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Aaravalli album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Maanamellam Pona Pinnae

From Aaravalli · 1957

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Tiruchi Loganathan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Movie name
Aaravalli
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
17 Feb 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maanamellaam pona pinnae
Vaazhvathuthaan oru vaazhvaa
Maanamellaam pona pinnae
Vaazhvathuthaan oru vaazhvaa
Selai kattum pombalaiyaal
Seerazhivae varalaamaa intha seerazhivae varalaamaa
Povoththu povoththu
Oh maavaa…oo….maavaa….ani
Naa paarya seppina vinalaethae
Povoththu povoththu
Oh maavaa…oo….maavaa….ani
Naa paarya seppina vinalaethae
Aaduromae thllaaduromae
Aambalainga pombalaikku adimaipattu
Aaduromae thllaaduromae
Aambalainga pombalaikku adimaipattu
Pettai kozhi etti
Koththum kaalam vanthathae
Seval thattu kettu thalai
Kuniya kaalam vanthathae
Pettai kozhi etti
Koththum kaalam vanthathae
Seval thattu kettu thalai
Kuniya kaalam vanthathae
Pengal attakaasam
Minji pogum kalam vanthae
Attakaasam minji pogum kaalam vanthae
Naama adangi odungi vaazha kaalam vanthathae
Naama adangi odungi vaazha kaalam vanthathae
Oduromae ippo oduromae
Oduromae ippo oduromae
Maadu pola vandiyizhuththu vaaduromae
Ippo vaaduromae
Oduromae ippo oduromae……
After losing all our self-respect,
is such a life even worth living?
After losing all our self-respect,
is such a life even worth living?
Because of a saree-wearing woman,
should such ruin come upon us? Should this ruin come upon us?
"Don't go, don't go,"
saying, "Oh my dear, oh my dear..."
My wife warned me, but I didn't listen!
"Don't go, don't go,"
saying, "Oh my dear, oh my dear..."
My wife warned me, but I didn't listen!
We dance and we stagger,
we men, enslaved by women!
We dance and we stagger,
we men, enslaved by women!
The hen steps forward and
pecks at us—the time has come!
The rooster loses its pride and bows
its head in shame—the time has come!
The hen steps forward and
pecks at us—the time has come!
The rooster loses its pride and bows
its head in shame—the time has come!
Women's tyranny
goes beyond all bounds—the time has come!
Their tyranny goes beyond all bounds—the time has come!
The time has come for us to live meek and humbled!
The time has come for us to live meek and humbled!
We run, now we run!
We run, now we run!
Pulling carts like oxen, we suffer and wither!
Now we suffer!
We run, now we run!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Maanamellaam Pona Pinnae from the 1957 Tamil film Aaravalli is a lighthearted, satirical song expressing the sorrow and utter loss of pride among men who have been subjugated by powerful women. The lyricist uses witty domestic allegories, such as hens pecking roosters and men pulling carts like oxen, to paint a humorous picture of reversed gender roles and male helplessness in the kingdom of Aaravalli.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Pettai kozhi etti koththum kaalam vanthathae

Compares dominant women to a hen pecking a rooster to signify the reversal of traditional authority.

Simile

Maadu pola vandiyizhuththu vaaduromae

Compares men's plight under female domination to oxen forced to pull heavy carts.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Aaduromae thllaaduromae / Oduromae ippo oduromae

The second letter 'du' rhymes across multiple verb forms (Aaduromae, Oduromae, Vaaduromae) creating a rhythmic comedic cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Aaravalli (1957) was based on a famous Tamil folk legend about seven sorceress sisters (Aaravalli and Sooravalli) who imprisoned men in their kingdom. Composed by G. Ramanathan, this song incorporates humorous folk rhythms along with Tamilized Telugu slang lines ('Naa paarya seppina vinalaethae') to highlight the comedic defeat of male characters.

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