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Lyrics & meaning

Velli Mulaidhadhu

From Pattaliyin Vetri · 1960

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singer
Jikki
Music director
S. Rajeswara Rao
Details
Pattaliyin Vetri1960

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oo…oo…oo….Oo... oo... oo...
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women
Female
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women
Female
Oo…oo….oo….Oo... oo... oo...
Muththukkal polae pulligal vaiththuPlacing dots like fine pearls
Mullai kodipol kodugal pottuDrawing lines like delicate jasmine vines
Niththamum azhagaai kolangal podumDrawing beautiful kolams every single day
Viththaiyil pengalukkinai yaarammaaWho can equal women in this fine art, oh ladies?
Chorus :Viththaiyil pengalukkinai yaarammaaChorus: Who can equal women in this fine art, oh ladies?
Chorus
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women
Female
Thadathadavendrae rekkaiyai thattiFlapping its wings with a thudding sound
Seval koovuthu vidinthathu endraeThe rooster crows announcing that dawn has broken
Thadathadavendrae rekkaiyai thattiFlapping its wings with a thudding sound
Seval koovuthu vidinthathu endraeThe rooster crows announcing that dawn has broken
Female
Madi nirai paalai kudiththida kandruTo drink milk filled to the brim in the udder
Maavena pasuvai azhaikkithu nindruThe calf stands and calls out 'Maa' to the mother cow
Chorus
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women
Male
………………....
Female
Thandaigal jal jal osaigal seiyyaAs anklets make sweet 'jal jal' tinkling sounds
Thalaiyilae seppu kudangalum minnaAnd polished copper water pots glisten upon their heads
Chorus :Thalaiyilae seppu kudangalum minnaChorus: And polished copper water pots glisten upon their heads
Female
Andaiyil ulla yaeriyai naadiHeading toward the nearby lake
Anangugal sellum kaalaiyithammaaThis is the lovely morning when damsels set out, oh women
Chorus
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women
Female
Keezh dhisai vaanil paala sooriyanThe young morning sun in the eastern sky
Etti ettiyae avan paarkkindraanIs peeping out continuously to steal a glance
Vidiyum mun vambu aagumo endruFearing whether trouble might brew before sunrise
Vizhiyampaal avanai keladi neeyaeQuestion him yourself using the arrow of your eyes, dear friend
Chorus
Velli mulaiththathu vaanilae ammaThe morning star has risen in the sky, oh women
Palli ezhunthathae vaarungammaaAwaken from sleep and come along, oh women
Thulli ezhunthae vaarungammaaRise up joyfully with a leap and come, oh women

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic wake-up song ('Tiruppalliyezhucci' style) captures the vivid pastoral beauty of a South Indian village at dawn. It calls upon women to awaken and start their morning routines—drawing delicate pearl-like kolams, carrying glistening copper pots to fetch water from the lake, and enjoying nature's early morning sights and sounds.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Muththukkal polae pulligal vaiththu / Mullai kodipol kodugal pottu

Compares floor-decorating dots to pearls ('Muththukkal polae') and drawn lines to jasmine vines ('Mullai kodipol').

Onomatopoeia (Erattai Kilavi)

Thadathadavendrae rekkaiyai thatti / Thandaigal jal jal osaigal seiyya

Uses sound-imitative words like 'Thadathadavenrae' for wing-flapping and 'Jal jal' for tinkling anklets to evoke realistic sensory imagery.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vizhiyampaal avanai keladi neeyae

Compares sharp glance or gaze to an arrow ('Vizhiyampaal' - Vizhi + Ambu).

Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirai)

Velli mulaiththathu / Palli ezhunthathae / Thulli ezhunthae

Consonance of the second letter 'lla' across consecutive lines (Velli, Palli, Thulli).

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the famed rationalist poet Udumalai Narayanakavi, this song follows the traditional Tamil genre of 'Tiruppalliyezhucci' (morning awakening hymns), adapting classical poetic conventions into popular film music composed by S. Rajeswara Rao.

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