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Kannin Manigal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Manidhiramo Maayamo

From Kannin Manigal · 1956

Lyricist
Kambadasan
Singer
Saroja
Music director
S. V. Venkatraman
Movie name
Kannin Manigal
Movie release year
1956
Lyrics added on
29 Jul 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae
Enna marunthu vachchirukkaano puriyallae
Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae
Enna marunthu vachchirukkaano puriyallae
Sonnaalum kekkaamae aaduthu
Enna sonnaalum kekkaamae aaduthu
Aththaan pinnaalae thannaalae oduthu
Manam sonaalaum kekkaama aaduthu
Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae
Enna marunthu vachchirukkaano puriyallae
Ennaatha ennamum ennuthu
Adhu yaettikku pottiyaai yaedhetho pannuthu
Ingumangum engum suththuthu
Avan iruppidam theriyaamae yaemaanthu thavikkuthu
Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae
Enna marunthu vachchirukkaano puriyallae
Is it a spell or magic? I do not know,
What love charm he has cast on me, I do not understand.
Is it a spell or magic? I do not know,
What love charm he has cast on me, I do not understand.
Even if I warn it, it refuses to listen and dances,
No matter what I say, it refuses to listen and dances,
All on its own, it runs after my beloved,
My heart refuses to listen to anything and keeps dancing...
Is it a spell or magic? I do not know,
What love charm he has cast on me, I do not understand.
It thinks of things it had never imagined before,
It acts so stubbornly and does all kinds of strange things,
It wanders here, there, and everywhere,
Not knowing where he is, it ends up disappointed and yearns in distress,
Is it a spell or magic? I do not know,
What love charm he has cast on me, I do not understand.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song expresses the overwhelming feelings of a woman deeply in love. Playfully wondering if her beloved has cast a spell or fed her a secret love potion, she describes how her restless heart no longer listens to reason and constantly wanders off in search of him.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Refrain / Anaphora

“Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae”

The line 'Manthiramo maayamo theriyallae' is repeated throughout the song to emphasize her central dilemma and confusion caused by love.

Internal Rhyme / Alliteration (Iyaibu & Etukai)

“Ingumangum engum suththuthu”

The quick rhythmic repetition of 'Ingumangum engum' uses matching nasal sounds ('ng') to represent the frantic, restless movement of her heart.

Metaphor

“Enna marunthu vachchirukkaano puriyallae”

Comparing love to 'marunthu' (potion/medicine) and 'manthiram' (spell) illustrates the intoxicating, uncontrollable nature of romantic attraction.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by S. V. Venkatraman for the 1956 film 'Kannin Manigal', the song features lyrics by the renowned poet Kambadasan, whose folk-style phrasing gained immense popularity in early Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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