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{{short description|Malayalam lullaby composed by Irayimman Thampi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
'''Omanathinkal Kidavo''' ({{langx|ml|ഓമന തിങ്കള്‍ കിടാവോ}}) is a [[lullaby]] in [[Malayalam]] that was composed by [[Irayimman Thampi]] on the birth of [[Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma|Maharajah Swathi Thirunal]] of [[Travancore]]. To date, it remains one of the most popular lullabies in the Malayalam language.<ref name="swathithirunal">{{cite web|title=Lullaby composed for Swathi: Omana Thingal|url=http://www.swathithirunal.in/omanathinkal.htm|access-date=10 November 2012}}</ref>

== History ==
The lullaby was composed (1813) by Thampi at the request of the then ruler of [[Travancore]], Maharani [[Gowri Lakshmi Bayi]], to put the baby King [[Swathi Thirunal]] to sleep. His birth was a long-awaited event for the royal family since it faced the threat of being annexed into [[British India]] under the [[Doctrine of Lapse]] for the want of a male heir. The lyrics of the poem reflect this sense of relief when it refers to the baby as a 'treasure from God' and 'the fruit of the tree of fortune'.<ref name="carnatica">{{cite web|last=Narayanaswami|first=P P|title=Omana Thingal Kidavo..|url=http://www.carnatica.net/special/irayimman-ppn.htm|access-date=10 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Evocative rendition|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/02/22/stories/2008022250370300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228024212/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/02/22/stories/2008022250370300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 February 2008|access-date=10 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=22 February 2008}}</ref>

In the 1987 movie, Swathi Thirunaal, a portion of this lullaby has been sung by [[S. Janaki]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Malayalam Evergreen Film song {{!}} Omanathinkal Kidavo {{!}} Swathi Thirunal {{!}} S. Janaki |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uicwxgRNYsg |access-date=2024-01-16 |language=en}}</ref>

A rendition of this lullaby by [[K. S. Chithra|K.S. Chithra]] is very popular in Kerala.<ref>{{Citation |title=Omanathinkalkidavo |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHxc-kDX2PE |access-date=2024-01-16 |language=en}}</ref>

== Music ==
Originally composed in the Kurinji [[raga]] (melodic mode) and set to Adi [[Tala (music)|tala]] ([[Metre (music)|metre]]), it is most often performed in the Navaroj or Nilambari ragas.<ref name="swathithirunal" /><ref name="carnatica" /> An interesting feature of this lullaby is that it doesn't mention the word sleep in it. The sleep is thus induced by the effect of the raga.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nair|first=A S|title=A Royal Lullaby|url=http://www.tmcgulf.com/H.A.6.pdf|access-date=10 November 2012|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305102132/http://www.tmcgulf.com/H.A.6.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The song lends itself well to the expressions of the [[navarasa]]s and is therefore often set to dance.<ref>{{cite news|title=Expressive steps|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article2951971.ece?textsize=small&test=2|access-date=10 November 2012|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2 March 2012}}</ref>

== Lyrics and translation ==
{{col-begin}}{{col-2}}

=== Lyrics in Malayalam ===
<br />
<br />
{{lang|ml|ഓമനത്തിങ്കള്‍ക്കിടാവോ- നല്ല കോമളത്താമരപ്പൂവോ

പൂവില്‍ നിറഞ്ഞ മധുവോ- പരിപൂര്‍ണേന്ദു തന്‍റെ നിലാവോ

പുത്തന്‍ പവിഴക്കൊടിയോ- ചെറു തത്തകള്‍ കൊഞ്ചും മൊഴിയോ

ചാഞ്ചാടിയാടും മയിലോ - മൃദു പഞ്ചമം പാടും കുയിലോ

തുള്ളുമിളമാന്‍കിടാവോ - ശോഭ കൊള്ളുന്നോരന്നക്കൊടിയോ

ഈശ്വരന്‍ തന്ന നിധിയോ - പരമേശ്വരിയേന്തും കിളിയോ

പാരിജാതത്തിന്‍ തളിരോ - എന്‍റെ ഭാഗ്യദ്രുമത്തിന്‍ ഫലമോ

വാത്സല്യരത്നത്തെ വയ്പ്പാന്‍ - മമ വായ്ച്ചൊരു കാഞ്ചനച്ചെപ്പോ

ദൃഷ്ടിക്കു വച്ചോരമൃതോ - കൂരിരുട്ടത്തു വച്ച വിളക്കോ

കീര്‍ത്തിലതയ്ക്കുള്ള വിത്തോ - എന്നും കേടു വരാതുള്ള മുത്തോ

ആര്‍ത്തിതിമിരം കളവാന്‍ - ഉള്ള മാര്‍ത്താണ്ഡദേവപ്രഭയോ

സുക്തിയില്‍ കണ്ട പൊരുളോ - അതിസൂക്ഷ്മമാം വീണാരവമോ

വമ്പിച്ച സന്തോഷവല്ലി - തന്‍റെ കൊമ്പത്തു പൂത്ത പൂവല്ലി

പിച്ചകത്തിന്‍ മലര്‍ച്ചെണ്ടോ - നാവിനിച്ഛ നല്‍കുന്ന കല്‍ക്കണ്ടോ

കസ്തൂരി തന്‍റെ മണമോ - ഏറ്റ സത്തുക്കൾക്കുള്ള ഗുണമോ

പൂമണമേറ്റൊരു കാറ്റോ - ഏറ്റം പൊന്നില്‍ തെളിഞ്ഞുള്ള മാറ്റോ

കാച്ചിക്കുറുക്കിയ പാലോ - നല്ല ഗന്ധമെഴും പനിനീരോ

നന്മ വിളയും നിലമോ - ബഹുധര്‍മങ്ങള്‍ വാഴും ഗൃഹമോ

ദാഹം കളയും ജലമോ - മാര്‍ഗഖേദം കളയും തണലോ

വാടാത്ത മല്ലികപ്പൂവോ - ഞാനും തേടിവച്ചുള്ള ധനമോ

കണ്ണിനു നല്ല കണിയോ - മമ കൈവന്ന ചിന്താമണിയോ

ലാവണ്യപുണ്യനദിയോ - ഉണ്ണിക്കാര്‍വര്‍ണ്ണന്‍ തന്‍റെ കളിയോ

ലക്ഷ്മീഭഗവതി തന്‍റെ - തിരുനെറ്റിയിലിട്ട കുറിയോ

എന്നുണ്ണിക്കൃഷ്ണന്‍ ജനിച്ചോ - പാരിലിങ്ങനെ വേഷം ധരിച്ചോ

പദ്മനാഭന്‍ തന്‍ കൃപയോ - മുറ്റും ഭാഗ്യം വരുന്ന വഴിയോ}}

{{col-2}}

=== Transliteration ===
{{lang|ml|Omana thinkal kidaavo, nalla komala thaamara poovo

Poovil niranja madhuvo, pari-poornendu thante nilaavo

Puthen pavizha kodiyo, cheru-thathakal konjum mozhiyo

Chaanjaadi aadum mayilo, mridu-panchamam paadum kuyilo

Thullumila maan kidaavo, shobha-kollunnoranna kodiyo

Eeshwaran thanna nidhiyo, Parameshwariyendum kiliyo

Paarijaathathin thaliro, ente bhagya-drumathin phalamo

Vaalsalya raknathe vaippaan, mama vaaichoru kaanchana cheppo

Drishtikku vaichoramrutho, kooriruttathu vaicha vilakko

Keerthi-lathakkulla vitho, ennum kedu varaathulla mutho

Aarthi thimiram kalavaan, ulla maarthaanda deva prabhayo

Sukthiyil kanda porulo, athi sookshmamaam veena-aaravamo

Vambicha santhosha valli, thante kombathu pootha poovalli

Pichakathin malar chendo, naavin-ichha nalkunna kalkando

Kasthuuri thante manamo, etta sathukkalkk-ulla gunamo

PoomaNam-ettooru kaatto, eettam ponnil theLinjulla maatto

Kaachi kuRukkiya paalo, nalla gandhamezhum panineero

Nanma viLayum nilamo, bahu dharmangal vaazhum grihamo

Daaham kalayum jalamo, marga-ghedam kaLayum thanalo

Vaadaatha mallika poovo, njanum thedi vaichulla dhanamo

Kanninu nalla kaniyo, mama kaivanna chinthaa maniyo

Laavanya punya nadiyo, unni kaarvarnan thante kaLiyo

Lakshmi Bhagavathy thante, thiru-nettiyilitta kuriyo

En unnikrishnan Jenicho, paaril ingane vasham dharicho

Pathmanaabhan than kripayo, muttum bhagyam varunna vazhiyo|italic=no}}

=== English translation ===
The translation by A. H. Fox Strangways in ''The Music of Hindoostan'' is given here:<ref>{{cite web|title=Omana Thinkal Kidavo - Fox Strangeways|url=http://www.swathithirunal.in/omanathingal/omanathinkal.jpg|access-date=10 November 2012}}</ref>

Is this sweet baby

The bright crescent's moon, or the charming flower of the [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]],

The honey in a flower, or the lustre of the full moon,

A pure coral gem, or the pleasant chatter of parrots,

A dancing peacock, or a sweet singing bird,

A bouncing young deer, or a bright shining swan,

A treasure from God, or the pet parrot in the hands of Īśvarī,

The tender leaf of the [[Kalpavriksha|''kalpa'' tree]], or the fruit of my tree of fortune,

A golden casket to enclose the jewel of my love,

Nectar in my sight, or a light to dispel darkness,

The seed of my climbing fame, or a never-fading bright pearl,

The brilliance of the sun to dispel all the gloom of misery,

The [[Vedas]] in a casket, or the melodious ''[[Veena|vinā]]'',

The lovely blossom put forth by the stout branch of my tree of enjoyment,

A cluster of ''pichāka'' buds, or sugar-candy sweet on the tongue,

The fragrance of musk, the best of all good,

A breeze laden with the scent of flowers, or the essence of purest gold,

A bowl of fresh milk, or of sweet smelling [[Rose water|rose-water]],

The field of all virtue, or an abode of all duty,

A cup of thirst-quenching cold water, or a sheltering shade,

A never-failing ''mallika'' flower, or my own stored up wealth,

The auspicious object of my gaze, or my most precious jewel,

A stream of virtuous beauty, or an image of the youthful [[Krishna]],

The bright forehead mark of the goddess [[Lakshmi|Lakshmī]],

Or, by the mercy of [[Vishnu|Padmanābha]], is it the source of my future happiness,

Is it, in this beautiful form, an [[avatar|Avatār]] of Krishna Himself?{{col-end}}

== Controversy ==
The Irayimman Thampi Memorial Trust alleged that the first eight lines of the [[Oscar nominations|Oscar nominee]] [[Bombay Jayashri|Bombay Jayashri's]] song '[[Pi's Lullaby]]' in the film ''[[Life of Pi (film)|Life of Pi]]'' were not an original composition but a translation into [[Tamil language|Tamil]] of the Omanathinkal Kidavo. The song had been nominated in the [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Original Song category]] for the [[85th Academy Awards|Oscar Awards of 2013]]. Jayashri however maintained that she merely wrote what had come to her heart and denied the allegation against her.<ref>{{cite news|title=Controversy over Bombay Jayashri's Oscar-nominated song Pi's Lullaby|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_controversy-over-bombay-jayashri-s-oscar-nominated-song-pi-s-lullaby_1788528|access-date=14 January 2013|newspaper=DNA|date=13 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pi's lullaby: Bombay Jayashri denies allegations of plagiarism|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/pis-lullaby-bombay-jayashri-denies-allegations-of-plagiarism/article4304475.ece|access-date=14 January 2013|newspaper=The Hindu|date=13 January 2013}}</ref>

Earlier, Jayashri had used Thampi's lullaby in her Album named 'Vatsalyam', released in 2003.<ref>{{Citation |title=Omana Tingal Kidavo |date=2003-07-01 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/2c2Mce7ztWD6OCUWe5lMyh |access-date=2024-01-16 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Bombay S. Jayashri - Vatsalyam: Collection of Traditional Indian Lullaby Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/vatsalyam-collection-of-traditional-indian-lullaby-mw0000315884 |access-date=2024-01-16 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Indian songs]]
[[Category:Songs in Malayalam]]
[[Category:Lullabies]]
[[Category:Songs about kings]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of male monarchs]]
[[Category:Poems in Malayalam]]
[[Category:Kingdom of Travancore]]

Omanathinkal Kidavo - Revision history

Gyani24: made the details added tags - done