- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- Ghantasala
- Music director
- P. Aadhinarayana Rao
- Movie name
- Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Sept 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song conveys the intense tragedy of a family separated by misfortune. The narrator addresses a young, innocent child who is unaware that both his mother and father are suffering in disguise nearby. The mother is described as an eternal lamp that has been hidden, enduring terrible grief like a mother cow separated from her calf. Meanwhile, the father's life has also been upended by the cruel turns of fate. The song serves as a melancholic lament directed towards God, questioning why an innocent child must suffer as if he were an orphan, floating helplessly like straw on tumultuous waves. Through emotional questioning and vivid imagery, the lyricist captures the despair of separation and appeals to divine justice to hear their plight.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Anaiyaadha deepam engae maraindhaalo”
The mother's love and presence are portrayed as an 'unquenchable lamp' (Anaiyaadha deepam).
Simile (உவமையணி)
“Pasu kandrai pirindhae”
The painful separation of the mother and child is compared to a cow separated from her calf (Pasu kandrai pirindhae).
Simile (உவமையணி)
“Alai maevidum thurumbagavae”
The helpless child's unstable condition in life is compared to a piece of straw tossed on oceanic waves (Alai maevidum thurumbagavae).
Alliteration / Monai (மோனை)
“Vidhi seidha leelai vibaridha velai”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'v' in 'Vidhi', 'vibaridha', and 'Vinaiyaaga'.
Rhetorical Question (வினா அணி)
“Muraiyagumaa deivamae”
The speaker asks God 'Is this fair?' repeatedly to emphasize helplessness and injustice.
Did you know?
Trivia
Manalane Mangaiyin Bakkiam (1957) was a prominent bilingual film release (made simultaneously in Telugu as Anasuya). Directed by Vedantam Raghavaiah with music scored by P. Adinarayana Rao, the song features iconic vocals by Ghantasala, renowned for bringing deep emotional depth to tragic solos written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass.
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