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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Manjal Nila Kayuthu

From Ivargal Varungala Thoongal · 1987

Lyricist
T. Rajendar
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Uma Ramanan
Music director
T. Rajendar
Details
Ivargal Varungala Thoongal1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Manjamumthaan yaenguthuThe bed too yearns with longing
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Manjamumthaan yaenguthuThe bed too yearns with longing
Haeiii mama yaezhttu naalaaHey my love, for seven or eight days now
Naanthaan thaniyaa paai podalaamaaShould I lay out the sleeping mat all alone?
Female
Maasam maasam kaarththigai maasamMonth after month, now comes the cold month of Kaarthigai
Aala mayakkuthu aah haaIt mesmerizes a person, ah ha
Vaasam vaasam malligai vaasam bodhai yaeruthuThe fragrance of jasmine intoxicatingly rises
Female
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Manjamumthaan yaenguthuThe bed too yearns with longing
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Haa manjamumthaan yaenguthuAh, the bed too yearns with longing
Female
Munivan kooda menagaiyinEven a solemn sage melted away
Sirippilae kalainthaan aahhaahaahAt Menaka's enchanting smile, ahaha
Maman mattum veeraappodaYet my man alone stubbornly
Vesham pottu nadichchaanPut on an act of stoicism
Male
No no no noNo no no no
Avanukku venuminnaaFor him, if you consider
Menagai pudhusu menagai pudhusuMenaka was fresh and new
Enakkumthaan pondatti neeFor me, you are my wedded wife
Aayittae pazhasu aayittae pazhasuYou have become familiar and old
Female
Pazhasu sogusuthaanWhat is old holds rich comfort
Vayasu elasuthaan purinjukkoMy age is still youthful, understand this
Kaalam maarinaalWhen times change
Kaala pudikkanum purinjukkoOne must adapt and seize the moment, understand this
Female
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Male :HaahangMale: Haahang
Female :Manjamumthaan yaenguthuFemale: The bed too yearns with longing
Male :HeemhmmMale: Heemhmm
Female :Manjal nilaa kaayuthuFemale: The yellow moon is shining bright
Male :AahaahMale: Aahaah
Female :Manjamumthaan yaenguthuFemale: The bed too yearns with longing
Male :No no…..Male: No no.....
Male
Karaippaar karaichchaalIf coaxed properly
Kallum kooda karaiyum aahaah OohohEven a stone will melt, ah ah oohoh
Kattiyava anaichchaa kanavan kozhaivaanIf the wedded wife embraces him, the husband softens
Hae hae aahhaahHae hae aahhaah
Female
Munthaanai manthiranthaanThe magical spell of the saree pallu
Kadaisiyil jeyikkumWill ultimately win in the end
Male :Sarithaan sarithaanMale: Alright, alright
Female :Selainga nenachchupputtaaFemale: If women resolve to do something
Kaalainga closeThe men are utterly defeated
Male :Ok OkMale: Ok Ok
Male
Kobam kondathuThe anger I held
Thabam kondathu summaadi aahahahHas turned into burning passion, my dear, ahaha
Thavaththa kalaichchuttaenI have broken my penance
Saranam pugunthuttaen ammaadiI have surrendered to you, my dear
Male
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Manjamumthaan yaenguthuThe bed too yearns with longing
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Manjamumthaan yaenguthuThe bed too yearns with longing
Male
Yaehae rosa yaezhttu naalaaHey my rose, for seven or eight days now
Naanthaan thaniyaa paai podalaamaaShould I lay out the sleeping mat all alone?
Maasam maasam kaarththigai maasamMonth after month, now comes the Kaarthigai month
Enna vaattuthu haei haeiIt teases and torments me, hey hey
Vaasam vaasam malligai vaasam bodhai yaeththuthuThe fragrance of jasmine intoxicatingly rises
Male
Manjal nilaa kaayuthuThe yellow moon is shining bright
Female :Manjamumthaan yaenguthuFemale: The bed too yearns with longing
Male :Manjal nilaa heemmhmmMale: Yellow moon, heemmhmm
Female :Manjamumthaan aahha….Female: The bed too, ahha....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Manjal Nila Kaayuthu is a playful romantic duet from the 1987 Tamil film Ivargal Varungala Thoongal, written and composed by T. Rajendar. The song depicts a witty, affectionate banter between a married couple. The wife playfully scolds her husband for acting distant and cold, invoking mythological allegories like the sage Vishwamitra falling for Menaka to highlight her husband's attempt at acting stubborn. She confidently asserts that a wife's charm and persistence will always melt a husband's stoic front. The husband initially attempts to tease her back about familiarity, but ultimately concedes defeatedly yet joyously, admitting that his anger has transformed into intense longing and surrendering to her love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Manjal nilaa kaayuthu / Manjamumthaan yaenguthu

Matching starting consonant sounds 'Ma' in 'Manjal' and 'Manjamumthaan' across adjacent lines.

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Maasam maasam kaarththigai maasam / Vaasam vaasam malligai vaasam

Matching second letter 'saa' across 'Maasam' and 'Vaasam'.

Mythological Allusion

Munivan kooda menagaiyin / Sirippilae kalainthaan

References the Hindu mythological tale of celestial nymph Menaka breaking the intense ascetic penance of Sage Vishwamitra.

Metaphor

Munthaanai manthiranthaan / Kadaisiyil jeyikkum

Compares women's persuasive power and pallu charm to a hypnotic spell ('manthiran').

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Ivargal Varungala Thoongal' (1987) was written, directed, and scored by T. Rajendar, who was renowned in Tamil cinema for writing rhyming, rhythmic lyrics and creating catchy, folk-infused melody tracks.

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