Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maavaalae Seithapillai

From Thanga Gopuram · 1971

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari, Anjali Kousalya
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Details
Thanga Gopuram1971

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Azhagano aringanoIs he handsome or is he a scholar?
Azhagano aringanoIs he handsome or is he a scholar?
Ariyavillai naanadiI do not know, my friend.
Aavathellam aanapinnaeOnce everything comes to pass,
Angae vanthu keladiCome there and ask me, my friend.
Female
Maanyam pona raajavukku maganadiHe is the son of a king who lost his kingdom, my friend.
Female :Antha madhurai veera saami pola mugamadiHis face is like that of the deity Madurai Veeran, my friend.
Female :Maanyam pona raajavukku maganadiHe is the son of a king who lost his kingdom, my friend.
Female :Antha madhurai veera saami pola mugamadiHis face is like that of the deity Madurai Veeran, my friend.
Females :Thiruchanthoor dheebam pola kannaadiEyes bright like the lamp of Tiruchendur, my friend!
Thiruchanthoor dheebam pola kannaadiEyes bright like the lamp of Tiruchendur, my friend!
Un Thirumanaththil avanai paarththu kannadiLook at him at your wedding and wink!
Female
Anubavam enna anubavamWhat an experience, oh what an experience!
Unthan anubavanthaan enakkum indru arimugamYour experience is my introduction to it today.
Female
Palliyilae sugam tharuvaan nenjukkuHe will give delight in the bedchamber to the heart,
Female :Nalla paruvaththilae saanthi varum pennukkuPeace comes to a woman at the right age.
Female :Palliyilae sugam tharuvaan nenjukkuHe will give delight in the bedchamber to the heart,
Female :Nalla paruvaththilae saanthi varum pennukkuPeace comes to a woman at the right age.
Female
Iravu varum inbam varum eppothumNight will come and joy will always come,
Aanaal irandu pillai pirantha pinnae mukkonamBut after two children are born, life becomes a triangle.
Female
Ooho….sariyammaa nalla kadhaiyammaOoho... that is right, mother, a fine story indeed!
Nalla samayaththilae thoovi vitta vidhaiyammaIt is a seed sown at the right time, mother!
Female
Kadhal malar malarumunnae oru manamBefore the flower of love blossoms, there is one mind.
Female :Pin kanniyaaga valarumpothu iru manamLater, as she grows into a maiden, there are two minds.
Female :Kadhal malar malarumunnae oru manamBefore the flower of love blossoms, there is one mind.
Female :Pin kanniyaaga valarumpothu iru manamLater, as she grows into a maiden, there are two minds.
Female
Mmheem ooho ooho…..konjam therinthathumMmheem ooho ooho... having understood a little,
Mmheem ooho ooho…..konjam therinthathumMmheem ooho ooho... having understood a little,
Un bothanaiyaal manathum konjam malarnthathuBy your teaching, my mind has also blossomed a bit.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful, conversational song captures a dialogue among women preparing a young girl for marital life and maturity. The lyrics blend humor with practical folk wisdom, describing the groom's heroic appearance like deity Madurai Veeran and eyes like the Tiruchendur temple lamp. Kannadasan beautifully details the progression of a woman's life from innocence to romance, physical closeness, and the responsibilities of motherhood. Through friendly counsel, the young woman gains insight into womanhood, leading her mind to blossom with new understanding.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Antha madhurai veera saami pola mugamadi / Thiruchanthoor dheebam pola kannaadi

Compares the groom's face to the deity Madurai Veeran and his eyes/glance to the glowing lamp of Tiruchendur temple using 'pola'.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Kadhal malar malarumunnae oru manam / Nalla samayaththilae thoovi vitta vidhaiyamma

Metaphorically equates love to a blossoming flower ('Kadhal malar') and wise advice to a sown seed ('thoovi vitta vidhai').

Rhyme & Rhythm (Edhugai / Monai)

Palliyilae sugam tharuvaan nenjukku / Nalla paruvaththilae saanthi varum pennukku

Uses rhyming line endings ('aringano / azhagano', 'nenjukku / pennukku') to create a playful folk song rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

Thanga Gopuram (1971) featured music composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu. Lyricist Kannadasan cleverly uses folk metaphors and traditional marital counsel themes to craft a lighthearted yet deep song about womanhood.

Keep listening

More from Thanga Gopuram