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Mettukudi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Anbulla Mannavane

From Mettukudi · 1996

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singers
Mano, Swarnalatha
Music director
Sirpi
Movie name
Mettukudi
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
6 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Idhayam puriyaadha en mugavari theriyaadha
Kiliyae kiliyae po thalaivanai thedi po
Mullil thoongugiren kanavai alli po
Thanimayin kannerai kangalil yendhi po
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Idhayam puriyaadha en mugavari theriyaadha
Vaa vaa kanna indrae kenji ketkka popo
Chorus :Vaasal paarthu vaazhum vaazhvai solla popo
Ilamai urughum thunbam indrae solla popo
Chorus :Nidhamum idhayam yengum nilamai solla popo
Female :Kiliyae kiliyae popo
Kaadhal ullathin maatram solla po
Chorus :Meendum mannipu kettukolla po
Nadandhadhai marandhida sol
Uravinil kalandhida sol
Madiyinil urangida sol
Kangal thedudhu thirumugham… kaana
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Idhayam puriyaadha en mugavari theriyaadha
Vandhen endru koora vanna kiliyae popo
Female :Vaasamalli poovai sootta chollu popo
Idhayam inaiyum neram thanimai vendum popo
Female :Undhan kangal paarthal vetkam koodum popo
Kiliyae kiliyae popo
Nitham pala nooru mutham ketkka po
Female :Satham illaamal jannal saathi po
Vizhigalil amudha mazhai
Female :Ini oru pirivu illai
Male :Uravugal mudivadhillai
Female :Gangai vandhadhu nenjinil paaya
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Anbulla mannavanae aasai kaadhalanae
Idhayam puriyaadha en mugavari theriyaadha
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
Don't you understand my heart? Don't you know my address?
Go, little parrot, go search for my beloved,
I am sleeping on thorns; take my dreams along with you,
Carry the tears of my loneliness in your eyes and go.
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
Don't you understand my heart? Don't you know my address?
Go, plead and ask him to come today: 'Come, my love, come!'
Chorus: Go tell him of my life spent waiting by the doorway,
Go tell him today of the pain of my youth wasting away,
Chorus: Go tell him how my heart yearns for him every single day,
Female: Go, little parrot, go!
Go tell him of the change in my loving heart,
Chorus: Go ask for his forgiveness once again,
Tell him to forget the past,
Tell him to unite with me in love,
Tell him to rest in my lap,
My eyes are searching to see his beloved face...
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
Don't you understand my heart? Don't you know my address?
Go, colorful parrot, and tell her that I have arrived!
Female: Tell him to tuck fragrant jasmine into my hair,
When hearts unite, we need privacy, so go!
Female: If your eyes watch me, my shyness will grow, so go!
Go, little parrot, go!
Go ask for hundreds of kisses every single day,
Female: Quietly close the window and go,
A sweet rain of nectar falls in our eyes,
Female: There will be no more separation,
Male: Our bond will never end,
Female: The River Ganga has come to flow through my heart...
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
My dearest king, my beloved lover,
Don't you understand my heart? Don't you know my address?
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song Anbulla Mannavanae from the 1996 Tamil film Mettukudi is an expressive romantic composition where a heroine uses a parrot as a messenger to reach out to her estranged lover. Plagued by the pain of separation and solitude, she begs the bird to convey her grief, her endless waiting at the doorway, and her plea for forgiveness and reconciliation. She urges her lover to forget past misunderstandings and return to her arms. As the song unfolds, the mood evolves into sweet anticipation and passionate love. She envisions their intimate reunion, filled with quiet moments, sweet affection, and an unbreakable bond flowing with joy like the sacred river Ganges. The song seamlessly weaves deep anguish with passionate romance using rich traditional imagery.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Kili Vidu Thoodhu (Parrot Messenger Motif)

“Kiliyae kiliyae po thalaivanai thedi po”

A classical Tamil literary motif where a bird, specifically a parrot, is addressed as an intermediary to carry messages of love and heartbreak to the lover.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

“Mullil thoongugiren kanavai alli po”

Comparing the acute emotional agony of separation to literally sleeping on a bed of sharp thorns.

Anaphora / Refrain

“Chorus :Vaasal paarthu vaazhum vaazhvai solla popo”

Rhythmic repetition of the directive word 'po' / 'popo' (go) at the end of consecutive lines to emphasize urgency.

Hyperbole & Imagery

“Gangai vandhadhu nenjinil paaya”

Exaggerating emotional joy and reunion through sensory imagery of nectar raining from the eyes and the Ganges river flowing inside the heart.

Did you know?

Trivia

Mettukudi (1996) featured music composed by Sirpy, with lyrics penned by Pazhani Bharathi. The song relies heavily on 'Kili Vidu Thoodhu', a ancient Tamil poetic tradition dating back to Sangam literature and medieval Bhakti poetry where birds were personified as messengers between lovers or divine devotees.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Oru Kaaviyam1986
Aruvadai NaalDevotionDesire
Aavaram Poovu1990
Namma Ooru PoovathaLongingSeparation
Enthen Kuyil Enge2000
Kannukkul NilavuLongingWistful
Ennai Thalatta1997
Kadhalukku MariyadhaiLongingWistful
Kizhakka Pogum Rayile Rayile1989
Mananthal MahadevanLongingSeparation
Maaney Mayanguvathu1992
Thanga ManasukkaranSeparationLonging

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