Velli Mooku Minna Minna
From Rasigan Oru Rasigai · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Raveendran
- Details
- Rasigan Oru Rasigai1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni | Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni |
| Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa | Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa |
| Ni ni ni ni | Ni ni ni ni |
| Male | |
| Velli mookku minna minna | With her silver nose-ring sparkling brightly, |
| Mutti kaalu pinna pinna | With her knees crossing elegantly as she walks, |
| Machaan vandhaan paattu paada | The suitor has arrived to sing a song. |
| Male | |
| Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam | The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen, |
| Naanum adha kaettu | And upon hearing that, |
| Solla poren oru paattu | I am going to sing a song too! |
| Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi | Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness! |
| Male | |
| Orae sudhi orae jadhi | In perfect pitch and uniform rhythm, |
| Kaettu paaren paattu kachaeri | Listen and enjoy this music concert! |
| Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam | The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen, |
| Naanum adha kaettu | And upon hearing that, |
| Solla poren oru paattu | I am going to sing a song too! |
| Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi | Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness! |
| Male | |
| Sa dha sa dha | Sa dha sa dha |
| Dha pa dha pa | Dha pa dha pa |
| Male | |
| Kiliyellaam paesum | All the parrots chatter, |
| Kee kee kee kee kee | Kee kee kee kee kee! |
| Kuyilellaam paadum | All the cuckoos sing, |
| Koo koo koo koo koo | Koo koo koo koo koo! |
| Male | |
| Oru ooril raajaa | In a town, a king |
| Oru ponna paathaan | Saw a beautiful girl; |
| Ava peru rojaa | Her name was Rose, |
| Kaiyil alli saerthaan | And he gathered her close into his embrace. |
| Kanmaniyin | Of the precious darling, |
| Pazhagiya uyir kaadhaliyin | Of the soulmate who became intimately known, |
| Iravodu pagal nee illaadhu | Without you by my side through day and night, |
| Ini naanillai | I exist no longer. |
| Female | |
| Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa.. | Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa.. |
| Female | |
| Yen mounam | Why this silence? |
| Ilangkuyilae paadu | Sing, oh young cuckoo! |
| Yen mounam | Why this silence? |
| Ilangkuyilae paadu | Sing, oh young cuckoo! |
| Nee tharum osaiyil | In the sweet melodies you sound, |
| Naanoru aasaiyil | Driven by my yearning heart, |
| Ninaivugalil inithida | To bring sweetness into my memories, |
| Nerungi nerungi vara | As you draw closer and closer, |
| Female | |
| Yen mounam | Why this silence? |
| Ilangkuyilae paadu | Sing, oh young cuckoo! |
| Yen mounam | Why this silence? |
| Male | |
| Ma sa ni sa dha ni sa ga | Ma sa ni sa dha ni sa ga |
| Ni sa ga ma sa ga ma dha | Ni sa ga ma sa ga ma dha |
| Ga ma dha ni ma dha ni sa | Ga ma dha ni ma dha ni sa |
| Dha ni sa ga ni sa ga ma | Dha ni sa ga ni sa ga ma |
| Ma ga dha ni ga sa ni dha | Ma ga dha ni ga sa ni dha |
| Sa ni dha ma ni dha ma ga | Sa ni dha ma ni dha ma ga |
| Dha ma ga sa ma ga sa ni | Dha ma ga sa ma ga sa ni |
| Ga sa ni dha sa ni dha ni | Ga sa ni dha sa ni dha ni |
| Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa.. | Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa.. |
நி ரி நி ரி நி ரி நி
ச நி த ப ம க ரி ச
நி நி நி நி
Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni
Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa
Ni ni ni ni
வெள்ளி மூக்கு மின்ன மின்ன
முட்டி காலு பின்ன பின்ன
மச்சான் வந்தான் பாட்டு பாட
With her silver nose-ring sparkling brightly,
With her knees crossing elegantly as she walks,
The suitor has arrived to sing a song.
கழுத சத்தம் நல்ல சகுனம்
நானும் அத கேட்டு
சொல்ல போறேன் ஒரு பாட்டு
ஆஹா நல்ல யோகம்....அடி ஆத்தி
The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen,
And upon hearing that,
I am going to sing a song too!
Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness!
ஒரே சுதி ஒரே ஜதி
கேட்டு பாரேன் பாட்டு கச்சேரி
கழுத சத்தம் நல்ல சகுனம்
நானும் அத கேட்டு
சொல்ல போறேன் ஒரு பாட்டு
ஆஹா நல்ல யோகம்....அடி ஆத்தி
In perfect pitch and uniform rhythm,
Listen and enjoy this music concert!
The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen,
And upon hearing that,
I am going to sing a song too!
Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness!
ச த ச த
த ப த ப
Sa dha sa dha
Dha pa dha pa
கிளி எல்லாம் பேசும்
கீ கீ கீ கீ கீ
குயிலெல்லாம் பாடும்
குக்கூ கூ கூ கூ
All the parrots chatter,
Kee kee kee kee kee!
All the cuckoos sing,
Koo koo koo koo koo!
ஒரு ஊரில் ராஜா
ஒரு பொண்ண பாத்தான்
அவ பேரு ரோஜா
கையில் அள்ளி சேர்த்தான்
கண்மணியின்
பழகிய உயிர் காதலியின்
கண்மணியின்
பழகிய உயிர் காதலியின்
இரவோடு பகல் நீ இல்லாது
இனி நானில்லை
In a town, a king
Saw a beautiful girl;
Her name was Rose,
And he gathered her close into his embrace.
Of the precious darling,
Of the soulmate who became intimately known,
Without you by my side through day and night,
I exist no longer.
ஆஅ......ஆ......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
ஏன் மௌனம்
இளங்குயிலே பாடு
ஏன் மௌனம்
இளங்குயிலே பாடு
நீ தரும் ஓசையில்
நானொரு ஆசையில்
நினைவுகளில் இனித்திட
நெருங்கி நெருங்கி வர
Why this silence?
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
Why this silence?
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
In the sweet melodies you sound,
Driven by my yearning heart,
To bring sweetness into my memories,
As you draw closer and closer,
ஏன் மௌனம்
இளங்குயிலே பாடு
ஏன் மௌனம்
Why this silence?
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
Why this silence?
..............................
Ma sa ni sa dha ni sa ga
Ni sa ga ma sa ga ma dha
Ga ma dha ni ma dha ni sa
Dha ni sa ga ni sa ga ma
Ma ga dha ni ga sa ni dha
Sa ni dha ma ni dha ma ga
Dha ma ga sa ma ga sa ni
Ga sa ni dha sa ni dha ni
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni
Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni
Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa
Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa
Ni ni ni ni
Ni ni ni ni
Velli mookku minna minna
With her silver nose-ring sparkling brightly,
Mutti kaalu pinna pinna
With her knees crossing elegantly as she walks,
Machaan vandhaan paattu paada
The suitor has arrived to sing a song.
Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam
The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen,
Naanum adha kaettu
And upon hearing that,
Solla poren oru paattu
I am going to sing a song too!
Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi
Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness!
Orae sudhi orae jadhi
In perfect pitch and uniform rhythm,
Kaettu paaren paattu kachaeri
Listen and enjoy this music concert!
Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam
The sound of a donkey braying is considered a good omen,
Naanum adha kaettu
And upon hearing that,
Solla poren oru paattu
I am going to sing a song too!
Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi
Ah, what a wonderful stroke of luck... oh my goodness!
Sa dha sa dha
Sa dha sa dha
Dha pa dha pa
Dha pa dha pa
Kiliyellaam paesum
All the parrots chatter,
Kee kee kee kee kee
Kee kee kee kee kee!
Kuyilellaam paadum
All the cuckoos sing,
Koo koo koo koo koo
Koo koo koo koo koo!
Oru ooril raajaa
In a town, a king
Oru ponna paathaan
Saw a beautiful girl;
Ava peru rojaa
Her name was Rose,
Kaiyil alli saerthaan
And he gathered her close into his embrace.
Kanmaniyin
Of the precious darling,
Pazhagiya uyir kaadhaliyin
Of the soulmate who became intimately known,
Iravodu pagal nee illaadhu
Without you by my side through day and night,
Ini naanillai
I exist no longer.
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Yen mounam
Why this silence?
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
Yen mounam
Why this silence?
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
Nee tharum osaiyil
In the sweet melodies you sound,
Naanoru aasaiyil
Driven by my yearning heart,
Ninaivugalil inithida
To bring sweetness into my memories,
Nerungi nerungi vara
As you draw closer and closer,
Yen mounam
Why this silence?
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Sing, oh young cuckoo!
Yen mounam
Why this silence?
Ma sa ni sa dha ni sa ga
Ma sa ni sa dha ni sa ga
Ni sa ga ma sa ga ma dha
Ni sa ga ma sa ga ma dha
Ga ma dha ni ma dha ni sa
Ga ma dha ni ma dha ni sa
Dha ni sa ga ni sa ga ma
Dha ni sa ga ni sa ga ma
Ma ga dha ni ga sa ni dha
Ma ga dha ni ga sa ni dha
Sa ni dha ma ni dha ma ga
Sa ni dha ma ni dha ma ga
Dha ma ga sa ma ga sa ni
Dha ma ga sa ma ga sa ni
Ga sa ni dha sa ni dha ni
Ga sa ni dha sa ni dha ni
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful and expressive song blends humorous folk superstition with romantic Carnatic music flourishes. The singer starts humorously by taking the braying of a donkey as a fortunate omen to launch into a lively musical performance, complete with swara solfege, bird imitations, and folk rhymes describing a lover's adornments and graceful walk. As the song transitions into its core romantic theme, the lyrics recount a fairytale-like romance of a king embracing his love. The singer earnestly calls out to the beloved (addressed as a young cuckoo) to break her silence and sing, expressing how life feels incomplete without her presence and how her sweet voice brightens his memories as she draws near.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Velli mookku minna minna / Mutti kaalu pinna pinna”
In lines 4 and 5, 'Velli' and 'Mutti' share the second letter consonantal harmony ('lla' / 'tta'), creating a rhythmic folk bounce.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Velli mookku minna minna / Mutti kaalu pinna pinna”
Repetition of 'minna minna' and 'pinna pinna' creates rhyming sound patterns at the end of consecutive lines.
Onomatopoeia (Sound Imitation)
“Kee kee kee kee kee / Koo koo koo koo koo”
The lyricist uses bird calls 'Kee kee' for parrots and 'Koo koo' for cuckoos to imitate nature sounds rhythmically.
Metaphor / Apostrophe
“Yen mounam / Ilangkuyilae paadu”
Addressing the beloved as 'Ilangkuyil' (young cuckoo) and calling upon her to sing and end her silence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song playfully references an old Tamil rural superstition where the unexpected braying of a donkey (kazhudha saththam) is humorously viewed as an auspicious sign or good omen (nalla sagunam) before commencing an event or a song.
Keep listening
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