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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ennai Mannikka

From Maadi Veettu Mappillai · 1967

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
T. Chalapathi Rao
Details
Maadi Veettu Mappillai1967

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Aatrangarai solai amaithiyaana maalaiA riverside grove, a tranquil evening,
Kaatru varum velai kan moodi kidanthenWhen the breeze blew softly, I lay there with my eyes closed.
Paartha oru kaalai pakkathil amarthaanA handsome youth I noticed came and sat by my side.
Bayantheno naanum parivodu paarthen (Dialouge)Was I afraid? Yet, I looked at him with affection.
Female
Ennai manikka vendum kanniyarePlease forgive me, young maiden,
Antha mayakathin porul ennaWhat is the true meaning of that intoxication?
Avan sonnthu pol naan nadanthenI acted just as he asked me to,
Antha tholviyin sugamennaWhat joy is there in the sweetness of that surrender!
Female
Mella ennai anaithaanGently he embraced me,
Melaaga pidithaanHe held me delicately from above,
Kalla na marukka kaniyaanen suvaiyaaga (Dialouge)Though I feigned refusal, I yielded sweetly like a ripe fruit.
Female
Athu ondra irandaaIs it just one or two things?
Ondra irandaa nadanthathai ellamTo tell you all that happened, one after another,
Ungalidam sollaTo share it all with you,
Antha odamum nathiyum poga pogaAs that boat and river drifted further away,
Thoongiviten mella…. haanI slowly drifted off to sleep... haan.
Female
Ennai manikka vendum kanniyarePlease forgive me, young maiden,
Antha mayakathin porul ennaWhat is the true meaning of that intoxication?
Avan sonnthu pol naan nadanthenI acted just as he asked me to,
Antha tholviyin sugamennaWhat joy is there in the sweetness of that surrender!
Female
Ennvo karpanaigalEndless imaginations,
Ethanaiyo arputhangalSo many wondrous miracles!
Kannai vizhithen naanWhen I opened my eyes,
Kaadhalanai kaanavilai (Dialouge)I could not find my lover anywhere!
Female
Azhuveno illai siripenoShould I weep or should I laugh?
Athai naanthane kaetenI asked myself that very question.
Antha anubavam ondre pothum pothumThat one experience alone is more than enough,
Avanukendre vaazhvenI will live only for him.
Female
Ennai manikka vendum kanniyarePlease forgive me, young maiden,
Antha mayakathin porul ennaWhat is the true meaning of that intoxication?
Avan sonnthu pol naan nadanthenI acted just as he asked me to,
Antha tholviyin sugamennaWhat joy is there in the sweetness of that surrender!
Female
Madhu kinnam maarinaalEven if the wine goblet changes,
Madhuvin suvai maarumaWill the taste of the wine ever change?
Pudhu pennai soodinaalEven if he weds a new maiden,
Pudhiya sugam thondruma (Dialouge)Will it yield a new kind of bliss?
Female
Avan meetiya veenaiyaiThe veena that he once played,
Marupadi meetta varuvaan ivvidameHe will surely come back here to strum it again.
Intha koottathil avanaiAmong this crowd, if you...
Paarkka nernthaal...happen to see him,
Koorungal ennidamePlease do inform me!
Female
Ennai manikka vendumPlease forgive me,
Ennai manikka vendumPlease forgive me,
Ennai manikka vendumPlease forgive me!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Ennai Manikka Vendum' from 'Maadi Veettu Mappillai' is a dramatic and emotional narrative delivered as a public performance/confession by the female protagonist. She reminisces about a magical, dreamlike evening by the riverbank where she yielded to the charm of her lover. She reflects on the sweetness of surrendering to love and the intoxication of that brief romantic encounter, which ended abruptly when she awoke to find him gone.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second Letter Assonance)

Mella ennai anaithaan / Melaaga pidithaan

The second letter 'l' (ல்) matches in 'Mella' and 'Melaaga', creating a melodic rhythmic harmony.

Metaphor

Avan meetiya veenaiyai marupadi meetta varuvaan ivvidame

The lover playing a music instrument is used as a metaphor for the lover rekindling passion in the heroine's heart and life.

Rhetorical Question & Analogy

Madhu kinnam maarinaal / Madhuvin suvai maaruma

Kannadasan uses the analogy of a wine vessel changing while the taste of wine remains the same to argue that true love remains unchanged regardless of external circumstances.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song features music composed by T. Chalapathi Rao for the 1967 film 'Maadi Veettu Mappillai', which starred M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. Sung with rich theatrical expression by legendary playback singer P. Susheela, the song combines sung lyrics with spoken 'dialogue' pauses to enhance the dramatic storytelling on stage within the film narrative.

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