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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mannavan Vandhaanadi

From Thiruvarutchelvar · 1967

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, Chorus
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Thiruvarutchelvar1967

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Kalai magal thunai konduWith the support of Saraswati, goddess of learning,
Kalai vendru pugazh kondaHaving mastered the arts and earned acclaim,
Kaavalan vaazhga vaazhgaLong live the protector, long live!
Chorus
Malai magal varam konduWith the boon of Parvati, goddess of power,
Malai pondra balam kondaHaving mountain-like immense strength,
Mannavan vaazhga vaazhgaLong live the king, long live!
Chorus
Thirumagal arul kondu porul kondaBlessed with wealth through Lakshmi's grace,
Thiruvaru chelvarae vaazhga vaazhgaLong live the prosperous master, long live!
Chorus
Iyal isai naadagam muthamiz kaakkindraPreserving the three forms of Tamil: prose, music, and drama,
Thalaivanae vaazhga vaazhgaLong live the ruler, long live!
Chorus
Kudi makkal manam polaIn accord with the hearts of his citizens,
Mudiyaatchi kaangindraOverseeing a righteous reign,
Kotravaa vaazhga vaazhgaLong live the victorious king, long live!
Chorus
Nin kodi vaazhga padai vaazhgaLong live your banner, long live your army,
Kudi vaazhga kulam vaazhgaLong live the citizens, long live the lineage,
Nalamum pallaandu vaazhgaLive long in eternal prosperity for years!
Female
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhi…The king has arrived, my friend...
Female
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Manjathilae irundhu nenjathilae amarndhaStepping down from the throne, he took residence in my heart,
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Manjathilae irundhu nenjathilae amarndhaStepping down from the throne, he took residence in my heart,
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Female
Maayavano thooyavanoIs he a miracle worker or a pure soul?
Naayagano naan ariyaenIs he my Lord? I do not know...
Maayavano thooyavanoIs he a miracle worker or a pure soul?
Naayaghano naan ariyaenIs he my Lord? I do not know...
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Female
{Senthamizh cholleduthuChoosing pure classical Tamil words,
Isai thoduppaenI shall weave a melodic song,
Vanna sandhathilaeIn vibrant, colorful meter,
Kavidhai charam koduppaen } (2)I shall present a garland of poetry.
Female
Moondru thamizh maalaiA garland of three forms of Tamil,
SoottiduvaenI shall crown upon him,
Moondru thamizh maalai soottiduvaenI shall adorn him with a garland of three-fold Tamil.
Ini muppozhudhum karppanaiyilFrom now on, living wonderfully in imagination
Arppudhamaai vaazhndhirukkumAt all three times of the day,
Female
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Manjathilae irundhu nenjathilae amarndhaStepping down from the throne, he took residence in my heart,
Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhiThe king has arrived, my friend!
Female
Thooviya poovinil maenigal aadidaAs bodies sway over scattered flowers,
Naayagan naayagi baavanai kaatta varumEnacting the emotions of hero and heroine,
Mannavan vandhaanadi…The king has arrived...
Male
Thatthi thaanghida thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Dhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thakadhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Dhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaka tharikida thom thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaka tharikida thom thaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Tharikida thom tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Tharikida thom tharikida thom thatthaa…[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Saa ree gaa maa paa dhaa neeSa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni
Sarigama padhanee suramodu jathiyoduAlong with swaras and rhythmic syllables,
Naadha geetha raaga baavam thaan peravaeTo achieve pitch, song, melody, and expression,
Mannavan vandhaanadi…The king has arrived...
Male
Thakka dhinnam tharitha[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thakajanutha dhukku tharitha[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Dhukku thakida thatthinghu[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaka janakku thadheem[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
That thakida kidathaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaka thakida kidathaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaa kida thatthom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Kida thatthom kida thatthom that thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Kaadhar kavidhai kadalena perugidaAs poetry of love surges like the ocean,
Maadhar manamum mayilena nadamidavaeAnd women's hearts dance like peacocks,
Mannavan vandhaanadi…The king has arrived...
Male
Thadhari thadhana[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thajanu thajanu janu thajaunu thadhimi[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Junu thakadhimi tharikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Dhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thakathaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Junu thaanghida thaka tharikida thakathaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thakadhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thakathaa that thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Thirumalar manamuraAs divine flowers blossom with fragrance,
Kurunagai nalam peraAs gentle smiles bring delight,
Malar vizhi sivandhidaAs flower-like eyes blush red with passion,
Kani idhazh kanindhidavaeAs sweet lips ripen with love,
Mannavan vandhaanadi…eee…ee…The king has arrived...
Male
Thirikida tharikida tharikida thirikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thirikida tharikida tharikida thirikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thirikida tharikida tharikida thirikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thirikida tharikida that thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Thitthithaal adhu sempor kinnamThe rhythm keeping is like a bowl of pure gold,
Thathi thaavidum thanga kinnamA golden bowl that leaps and bounds,
Male
Thadhinna thaangha thadhinna thaangha[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thadhinna thaanghida tharikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thadhinna thaangha thadhinna thaanghida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaka tharikida thakathaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Sithatthaal oru kaadhar chinnamA symbol of love crafted by the mind,
Thathi thaaviya paavaiyin munnamIn front of the leaping maiden,
En mannavanMy king...
Male
Thatthitthaa kidathaka thirikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Dhitthaa kidathaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaa kitathaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Kitathaka tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thaanghida thom thadhim[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thakatha thakajam thakida thakajunu thakida that thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Viraivinil nee nee…Quickly, you (Ni)...
Mana malar thaa dhaa…Give the flower of your heart (Dha)...
Thirumaarp paa paa…Upon your divine chest (Pa)...
Thaamadhamaa maa…Why delay (Ma)?...
Mayil enai paar gaa…Look at me, peacock (Ga)...
Female
Viraivinil nee mana malar thaaQuickly, you give the flower of your heart,
Thirumaarp paa thaamadhamaaUpon your divine chest, why delay?
Mayil enai paarLook at me, peacock!
Nee dhaa paa maa gaaNi Dha Pa Ma Ga
Needhaapaamaagaa nidhapamagaNi Dha Pa Ma Ga, Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga
Saa… sadhamadhu tharavaaSa... shall I grant eternal bliss?
Male
Tharikida jam theengida thaangida thaka[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Tharika thakaghaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Ree… rigamapa dhanisaaRe... Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
Male
Thajjam thajjam thajam tharikida thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Gaa… karunaiyin thalaivaaGa... Lord of compassion!
Male
Thaanghida thadheem[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Kidathadheem kidathadheem thadhaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Maa… madhi migu mudhalvaaMa... Supreme leader of brilliant mind!
Male
Tharikida thom tha tharikida[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thom tha tharikida thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Paa… param porul iraivaaPa... Supreme Lord of all reality!
Dhaa… thanimaiyil varavaaDha... shall I come in solitude?
Nee… iraiyarul peravaaNi... to receive divine grace?
Aalum puvi ezhumRuler of the seven worlds,
Kadal ezhum nadamaadum padi vaaraaiAnd the seven seas, walk down with grace,
Arul thaaraai…Grant your blessing...
Male
Tharikida dhim thirikidathaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Female
Aalum puvi ezhumRuler of the seven worlds,
Kadal ezhum nadamaadumAnd the seven seas, walk down with grace,
Padi vaaraai arul thaaraaiCome and grant your blessing!
Anudhinam unai vazhipadum valamWith the devotion that worships you daily,
Ini oru thalaivanai panivadhillaiI shall never bow to any other leader hereafter!
Mannavan… vandhaanadi…The king has arrived, my friend!
Male
Thakadhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thaka[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Thadhit thaanghida thaka tharikida thaka[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Tharikida thom tharikida thom[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]
Tharikida thom tharikida thom thaa[Rhythmic dance syllable - Jathi]

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Mannavan Vandhaanadi' is a masterpiece classical Bharatanatyam song from the 1967 Tamil film 'Thiruvarutchelvar'. Written by Kannadasan and set to music by K. V. Mahadevan, the song begins with formal courtly panegyrics praising a virtuous king blessed by Goddesses Saraswati, Parvati, and Lakshmi. The main narrative shifts to the heroine joyfully announcing to her friend (thozhi) that the king—who moved from his throne directly into her heart—has arrived. The lyrics seamlessly integrate high literary Tamil poetry with traditional Carnatic solkattu (jathis) and intricate Svarakshara passages, creating an exquisite blend of romance, musical craftsmanship, and spiritual devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhukai (Second letter rhyme)

Kalai magal thunai kondu / Malai magal varam kondu

The second consonant sound 'lai' rhymes across consecutive lines ('Kalai' / 'Malai').

Monai (Initial letter alliteration)

Mannavan vandhaanadi thozhi / Manjathilae irundhu

Alliteration of the initial letter 'Ma' across the line.

Upamai (Simile)

Maadhar manamum mayilena nadamidavae

Comparing the joy in women's hearts to the dancing of a peacock ('mayilena nadamidavae').

Svarakshara (Musical Swara Integration)

Viraivinil nee / Mana malar thaa / Thirumaarp paa / Thaamadhamaa / Mayil enai paar gaa

The spoken Tamil words ending or beginning with sound syllables matching Carnatic notes (Ni, Dha, Pa, Ma, Ga).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Mannavan Vandhaanadi' in Thiruvarutchelvar (1967) is widely considered one of the finest dance compositions in Tamil cinema, brilliantly performed on screen by actress Padmini. Composed by K. V. Mahadevan and rendered by P. Susheela, Kannadasan famously wrote the lyrics incorporating Svarakshara—a complex poetic feat where word syllables match musical notes (Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni).

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