- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. Janaki, Malaysia Vasudevan, Vijayaramani
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Thanneer Thanneer
- Movie release year
- 1981
- Lyrics added on
- 20 Jan 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Naam kumbittomae
Mandhaiyilae maariyaayi
Mala maela maayavarae
Indhirarae sooriyarae
Ippa mazhai peiya vaenum
Ippa mazhai peiya vaenum
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Naam kumbittomae
Chittiraiyil paarthu vittom
Chella mazhai peiyavillae
Chella mazhai peiyavillae
Aippasiyil paarthuvittom
Adai mazhai peiyavillae
Adai mazhai peiyavillae
Ammaavae jekkammaavae
Un kannu pattaa
Summaavae peiyum paaraen
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Aa…. matta malai aiyanaarae
Maavootthu vaelavarae
Mazhaiya yerakki vidu vandha
Pasi theertthu vaikka
Ammaadi muthu maari un kannu pattaa
Maasathukku moonu maari
Un kannu pattaa
Maasathukku moonu maari
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Oosi pola minni minni
Oor sezhikka peiyum mazhai
Vaasalilae peiya vaiyammaa
Yae jekkammaa vaanam paartha
Bhoomi idhammaa
Yae jekkammaa vaanam paartha
Bhoomi idhammaa
Yaer pidikkum thambi ellaam
Yaengi yaengi nikkaaga
Aang….yaengi yaengi nikkakaaga
Kaar velaiya seiya vaenumae
Yae jekkammaa karisakkaadu velaiya vaenumae
Yae jekkammaa karisakkaadu
Velaiya vaenumae
Vaeliyila kala parichu
Veral neraiya koppalangal
Yaezhiyaiyum thoonga vittomae
Yae jekkammaa veragu vetti vaazha vandhomae
Yae jekkammaa veragu vetti
Vaazha vandhomae
Pathu varushamadi
Pachcha thanni paarthadhillae
Muthu muthaa peiya venumae yae jekkammaa
Yaeri kulam neraiya vaenumae
Yae jekkammaa yaeri kulam
Neraiya vaenumae
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Panjan keda paavan keda
Yengun kodi manjal vara
Pongum nadhi vellam varanum
Nalla maanam madhi dhaanam keda
Maarum kalai gnaanam kedum
Thonumbadi vellam varanum….m
Thonumbadi vellam varanum
Thonumbadi vellam varanum….
Thonumbadi vellam varanum
Adi amma unai kaettomadi
Kammaakkarai neerodida
Un paarvaiyum ingae varanum
Nee thottaa sugam vittaa pasi
Kottaa vidu kittaadhadi
Kottum mazhai kondae tharanum
Kottum mazhai kondae tharanum
Kottum mazhai kondae tharanum
Kottum mazhai kondae tharanum
Maegam thiraludhadi
Minniruttu kammudhadi
Innum karukkudhadi
Eesaana moolaiyilae
Naam kumbittomae
Mandhaiyilae maariyaayi
Mala maela maayavarae
Indhirarae sooriyarae
Ippa mazhai peiya vaenum
Ippa mazhai peiya vaenum
Lu lu lu lu lu lu….
Lu lu lu lu lu lu….
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
We prayed with folded hands!
O Mariamma in the village square,
O Lord on top of the hill,
O Rain God Indra, O Sun God,
it must rain right now!
It must rain right now!
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
We prayed with folded hands!
We waited through the hot summer month,
not a gentle drop of rain fell!
Not a gentle drop of rain fell!
We waited through the monsoon season,
the heavy downpour never came!
The heavy downpour never came!
O Mother, O Goddess Jakkamma,
if your kind eyes look upon us,
just look, it will pour with ease!
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
Ah... O Lord Ayyanar of Matta Hill,
O Lord Muruga of Mavuthu,
send down the rain
to end this hunger that has struck us!
O dear Muthu Mariamman, if your kind eye looks upon us,
it will rain three times every month!
If your kind eye looks upon us,
it will rain three times every month!
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
Flashing sharp like needles of light,
the rain that brings prosperity to the village,
make it pour right at our doorstep, Mother!
O Jakkamma, this is land
that depends only on the sky for life!
O Jakkamma, this is land
that depends only on the sky for life!
All our brothers holding the plough
stand here waiting with aching longing!
Ah... they stand waiting with aching longing!
The monsoon farming must begin,
O Jakkamma, the black-soil fields need to yield crops!
O Jakkamma, the black-soil fields
need to be worked and harvested!
From clearing wild weeds along the fences,
our fingers are covered in blisters!
We could not even let the poor sleep in peace,
O Jakkamma, we have ended up cutting firewood to survive!
O Jakkamma, by cutting firewood,
we have ended up trying to survive!
It has been ten long years, girl,
since we even saw fresh drinking water!
It must pour down like pearls, O Jakkamma,
the lakes and ponds must fill to the brim!
O Jakkamma, the lakes and ponds
must fill to the brim!
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
Let famine perish and misery end,
may endless abundance bloom everywhere,
a surging flood of river water must arrive!
Before honor, wisdom, and charity are lost,
and our living arts and learning fade away,
a mighty flood of rain must come to save us!
A mighty flood of rain must come to save us!
A mighty flood of rain must come to save us!
A mighty flood of rain must come to save us!
O Mother, we cry out and plead with you,
so water flows high along the lake banks,
your compassionate glance must fall on us!
Your touch brings comfort, your absence brings hunger,
without a downpour, relief will never reach us,
you must bring and grant us pouring rain!
You must bring and grant us pouring rain!
You must bring and grant us pouring rain!
You must bring and grant us pouring rain!
The clouds are gathering, girl!
A deep darkness is spreading across the sky!
It is growing even darker!
In the northeast corner of the sky!
We prayed with folded hands!
O Mariamma in the village square,
O Lord on top of the hill,
O Rain God Indra, O Sun God,
it must rain right now!
It must rain right now!
Lu lu lu lu lu lu...
Lu lu lu lu lu lu...
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant folk song from the landmark film 'Thanneer Thanneer' (1981) depicts the desperate prayers of drought-stricken villagers suffering from extreme water scarcity in rural Tamil Nadu. Addressing village deities like Mariyamman, Jekkamma, and Ayyanar, as well as elemental gods like Indra and Surya, the villagers plead for rain to revive their parched black-soil lands and fill their dried-up lakes. They describe the physical hardship of hard labor, blistered hands, and ten long years without clean water.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Repetition (Edupai / Adduku)
“Maegam thiraludhadi”
The line 'Maegam thiraludhadi / Minniruttu kammudhadi' serves as a recurring refrain emphasizing the gathering storm clouds and the desperate hope for rain.
Upamai (Simile)
“Oosi pola minni minni”
Comparing the sharp, bright flashes of lightning to fine needles ('Oosi pola minni minni').
Uruvagaim / Metaphor
“Muthu muthaa peiya venumae yae jekkammaa”
Describing raindrops metaphorically as precious pearls falling from the heavens ('Muthu muthaa peiya venumae').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Thanneer Thanneer' (1981), directed by K. Balachander based on Komal Swaminathan's play, is a critical classic addressing systemic drought, governmental neglect, and political corruption in rural Tamil Nadu. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by Kavinar Kannadasan.
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