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Lyrics & meaning

Mandram Vandha

From Mouna Ragam · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Mouna Ragam1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aaa…aaa…aaa…aahaaAaa…aaa…aaa…aahaa
Aaa…aaa…aaa…aahaa…aaa…aaaAaa…aaa…aaa…aahaa…aaa…aaa
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Thottavudan suttadhenna kattazhaguWhy did this sculpted beauty burn upon touch,
Vatta nilavo kannae yen kannaeThis round full moon, my dear, my dear?
Boopaalamae koodadhennum vaanam undo soll..Tell me, is there a sky that says the morning raga (Boopaalam) is forbidden?
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Male
Medaiyai polae vaazhkai allaLife is not like a theatre stage,
Naadagam aanadhum vilaghi sellaTo simply walk away once the play ends.
Odayai polae uravum allaRelationships are not like a flowing stream,
Paadhaigal maariyae payanam sellaTo change paths and journey onward separately.
Vinnodudhaan ulaavum velli vanna nilaavumEven the silver-colored moon travels together with the sky;
Yennodu nee vandhaal yenna… vaa…What if you came along with me... come...
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Thottavudan suttadhenna kattazhaguWhy did this sculpted beauty burn upon touch,
Vatta nilavo kannae yen kannaeThis round full moon, my dear, my dear?
Boopaalamae koodadhennum vaanam undo soll..Tell me, is there a sky that says the morning raga is forbidden?
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Male
Thaamarai melae neerthuli polLike a droplet of water sitting on a lotus leaf,
Thalaivanum thalaiviyum vaazhvadhennaWhy should the husband and wife live without touching/bonding?
Nanbarghal polae vaazhvadharkuIf we are only to live like mere friends,
Maalaiyum melamum thevaiyennaWhy were the wedding garland and drums ever needed?
Sondhangalae illaamal bandha paasam kollaamalWithout family ties and without embracing affection and love,
Poovae un vaazhkaidhaan yenna soll…O flower, what kind of life is yours? Tell me...
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?
Thottavudan suttadhenna kattazhaguWhy did this sculpted beauty burn upon touch,
Vatta nilavo kannae yen kannaeThis round full moon, my dear, my dear?
Boopaalamae koodadhennum vaanam undo soll..Tell me, is there a sky that says the morning raga is forbidden?
Male
Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam varaIs there no heart/space, my beloved, my beloved, for the breeze that reached the courtyard to rest on the bed?
Nenjam illaiyo anbae yen anbaeIs there no heart, my beloved, my beloved?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Mandram Vandha Thendralukku is a poignant tender ballad from Mani Ratnam's classic 1986 film Mouna Ragam. Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and penned by Vaali, the song is sung on the wedding night by Chandrakumar (played by Mohan) to his newlywed wife Divya (played by Revathi), who enters the marriage unwillingly and refuses intimacy due to her past emotional baggage. Chandrakumar expresses his pain with gentle dignity, asking why she remains as distant and unattached as a droplet of water resting on a lotus leaf. He questions the point of marriage rites if they are to live merely as distant acquaintances, pleading gently for her to open her heart to his love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Thaamarai melae neerthuli pol

Compares living together in cold detachment to a droplet of water resting on a lotus leaf ('Thaamarai melae neerthuli pol'), which touches the surface but never blends with it.

Upamai (Simile)

Medaiyai polae vaazhkai alla

Employs a simile stating life is not like a theatrical stage where actors leave once the performance is over.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam vara

Metaphorically compares the gentle husband longing for marital closeness to a breeze arriving at the wedding courtyard seeking a nuptial bed.

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Mandram vandha thendralukku manjam vara

Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where the second letter of consecutive words matches ('Mandram' / 'Manjam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt mentions Unknown, this iconic masterwork was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. The song features a world-famous opening saxophone motif that powerfully captures the melancholic atmosphere of the scene. It remains one of the most celebrated songs in Tamil cinema history.

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