Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Enkitta Mothathe album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Hey Maama

From Enkitta Mothathe · 1990

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Enkitta Mothathe
Movie release year
1990
Lyrics added on
2 Aug 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ye maamaa onna thaan
Ninnaa aagaadhaa
Eppa thaan kannaalam
Sonnaa aagaadhaa
Oru thaekkula senjadhu pola
On dhaegam ammaadi
On tholula saanjadhu pola
Oru ennam aathaadi
Ye maamaa onna thaan
Ninnaa aagaadhaa
Eppa thaan kannaalam
Sonnaa aagaadhaa
En maarbilae nee saayanum
Mundhaanaiyaal naan moodanum
Thaai pola naan thaalaattanum
Kan moodiyae nee thoonganum
Naan mattum paakka thaan
Neeyum neeyaanae
Nee mattum paakka thaan
Naanum aalaanen
Maamaa un kaal patta
Mannellaam ponnaachu
Onnoda naan vandhaa
Nenjellaam poovaachae
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paatta
Oru paattaa kelaiyaa
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paatta
Oru paattaa kelaiyaa
Ye maamaa onna thaan
Ninnaa aagaadhaa
Eppa thaan kannaalam
Sonnaa aagaadhaa
Oru thaekkula senjadhu pola
On dhaegam ammaadi
On tholula saanjadhu pola
Oru ennam aathaadi
Thanneerilae neeraadinaa
Angaeyum nee poraadura
Em paattuku naan paadinaa
Pinpaattu nee yen paadura
Kannaala paathaalae
Kaayam undaagum
Kaiyaala nee thottaa
Dhaegam ennaagum
Kaathodu naathaaga
Em mela veesaadhae
Aathaadi maaraappa
Kaiyaala vaangaadhae
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paatta
Oru paattaa kelaiyaa
Dhenam raathiri naan padum paatta
Oru paattaa kelaiyaa
Ye maamaa onna thaan
Ninnaa aagaadhaa
Eppa thaan kannaalam
Sonnaa aagaadhaa
Oru thaekkula senjadhu pola
On dhaegam ammaadi
On tholula saanjadhu pola
Oru ennam aathaadi
Ye maamaa onna thaan
Ninnaa aagaadhaa
Eppa thaan kannaalam
Sonnaa aagaadhaa
Hey mama, I'm calling out to you!
Can't you just stop for a moment?
When is our wedding going to be?
Won't you just tell me?
As if carved from solid teak wood,
oh goodness, what a body you have!
As if I am resting on your shoulder,
oh my, what a feeling this is!
Hey mama, I'm calling out to you!
Can't you just stop for a moment?
When is our wedding going to be?
Won't you just tell me?
You should lean upon my chest,
and I should cover you with my saree veil.
I want to sing you a lullaby like a mother,
and you should close your eyes and sleep.
Only for my eyes to behold,
you grew into the man you are.
Only for your eyes to behold,
I blossomed into a woman.
Mama, every bit of soil your feet touched
has turned into pure gold!
Whenever I walk by your side,
my entire heart blooms like a flower!
The longing I suffer through every night,
won't you listen to it as a song?
The longing I suffer through every night,
won't you listen to it as a song?
Hey mama, I'm calling out to you!
Can't you just stop for a moment?
When is our wedding going to be?
Won't you just tell me?
As if carved from solid teak wood,
oh goodness, what a body you have!
As if I am resting on your shoulder,
oh my, what a feeling this is!
When I take a bath in the water,
you tease and play with me even there!
When I sing all by myself,
why do you join in and sing along?
Just a single glance from your eyes
leaves a sweet wound in me.
If you reach out and touch me with your hand,
what will become of my body?
Like a soft melody near my ear,
don't let your warm breath blow over me!
Oh dear, don't reach out with your hands
to take the veil from my chest!
The longing I suffer through every night,
won't you listen to it as a song?
The longing I suffer through every night,
won't you listen to it as a song?
Hey mama, I'm calling out to you!
Can't you just stop for a moment?
When is our wedding going to be?
Won't you just tell me?
As if carved from solid teak wood,
oh goodness, what a body you have!
As if I am resting on your shoulder,
oh my, what a feeling this is!
Hey mama, I'm calling out to you!
Can't you just stop for a moment?
When is our wedding going to be?
Won't you just tell me?
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Ye Maamaa Onna Thaan' is a vibrant and romantic folk-style song from the 1990 Tamil movie 'Enkitta Mothathe'. The song captures the playful banter, intense yearning, and affectionate devotion of a village woman towards her beloved suitor ('Maama'). She expresses her impatience for their upcoming marriage, admiring his strong physique and imagining intimate moments where she nurtures him with motherly tenderness. As the lyrics progress, the tone deepens into sensory romanticism. She describes how his gaze and touch overwhelm her emotions, turning everyday moments and sleepless nights into poetic longing. Penned by Pulamaipithan, the song beautifully blends earthy Tamil colloquialisms with tender expressions of love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai Ani (Simile)

“Oru thaekkula senjadhu pola / On dhaegam ammaadi”

Compares the sturdy physique of the beloved directly to a structure crafted from teakwood using the explicit comparative word 'pola'.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“En maarbilae nee saayanum / Mundhaanaiyaal naan moodanum / Thaai pola naan thaalaattanum / Kan moodiyae nee thoonganum”

Consecutive lines end with the rhyming suffix '-num' (saayanum, moodanum, thaalaattanum, thoonganum), creating a lyrical flow.

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Maamaa un kaal patta / Mannellaam ponnaachu”

Metaphorically describes how the earth touched by his feet turns to gold, symbolizing the auspiciousness and joy his presence brings.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi Ani)

“Kannaala paathaalae / Kaayam undaagum”

An exaggeration where a mere look from the lover's eyes is said to inflict a physical wound.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Ye Maamaa Onna Thaan' features in the 1990 Tamil action-drama film 'Enkitta Mothathe', directed by R. Sundarrajan, starring Vijayakanth, Shobana, and Kushboo. The film's soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by veteran poet Pulamaipithan, known for his rich folk and classical Tamil vocabulary.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Manasukkulle1990
Mallu Vetti MinorCourtshipRomantic Union
Silai Vannam Yaro1982
Hitler UmanathCourtshipDesire
Kannang Karunguyil1986
JeevanadhiAttractionDevotion
Theno Paalo Neeyo Nano1980
Othaiyadi PaathaiyileDesireAttraction
Koo Koo Endru Kuyil Koovaadhu1987
Kadhal ParisuCourtshipDesire
Aanantha Maalai Tholserum1987
Dhoorathu PachaiDevotionDesire

From the same album

More songs from Enkitta Mothathe

View album
Sariyo Sariyo Naan1990
Enkitta MothatheRomantic
Onnodu Rendunnu1990
Enkitta MothathePlayful
Kai Veesamma Kai Veesu1990
Enkitta MothatheCheerful
Ivan Veeran Sooran1990
Enkitta MothatheCelebratory
Anju Paisa Pathu Paisa1990
Enkitta MothatheDefiant

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.