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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Madurai Nagarinile Meenal

From Nandri · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Raju Jayaram, Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Nandri
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
17 Jun 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Madhurai nagarinilae meenaal ninaivinilae
Sokkanthaan pakkanthaan vanthaan nerilae
Vairakkal mookkuththi kannil minna
Vaikaasi veyyil pol kanna minna
Oohhha….ooo….o….oohhha….
Madhurai nagarinilae meenaal ninaivinilae
Sokkanthaan pakkanthaan vanthaan nerilae
Vairakkal mookkuththi kannil minna
Vaikaasi veyyil pol kanna minna
Oohhha….ooo….o….oohhha….
Amman koyil theppamthaan
Allikkeni pushpamthaan
Ellaorum etti paarkkum
Ellora sirpamthaam
Amman koyil theppamthaan
Allikkeni pushpamthaan
Ellaorum etti paarkkum
Ellora sirpamthaam
Mani thamizh santhamthaan
Valaiyaadum osaigal
Manatthinil niththamthaan
Vilaiyaadum aasaigal
Ammammaa nee vanthaal
Anantham pongaatho
Ammammaa nee vanthaal
Anantham pongaatho
Madhurai nagarinilae meenaal ninaivinilae
Sokkanthaan pakkanthaan vanthaan nerilae
Male :Vairakkal mookkuththi kannil minna
Female :Aahaan
Male :Vaikaasi veyyil pol kanna minna
Madhurai nagarinilae meenaal ninaivinilae
Male :Sokkanthaan pakkanthaan vanthaan nerilae
Thennanjolai ennaiththaan
Thendral neeyum pinnaththaan
Naanenna sollakoodum
Endrum nee en aththaan
Eduththathu konjamthaan
Enakkettara thevaigal
Thaduththathu kaiyaiththaan
Alangaara aadaigal
Neyendral naanendru
Arththangal aagaatho
Neyendral naanendru
Arththangal aagaatho
Madhurai nagarinilae
Female :Oho
Male :Meenaal ninaivinilae
Female :Oho
Male :Sokkanthaan pakkanthaan vanthaan nerilae
Female :Vairakkal mookkuththi kannil minna
Vaikaasi veyyil pol kanna minna
Oo….oohho ohho
Female :Oo….ooho oho
Both :Oo….ooho oho
Oo….ooho oho
In the city of Madurai, thinking of Meenakshi,
Lord Chokkanathan came right to her side in person.
With her diamond nose stud sparkling before the eyes,
Shining bright like the midsummer sun, my love!
Ooh-ha... oo... oh... ooh-ha...
In the city of Madurai, thinking of Meenakshi,
Lord Chokkanathan came right to her side in person.
With her diamond nose stud sparkling before the eyes,
Shining bright like the midsummer sun, my love!
Ooh-ha... oo... oh... ooh-ha...
She is like the goddess temple's sacred pond,
and a fresh blossom from Allikeni.
She is like a sculpture of Ellora,
that everyone stops to gaze upon in wonder.
She is like the goddess temple's sacred pond,
and a fresh blossom from Allikeni.
She is like a sculpture of Ellora,
that everyone stops to gaze upon in wonder.
Like the sweet rhythm of precious Tamil,
is the sound of jingling bangles.
Every single day in the heart,
playful desires dance around.
Oh my dear, if you come to me,
won't pure joy overflow?
Oh my dear, if you come to me,
won't pure joy overflow?
In the city of Madurai, thinking of Meenakshi,
Lord Chokkanathan came right to her side in person.
Male: With her diamond nose stud sparkling before the eyes,
Female: Aha!
Male: Shining bright like the midsummer sun, my love!
In the city of Madurai, thinking of Meenakshi,
Male: Lord Chokkanathan came right to her side in person.
I am like a coconut grove,
and you, the gentle breeze, wrap around me.
What more could I say?
You are forever my beloved.
What you took was only a little,
though my desires reach far and wide.
The only thing that held back your touch
were these decorative clothes.
If saying 'you' truly means 'me',
doesn't that mean we are one?
If saying 'you' truly means 'me',
doesn't that mean we are one?
In the city of Madurai,
Female: Oho!
Male: Thinking of Meenakshi,
Female: Oho!
Male: Lord Chokkanathan came right to her side in person.
Female: With her diamond nose stud sparkling before the eyes,
Shining bright like the midsummer sun, my love!
Oo... oo-ho o-ho...
Female: Oo... oo-ho o-ho...
Both: Oo... oo-ho o-ho...
Oo... oo-ho o-ho...
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This romantic duet draws vivid divine and cultural metaphors to express deep love and adoration between a couple. Comparing their union to the divine pair of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar (Sokkan) of Madurai, the song weaves imagery of temple float festivals, Ellora sculptures, and pure Tamil poetry to celebrate the beauty of the beloved. The lovers express how their lives attain true harmony and completeness only when they come together as one.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Vaikaasi veyyil pol kanna minna

Compares the brilliance of the lover's eyes/looks to the bright summer sun of the Tamil month Vaikaasi ('Vaikaasi veyyil pol').

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Ellora sirpamthaam

Metaphorically compares the heroine to an Ellora sculpture, a temple float, and a lily flower to highlight her classic Indian beauty.

Iyaibu (Rhyming Endings)

Amman koyil theppamthaan

Uses matching rhyming suffixes ('theppamthaan', 'pushpamthaan', 'sirpamthaam') across lines to create a rhythmic, melodic structure.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Nandri' (1984) is a Tamil drama film directed by Rama Narayanan, featuring music composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics authored by the legendary poet Vaali.

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