Kalai Maane
From Kadal Meengal · 1981
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Kadal Meengal1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Maanae oru mangala sippi | Oh deer, an auspicious oyster |
| Un thaayae | is your mother, |
| Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae | and you arrived like a precious pearl. |
| Thaai mugathai nee paarkka | As you look at your mother's face, |
| Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen | whose face shall I look at? |
| Thaai mugathai nee paarkka | As you look at your mother's face, |
| Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen | whose face shall I look at? |
| Kalai maanae ae…ae…..ae….ae….ae…. | Oh stag... |
| Maanae oru mangala sippi | Oh deer, an auspicious oyster |
| Un thaayae | is your mother, |
| Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae | and you arrived like a precious pearl. |
| Female | |
| Nee oru padiyil | On a single step, |
| Mella nadandhaai maganae | you walked softly, my son. |
| Naan dhinam vananga | For me to worship daily, |
| Thunai purindhaan avanae | He (God) helped us. |
| Annanum illai thangaiyum illai | There is no elder brother, nor a younger sister, |
| Annaiyai yandri sondhamum illai | except for mother, there is no other relative. |
| Unnai thaan naan paarthen | I looked at only you, |
| Ennai thaan nee paarthaal | and if she looks at me, |
| Edhir kaalamellaam nalla velicham | the future will be full of bright light. |
| Female | |
| Maanae oru mangala sippi | Oh deer, an auspicious oyster |
| Un thaayae | is your mother, |
| Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae | and you arrived like a precious pearl. |
| Thaai mugathai nee paarkka | As you look at your mother's face, |
| Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen | whose face shall I look at? |
| Female | |
| Nee pala padigal | You are at an age to jump with joy |
| Thulli maghizhum paruvam | across many steps, |
| En kadhai muzhudhum | this is the moment |
| Solli mudikkum tharunam | to finish telling my entire story. |
| Female | |
| Vaanathai nambi vanna nilavu | The colorful moon relies on the sky, |
| Pillaiyai nambi annai uravu | a mother's relationship relies on her child. |
| Sangangal per koora | As academies speak of your fame, |
| Maalaigal seer paada | and garlands sing praise of prosperity, |
| Edhir kaalamellaam nalla velicham | the future will be full of bright light. |
| Female | |
| Kalai maanae oru mangala sippi | Oh stag, an auspicious oyster |
| Un thaayae | is your mother, |
| Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae | and you arrived like a precious pearl. |
| Thaai mugathai nee paarkka | As you look at your mother's face, |
| Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen | whose face shall I look at? |
| Kalai maanae ae….ae….ae…ae….ae….ae… | Oh stag... |
| Maanae oru mangala sippi | Oh deer, an auspicious oyster |
| Un thaayae | is your mother, |
| Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae | and you arrived like a precious pearl. |
மானே ஒரு மங்கள சிப்பி
உன் தாயே
மணி முத்தென வந்தவன் நீயே
தாய் முகத்தை நீ பார்க்க
யார் முகத்தை நான் பார்ப்பேன்
தாய் முகத்தை நீ பார்க்க
யார் முகத்தை நான் பார்ப்பேன்
கலை மானே ஏ....... ஏ...... ஏ....... ஏ....... ஏ......
மானே ஒரு மங்கள சிப்பி
உன் தாயே
மணி முத்தென வந்தவன் நீயே
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
is your mother,
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
As you look at your mother's face,
whose face shall I look at?
As you look at your mother's face,
whose face shall I look at?
Oh stag...
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
is your mother,
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
நீ ஒரு படியில்
மெல்ல நடந்தாய் மகனே
நான் தினம் வணங்க
துணை புரிந்தான் அவனே
அண்ணனும் இல்லை
தங்கையும் இல்லை
அன்னையையன்றி
சொந்தமும் இல்லை
உன்னைத்தான் நான் பார்த்தேன்
என்னைத்தான் நீ பார்த்தாய்
எதிர் காலமெல்லாம் நல்ல வெளிச்சம்
On a single step,
you walked softly, my son.
For me to worship daily,
He (God) helped us.
There is no elder brother, nor a younger sister,
except for mother, there is no other relative.
I looked at only you,
and if she looks at me,
the future will be full of bright light.
மானே ஒரு மங்கள சிப்பி
உன் தாயே
மணி முத்தென வந்தவன் நீயே
தாய் முகத்தை நீ பார்க்க
யார் முகத்தை நான் பார்ப்பேன்
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
is your mother,
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
As you look at your mother's face,
whose face shall I look at?
நீ பல படிகள்
துள்ளி நடக்கும் பருவம்
என் கதை முழுதும்
சொல்லி முடிக்கும் தருணம்
You are at an age to jump with joy
across many steps,
this is the moment
to finish telling my entire story.
வானத்தை நம்பி வண்ண நிலவு
பிள்ளையை நம்பி அன்னை உறவு
சங்கங்கள் பேர் கூற
மாலைகள் சீர் பாட
எதிர் காலமெல்லாம் நல்ல வெளிச்சம்
The colorful moon relies on the sky,
a mother's relationship relies on her child.
As academies speak of your fame,
and garlands sing praise of prosperity,
the future will be full of bright light.
கலை மானே ஒரு மங்கள சிப்பி
உன் தாயே
மணி முத்தென வந்தவன் நீயே
தாய் முகத்தை நீ பார்க்க
யார் முகத்தை நான் பார்ப்பேன்
கலை மானே ஏ....... ஏ...... ஏ....... ஏ....... ஏ......
மானே ஒரு மங்கள சிப்பி
உன் தாயே
மணி முத்தென வந்தவன் நீயே
Oh stag, an auspicious oyster
is your mother,
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
As you look at your mother's face,
whose face shall I look at?
Oh stag...
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
is your mother,
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Maanae oru mangala sippi
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
Un thaayae
is your mother,
Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Thaai mugathai nee paarkka
As you look at your mother's face,
Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen
whose face shall I look at?
Thaai mugathai nee paarkka
As you look at your mother's face,
Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen
whose face shall I look at?
Kalai maanae ae…ae…..ae….ae….ae….
Oh stag...
Maanae oru mangala sippi
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
Un thaayae
is your mother,
Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Nee oru padiyil
On a single step,
Mella nadandhaai maganae
you walked softly, my son.
Naan dhinam vananga
For me to worship daily,
Thunai purindhaan avanae
He (God) helped us.
Annanum illai thangaiyum illai
There is no elder brother, nor a younger sister,
Annaiyai yandri sondhamum illai
except for mother, there is no other relative.
Unnai thaan naan paarthen
I looked at only you,
Ennai thaan nee paarthaal
and if she looks at me,
Edhir kaalamellaam nalla velicham
the future will be full of bright light.
Maanae oru mangala sippi
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
Un thaayae
is your mother,
Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Thaai mugathai nee paarkka
As you look at your mother's face,
Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen
whose face shall I look at?
Nee pala padigal
You are at an age to jump with joy
Thulli maghizhum paruvam
across many steps,
En kadhai muzhudhum
this is the moment
Solli mudikkum tharunam
to finish telling my entire story.
Vaanathai nambi vanna nilavu
The colorful moon relies on the sky,
Pillaiyai nambi annai uravu
a mother's relationship relies on her child.
Sangangal per koora
As academies speak of your fame,
Maalaigal seer paada
and garlands sing praise of prosperity,
Edhir kaalamellaam nalla velicham
the future will be full of bright light.
Kalai maanae oru mangala sippi
Oh stag, an auspicious oyster
Un thaayae
is your mother,
Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Thaai mugathai nee paarkka
As you look at your mother's face,
Yaar mugaththai naan paarppen
whose face shall I look at?
Kalai maanae ae….ae….ae…ae….ae….ae…
Oh stag...
Maanae oru mangala sippi
Oh deer, an auspicious oyster
Un thaayae
is your mother,
Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae
and you arrived like a precious pearl.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Maanae Oru Mangala Sippi' from Kadal Meengal (1981) is a soulful parental ballad written by Kannadasan. A loving father sings to his young child, describing the child as a rare pearl birthed by an auspicious mother oyster. The song captures the father's tender reflections on grief, hope, and his devotion to his son in the absence of a complete family unit. As the child grows and learns to walk, the father expresses hope that their future will be illuminated with happiness, respect, and reunion. He draws beautiful analogies to nature, comparing the bond of mother and child to that between the sky and the glowing moon.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagham)
“Maanae oru mangala sippi / Un thaayae”
The mother is metaphorically described as an auspicious oyster ('mangala sippi') that houses the child.
Simile (Uvamaani)
“Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae”
The child's birth is compared to a precious gem pearl ('Mani muthena vandhavan neeyae').
Parallelism & Monai (Alliteration)
“Vaanathai nambi vanna nilavu / Pillaiyai nambi annai uravu”
Parallel structural poetic reasoning contrasting sky/moon and child/mother relationships.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kadal Meengal (1981) stars Kamal Haasan in a dual role as father and son. The film's music was composed by K. Chakravarthy, and the lyrics were penned by the legendary poet Kannadasan.
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