(Translation on request for MS)
Ravi brought a friend’s child home to his wife Radha and his daughter. He stayed with them for a few days and they all had a great time together. When the child left, Radha found out that it is Ravi’s own son from another woman and she was shattered. This song captures Radha’s hurt. Olangal is one of the popular movie albums of the 1980’s by Ilayaraja with lyrics written by ONV Kurup. All songs in this movie are nostalgic.

To listen to the song, click play:

La..la.la.la..Vezhambal kezhum
La..la.la.la..Venal kudeeram
[La..la..la..la..The hornbill cries
la..la..la..la..a summer forest]

+Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram*, nee
Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram, nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]
Aekaakini… nin ormmakal… aetho nizhal-chithrangal aayi
[Hey lonely woman… your memories… are turning into silhouettes]
Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram, nee
Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram, nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]

Ee vazhi hemantham ethra vannu,
eeran uduthu kai koopi ninnu?
[How many winters have come this way,
wearing wetness and stood with their folded hands?]
Ethra vasanthangal ninte munnil,
pushpapaathrangalil thaen pakarnnu?
[How many springs came before you
and offered you nectar in their flowery bowls?]
Maayikaamoham aayi, maarivilmaala aayi
Maayunnuvo? maayunnuvo? ormmakal kezhunnuvo?
[As an elusive wish, or like a chain of rainbow,
are they disappearing? are they disappearing? the memories, are they weeping?]

Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]
Aekaakini… nin ormmakal… aetho nizhal-chithrangal aayi
[Hey lonely woman… your memories… are turning into silhouettes]
Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]

Jeevanil kannuneer vaatti vaikkum,
ee verum ormmakal kathu vaikkum
[Brewing tears in your soul,
these needless memories are stored]
Jeevitham thulli thudichu nilkkum,
poovithal thumbile thullipole
[Life goes on vibrantly
like a dew drop on the edge of a flower petal]
Vaarilam poovukal vaadi veenalum ee
vaadikalil vandukal aayi ormmakal parunnuvo?
[Even after the beautiful flowers wilt and fall,
in these gardens, like beetles, are these memories flying around?]

Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]
Aekaakini… nin ormmakal… aetho nizhal-chithrangal aayi
[Hey lonely woman… your memories… are turning into silhouettes]
Vezhambal kezhum venal kudeeram nee
[Like a forest in summer where the hornbill cries, here you are]

La la la la la la la la la la laa

+Vezhambal/Hornbill is a native bird of Kerala forests and they supposedly wait endlessly for rain in summers with a longing cry. The legend says they do not drink water any other way than as rain drops falling directly from the sky (not fully true, they get water from their diet of fruits). The significance of equating the protagonist to a summer forest here is to say that she is yearning for respite from the memories and the hurt she’s going through just like vezhambal and the forest yearns for rain.

*Kudeeram literally means cottage or hut. Here it is meant as forest or a space where vezhambal lives.

++Image copyright to the original uploader