- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Makkalai Petra Magarasi
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 17 Sept 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This iconic Tamil folk-style song is a step-by-step guide and celebration of traditional agriculture in Tamil Nadu. Sung from the perspective of an experienced farmer encouraging young agricultural workers, the song details every phase of cultivation—from selecting specialized regional bulls (Manapparai) and plows (Mayavaram), choosing rich paddy varieties (Attur Kichadi Samba), irrigating using traditional water lifts, harvesting with farm hands from Madurai, selling at Pollachi market to Virudhunagar merchants, and finally entrusting the hard-earned money to the mother of the household for wise financial management. The overall theme emphasizes the dignity of labor, honest hard work, regional specialization in Tamil agricultural practices, and the matriarchal wisdom in household financial management where a mother can multiply small savings into great wealth ('aara nooru aakkuvaanga').
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyam)
“Ponnu velaiyira boomiyadaa…”
Comparing fertile agricultural soil directly to gold ('Ponnu velaiyira boomiyadaa'), highlighting the inherent value of arable land.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Manappaara maadu katti / Maayavaram yaeru pootti”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Manappaara' and 'Maayavaram', where both have 'na/ya' patterns, or 'Aathooru' and 'Paathu').
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Chinna kannu ... Chella kannu”
Repetition of end refrain 'Chinna kannu' and 'Chella kannu' across multiple stanzas, creating an affectionate rhythmic rhythm.
Hyperbole / Idiomatic Expression
“Avanga aara nooru aakkuvaanga”
The phrase 'aara nooru aakkuvaanga' (turning six into six hundred) is a traditional Tamil hyperbole praising household financial efficiency and motherly resourcefulness.
Did you know?
Trivia
S. V. Sahasranamam starrer 'Makkalai Petra Magarasi' (1957) featured music composed by K. V. Mahadevan with vocals by T. M. Soundararajan. Written by A. Maruthakasi, this song remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous cultural anthems celebrating agricultural geography, listing specific Tamil towns renowned for specific agricultural goods: Manapparai for cattle, Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram) for plows, Attur for Samba rice, Pollachi for markets, and Virudhunagar for merchants.
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