Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Manikuyil album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Marivantha

From Manikuyil · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Manikuyil
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
20 Mar 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Adi maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Ammaa nee nenachadhum
Appadiyae nadakkudhu
Selvaakkum vasadhiyum kaaladiyil kidakkudhu
Kannaal oru saada senjaa
Kaala maadum kannu podum
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Maari vandha mayilae
Aal irundhaa kaavalukku
Aadu vandhu maeyumaa
Aadu vandhu maenjadhukku
Paattu chonnaa podhumaa
Kannae kannammaa… aa… aa…
Kannae kannammaa enga kachaeri kekkanumaa
Pakka vaathiyamaa satti paanaigal podhumammaa
Ezhai sollu thaan oru naal ambalathil yaerumammaa
Yaeri vittaa maelum keezhum onnu pola maarumammaa
Sonnaakkaa yaetthukko onna neeyum maathikko
Ellaarukkum ellaam endru
Paadum paatta kaadhil vaangu
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Ammaa nee nenachadhum appadiyae nadakkudhu
Selvaakkum vasadhiyum kaaladiyil kidakkudhu
Kannaal oru saada senjaa
Kaala maadum kannu podum
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Maari vandha mayilae
Kai niraiya kaasirukkum paingiliyae sornamae
Kaaseduthu nee koduthaa kuyilu vandhu koovumae
Ponnae ponnammaa… aa… aa…
Ponnae ponnammaa ezha paadida sammadhamaa
Haei maanae yem paatta unga maaliga othukkumaa
Pattu metha thaan unakku kora pullaa maariduchaa
Pattadhilae vecha paalum etti kaayaa aayiduchaa
Ezha paatta kaekkura yaereduthu paakkura
Enna aachu yaedhu aachu maanae thaenae neeyum sollu
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Ammaa nee nenachadhum appadiyae nadakkudhu
Selvaakkum vasadhiyum kaaladiyil kidakkudhu
Kannaal oru saada senjaa
Kaala maadum kannu podum
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Maari vandha mayilae
Ippa mazhaiyadikka pogudhadi
Yaeri vandha veyilae
Ippa ezhaigala vaattudhadi
Maari vandha mayilae
Hey peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
My lady, whatever you wish for,
happens just like that!
Influence and wealth lie right at your feet.
If you give just a hint with your eyes,
even a bull will give birth to a calf!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
O peacock who has changed your ways...
If someone were standing guard,
would the goats come and graze?
And since the goats have grazed the field,
is it enough to just sing a song?
My dear, O Kannamma... ah... ah...
My dear Kannamma, do you want to hear our concert?
For accompaniment, our clay pots and pans are enough!
The poor man's word will surely reach the town square one day.
Once it rises, the high and the low will become equal!
Accept what I say and change your ways too.
That everything belongs to everyone—
open your ears and listen to this song!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
My lady, whatever you wish for happens just like that!
Influence and wealth lie right at your feet.
If you give just a hint with your eyes,
even a bull will give birth to a calf!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
O peacock who has changed your ways...
You have hands full of money, sweet parrot, precious gold!
If you take out cash and give it, the cuckoo will come and sing!
My golden girl, Ponnamma... ah... ah...
My golden Ponnamma, will you agree to let this poor man sing?
Hey gentle deer, will your mansion accept my song?
Did your silk mattress feel like rough wild grass to you?
Did the milk kept in the barn turn bitter as wild fruit?
You listen to the poor man's song, you look straight at me.
What happened, what went wrong? Tell me, my sweet darling!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
My lady, whatever you wish for happens just like that!
Influence and wealth lie right at your feet.
If you give just a hint with your eyes,
even a bull will give birth to a calf!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
O peacock who has changed your ways,
now the rain is about to pour down!
The blazing sun that climbed up high,
is now scorching the poor!
O peacock who has changed your ways...
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This energetic folk song from the movie Manikuyil uses rustic metaphors to address class differences, social inequality, and the dynamics of power. The singer addresses a woman of high standing and wealth as a 'transformed peacock', remarking on how the affluent command obedience while the poor suffer under the oppressive heat of social hardship. Despite the stark division, the song carries a strong message of egalitarianism, asserting that the voice of the poor will eventually find its place in the public forum, bridging the gap between the privileged and the marginalized.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Urubagam)

Adi maari vandha mayilae

Compares the high-status lady to a 'transformed peacock' (Maari vandha mayilae) and a 'golden parrot' (paingiliyae sornamae).

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navirtchi)

Kaala maadum kannu podum

An extreme exaggeration stating that if the wealthy lady makes a subtle signal with her eyes, even a male bull would give birth.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kannaal oru saada senjaa / Kaala maadum kannu podum

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound in 'Kannaal' and 'Kaala'.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Aadu vandhu maeyumaa / Aadu vandhu maenjadhukku

Matching second consonants across lines ('du' in Aadu / Aadu).

Did you know?

Trivia

Manikuyil (1993) featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, starring Ramarajan and Gouthami. Lyricist Vaali crafted this song with sharp social commentary using traditional Tamil rural folk idioms and metaphors.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Manikuyil

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.