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Karpukkarasi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ellai Merudhe Manam

From Karpukkarasi · 1957

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singers
K. Jamunarani, A. P. Komala, A. G. Rathnamala
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Movie name
Karpukkarasi
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
30 Oct 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ellai meeruthae manam thulli oduthe
Ahhaa ellai meeruthae manam thulli oduthe
Ennaalum kaanaatha inbam ponguthe
Ellaam mannin kolamo
Illai manitha jaalamo…..
Ellai meeruthae manam thulli oduthe
Vanthorai vaazhththum maanjolai kaattrum
Vandaadum maamalar panthaaduthe
Manneeram kondae munnettram kandae
Verodum sevvaazhai theraaduthae
Kandaalumae ullam kondaaduthae
Intha kannkaatchi yaedhadi vinnmeethilae
Intha kannkaatchi yaedhadi vinnmeethilae
Aahhaa ellai meeruthae manam thulli oduthe
Annaalil ramanin anbaana seedhaiyai
Thennilangai ravanan thirudikkittaan
Chorus :Illai sirai eduththaan
Female :Annaalil ramanin anbaana seedhaiyai
Thennilangai ravanan thirudikkittaan
Adhan munnaala ravanan kannaana thangaiyai
Ennaamal lakshmanan mookaruththaan
Chorus :Illai mudiyaruththaan
Female :Adhan munnaala ravanan kannaana thangaiyai
Ennaamal lakshmanan mookaruththaan
Innum pennaalae kettazhinthu
Onnaiyonnu vettikkitta
Periya periya kadhaigalellaam ninaivirukkaa
Unakku ninaivirukkaa
Innum pennaalae kettazhinthu
Onnaiyonnu vettikkitta
Periya periya kadhaigalellaam ninaivirukkaa
Unakku ninaivirukkaa
Chorus :Idhai perumaiyaaga pesuriyae arivirukkaa
Idhai perumaiyaaga pesuriyae arivirukkaa
Aiyyae pothum pothumae unga bhoologamae
Aiyyae pothum pothumae unga bhoologamae
Pollaatha ullaasam pongi odutho
Idhan ullae paaradi verum oozhalthaanadi
Idhan ullae paaradi verum oozhalthaanadi
Adi antharaththil oorvasiyum
Rambaiyarum mohiniyum
Aasaikkoru naayagiyum arugirukka
Chorus :Arugirukka
Female :Adi antharaththil oorvasiyum
Rambaiyarum mohiniyum
Aasaikkoru naayagiyum arugirukka
Chorus :Mella arugirukka
Andru indhiranum thanthiraththaal
Ingiruntha azhaginil
Yaekkaththinaal goudhamanaai uruvedukka
Chorus :Aval udanirukka
Andru indhiranum thanthiraththaal
Ingiruntha azhaginil
Yaekkaththinaal goudhamanaai uruvedukka
Chorus :Aval udanirukka
Angu vanthu muni munpaaga mangaiyaval kallaaga
Vaangi vanthaar indhirarum aayiraththai
Chorus :Kangal aayiraththai
Adhai maranthuvittu thaakkuvathaen vanthayidaththai
Maranthuvittu thaakkuvathaen vanthayidaththai
Thannaanavam kondu aadaathaedi
Female :Verum santhegamae endrum pollaaradi
Female :Intha mannaaluvaar miga pollaaradi
Female :Evar vanthaalumae ennai vellaaradi
Aahaa ellai meeruthae manam thulli oduthe
Ennaalum kaanaatha inbam ponguthe
Ellaam mannin kolamo
Illai manitha jaalamo…..
My heart crosses all bounds and leaps with joy!
Aha, my heart crosses all bounds and leaps with joy!
A joy never seen before overflows!
Is all this the beauty of the earth,
Or is it human magic?...
My heart crosses all bounds and leaps with joy!
The breeze from mango groves welcoming newcomers,
And blooming flowers where bees dance, tossing like balls in play,
Drinking moisture from the soil and flourishing,
The deep-rooted red banana tree sways like a grand chariot!
Just seeing it makes the heart celebrate!
Can such a wondrous sight ever be found in heaven?
Can such a wondrous sight ever be found in heaven?
Aha, my heart crosses all bounds and leaps with joy!
In those days, Rama's beloved Sita
Was stolen away by Ravana of southern Lanka!
Chorus: No, he captured and imprisoned her!
Female: In those days, Rama's beloved Sita
Was stolen away by Ravana of southern Lanka!
Even before that, Ravana's precious sister—
Lakshmana thoughtlessly cut off her nose!
Chorus: No, he cut off her hair!
Female: Even before that, Ravana's precious sister—
Lakshmana thoughtlessly cut off her nose!
And ruined by their obsession over women,
Slashing and fighting against each other,
Do you remember all those great big tales?
Do you remember?
And ruined by their obsession over women,
Slashing and fighting against each other,
Do you remember all those great big tales?
Do you remember?
Chorus: You talk about this so proudly—have you no sense?
You talk about this so proudly—have you no sense?
Oh, we have had enough of your earthly world!
Oh, we have had enough of your earthly world!
Is such wicked pleasure overflowing here?
Look deep inside it, girl, it is nothing but decay!
Look deep inside it, girl, it is nothing but decay!
Look, up in the skies with Urvashi,
Rambha, and Mohini,
With a lover for every desire right beside him—
Chorus: Right beside him—
Female: Look, up in the skies with Urvashi,
Rambha, and Mohini,
With a lover for every desire right beside him—
Chorus: Gently beside him—
Back then, Indra used a cunning trick,
Yearning for the beauty found down on earth,
And disguised himself as Sage Gautama—
Chorus: To be with her!
Back then, Indra used a cunning trick,
Yearning for the beauty found down on earth,
And disguised himself as Sage Gautama—
Chorus: To be with her!
Before the sage returned and turned that woman to stone,
Indra ended up walking away with a thousand—
Chorus: A thousand eyes!
Forgetting all that, why do you insult the place you came to visit?
Forgetting all that, why do you insult the place you came to visit?
Don't dance around with such arrogance, girl!
Female: Those who harbor only suspicion are truly wicked, my friend!
Female: Those who rule this earth are very cruel, my friend!
Female: No matter who comes, no one can defeat me, my friend!
Aha, my heart crosses all bounds and leaps with joy!
A joy never seen before overflows!
Is all this the beauty of the earth,
Or is it human magic?...
Chorus
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Female
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from Karpukkarasi (1957) features a playful yet sharp musical debate (Patti-Manram style) set against scenic appreciation. The lead singers marvel at the natural beauty and human ingenuity of earth, questioning if heaven could ever match such splendor. As the debate escalates, celestial women and earthly women mock each other's mythological flaws, trading witty insults derived from epic tales like the Ramayana and the story of Indra and Ahalya.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mukai / Rhyme (Monai and Ethirai)

Vanthorai vaazhththum maanjolai kaattrum / Vandaadum maamalar panthaaduthe

Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram uses strong second-letter rhyming (Ethirai) across lines like 'Ellai meeruthae' / 'Ennaalum kaanaatha' and 'Vanthorai vaazhththum' / 'Vandaadum maamalar' to establish a catchy, conversational rhythm.

Alliteration (Monai)

Periya periya kadhaigalellaam ninaivirukkaa

Initial consonant matching in words like 'Periya periya', 'Miga pollaaradi', and 'Maranthuvittu thaakkuvathaen'.

Metaphor / Rhetorical Questioning

Ellaam mannin kolamo / Illai manitha jaalamo…..

The lyrics contrast the illusion of earthly pleasure with heavenly grandeur through playful rhetorical questions like 'Ellaam mannin kolamo / Illai manitha jaalamo'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Karpukkarasi (1957), starring Gemini Ganesan and Savitri, featured music composed by legendary G. Ramanathan. Lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram was renowned for introducing folk rhythms and sharp social commentary into screen dialogues and musical debates, as demonstrated in this witty lyrical duel between celestial and earthly perspectives.

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