Adi Manjakelange
From Taj Mahal · 1999
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Ganga Sitharasu, Febi Mani
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Taj Mahal1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Thananananaa thana thananaa | Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization) |
| Thananananaa thana thananaa | Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization) |
| Female | |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Thananananaa thana thananaa | Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization) |
| Thananananaa thana thananaa | Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization) |
| Female | |
| {Kumaripulla kumaripulla | {Young maiden, young maiden |
| Kulikka vaaraanga | Is coming to bathe |
| Aathu kulla athana meenum | All the fish inside the river, |
| Kanna moodunga} (2) | Close your eyes!} (2) |
| Female | |
| Paruvapulla paruvapulla | Young girl of age, young girl of age |
| Kulikka poraanga | Is going to take a bath |
| Ada aathangara paravaigalae | Oh, birds on the riverbank! |
| Angittu poyirunga | Fly away to that side |
| Female | |
| {Adi manjakilangae | {Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Manja thechi kulikkum | Who bathes rubbing turmeric, |
| Thanga kilangae | Golden root! |
| Thechi kulikkum | Who bathes rubbing, |
| Thanga kilangae} (2) | Golden root!} (2) |
| Female | |
| Manja pudichirukkaa | Do you like turmeric? |
| Yengala kettukka | Ask us! |
| Marudhaani pudichirukkaa | Do you like henna? |
| Yengala kettukka | Ask us! |
| Mmm naalaikku..hahaha… | Mmm, tomorrow... hahaha... |
| Female | |
| Vella sunnaambu | White slaked lime |
| Vechukittu | Applying it, |
| Vethalaiya pottukittu | Chewing betel leaves, |
| Adinaakku sevandhirukkannu | To see if the bottom of the tongue turned red, |
| Avana kettukka | Ask him! |
| Female | |
| Avanaa | Him? |
| Female :Illa illa | Female: No, no |
| Avara kettukka | Ask him (respectfully)! |
| Female | |
| {Adi manjakilangae | {Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Adi manja kilangae | Oh yellow turmeric root! |
| Manja thechi kulikkum | Who bathes rubbing turmeric, |
| Thanga kilangae | Golden root! |
| Thechi kulikkum | Who bathes rubbing, |
| Thanga kilangae} (2) | Golden root!} (2) |
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
தனனனனா தான தனனா
தனனனனா தான தனனா
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
தனனனனா தான தனனா
தனனனனா தான தனனா
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
{குமரிபுள்ள குமரிபுள்ள
குளிக்க வாறங்க
ஆத்துக்குள்ள அத்தன மீனும்
கண்ண மூடுங்க} (2)
{Young maiden, young maiden
Is coming to bathe
All the fish inside the river,
Close your eyes!} (2)
பருவபுள்ள பருவபுள்ள
குளிக்க போராங்க
அட ஆத்தங்கர பறவைகளே
அங்கிட்டுப் போயிருங்க
Young girl of age, young girl of age
Is going to take a bath
Oh, birds on the riverbank!
Fly away to that side
{அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
மஞ்ச தேச்சி குளிக்கும்
தங்க கிழங்கே
தேச்சி குளிக்கும்
தங்க கிழங்கே} (2)
{Oh yellow turmeric root!
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Who bathes rubbing turmeric,
Golden root!
Who bathes rubbing,
Golden root!} (2)
மஞ்ச புடிச்சிருக்கா
எங்கள கேட்டுக்க
மருதாணி புடிச்சிருக்கா
எங்கள கேட்டுக்க
ம்ம்ம் நாளைக்கு…ஹஹஹா...
Do you like turmeric?
Ask us!
Do you like henna?
Ask us!
Mmm, tomorrow... hahaha...
வெள்ள சுண்ணாம்பு
வெச்சுக்கிட்டு
வெத்தலைய போட்டுக்கிட்டு
அடிநாக்கு செவந்திருக்கான்னு
அவன கேட்டுக்க
White slaked lime
Applying it,
Chewing betel leaves,
To see if the bottom of the tongue turned red,
Ask him!
அவனா
இல்ல இல்ல
அவர கேட்டுக்க
Him?
Female: No, no
Ask him (respectfully)!
{அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
அடி மஞ்ச கிழங்கே
மஞ்ச தேச்சி குளிக்கும்
தங்க கிழங்கே
தேச்சி குளிக்கும்
தங்க கிழங்கே} (2)
{Oh yellow turmeric root!
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Who bathes rubbing turmeric,
Golden root!
Who bathes rubbing,
Golden root!} (2)
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Thananananaa thana thananaa
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
Thananananaa thana thananaa
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Thananananaa thana thananaa
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
Thananananaa thana thananaa
Thananananaa thana thananaa (Rhythmic vocalization)
{Kumaripulla kumaripulla
{Young maiden, young maiden
Kulikka vaaraanga
Is coming to bathe
Aathu kulla athana meenum
All the fish inside the river,
Kanna moodunga} (2)
Close your eyes!} (2)
Paruvapulla paruvapulla
Young girl of age, young girl of age
Kulikka poraanga
Is going to take a bath
Ada aathangara paravaigalae
Oh, birds on the riverbank!
Angittu poyirunga
Fly away to that side
{Adi manjakilangae
{Oh yellow turmeric root!
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Manja thechi kulikkum
Who bathes rubbing turmeric,
Thanga kilangae
Golden root!
Thechi kulikkum
Who bathes rubbing,
Thanga kilangae} (2)
Golden root!} (2)
Manja pudichirukkaa
Do you like turmeric?
Yengala kettukka
Ask us!
Marudhaani pudichirukkaa
Do you like henna?
Yengala kettukka
Ask us!
Mmm naalaikku..hahaha…
Mmm, tomorrow... hahaha...
Vella sunnaambu
White slaked lime
Vechukittu
Applying it,
Vethalaiya pottukittu
Chewing betel leaves,
Adinaakku sevandhirukkannu
To see if the bottom of the tongue turned red,
Avana kettukka
Ask him!
Avanaa
Him?
Female :Illa illa
Female: No, no
Avara kettukka
Ask him (respectfully)!
{Adi manjakilangae
{Oh yellow turmeric root!
Adi manja kilangae
Oh yellow turmeric root!
Manja thechi kulikkum
Who bathes rubbing turmeric,
Thanga kilangae
Golden root!
Thechi kulikkum
Who bathes rubbing,
Thanga kilangae} (2)
Golden root!} (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful Tamil folk-style song portrays young village maidens gathering at a riverbank to take a bath, a traditional setting rich in cultural imagery. The lyrics tease the young woman, affectionately addressing her as 'Manja Kilangae' (yellow turmeric root) and 'Thanga Kilangae' (golden root), praising her radiant skin enhanced by traditional turmeric paste. The friends playfully tell the river fish to close their eyes and the riverbank birds to fly away to afford her privacy, while lightheartedly teasing her about love, betel-nut rituals, and her feelings toward her beloved.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamaani / Metaphor
“Adi manjakilangae ... Thanga kilangae”
Comparing the young girl's golden complexioned beauty to 'Manja kilangae' (turmeric root) and 'Thanga kilangae' (golden root).
Personification
“Aathu kulla athana meenum Kanna moodunga”
Addressing the river fish and birds as sentient beings and asking them to close their eyes or fly away for privacy.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Kumaripulla / Paruvapulla”
Rhyming of second consonants in folk phrasing like 'Kumaripulla' and 'Paruvapulla'.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is from the 1999 Tamil film 'Taj Mahal', directed by Bharathiraja, which marked the debut of his son Manoj Bharathiraja. The soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman, featuring lyrics by Vairamuthu, blending rich rural folk melodies with contemporary orchestral arrangements.
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