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Aayiram Kalathu Payir album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Maamaa Pillai Maapille

From Aayiram Kalathu Payir · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, S. Janaki
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Movie name
Aayiram Kalathu Payir
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
27 Aug 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Mama pillai maappillai
Maalaiyittaan thoppilae
Mama pillai maappillai
Maalaiyittaan thoppilae
Jaadhi sanam paakkalae….ae…
Thadai irunthum ninaikalae
Mama pillai maappillai
Maalaiyittaan thoppilae
Ammaa ponnu raajaaththi
Azhagu kaattum kannaadi
Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae
Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae
Azhagu kaattum kannaadi
Thottu vanthaa pinnaadi….ee….
Thodarnthu vanthaa munnaadi
Ammaa ponnu raajaaththi
Azhagu kaattum kannaadi
Poo mudichchaan thalaiyilae
Pottu vachchaan mugaththilae
Poo mudichchaan thalaiyilae
Pottu vachchaan mugaththilae
Katti vachchaan kaiyilae
Kalanthu vittaan nenjilae
Mama pillai maappillai
Maalaiyittaan thoppilae
Katti vellam maambalam
Karaichchu vachcha thaen kudam
Katti vellam maambalam
Karaichchu vachcha thaen kudam
Vetti vittaa kannilae….ae…
Naan vizhanthu vittaen pennilae
Ammaa ponnu raajaaththi
Azhagu kaattum kannaadi
Maanang kaakka saelaiyum
Manasu pola purushanum
Sernthu vantha ponnukku
Dheivanth thonum kannukku
Kootti vachcha kadavalae
Kodi kaalam vaazhgavae
Vaazha vaiththa kadavulae
Vaazhga vaazhgavea
Vaazha vaiththa kadavulae
Vaazhga vaazhgavea
Mama pillai maappillai
Maalaiyittaan thoppilae
Ammaa ponnu raajaaththi
Azhagu kaattum kannaadi
My uncle's son, my bridegroom,
Garlanded me in the grove.
My uncle's son, my bridegroom,
Garlanded me in the grove.
He didn't care about caste or kin,
Though obstacles stood in the way, he didn't hesitate.
My uncle's son, my bridegroom,
Garlanded me in the grove.
Mother's darling girl, a princess,
A mirror showing her beauty.
The woven flowers haven't even withered yet,
The bindi placed on her forehead hasn't faded yet,
A mirror showing her beauty,
She came touching me from behind,
And then walked right ahead in front.
Mother's darling girl, a princess,
A mirror showing her beauty.
He placed flowers in my hair,
He put a bindi on my forehead,
He placed flowers in my hair,
He put a bindi on my forehead,
He held me firmly by the hand,
And blended into my heart.
My uncle's son, my bridegroom,
Garlanded me in the grove.
Like sweet jaggery and ripe mango,
Like a pot of honey blended smooth,
Like sweet jaggery and ripe mango,
Like a pot of honey blended smooth,
She cast a sharp glance from her eyes,
And I fell completely for this girl.
Mother's darling girl, a princess,
A mirror showing her beauty.
A saree to protect her dignity,
And a husband after her own heart—
For a woman blessed with both,
God Himself appears before her eyes.
O God who brought us together,
May You be praised for ages to come!
O God who gave us this life,
May You be praised forever and ever!
O God who gave us this life,
May You be praised forever and ever!
My uncle's son, my bridegroom,
Garlanded me in the grove.
Mother's darling girl, a princess,
A mirror showing her beauty.
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic duet from the 1963 film 'Aayiram Kalathu Payir' expresses the joyful romance and deep marital devotion between a newlywed couple. The heroine sings fondly of her groom (her maternal uncle's son in traditional cross-cousin marriage fashion), praising his courage to marry her despite societal barriers and family opposition. She delights in his tender gestures—decorating her hair with flowers and applying a bindi on her forehead. In turn, the hero praises her sweet demeanor and beauty, comparing her to jaggery, mango, and honey. The song concludes with a sacred reflection on marriage, noting that a woman who is blessed with dignity and a loving husband of her choice sees the divine in her life, offering gratitude to God for uniting them.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edukai (Second letter rhyming)

“Katti vachcha poovum vaadavillaiyae / Thottu vachcha pottum innum maaravillaiyae”

The second consonant 'tt' rhymes across consecutive lines 'Katti vachcha poovum' and 'Thottu vachcha pottum'.

Uvamaani / Metaphor

“Katti vellam maambalam / Karaichchu vachcha thaen kudam”

The heroine's sweetness is metaphorically compared to delicacies like solid jaggery (katti vellam), sweet mango (maambalam), and a pot of dissolved honey (karaichchu vachcha thaen kudam).

Monnai (Initial letter alliteration)

“Maanang kaakka saelaiyum / Manasu pola purushanum”

Initial consonant sound 'M' repeats across words 'Maanang', 'Manasu', and 'Maalaiyittaan'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The title 'Aayiram Kalathu Payir' refers to an ancient Tamil proverb describing marriage as a crop cultivated to last for a thousand seasons. Kannadasan's lyrics in this film beautifully reflect traditional Tamil rural wedding customs, including cross-cousin marriage (Mama pillai).

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