This is a rhyme that I grew up on ...
Chaand oh, chandanam oh?
Oh this paste … is it sandalwood?
Chandanam aana mannakka doh?
(But) Had it been sandalwood, would it not have a scent?
Manakka maangai oh?
Aren’t mangoes known for their scents?
Maangai aana tonga doh?
Aren’t mangoes always hanging?
Tonga toranam oh?
Only torans are meant to hang, no?
Toranam aana katta doh?
But aren’t torans also supposed to be Tied (Built)?
(Note: Kattarduh – is a verb that means to tie and to build. Here in the next line it takes on the meaning of build. So you can also assume that the toran is built for poetic liberty.
Katta kovil oh?
Aren’t temples noted for their structure?
Kovil aana kumudaa doh?
Temples encourage a person to bow … hai na?
Kumudah raja voh?
But the only person we bow to is a king, right?
Raja vaana evvanoh?
Isn’t taking known for his pride?
Evvah palli oh?
Pride is a feature of a lizard, don’t you think?
Palli aana padingado?
But aren’t lizards known to be slippery?
Padanga kalla noh?
It’s a thief who is famed to slippery!
Kallan aana, odaa noh?
Isn’t a thief famous for running?
Oodah kaaveri oh?
The kaveri (river) is famous for her flight, right?
Kaaveri aana, kalanga doh?
Doesn’t the kaveri river churn as well?
Kalanga, Kalaneer oh?
Well churning only reminds me of washed rice water!
Kalaneer aana tithikaa doh?
Isn’t washed rice water supposed to be sweet?
Thidika vellam oh?
Its jaggery that is famed to be sweet right?
Vellam aana tinni ko!
Well .. if its jaggery … you must simply eat it!
Note: The colloquoil usage of 'oh' at the end of each question, is kind of rhetorical. It does not have a direct translation into antoher language, but 'hai na,' in Hindi, more or less encapsulates it!
