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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Madura Pakkam En Machan

From Theru Vilakku · 1980

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
S. P. Sailaja, Kamal Haasan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Theru Vilakku1980

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Mmm…mm…mm…Mmm… mm… mm…
Haa….aaa…aa…aa…aa…Haa… aaa… aa… aa… aa…
Haa…aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…Haa… aa… aa… aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
Female
Madura pakkam en machaan ooruMy lover's town is near Madurai.
Akkam pakkam kann vachaan paaruLook, he cast his eyes all around.
Ada avarukkenna mayila kaalaAh, what grace he has, like a peacock!
Ennai mayakki puttaan makkaa naalaeHe mesmerized me within a couple of days.
Kai thottaan neiyaattam naan urugi ponenWhen he touched me, I melted like ghee.
Female
Madura pakkam en machaan ooruMy lover's town is near Madurai.
Akkam pakkam kann vachaan paaruLook, he cast his eyes all around.
Male
………………………..[Musical Interlude]
Male
Malaya thottu mazha megam odudhuRain clouds drift past, touching the mountain.
Manasa thottu oru mogam odudhuA longing drifts, touching my heart.
Saedhi solla oru aala theduthuIt searches for someone to convey the news.
Sodi saera oru nalla naala theduthuIt searches for a good day to pair up.
Male
Yeru munai thaan neera kizhikkaJust as the tip of a plow cuts through water,
Maaran anbu indha nenja kizhikkuthuLove from Cupid tears this heart apart.
Female
Ambu patta kaayam ingu irukkuHere lies the wound caused by the arrow,
Adhil enakkum pangirukkuAnd I too have a share in it.
Aagattum paalum thaenum kedaikaathoLet it happen, won't milk and honey be attained?
Male
Haa madhura pakkamHaa, near Madurai...
Female :AahaFemale: Aaha!
Male :Un machaan ooruMale: Your lover's town.
Un machaanum thaan kann vachaan paaruYour lover too cast his eyes, look!
Ava azhagagukkenna mayila polaWhat to say of her beauty, like a peacock!
Enna mayaki puttaa makkanaalaeShe mesmerized me within a couple of days.
Kannaalae kaduthaasi naan ezhudipottenI wrote a letter with my eyes.
Male
Madhura pakkam un machaan ooruYour lover's town is near Madurai.
Machaanum thaan kann vachaan paaruYour lover too cast his eyes, look!
Female
Iravu neram poora yekkam thonudhuYearning fills the entire night.
Enna kanda udan thookkam odudhuUpon seeing me, sleep runs away.
Female
Kaayum nila vandhu kiliya kothuthuThe glowing moon comes and pecks at the parrot.
Kaathum kooda vandhu enna kuthudhuEven the wind comes and pricks me.
Kaalam neram thaan kaalai adakkaTime and tide restrain the bull,
Saelai onnu thaan ennai adakkudhuOnly a saree restrains me.
Male
Kaalam varum rendu kai alakkaTime will come to embrace with both hands,
Azhagu mei alakkaTo measure the beautiful body,
Naanum thavikkiren adhukkaagaI too am yearning for that.
Female
Madura pakkam en machaan ooruMy lover's town is near Madurai.
Akkam pakkam kann vachaan paaruLook, he cast his eyes all around.
Male
Ava azhagagukkenna mayila polaWhat to say of her beauty, like a peacock!
Enna mayaki puttaa makkanaalaeShe mesmerized me within a couple of days.
Female
Nee thotta neiyaattum naan urugi ponenWhen you touched me, I melted like ghee.
Male
Haa madhura pakkamHaa, near Madurai...
Female :En machaan ooruFemale: My lover's town.
Male :Un machaanum thaanMale: Your lover too...
Female :Kann vachaan paaruFemale: Cast his eyes, look!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Madura Pakkam En Machaan Ooru from Theru Vilakku (1980) is a playful and romantic rural Tamil duet showcasing the mutual attraction and yearning between two lovers. The female protagonist fondly describes her lover from the Madurai region, expressing how his gaze and touch make her melt like ghee. The male protagonist responds by praising her peacock-like grace and describing the sleepless nights caused by his longing for her. Through rustic metaphors such as rain clouds over mountains, Cupid's arrows, and plows cutting water, Gangai Amaran crafts a vivid depiction of youthful love and joyful anticipation of togetherness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Kai thottaan neiyaattam naan urugi ponen

Compares the melting sensation of love to ghee melting when touched.

Simile (Upamai)

Ava azhagagukkenna mayila pola

Compares the beloved's grace and beauty to that of a peacock (mayil).

Personification

Enna kanda udan thookkam odudhu

Sleep is personified as a person running away upon seeing the protagonist.

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Malaya thottu mazha megam odudhu

Rhyming of the second letter 'la' in consecutive folk lines (Malaya / Manasa).

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics by Gangai Amaran highlight authentic Southern Tamil regional slang and colloquial phrasing (such as 'makkaa naalae' and 'neiyaattam') typical of folk romantic duets from 1980s Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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