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Isaimozhi
Viswanath album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Mama Naan Unakku

From Viswanath · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
K. S. Chithra
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Viswanath
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
31 May 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Mama naan unakku machini illa
Anne naan unakku thangachi illa
Thambi naan unakku akka illa
Thatha naan unakku pethiyum illa
Selathula naan chinnakili
Chennaiyila naan annakili
Kovaiyila naan pachakili
Ootyla un ichakkili
Pani vaada kaathu oru
Pollaatha pokkiri
Angange kuthuthayyaa
Gundoosi maathiri
Unai vittaa naan potha
Verethu kambali
Vayasu pen sonnaakkaa
Ok nu sammathi
Boomi poosai senjuputtu
Paalum pazhamum vachukittu
Enna thottu veedu kattu
Kottum paaru nottu kattu
Vittaachu vetkam vanthaachu pakkam
Thottaachu naanum veluthu vaangu
Mama naan unakku machini illa
Anne naan unakku thangachi illa
Thambi naan unakku akka illa
Thatha naan unakku pethiyum illa
Manappaara maadirukku
Vandiyila poottanum
Thanjavur thavilirukku
Vaasichi kaattanum
Hey dhindukkal vethalaikku
Sunnaambu poosanum
Thaambulam pottukittu
Thaniyaaga pesanum
Poga poga soodu yerum
Soodu yera moodu maarum
Moodu maara sodi serum
Sodi sera sorgalogam
Achaaramellaam vachaachu ipo
Kacheri neeyum nadathu mama
Mama naan unakku machini illa
Anne naan unakku thangachi illa
Thambi naan unakku akka illa
Thatha naan unakku pethiyum illa
Selathula naan chinnakili
Chennaiyila naan annakili
Kovaiyila naan pachakili
Ootyla un ichakkili
Mister, I am not your sister-in-law
Brother, I am not your younger sister
Little brother, I am not your elder sister
Grandpa, I am not your granddaughter either
In Salem, I am a little parrot
In Chennai, I am a graceful parrot
In Kovai, I am a green parrot
In Ooty, I am your loving parrot
The chilly winter wind
is a wicked troublemaker
It keeps poking me here and there
just like a sharp pin
Besides you, to keep me warm,
where is another blanket?
When a young girl asks you this,
just say yes and agree
Perform the ground-breaking rituals,
set out the milk and fruits,
touch me and build your home,
and watch bundles of cash rain down!
I have cast away my shyness and come close,
I have touched you too, now give it your best!
Mister, I am not your sister-in-law
Brother, I am not your younger sister
Little brother, I am not your elder sister
Grandpa, I am not your granddaughter either
We have the bulls from Manapparai,
they must be hitched to the cart
We have the thavil drum from Thanjavur,
you must play a lively beat on it
On the betel leaf from Dindigul,
you must smear the lime
Chewing the prepared betel leaf,
we must talk together in private
As time goes on, the heat will rise,
as the heat rises, the mood will change,
as the mood changes, the couple will unite,
and when the couple unites, it is pure heaven!
The advance deposit has been paid now,
so start up the concert, mister...
Mister, I am not your sister-in-law
Brother, I am not your younger sister
Little brother, I am not your elder sister
Grandpa, I am not your granddaughter either
In Salem, I am a little parrot
In Chennai, I am a graceful parrot
In Kovai, I am a green parrot
In Ooty, I am your loving parrot...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Mama Naan Unakku Machini Illa' is a playful and romantic folk-style track from the 1996 movie Viswanath, composed by Deva and written by Vaali. In the song, the female protagonist playfully rejects traditional non-romantic family relations (such as sister or granddaughter) to assert her position purely as the hero's lover. Through lively regional metaphors across Tamil Nadu—referencing Salem, Chennai, Coimbatore, Ooty, Manapparai, Thanjavur, and Dindigul—she invites her partner to embrace intimacy and marriage without hesitation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Selathula naan chinnakili / Chennaiyila naan annakili”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines like Selathula, Chennaiyila, Kovaiyila.

Upamai (Simile)

“Angange kuthuthayyaa / Gundoosi maathiri”

Comparing the sharp prick of the biting winter wind to a pin poke ('Gundoosi maathiri').

Eydhugai (Second-letter Rhyme / Antadhi flow)

“Poga poga soodu yerum / Soodu yera moodu maarum / Moodu maara sodi serum”

Sequential chain-linking of ending phrases to start the next line ('soodu yerum -> Soodu yera -> moodu maarum -> Moodu maara').

Did you know?

Trivia

Lyricist Vaali cleverly incorporated famous geographic specialties of Tamil Nadu towns into courtship metaphors: Manapparai for sturdy bulls, Thanjavur for musical thavil drums, and Dindigul for betel leaves.

Keep listening

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