This sad song is also from the movie Thalapathy. Just like Sundari Kannal oru Sethi and Yamunai Atrile. (Thanks to my dad for corrections.)
In this movie, Rajani´s character was abandoned on a train by his mum as a baby. What he later discovers is that his mum was just a young girl when she had him and that abandoning him was the only thing she could do considering the social repurcussions of her actions. But she regreted it and missed him terribly; her beloved first-born.
In this song, she is in the temple praying for him and wishing him well wherever he is on his birthday. He is also there to pray on his birthday and he discovers who she is. He wants to reach out to her, call her ´Amma´, but he can´t do it. The longing in his eyes for a mother who cares after years of feeling unwanted is very moving. The deep sorrow she feels is also evident.
The tune and lyrics are simple yet poignant. He picks up one flower that fell from her hair and cherishes the only thing circumstances allow him to keep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRlLptOZu98
**Chinna thai aval thandha rasave
Mulil thondriya chinna rosave
Solava? Araro,
Nam sondagal yar-yaro
Undhan kannil yenthaan niro?
(Chinna thai aval)**
Dear one from a young mother
Little rose found among thorns
Shall I tell you, sweet one,
Who are all our kin?
Why are there tears in your eyes?
**Paal manam veesum poo mugham
Paarkayil pongum thai manam
Aayiram kalam our varam
Vendhida vandha poocharam
Veyil vidhiyil vaada koodumo
Deival kovilai chendre serumo
Endhan tenare
(Chinna thai aval)**
A soft flower like face which smells like milk
Your mother’s heart blooms when she looks upon you
A thousand years, I had one wish (to have my child)
You are [like] string of flowers which is result of my prayers [of thousand years]
Will you wilt out in the sun?
Or make it to the temple?
My river of honey
**Solava? Araro,
Nam sondagal yar-yaro
Undhan kannil yenthaan niro?
(Chinna thai aval)**