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Kudumbam Oru Kadhambam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Engaathu Mappillai Nee

From Kudumbam Oru Kadhambam · 1981

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Kudumbam Oru Kadhambam
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
1 Apr 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Engaaththukku mappilla nee
Ongaaththukku maattuponnu naan
Engaaththukku mappilla nee
Ongaaththukku maattuponnu naan
Anthaaththu mami inthaaththu mama
Avaa ellaarukkum santhosamthaan…besh…
Nannaarukkum sambanthamthaan
Jaanvaasam oorkolam
Engaaththukku mappilla nee
Ongaaththukku maattuponnu naan
Mamakkalthaan koshtti seruvaa
Maalai maththa potti poduvaa
Ammaadi poraattamthaan….haa…aa
Mamigal kummaalamthaan…aa….haa….
Mamakkalthaan koshtti seruvaa
Maalai maththa potti poduvaa
Ammaadi poraattamthaan….haa…aa
Maamigal kummaalamthaan…aa….haa….
Sumangali pongal velakkudan vanthu
Pachchai podi suththi poda kannoonjal naamaada
Sumangali pongal velakkudan vanthu
Pachchai podi suththi poda kannoonjal naamaada
Engaaththukku mappilla nee
Ongaaththukku maattuponnu naan
Anthaaththu mami inthaaththu mama
Avaa ellaarukkum santhosamthaan…besh…
Nannaarukkum sambanthamthaan
Jaanvaasam oorkolam
Panjakachcham angavasthiram
Unna paaththaa kannupattudum
Santhosa sowbaakkiyamae…yae….
Neen thantha maangalyamae
Aambadaiyaanum aambadaiyaalum
Ammiyai midhichchaachu arunthathi paaththachchu
Vaadi ingae maithili kutty
Vekkam enna sakkaraikatti
Appaavum ammaavumaa…aaa….
Aaganum seekkiramaa…aaa….
Varaenae irungo medhuvaa thodungo
Vedukkunnu izhukkaathael
Velichchaththil anaikkaathael
Ungaaththukku maappilla naan
Female :Ungaaththukku maattu ponnu naan
Thaalaelo thaalaelo thaachchukkodaa seemaachchoo
Thaalaelo thaalaelo thaachchukkodaa seemaachchoo
Thaaippaala kudichchaachchu thoongeandaa time aachchu
Unnaala nekkumthaan raaththiriyil thookkam illa
Ennaala mudiyaathu varushaththukkoru pilla
Ne yaendi aluththukkara ippothaanae rendaachchu
Aasa vechcha kaaranaththaal avasthaigal undaachchu
Avasthaigal undaachchu
Kannaana kanmaniyae ponmaniyae pichchumaniyae
Thanga onnu venumunnu enna rompa paduththaraiyae
You are the son-in-law for our house,
and I am the daughter-in-law for yours.
You are the son-in-law for our house,
and I am the daughter-in-law for yours.
The aunt from that house, the uncle from this house—
everyone is so happy... splendid!
This alliance between our families is wonderful!
Here comes the Janavasam (groom’s) procession!
You are the son-in-law for our house,
and I am the daughter-in-law for yours.
The uncles will form rival teams,
competing playfully to exchange the garlands!
Oh my, what a struggle it will be... ah!
And the aunties will celebrate with cheers... ah ha!
The uncles will form rival teams,
competing playfully to exchange the garlands!
Oh my, what a struggle it will be... ah!
And the aunties will celebrate with cheers... ah ha!
Auspicious married women will arrive with lamps,
waving aarti to ward off evil eyes as we sit on the wedding swing.
Auspicious married women will arrive with lamps,
waving aarti to ward off evil eyes as we sit on the wedding swing.
You are the son-in-law for our house,
and I am the daughter-in-law for yours.
The aunt from that house, the uncle from this house—
everyone is so happy... splendid!
This alliance between our families is wonderful!
Here comes the Janavasam (groom’s) procession!
In your traditional silk dhoti and shawl,
anyone looking at you might cast an evil eye!
It brings such joy and good fortune,
this sacred wedding knot you tied for me!
Now husband and wife together,
we stepped on the grinding stone and looked at the Arundhati star!
Come over here, my sweet little Mythili!
Why are you so shy, my lump of sugar?
Into a father and a mother...
we must turn very soon!
I am coming, please wait, touch me gently!
Don't pull me so suddenly!
Don't hold me close in the light!
I am the son-in-law for your house,
and I am the daughter-in-law for yours!
Lullaby, lullaby, go to sleep, little Seemachu!
Lullaby, lullaby, go to sleep, little Seemachu!
You’ve had your milk, now sleep, boy, it’s bedtime!
Because of you, I get no sleep at night either!
I cannot go on having a baby every year!
Why are you complaining, dear? We’ve only had two!
Giving in to our desires has brought all these troubles!
It has brought all these troubles!
My precious darling, my golden Pichumani,
you trouble me so much wanting a golden daughter!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Engaaththukku Mappilla Nee' is a lively and humorous duet depicting the domestic evolution of a Tamil Brahmin couple across different milestones of married life. The initial verses celebrate traditional wedding rituals—including the groom's procession (Jaanvaasam), the playful garland exchange competition between families, swinging on the ritual swing (Oonjal), and sacred rites like stepping on the grinding stone (Ammi Midhithal). As the song progresses, the tone shifts into romantic honeymoon intimacy, before culminating in a realistic yet comic portrayal of parenthood. The wife humorously complains about sleep deprivation and frequent pregnancies, while the husband playfully tries to coax her into expanding their family further. Lyricist Vaali weaves authentic Tamil Brahmin socio-lect and cultural nuances into MSV's lighthearted, multi-tempo musical arrangement.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-letter rhyme)

“Engaaththukku mappilla nee / Ongaaththukku maattuponnu naan”

The second consonant 'nga' rhymes between 'Engaaththukku' and 'Ongaaththukku'.

Iyaipu (End-rhyme)

“Ammaadi poraattamthaan / Maamigal kummaalamthaan”

Both lines end with the rhyming suffix 'thaan'.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Vekkam enna sakkaraikatti”

The husband affectionately addresses his wife as 'sakkaraikatti' (sugar cube) to denote sweetness.

Socio-dialectal Vocabulary (Iyalbu Navitchi)

“Panjakachcham angavasthiram... Aambadaiyaanum aambadaiyaalum”

Uses specific colloquial Brahminical Tamil vocabulary ('Aaththu', 'Aambadaiyaan', 'Panjakachcham') to ground the song in its cultural context.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the film 'Kudumbam Oru Kadhambam' (1981) directed by S. P. Muthuraman and written by renowned playwright Visu, the song picturizes Pratap Pothen and Suhasini. It stands out for its unique multi-stage narrative structure—moving from wedding to romance to parenthood within a single song track composed by M. S. Viswanathan.

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