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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maamanukku Mylapore Thaan

From Velaikaran · 1987

Lyricist
Mu. Metha
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Velaikaran1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Male
Paathikittadhu mambalathulaThey saw each other in Mambalam
Palagikittadhu tambarathulaThey got acquainted in Tambaram
Maalai ittadhu mannadiyilaThey exchanged garlands in Mannady
Anaichu kittadhu aavadiyila doii…They embraced each other in Avadi, oh!
Male
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Hei heiHei hei
Male
Kuyiloda naan paadanumI need to sing with the cuckoo
Mayiloda naan aadanum..heiI need to dance with the peacock..hei
Adiyae nee meenatchiyaaHey girl, are you Meenakshi?
Azhagaaana kaamatchiyaaAre you the beautiful Kamakshi?
Male
Yaaru ingae maharaaniWho here is the Empress?
Yaaru ingae yuvaraaniWho here is the Princess?
Gyaani kuda vazhi maariEven a wise sage would lose his way
Poga venum sudhi yeriAnd go astray as the pitch rises
Male
KathurathilaeIn the shouting
Kathura pullaiya …The screaming child...
SuthurathilaeIn the spinning around
Chorus :Suthala suthalaChorus: Spinning around, spinning around
Male
Vethala vellaIs the betel leaf white?
Vethala vethalaBetel leaf, betel leaf
Pathala konjamIt is not enough, a little bit
Chorus :Pathala pathalaChorus: Not enough, not enough
Male
Sattunu thandhaIf given instantly
thandhuru thandhuruGive it, give it
Jamunnu vandhaIf coming smartly
Vandhuru vandhuruCome, come
Male
Tamizha..telunga..urudhaIs it Tamil... Telugu... or Urdu?
Manmadha kalaikku baashaillaeThe art of love has no language!
Male
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Enga mamanukku mylapore thaanFor our Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Male
Paathikittadhu mambalathulaThey saw each other in Mambalam
Palagikittadhu tambarathulaThey got acquainted in Tambaram
Maalai ittadhu mannadiyilaThey exchanged garlands in Mannady
Anaichu kittadhu aavadiyila doii…They embraced each other in Avadi, oh!
Chorus
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Chorus
Hoi hoi hoi hoi hoiHoi hoi hoi hoi hoi
Hoi hoi hoi hoi hoiHoi hoi hoi hoi hoi
Male
Manasoram malligapooAt the edge of the heart, a jasmine flower
Madi mela sendhamarai… aaOn the lap, a red lotus... ah
Sirichaalae shenbagapooIf she smiles, it is a Champak flower
Sevakkudhamma un nenaippuYour memory makes one blush, my dear
Male
Vaazha venum sugamaagaWe must live happily
Vazhga inga nalamaagaMay we live here in good health
Yaaru enna edhukaagaWho cares about who, and for what?
Naama inga namakaagaWe are here for ourselves
Male
Kettadhu illaeNever asked
Kettadha kettadhaDid you ask? Did you ask?
Thottadhu illaeNever touched
Chorus :Thottadhu thottadhuChorus: Touched it, touched it
Male
Thottadhu illaeNever touched
Thottadhu thottadhuChorus: Touched it, touched it
Vittadhu illaeNever let go
Chorus :Vitturu vitturuChorus: Leave it, leave it
Male
Pattunu vandhaIf it comes suddenly
Thatti kudukanumOne should pat gently
Sattunu vandhaIf it comes instantly
Katti pudikanaumOne should hug tightly
Male
Thirunthi varunthi irundhaIf one repents and feels sorry
Chithira guptanum vanthiduvanEven Chitragupta will come down
Male
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Male
Paathikittadhu mambalathulaThey saw each other in Mambalam
Palagikittadhu tambarathulaThey got acquainted in Tambaram
Maalai ittadhu mannadiyilaThey exchanged garlands in Mannady
Anaichu kittadhu aavadiyila doii…They embraced each other in Avadi, oh!
Male
Mamanukku mylapore thaanFor Uncle, it is Mylapore
Unga maamiku andha chithirakulamdhaanFor your Aunt, it is that Chitrakulam pond
Hei hei heiHei hei hei
Chorus
Lala lalla lalla lallla laaaLala lalla lalla lallla laaa
lala lala lalla lalla lalla laalala lala lalla lalla lalla laa
Lala lalla lalla lallla laaaLala lalla lalla lallla laaa
lala lala lalla lalla lalla laalala lala lalla lalla lalla laa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Mamanukku Mylapore Thaan' is a joyful and vibrant folk-pop track from the 1987 Tamil film Velaikaran. The lyrics playfully track a romantic journey across various iconic neighborhoods of Chennai (Mylapore, Mambalam, Tambaram, Mannady, Avadi), using local geography as a backdrop for a playful courtship story. The song celebrates joy, love, and living life to the fullest without linguistic or societal barriers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming) / Geographical Rhyme

Paathikittadhu mambalathula / Palagikittadhu tambarathula / Maalai ittadhu mannadiyila / Anaichu kittadhu aavadiyila doii…

The lyricist uses famous Chennai place names to create a rhythmic end-rhyme scheme (Mambalathula, Tambarathula, Mannadiyila, Aavadiyila).

Metaphor

Manasoram malligapoo / Madi mela sendhamarai… aa / Sirichaalae shenbagapoo

Comparing bodily expressions and emotions to specific flowers like jasmine, red lotus, and champak.

Rhetorical Question

Adiyae nee meenatchiyaa / Azhagaaana kaamatchiyaa

Playfully addressing the woman by comparing her to divine beauty figures (Meenakshi and Kamakshi).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Mu. Metha, this song became a hit track popularizing Chennai's iconic neighborhood names in Tamil film music.

Keep listening

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