Manamaalai Izhandha Thaaye
From Pudhiya Pathai – 1960 · 1960
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Master Venu
- Details
- Pudhiya Pathai – 19601960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland, |
| Muga manjal azhintha thaayae | Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded, |
| Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae | Just because the body becomes a widow, |
| Manam vidhaiyaavathillai… | The mind does not become a sterile waste... |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland, |
| Muga manjal azhintha thaayae | Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded, |
| Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae | Just because the body becomes a widow, |
| Manam vidhaiyaavathillai… | The mind does not become a sterile waste... |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae… | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland... |
| Male | |
| Perumaiyaana deivam | They say our womanhood |
| Nam penmai endru solvaar | Is a glorious deity, |
| Perumaiyaana deivam | They say our womanhood |
| Nam penmai endru solvaar | Is a glorious deity, |
| Kovil padhumaiyaana deivamthaan | But only the idol deity in a temple |
| Vidhavaiyaavathillai | Never becomes a widow! |
| Male | |
| Oru mirugam podum soolam | They consider a pregnant animal |
| Nalla sagunam endru sollvaar | To be a good omen, |
| Than thunai izhantha pennai | Yet a woman who lost her companion, |
| Vegu thooram nirkka vaippaar | They force to stand far away! |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland, |
| Male | |
| Sirikka vendum thaayae | You should laugh, oh mother, |
| Ivar seyalai kandu neeyae…oo…ooo… | At these foolish acts of theirs... oo... ooo... |
| Sirikka vendum thaayae | You should laugh, oh mother, |
| Ivar seyalai kandu neeyae.. | At these foolish acts of theirs.. |
| Ezhil vadiththa vaazhvu padaithaai | You created a life sculpted with beauty, |
| Adhai padiththa moodar keduththaar | Which educated fools went and ruined! |
| Male | |
| Poongodiyil vidhavai illai | There are no widows among flowering vines, |
| Maan kulaththil vithavai illai | There are no widows among the deer species, |
| Paguththarivu konda maantharthaam | Only human beings who claim rational thought |
| Arivil vithavaiyaanaar | Have become widowed in their intellect! |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae.. | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland.. |
| Male | |
| Idhu puratchi kaanum ulagam | This is a world that witnesses revolution, |
| Dhinam pudhumai kaanum ulagam | A world that sees new dawns every day, |
| Idhu puratchi kaanum ulagam | This is a world that witnesses revolution, |
| Dhinam pudhumai kaanum ulagam | A world that sees new dawns every day, |
| Nee porukka vendum thaayae | You must bear this patiently, oh mother, |
| Oru pudhiya kaalam malarum | A new era will blossom! |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland, |
| Muga manjal azhintha thaayae | Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded, |
| Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae | Just because the body becomes a widow, |
| Manam vidhaiyaavathillai… | The mind does not become a sterile waste... |
| Male | |
| Manamaalai izhantha thaayae… | Oh mother who lost her wedding garland... |
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
முக மஞ்சள் அழிந்த தாயே
உடல் விதவையானதாலே
மனம் விதையாவதில்லை........
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Just because the body becomes a widow,
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
முக மஞ்சள் அழிந்த தாயே
உடல் விதவையானதாலே
மனம் விதையாவதில்லை........
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Just because the body becomes a widow,
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland...
பெருமையான தெய்வம்
நம் பெண்மை என்று சொல்வார்
பெருமையான தெய்வம்
நம் பெண்மை என்று சொல்வார்
கோவில் பதுமையான தெய்வம் தான்
விதவையாவதில்லை....
They say our womanhood
Is a glorious deity,
They say our womanhood
Is a glorious deity,
But only the idol deity in a temple
Never becomes a widow!
ஒரு மிருகம் போடும் சூலம்
நல்ல சகுனம் என்று சொல்வார்
தன் துணை இழந்த பெண்ணை
வெகு தூரம் நிற்க வைப்பார்......
They consider a pregnant animal
To be a good omen,
Yet a woman who lost her companion,
They force to stand far away!
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
சிரிக்க வேண்டும் தாயே......
இவர் செயலைக் கண்டு நீயே....ஓ...ஓ...
சிரிக்க வேண்டும் தாயே......
இவர் செயலைக் கண்டு நீயே
எழில் வடித்த வாழ்வு படைத்தாய்
அதைப் படித்த மூடர் கெடுத்தார்.....
You should laugh, oh mother,
At these foolish acts of theirs... oo... ooo...
You should laugh, oh mother,
At these foolish acts of theirs..
You created a life sculpted with beauty,
Which educated fools went and ruined!
பூங்கொடியில் விதவை இல்லை
மான் குலத்தில் விதவை இல்லை
பகுத்தறிவு கொண்ட மாந்தர்தாம்
அறிவில் விதவையானார்.....
There are no widows among flowering vines,
There are no widows among the deer species,
Only human beings who claim rational thought
Have become widowed in their intellect!
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland..
இது புரட்சி காணும் உலகம்
தினம் புதுமை காணும் உலகம்
இது புரட்சி காணும் உலகம்
தினம் புதுமை காணும் உலகம்
நீ பொறுக்க வேண்டும் தாயே
ஒரு புதிய காலம் மலரும்.........
This is a world that witnesses revolution,
A world that sees new dawns every day,
This is a world that witnesses revolution,
A world that sees new dawns every day,
You must bear this patiently, oh mother,
A new era will blossom!
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
முக மஞ்சள் அழிந்த தாயே
உடல் விதவையானதாலே
மனம் விதையாவதில்லை........
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Just because the body becomes a widow,
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
மணமாலை இழந்த தாயே
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland...
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Muga manjal azhintha thaayae
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae
Just because the body becomes a widow,
Manam vidhaiyaavathillai…
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Muga manjal azhintha thaayae
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae
Just because the body becomes a widow,
Manam vidhaiyaavathillai…
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae…
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland...
Perumaiyaana deivam
They say our womanhood
Nam penmai endru solvaar
Is a glorious deity,
Perumaiyaana deivam
They say our womanhood
Nam penmai endru solvaar
Is a glorious deity,
Kovil padhumaiyaana deivamthaan
But only the idol deity in a temple
Vidhavaiyaavathillai
Never becomes a widow!
Oru mirugam podum soolam
They consider a pregnant animal
Nalla sagunam endru sollvaar
To be a good omen,
Than thunai izhantha pennai
Yet a woman who lost her companion,
Vegu thooram nirkka vaippaar
They force to stand far away!
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Sirikka vendum thaayae
You should laugh, oh mother,
Ivar seyalai kandu neeyae…oo…ooo…
At these foolish acts of theirs... oo... ooo...
Sirikka vendum thaayae
You should laugh, oh mother,
Ivar seyalai kandu neeyae..
At these foolish acts of theirs..
Ezhil vadiththa vaazhvu padaithaai
You created a life sculpted with beauty,
Adhai padiththa moodar keduththaar
Which educated fools went and ruined!
Poongodiyil vidhavai illai
There are no widows among flowering vines,
Maan kulaththil vithavai illai
There are no widows among the deer species,
Paguththarivu konda maantharthaam
Only human beings who claim rational thought
Arivil vithavaiyaanaar
Have become widowed in their intellect!
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae..
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland..
Idhu puratchi kaanum ulagam
This is a world that witnesses revolution,
Dhinam pudhumai kaanum ulagam
A world that sees new dawns every day,
Idhu puratchi kaanum ulagam
This is a world that witnesses revolution,
Dhinam pudhumai kaanum ulagam
A world that sees new dawns every day,
Nee porukka vendum thaayae
You must bear this patiently, oh mother,
Oru pudhiya kaalam malarum
A new era will blossom!
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland,
Muga manjal azhintha thaayae
Oh mother whose facial turmeric has faded,
Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae
Just because the body becomes a widow,
Manam vidhaiyaavathillai…
The mind does not become a sterile waste...
Manamaalai izhantha thaayae…
Oh mother who lost her wedding garland...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This social reform song composed by Master Venu with lyrics by Kannadasan serves as a poignant critique of societal superstitions regarding widowhood in mid-20th-century Tamil society. The song empathetically comforts a young widowed mother, reassuring her that losing her husband physically does not diminish her soul, intellect, or fundamental value as a human being.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Wordplay / Pun (Sledai)
“Udal vidhavaiyaanathaalae / Manam vidhaiyaavathillai…”
Kannadasan cleverly contrasts 'vidhavai' (widow) with 'vidhai' (seed), asserting that a widowed body does not mean a mind devoid of potential or life.
Irony / Social Satire
“Oru mirugam podum soolam / Nalla sagunam endru sollvaar / Than thunai izhantha pennai / Vegu thooram nirkka vaippaar”
Points out the absurdity of society worshipping female temple idols and considering pregnant animals lucky while treating living human widows as ill-fated.
Nature Metaphor
“Poongodiyil vidhavai illai / Maan kulaththil vithavai illai”
Illustrates that nature makes no distinction or stigma of widowhood among plants and animals; only human intellect has become 'widowed' through prejudice.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written during the height of social reform movements in Tamil cinema, Kannadasan's lyrics reflect rationalist themes questioning ancient orthodoxy. The film 'Pudhiya Pathai' (1960) starring T. S. Balaiah and Saroja Devi dealt heavily with themes of widow remarriage and social upliftment.
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