus,
She sits gracefully, celebrated in all her glory.
With sweet, abundant melodies,
She holds a veena (lute) that pours them forth.
In a white lotus,
In a white lotus.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poem by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar is a glorious hymn dedicated to Goddess Saraswati (Vaani), the deity of knowledge, art, and music. Bharathiyar paints a vivid image of Goddess Saraswati seated on a pure white lotus, playing her yaazh (veena) to create melodies sweeter than nectar. He reverently recalls how she blessed him in his childhood to write divine poetry, crowning her as the true voice and inspiration of great Tamil scholars and poets.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhai (Monai / Second-letter Rhyme)

“Vellai kamathilae / Kollai kaniyisaithaan”

The repetition of the 'll' sound in 'Vellai' and 'Kollai' serves as an essential Tamil prosodic rhyme mechanism (Edhugai).

Metaphor (Uvamaai)

“Kalla kadal amudhai nigar kada thoor poonthamil kavi sollavae”

Tamil language and poetry ('poonthamil kavi') are metaphorically compared to nectar ('amudhu') and sweet fruits ('kaniyisai').

Imagery

“Vellai kamathilae aval veetriiruppaal ... nangu kottudhal yaazhinai kondrirupaal”

Paints a vivid visual and auditory picture of Goddess Saraswati playing the yaazh seated on a white lotus.

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic Tamil poem 'Vellai Kamalathile' was composed by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar as a devotional song to Goddess Saraswati. It remains one of the most famous classic Tamil poems praising education, poetry, and divine music, widely recited in schools and classic concerts across Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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