Lyrics in Tamil
க, ச, ட, த, ப, ற (ka, sa, da, tha, pa, Ra) (வல்லினம்)
ய ர ல வ ழ ள (ya, ra, la, va, zha, La) (இடையினம்)
ங ஞ ண ந ம ன (nga, nja, Na, -na, ma, na) (மெல்லினம்)
Ka Sa Da Tha Pa Ra Lyrics in English
Ka sa da tha pa ra (vallinam)
Ya ra la va zha la (idaiyinam)
Nga nja na na ma na (mellinam)
Vallinam, Idaiyinam, Mellinam
Tamil has 18 consonants (mei ezhuthu), and children learn them in three groups of six. This short song sings each group in one breath.
Vallinam are the hard sounds: க ச ட த ப ற. Idaiyinam are the middle sounds: ய ர ல வ ழ ள. Mellinam are the soft, nasal sounds: ங ஞ ண ந ம ன. Once a child can sing “kasada thapara, yarala vazhala”, the whole set of consonants is easy to remember.