Omanathinkal Kidavo
ഓമനത്തിങ്കൾക്കിടാവോ
Omanathinkal Kidavo is the best-known lullaby in the Malayalam language. Written by the court poet Irayimman Thampi for the newborn prince Swathi Thirunal of Travancore, it is still sung to children across Kerala two centuries later.
- Written by
- Irayimman Thampi (died 1856)
- Music
- Irayimman Thampi
- Raga
- Neelambari
- In the video
- K. S. Chithra
- Context
- Lullaby written for the infant Swathi Thirunal of Travancore
- Year
- c. 1813
- Language
- Malayalam
Omanathinkal Kidavo lyrics with English translation
Full text as given on Malayalam Wikisource (25 couplets). Popular recordings usually sing a selection of couplets.
ഓമനത്തിങ്കൾക്കിടാവോ - നല്ല കോമളത്താമരപ്പൂവോ?
Omanathinkal kidavo - nalla komalathamarappoovo?
Are you the darling young moon, or a soft and lovely lotus flower?
പൂവിൽ നിറഞ്ഞ മധുവോ - പരി പൂർണ്ണേന്ദു തന്റെ നിലാവോ?
Poovil niranja madhuvo - pari poornendu thante nilavo?
Are you the honey that fills a blossom, or the light of the full moon?
പുത്തൻ പവിഴക്കൊടിയോ - ചെറു തത്തകൾ കൊഞ്ചും മൊഴിയോ?
Puthan pavizhakkodiyo - cheru thathakal konchum mozhiyo?
Are you a fresh sprig of coral, or the lisping talk of little parrots?
ചാഞ്ചാടിയാടും മയിലോ - മൃദു പഞ്ചമം പാടും കുയിലോ?
Chanchadiyadum mayilo - mridu panchamam padum kuyilo?
Are you a peacock swaying in dance, or a cuckoo singing the gentle fifth note?
തുള്ളുമിളമാൻ കിടാവോ - ശോഭ കൊള്ളുന്നൊരന്നക്കൊടിയോ?
Thullumilaman kidavo - shobha kollunnorannakkodiyo?
Are you a leaping young fawn, or a graceful swan aglow with beauty?
ഈശ്വരൻ തന്ന നിധിയോ - പര- മേശ്വരിയേന്തും കിളിയോ?
Eeshwaran thanna nidhiyo - para- meshwariyenthum kiliyo?
Are you a treasure given by God, or the parrot the Great Goddess holds?
പാരിജാതത്തിൻ തളിരോ - എന്റെ ഭാഗ്യദ്രുമത്തിൻ ഫലമോ?
Parijathathin thaliro - ente bhagyadrumathin phalamo?
Are you a tender shoot of the parijata tree, or the fruit of my tree of good fortune?
വാത്സല്യരത്നത്തെ വയ്പാൻ - മമ വാച്ചൊരു കാഞ്ചനച്ചെപ്പോ?
Vatsalyarathnathe vaypan - mama vachoru kanchanacheppo?
Are you a shining golden casket made to hold the jewel of my love?
ദൃഷ്ടിയ്ക്കു വച്ചോരമൃതോ - കൂരി- രുട്ടത്തു വെച്ച വിളക്കോ?
Drishtiykku vachoramritho - koori- ruttathu vecha vilakko?
Are you nectar set before the eyes, or a lamp lit in the pitch dark?
കീർത്തിലതയ്ക്കുള്ള വിത്തോ - എന്നും കേടുവരാതുള്ള മുത്തോ?
Keerthilathaykkulla vitho - ennum keduvarathulla mutho?
Are you the seed of the vine of fame, or a pearl that never loses its lustre?
ആർത്തിതിമിരം കളവാൻ - ഉള്ള മാർത്താണ്ഡദേവപ്രഭയോ?
Aarthithimiram kalavan - ulla marthandadevaprabhayo?
Are you the radiance of the sun god that drives away the darkness of sorrow?
സൂക്തിയിൽ കണ്ട പൊരുളോ - അതി- സൂക്ഷ്മമാം വീണാരവമോ?
Sookthiyil kanda porulo - athi- sookshmamam veenaravamo?
Are you the meaning found in wise sayings, or the subtle sound of the veena?
വമ്പിച്ച സന്തോഷവല്ലി - തന്റെ കൊമ്പതിൽ പൂത്ത പൂവല്ലി?
Vambicha santhoshavalli - thante kombathil pootha poovalli?
Are you the flowering vine that blooms on the branch of the great vine of joy?
പിച്ചകത്തിൻ മലർച്ചെണ്ടോ - നാവി- ന്നിച്ഛ നൽകും നൽക്കൽക്കണ്ടോ?
Pichakathin malarchendo - navi- nnichha nalkum nalkalkkando?
Are you a cluster of jasmine blossoms, or sugar candy that delights the tongue?
കസ്തൂരി തന്റെ മണമോ - നല്ല സത്തുക്കൾക്കുള്ള ഗുണമോ?
Kasthoori thante manamo - nalla sathukkalkkulla gunamo?
Are you the fragrance of musk, or the virtue of the truly good?
പൂമണമേറ്റൊരു കാറ്റോ - ഏറ്റം പൊന്നിൽക്കലർന്നോരു മാറ്റോ?
Poomanamettoru katto - ettam ponnilkkalarnnoru matto?
Are you a breeze that carries the scent of flowers, or the finest purity of gold?
കാച്ചിക്കുറുക്കിയ പാലോ - നല്ല ഗന്ധമെഴും പനിനീരോ?
Kachikkurukkiya paalo - nalla gandhamezhum panineero?
Are you milk boiled down and thickened, or rose water rich with fragrance?
നന്മ വിളയും നിലമോ - ബഹു ധർമ്മങ്ങൾ വാഴും ഗൃഹമോ?
Nanma vilayum nilamo - bahu dharmmangal vazhum grihamo?
Are you a field where goodness grows, or a home where many virtues dwell?
ദാഹം കളയും ജലമോ - മാർഗ്ഗ ഖേദം കളയും തണലോ?
Daham kalayum jalamo - margga khedam kalayum thanalo?
Are you water that quenches thirst, or shade that eases the weariness of the road?
വാടാത്ത മല്ലികപ്പൂവോ - ഞാനും തേടിവെച്ചുള്ള ധനമോ?
Vadatha mallikappoovo - njanum thedivechulla dhanamo?
Are you a jasmine that never fades, or the wealth I have sought and saved?
കണ്ണിന്നു നല്ല കണിയോ - മമ കൈവന്ന ചിന്താമണിയോ?
Kanninnu nalla kaniyo - mama kaivanna chinthamaniyo?
Are you a blessed sight for the eyes, or the wish-granting gem that has come into my hands?
ലാവണ്യപുണ്യനദിയോ - ഉണ്ണി- ക്കാർവർണ്ണൻ തന്റെ കണിയോ?
Lavanyapunyanadiyo - unni- kkarvarnnan thante kaniyo?
Are you a sacred river of loveliness, or an auspicious vision of the dark-hued child Krishna?
ലക്ഷ്മീഭഗവതി തന്റെ - തിരു നെറ്റിമേലിട്ട കുറിയോ?
Lakshmibhagavathi thante - thiru nettimelitta kuriyo?
Are you the mark upon the holy forehead of the goddess Lakshmi?
എന്നൂണ്ണിക്കൃഷ്ണൻ ജനിച്ചോ - പാരി- ലിങ്ങനെ വേഷം ധരിച്ചോ?
Ennunnikrishnan janicho - pari- lingane vesham dharicho?
Has my little Krishna been born and taken this form upon the earth?
പദ്മനാഭൻ തൻ കൃപയോ - ഇനി ഭാഗ്യം വരുന്ന വഴിയോ?
Padmanabhan than kripayo - ini bhagyam varunna vazhiyo?
Are you the grace of Padmanabha, or the road by which good fortune now comes?
Translation: Lyriccs (original translation). Transliteration: Lyriccs.
The story behind Omanathinkal Kidavo
Irayimman Thampi (1782-1856) was a poet, composer and vocalist at the court of Travancore, remembered for Kathakali plays, devotional songs and kritis. He wrote this lullaby on the birth of Swathi Thirunal in 1813, a prince whose arrival secured the succession of the Travancore royal house.
The child grew up to become Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, himself one of the most celebrated composers of Carnatic music. The lullaby passed into oral tradition and school textbooks, and it has been recorded by many leading Malayalam singers. It is usually sung in the gentle raga Neelambari, the raga traditionally associated with lullabies in South India.
What Omanathinkal Kidavo means
The song is a long chain of loving questions. A parent looking at a sleeping baby asks whether the child is the young moon, a lotus, honey, moonlight, a peacock, a cuckoo, a fawn, a pearl, a lamp in the dark or water for the thirsty. Each image is drawn from nature, from the household or from sacred stories, and each answer is left unspoken: the child is all of these at once.
The final couplets turn devotional. The baby is compared to the mark on the goddess Lakshmi's forehead and to the child Krishna, and is finally called the grace of Padmanabha, the patron deity of the Travancore royal family, and the road by which good fortune will come. That closing reflects the historical moment of a long-awaited heir, yet the song's tenderness has made it a lullaby for every child, not only a prince.
Quick facts
- Written by Irayimman Thampi (1782-1856), court poet of Travancore.
- Composed for the infant Swathi Thirunal, born in 1813, who later became a celebrated composer.
- Traditionally sung in raga Neelambari.
- The full text has 25 couplets, each built on a question.