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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mannavane En Mannavane

From Irandaam Ulagam · 2013

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Gopal Rao, Shakthisree Gopalan
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Irandaam Ulagam2013

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
: ……………………[Instrumental intro]
Female
Mannavanae en mannavanaeOh king, my king
Nee pona paadha thedi thedi varuvenI will come searching for the path you took
Paniyilae ven panyilaeIn the mist, in the white mist
Vinmeena thedi thedi enga alaivenWhere shall I wander searching for the star?
Male
Un inai kili varumvaraiUntil your mate parrot arrives
Oru thunai kili naan adiI am a companion parrot, my dear
Ithai uravenbatha parivenbathaShall I call this a relationship or deep affection?
Peyarae illaatha thuyaramaaIs it a nameless sorrow?
Female
Mannavanae en mannavanaeOh king, my king
Nee pona paadha thedi thedi varuvenI will come searching for the path you took
Paniyilae ven panyilaeIn the mist, in the white mist
Vinmeena thedi thedi enga alaivenWhere shall I wander searching for the star?
Male
Varuvadhu varuvadhu varuvadhuThat which comes, comes, comes
Thunaiyaa sumaiyaaIs it a companion or a burden?
Tharuvadhu tharuvadhu tharuvadhuThat which gives, gives, gives
Sugamaa valiyaaIs it joy or pain?
Male
Oru uyirukku iru udalaAre there two bodies for a single soul?
Iru udalukkum oru manamaaOr one single mind for two bodies?
En nenjukulla nenjukullaDeep inside my heart, inside my heart
Eriyira nenapethuWhat is this burning memory?
Sollithaan theriyumaCan it even be expressed in words?
Oru vattathula vattathulaIn a circle, in a circle
Thodakam mudivethuWhere is the beginning and where is the end?
Sollathaan mudiyumaCan anyone ever tell?
Female
Oh mannavanae en mannavanaeOh king, my king
Nee pona paadha thedi thedi varuvenI will come searching for the path you took
Paniyilae ven panyilaeIn the mist, in the white mist
Vinmeena thedi thedi enga alaivenWhere shall I wander searching for the star?
Chorus
Hmm mmm mmm mmm[Humming]
Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm[Humming]
Hmm mmm mmm mmm[Humming]
Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm[Humming]
Aaaa aaaa…aaaa…aaa…[Vocalizing]
Haa…aaa…aaa….aaa…[Vocalizing]
Aaaa aaaa…aaaa…aaa…[Vocalizing]
Haa…aaa…aaa….aaa…[Vocalizing]
Female
Pozhivadhu pozhivadhu pozhivadhuThat which showers, showers, showers
Nilavaa veyilaaIs it moonlight or scorching heat?
Vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhuThat which spills over, spills over, spills over
Adhuvaa ithuvaaIs it that or is it this?
Female
Oh..pozhivadhu pozhivadhu pozhivadhuOh, that which showers, showers, showers
Nilavaa veyilaaIs it moonlight or scorching heat?
Vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhuThat which spills over, spills over, spills over
Adhuvaa ithuvaaIs it that or is it this?
Dhinam nadakkuren oru dhisayilEvery day I walk in one direction
Manam kedakuthae maru dhisayilYet my mind lingers in another direction
Female
Oru uppu kallu uppu kalluA grain of salt, a grain of salt
Kadalila vizhundhathumOnce it falls into the vast ocean
Uruvavum karanchuthaeIts physical form dissolves away
Intha otha ponnu otha ponnuThis solitary girl, solitary girl
Unakullae vizhundhathumOnce she fell inside you
Motha katha mudinjathaeHer entire story reached its end
Female
Oh mannavanae en mannavanaeOh king, my king
Nee pona paadha thedi thedi varuvenI will come searching for the path you took
Paniyilae ven panyilaeIn the mist, in the white mist
Vinmeena thedi thedi enga alaivenWhere shall I wander searching for the star?
Male
Un inai kili varumvaraiUntil your mate parrot arrives
Chorus :Inai kili varumvaraiChorus: Until the mate parrot arrives
Male :Oru thunai kili naan adiMale: I am a companion parrot, my dear
Chorus :Thunai kili naan adiChorus: I am a companion parrot, my dear
Male :Ithai uravenbatha parivenbathaMale: Shall I call this a relationship or deep affection?
Peyarae illaatha thuyaramaa………….Is it a nameless sorrow?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Mannavanae' from Selvaraghavan's fantasy romantic drama 'Irandaam Ulagam' captures profound longing, existential confusion, and spiritual union between soulmates across parallel worlds. The protagonist speaks of searching endlessly for her beloved through mists and starlight, questioning whether the intense emotions she experiences are a blessing or a burden, joy or agony.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for emphasis)

Nee pona paadha thedi thedi varuven

Words like 'thedi thedi' (searching searching), 'nenjukulla nenjukulla' (inside heart inside heart), and 'vattathula vattathula' (in a circle in a circle) repeat back-to-back to intensify emotion and rhythm.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Oru uppu kallu uppu kallu Kadalila vizhundhathum Uruvavum karanchuthae

Comparing a woman's complete loss of individuality in love to a rock of salt dissolving seamlessly into the sea.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Dhinam nadakkuren oru dhisayil / Manam kedakuthae maru dhisayil

The second consonant sound 'na' matches in 'Dhinam' and 'Manam', creating melodic alignment across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Harris Jayaraj, 'Mannavanae' features delicate vocal performances by Gopal Rao and Shakthisree Gopalan. Vairamuthu's poetic imagery aligns with the film's theme of transcendental love bridging parallel universes.

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