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Thirumalai Thenkumari album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Madhurai Arasaalum

From Thirumalai Thenkumari · 1970

Lyricist
Ulunthur Pettai Shanmugam
Singers
Sirkazhi Govindarajan, L. R. Eswari, M. R. Vijaya
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
Movie name
Thirumalai Thenkumari
Movie release year
1970
Lyrics added on
24 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Thillayil aval peyar sivagaami
Thirukadavoorinilae abiraami
Thillayil aval peyar sivagaami
Thirukadavoorinilae abiraami
Nellayil arul tharuvaal gaandhimadhi
Nellayil arul tharuvaal gaandhimadhi
Annai aval allaal yaedhu gathi …..
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Thiripura sundhari seerkaazhiyilae
Male :Seerkaazhiyilae…..ae…aaa…aa…aa…aa…
Female :Thiripura sundhari seerkaazhiyilae
Sivasakthi paarvathi kailaiyilae
Thiripura sundhari seerkaazhiyilae
Sivasakthi paarvathi kailaiyilae
Varam tharum karpagamaai mayilaiyilae
Varam tharum karpagamaai mayilaiyilae
Manjamena nenjil vaazhbavalae
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Thiruvaerkaatinilae karumaari
Then pudhuvai nagarinile muthu maari
Thiruvaerkaatinilae karumaari
Then pudhuvai nagarinile muthu maari
Samayapuram thannil magamaayee
Samayapuram thannil magamaayee
Sowbaghyam thandhiduvaal maakaali
Sagala sowbaghyam thandhiduvaal maakaali
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Sa ga ga gaa ga gaa ga ga ga
Ri ma pa gaa ri
Ga ma ga ma ga ma
Ri ga sa ri ni ri sa
Ga ri sa nee da pa
Ni sa ga ri sa
Sa ri ma ga sa ni da sa
Sa ri ni pa ma pa
Sa ri ni sa ma ri pa
Pa da ni sa ma pa
Ni sa ga ri sa
Ri ga ri ga sa ri ni sa
Ni sa ri pa ga
Ri pa ma ga ri ga sa ri
Ni pa ga ri sa
Ga ma ga ma ri sa ri sa
Sa ri ri sa ri
Ni sa ri ma ga
Sa ni ri sa ni
Ma pa sa
Ma pa ri
Ga ri ri ga ri ri ga ri ri sa ni sa
Ga ri sa ni pa
Pa ma pa ni ni sa
Ni sa ga sa ga
Sa ga ma ga ma
Da ma ga ri sa
Ni sa ni da ma
Ga ma pa ni sa
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi
Madurai arasaalum meenakshi
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai,
Kamakshi in the great city of Kanchi,
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai,
Kamakshi in the great city of Kanchi,
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai.
In Thillai, her name is Sivakami,
in Thirukkadaiyur, she is Abhirami.
In Thillai, her name is Sivakami,
in Thirukkadaiyur, she is Abhirami.
In Nellai, she showers grace as Gandhimathi,
in Nellai, she showers grace as Gandhimathi.
Other than that Mother, what refuge do we have?
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai,
Kamakshi in the great city of Kanchi,
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai.
Tripura Sundari in Sirkazhi,
Male: In Sirkazhi... aa...
Female: Tripura Sundari in Sirkazhi,
Shiva's Shakti, Parvati on Mount Kailash.
Tripura Sundari in Sirkazhi,
Shiva's Shakti, Parvati on Mount Kailash.
As Karpagam granting boons in Mylapore,
as Karpagam granting boons in Mylapore,
O Mother who makes our hearts your resting place!
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai,
Kamakshi in the great city of Kanchi,
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai.
In Thiruverkadu, she is Karumari,
in southern Puducherry, she is Muthu Mari.
In Thiruverkadu, she is Karumari,
in southern Puducherry, she is Muthu Mari.
In Samayapuram, she is Mahamayi,
in Samayapuram, she is Mahamayi.
Mahakali brings every form of good fortune,
Mahakali brings all kinds of good fortune!
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai.
Sa Ga Ga Gaa Ga Gaa Ga Ga Ga
Ri Ma Pa Gaa Ri
Ga Ma Ga Ma Ga Ma
Ri Ga Sa Ri Ni Ri Sa
Ga Ri Sa Nee Dha Pa
Ni Sa Ga Ri Sa
Sa Ri Ma Ga Sa Ni Dha Sa
Sa Ri Ni Pa Ma Pa
Sa Ri Ni Sa Ma Ri Pa
Pa Dha Ni Sa Ma Pa
Ni Sa Ga Ri Sa
Ri Ga Ri Ga Sa Ri Ni Sa
Ni Sa Ri Pa Ga
Ri Pa Ma Ga Ri Ga Sa Ri
Ni Pa Ga Ri Sa
Ga Ma Ga Ma Ri Sa Ri Sa
Sa Ri Ri Sa Ri
Ni Sa Ri Ma Ga
Sa Ni Ri Sa Ni
Ma Pa Sa
Ma Pa Ri
Ga Ri Ri Ga Ri Ri Ga Ri Ri Sa Ni Sa
Ga Ri Sa Ni Pa
Pa Ma Pa Ni Ni Sa
Ni Sa Ga Sa Ga
Sa Ga Ma Ga Ma
Dha Ma Ga Ri Sa
Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Pa Ni Sa
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai,
Kamakshi in the great city of Kanchi,
Meenakshi, who rules over Madurai.
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This devotional hymn from Thirumalai Thenkumari celebrates the omnipresence and various manifestations of the Supreme Goddess (Shakthi) across iconic South Indian pilgrimage sites. The song praises how the Mother Goddess resides as Meenakshi in Madurai, Kamakshi in Kanchipuram, Sivagami in Chidambaram, Abirami in Thirukaddavoor, and Gandhimathi in Tirunelveli, asserting that there is no supreme refuge other than Her. As the lyrics progress, they pay tribute to Tripura Sundari of Sirkazhi, Parvathi of Mount Kailash, Karpagambal of Mylapore, Karumari of Thiruverkadu, Muthu Maari of Puducherry, Magamayee of Samayapuram, and Mahakali who bestows all prosperity. The song emphasizes that despite different names and temples, She is the singular divine mother residing in the hearts of devotees, concluding with energetic Carnatic swara passages (solkattu) celebrating Her glory.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emoni (Anaphora / Initial Rhyme)

“Madurai arasaalum meenakshi / Maanagar kaanchiyilae kaamaakshi”

The repetition of similar consonant/vowel sounds at the beginning of consecutive lines, such as 'Madurai' and 'Maanagar' or 'Thillayil' and 'Thirukadavoorinilae'.

Edhai (Second letter rhyming)

“Thillayil aval peyar sivagaami / Thirukadavoorinilae abiraami”

A key classical Tamil poetic convention where the second letter of adjoining lines shares the same consonant sound ('da' in Madurai, 'na' in Maanagar / 'll' in Thillayil, 'ru' in Thirukadavoorinilae).

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Thillayil aval peyar sivagaami / Thirukadavoorinilae abiraami”

Matching end sounds in successive lines, such as 'Meenakshi' and 'Kaamaakshi', or 'Sivagaami' and 'Abiraami'.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Manjamena nenjil vaazhbavalae”

Comparing the heart of the devotee to a divine throne or bed ('manjam') where the mother goddess resides.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed for the 1970 Tamil devotional travelogue film 'Thirumalai Thenkumari' directed by A. P. Nagarajan, this song features music composed by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and lyrics by Ulunthurpettai Shanmugam. The track was sung by P. Susheela and Seerkazhi Govindarajan, serving as a popular devotional anthem celebrating prominent Shakthi temples across Tamil Nadu.

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