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Rasigan Oru Rasigai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Velli Mooku Minna Minna

From Rasigan Oru Rasigai · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki
Music director
Raveendran
Movie name
Rasigan Oru Rasigai
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
18 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ni ri ni ri ni ri ni
Sa ni dha pa ma ga ri sa
Ni ni ni ni
Velli mookku minna minna
Mutti kaalu pinna pinna
Machaan vandhaan paattu paada
Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam
Naanum adha kaettu
Solla poren oru paattu
Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi
Orae sudhi orae jadhi
Kaettu paaren paattu kachaeri
Kazhudha saththam nalla sagunam
Naanum adha kaettu
Solla poren oru paattu
Aahaa nalla yogam…adi aathi
Sa dha sa dha
Dha pa dha pa
Kiliyellaam paesum
Kee kee kee kee kee
Kuyilellaam paadum
Koo koo koo koo koo
Oru ooril raajaa
Oru ponna paathaan
Ava peru rojaa
Kaiyil alli saerthaan
Kanmaniyin
Pazhagiya uyir kaadhaliyin
Iravodu pagal nee illaadhu
Ini naanillai
Aaaa…aaa..aaa…aaa..
Yen mounam
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Yen mounam
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Nee tharum osaiyil
Naanoru aasaiyil
Ninaivugalil inithida
Nerungi nerungi vara
Yen mounam
Ilangkuyilae paadu
Yen mounam
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
Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Ri Sa
Ni Ni Ni Ni
With his silver nose stud shining bright,
With his knees knocking together,
My man has arrived to sing a song!
A donkey's bray is a lucky sign,
Hearing that sound,
I am going to sing a song!
Ah, what great luck! Oh my goodness!
In perfect pitch and rhythm,
Just listen to this musical concert!
A donkey's bray is a lucky sign,
Hearing that sound,
I am going to sing a song!
Ah, what great luck! Oh my goodness!
Sa Dha Sa Dha
Dha Pa Dha Pa
All the parrots chatter,
Kee kee kee kee kee!
All the cuckoos sing,
Koo koo koo koo koo!
In a town lived a king,
He saw a lovely girl,
Her name was Roja,
And he held her in his arms.
Oh my darling,
My soulmate and beloved,
Day and night, without you,
I cannot exist anymore.
Aaah... aah... aaah... aah...
Why this silence?
Sing, my little cuckoo, sing!
Why this silence?
Sing, my little cuckoo, sing!
In the sweet melodies you bring,
Filled with a deep desire,
Finding sweetness in my memories,
As I draw closer and closer to you...
Why this silence?
Sing, my little cuckoo, sing!
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
Aaah... aah... aaah... aah...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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