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Manakanakku album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Manja Poosi Kulikkaiyilae

From Manakanakku · 1986

Lyricist
Panchu Arunachalam
Singer
P. Jayachandran
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Manakanakku
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
1 May 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Manja poosi kulikkaiyilae
Maranjirunthu paarththathundu
Maththapadi thappu yaedhum
Maman kitta undaa sollu
Thoongaiyilum un mugamthaan
Thoonguthadi en mansil
Kann vizhichchu paarkkumpothu
Kannukkullae nikkiriyae
Kann vizhichchu paarkkumpothu
Kannukkullae nikkiriyae
Eppothum unna kann pola kaappaen
Maamana marakkaathae
En mana koottukkullae
Oru kiliyai valarththaenae
Adhan azhagai rasichchenae
Naan ennai maranthaenae
Naan ennai maranthaenae
While you were bathing with turmeric,
I did hide and watch you secretly.
Other than that, is there any wrong
in your man? Tell me!
Even when I sleep, it is your face
that rests inside my heart.
When I wake up and open my eyes,
you are standing right before my eyes.
When I wake up and open my eyes,
you are standing right before my eyes.
I will always protect you like my own eyes,
so never forget your man...
Inside the cage of my heart,
I raised a little parrot.
Admiring its beauty,
I completely forgot myself,
I completely forgot myself.
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song captures a lover's playful, affection-filled confession to his beloved, who is traditionally his cousin/maternal uncle's daughter. He playfully admits to having watched her in secret while reassuring her of his clean intentions and deep devotion. He promises to cherish and protect her as dearly as his own eyes, emphasizing that her face occupies his mind whether he is awake or asleep. Expressing his total surrender to love, he compares his affection to raising a beautiful parrot inside the cage of his heart, whose charm makes him completely forget himself.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Eppothum unna kann pola kaappaen

The speaker compares protecting his beloved to protecting one's own eye ('kann pola kaappaen').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

En mana koottukkullae / Oru kiliyai valarththaenae

The heart is metaphorically framed as a birdcage ('mana koodu') and love/beloved as a raised parrot ('kili').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Thoongaiyilum un mugamthaan / Thoonguthadi en mansil

Repetition of the initial 'Thoo' sound creates melodic flow across consecutive lines.

Anaphora (Repetition)

Kann vizhichchu paarkkumpothu / Kannukkullae nikkiriyae

Repetition of entire lines for emotional emphasis on seeing the beloved upon waking.

Did you know?

Trivia

The 1986 film 'Manakanakku' is historically notable for featuring Kamal Haasan in a unique guest role alongside lead actor Vijayakanth. The soundtrack was composed by legendary music director M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics written by veteran Panchu Arunachalam.

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