- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- L. R. Eswari, P. Jayachandran
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Naan Avan Illai (1974)
- Movie release year
- 1974
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Nov 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Mandhara Malare is a romantic duet from the film Naan Avan Illai (1974). The song features a playful interaction between the male protagonist, who is adopting a Keralite alter-ego (Harihara Iyer), and his love interest, Ammukutti. Through a blend of Malayalam-infused Tamil phrases, the lyrics express poetic romance, playfully likening their love to divine rituals dedicated to Manmatha (the Hindu god of love). The dialogue-style song captures early moments of intimacy, courtship, and mutual devotion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Jeevitha saagaraththil nyaan paai maram”
Life is compared to an ocean ('Jeevitha saagaram'), where the husband acts as the sail mast guiding through and the wife as his lifelong companion.
Apostrophe / Personification
“Manthaara malarae manthaara malarae”
Addressing the beloved metaphorically as a 'Mandhara flower' and a 'prancing parrot' to convey grace and affection.
Rhyme and Assonance (Monai / Etukai)
“Kunkumam aniyum munnaalae / Koondhal vaarum munnaalae”
The lyrics use pleasing end-rhymes and initial consonant rhyming across lines such as 'Kunkumam' and 'Koondhal', or 'Sundhara purushan' and 'Sangathi paraiyaan'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Naan Avan Illai (1974), directed by K. Balachander and starring Gemini Ganesan, features the protagonist adopting nine different disguises to deceive women. In this song sequence, Gemini Ganesan plays a Keralite character, which inspired lyricist Kannadasan to write lines blending Tamil and Malayalam syntax and vocabulary.
Keep listening
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