Maalayil Yaro Manathodu
From Chatriyan · 1990
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Swarnalatha
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Chatriyan1990
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa | In the evening, someone speaks to the heart |
| Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa | The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently |
| Dhegam poothathae oh.. oo hoo | The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo |
| Mogam vanthatho.. | Has desire arrived? |
| Mogam vanthathum oh.. oo hoo | When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo |
| Mounam vanthatho.. | Did silence follow? |
| Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu | Oh my heart, write a song... |
| Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu | And write the hero's name in it... |
| Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa | In the evening, someone speaks to the heart |
| Female | |
| Varuvaan kaadhal devan endru | Saying that the lord of love will arrive |
| Kaatrum koora | As even the breeze proclaims |
| Varattum vaasal theedi indru | Let him come searching for the entrance today |
| Kaaval meera | Crossing all guards and limits |
| Female | |
| Valaiyal oosai raagamaga | With the sound of bangles playing as a rhythm |
| Isaithen vazhthu paadalai | I played/sang a song of greetings |
| Oru naal vanna maalai sooda | To wear a colorful garland one day |
| Valarthen aasai kaadhalai | I nurtured this longing love |
| Nenjamae paatezhuthu… uu | Oh my heart, write a song... |
| Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu | And write the hero's name in it... |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa | In the evening, someone speaks to the heart |
| Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa.. | The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently.. |
| Female | |
| Karaimel naanum kaatru vangi | Sitting on the shore taking in the breeze |
| Vinnai parkka | As I look at the sky |
| Kadalmeen kootam oodi vanthu | A school of ocean fish came swimming fast |
| Kannai parkka | To look into my eyes |
| Female | |
| Adada naanum meenai pola | Oh my, can I also live like a fish |
| Kadalil vaazhakoodumo | Living deep within the sea? |
| Alaigal velli aadai pola | Will the waves dance over my body |
| Udalin meethu aadumo | Like a shimmering silver dress? |
| Nenjamae paatezhuthu.. uu | Oh my heart, write a song... |
| Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu | And write the hero's name in it... |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa | In the evening, someone speaks to the heart |
| Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa | The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently |
| Dhegam poothathae oh.. oo hoo | The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo |
| Mogam vanthatho.. | Has desire arrived? |
| Mogam vanthathum oh.. oo hoo | When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo |
| Mounam vanthatho.. | Did silence follow? |
| Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu | Oh my heart, write a song... |
| Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu | And write the hero's name in it... |
| Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu | Oh my heart, write a song... |
| Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu | And write the hero's name in it... |
மாலையில் யாரோ மனதோடு பேச
மார்கழி வாடை மெதுவாக வீச
தேகம் பூத்ததே... ஓ ஓ ஓ
மோகம் வந்ததோ
மோகம் வந்ததும்... ஓ ஓ ஓ
மௌனம் வந்ததோ
நெஞ்சமே பாட்டெழுது...
அதில் நாயகன் பேரெழுது
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently
The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo
Has desire arrived?
When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo
Did silence follow?
Oh my heart, write a song...
And write the hero's name in it...
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
வருவான் காதல் தேவன் என்று
காற்றும் கூற
வரட்டும் வாசல் தேடி இன்று
காவல் மீற
Saying that the lord of love will arrive
As even the breeze proclaims
Let him come searching for the entrance today
Crossing all guards and limits
வளையல் ஓசை ராகமாக
இசைத்தேன் வாழ்த்துப்பாடலை
ஒரு நாள் வண்ண மாலை சூட
வளர்த்தேன் ஆசைக்காதலை
நெஞ்சமே பாட்டெழுது...
அதில் நாயகன் பேரெழுது
With the sound of bangles playing as a rhythm
I played/sang a song of greetings
To wear a colorful garland one day
I nurtured this longing love
Oh my heart, write a song...
And write the hero's name in it...
மாலையில் யாரோ மனதோடு பேச
மார்கழி வாடை மெதுவாக வீச
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently..
கறை மேல் நானும் காற்று வாங்கி
Sitting on the shore taking in the breeze
As I look at the sky
A school of ocean fish came swimming fast
To look into my eyes
விண்ணைப் பார்க்க
கடல் மீன் கூட்டம் ஓடி வந்து
கண்ணைப் பார்க்க
Oh my, can I also live like a fish
Living deep within the sea?
Will the waves dance over my body
Like a shimmering silver dress?
Oh my heart, write a song...
And write the hero's name in it...
அடடா நானும் மீனைப் போல
கடலில் வாழக்கூடுமோ
அலைகள் வெள்ளி ஆடை போல
உடலின் மீது ஆடுமோ
நெஞ்சமே பாட்டெழுது...
அதில் நாயகன் பேரெழுது
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently
The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo
Has desire arrived?
When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo
Did silence follow?
Oh my heart, write a song...
And write the hero's name in it...
Oh my heart, write a song...
And write the hero's name in it...
மாலையில் யாரோ மனதோடு பேச
மார்கழி வாடை மெதுவாக வீச
தேகம் பூத்ததே... ஓ ஓ ஓ
மோகம் வந்ததோ
மோகம் வந்ததும்... ஓ ஓ ஓ
மௌனம் வந்ததோ
நெஞ்சமே பாட்டெழுது...
அதில் நாயகன் பேரெழுது
Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently
Dhegam poothathae oh.. oo hoo
The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo
Mogam vanthatho..
Has desire arrived?
Mogam vanthathum oh.. oo hoo
When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo
Mounam vanthatho..
Did silence follow?
Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu
Oh my heart, write a song...
Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu
And write the hero's name in it...
Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
Varuvaan kaadhal devan endru
Saying that the lord of love will arrive
Kaatrum koora
As even the breeze proclaims
Varattum vaasal theedi indru
Let him come searching for the entrance today
Kaaval meera
Crossing all guards and limits
Valaiyal oosai raagamaga
With the sound of bangles playing as a rhythm
Isaithen vazhthu paadalai
I played/sang a song of greetings
Oru naal vanna maalai sooda
To wear a colorful garland one day
Valarthen aasai kaadhalai
I nurtured this longing love
Nenjamae paatezhuthu… uu
Oh my heart, write a song...
Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu
And write the hero's name in it...
Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa..
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently..
Karaimel naanum kaatru vangi
Sitting on the shore taking in the breeze
Vinnai parkka
As I look at the sky
Kadalmeen kootam oodi vanthu
A school of ocean fish came swimming fast
Kannai parkka
To look into my eyes
Adada naanum meenai pola
Oh my, can I also live like a fish
Kadalil vaazhakoodumo
Living deep within the sea?
Alaigal velli aadai pola
Will the waves dance over my body
Udalin meethu aadumo
Like a shimmering silver dress?
Nenjamae paatezhuthu.. uu
Oh my heart, write a song...
Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu
And write the hero's name in it...
Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa
In the evening, someone speaks to the heart
Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa
The cold Margazhi breeze blows gently
Dhegam poothathae oh.. oo hoo
The body has blossomed, oh.. oo hoo
Mogam vanthatho..
Has desire arrived?
Mogam vanthathum oh.. oo hoo
When desire arrived, oh.. oo hoo
Mounam vanthatho..
Did silence follow?
Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu
Oh my heart, write a song...
Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu
And write the hero's name in it...
Nenjamae.. paatezhuthu..uu
Oh my heart, write a song...
Athil nayagan perezhuthu…uu
And write the hero's name in it...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Maalaiyil Yaaro' from Chatriyan (1990) is a timeless melancholic love ballad expressing a young woman's deep romantic longing during a chilly evening in the Tamil month of Margazhi. As the cool breeze stirs her feelings, her body blossoms with desire, leaving her in a state of quiet, reflective silence. She urges her heart to compose songs dedicated to her hero, dreaming of his eventual arrival and their union. Throughout the song, nature reflects her internal emotional state—the ocean waves appear like a silver dress, and fish swim near the shore as if gazing into her eyes. The imagery vividly weaves together innocence, longing, and romantic fantasy, making it one of the most evocative songs in Tamil cinema.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moonaal / Alliteration
“Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa”
Repetition of the initial 'M' sound across words creates melodic rhythm.
Iyaibu / End Rhyme
“Maalaiyil yaaro manathoda pesa / Margazhi vaadai methuvaga veesa”
Matching end sounds ('pesa' and 'veesa') create a smooth rhyming couplet.
Personification
“Varuvaan kaadhal devan endru / Kaatrum koora”
Attributing human speech capabilities to the wind, depicting it as a messenger of love.
Upamai / Simile
“Alaigal velli aadai pola / Udalin meethu aadumo”
Direct comparison using 'pola' comparing ocean waves washing over her body to a glistening silver dress.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the context lists unknown credits, 'Maalaiyil Yaaro' was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung brilliantly by Swarnalatha. Swarnalatha won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her extraordinary vocal performance in this song.
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