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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maragatha Vallikku Manakkolam

From Anbulla Appa · 1987

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Anbulla Appa1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Maragadha vallikkuFor the emerald creeper,
Mana kolamA bridal adornment.
En mangala chelvikkuFor my auspicious, cherished girl,
Malar kolamA flower decoration.
Kanmani thaamaraiLike a darling lotus,
Kaal kondu nadandhaalAs she walks on her feet,
Kangalil yen indha neer kolamWhy are there tears pooling in her eyes?
Kolam thiru kolamA sacred, beautiful scene!
Male
Maragadha vallikkuFor the emerald creeper,
Mana kolamA bridal adornment.
En mangala chelvikkuFor my auspicious, cherished girl,
Malar kolamA flower decoration.
Kanmani thaamaraiLike a darling lotus,
Kaal kondu nadandhaalAs she walks on her feet,
Kangalil yen indha neer kolamWhy are there tears pooling in her eyes?
Kolam thiru kolamA sacred, beautiful scene!
Male
Kaalaiyil kadhambangalShe used to wear mixed flowers in the morning,
AnindhiruppaalShe would adorn herself,
Maalaiyil malligai mudindhiruppaalShe would wear jasmine in her hair in the evening,
Thingalil saamandhi vaithiruppaalShe would wear chrysanthemums on Mondays,
Velliyil mullaigal sumandhiruppaalShe would carry jasmine buds on Fridays.
Male
Katti thangam ini mel angaeMy pure gold, from now on over there,
Enna poovai anivaaloWhich flowers will she wear?
Katti konda kanavan vandhuWill she wear the flowers,
Sonna poovai anivaaloThat her newlywed husband asks her to wear?
Dhinam thorum thirunaaloMay every day be a festive day for her!
Male
Maragadha vallikkuFor the emerald creeper,
Mana kolamA bridal adornment.
En mangala chelvikkuFor my auspicious, cherished girl,
Malar kolamA flower decoration.
Kanmani thaamaraiLike a darling lotus,
Kaal kondu nadandhaalAs she walks on her feet,
Kangalil yen indha neer kolamWhy are there tears pooling in her eyes?
Kolam thiru kolamA sacred, beautiful scene!
Male
Haa.a..aaa…aaa…aa…aaaAh... ah...
Haa….aaa…aaa….aaa….aaa….Ah... ah...
Male
Malar endra uravuThe bond with a flower lasts,
Parikkum varaiOnly until it is plucked.
Magal endra uravuThe bond of being a daughter lasts,
Kodukkum varaiOnly until she is given away in marriage.
Uravondru varuvadhilAt the arrival of a new relationship,
Maghizhndhu vittenI felt joyful.
Uravondru pirivadhil azhudhu vittenAt the separation of a bond, I wept.
Male
Endhan veettu kandru indruToday, the calf of my home,
Etti etti pogindradhuIs walking far away from me.
Kannin oram kanneer vandhuTears welling up at the corner of my eyes,
Etti etti paarkkiradhuPeek out slowly,
Imaigal adhai maraikkiradhuBut my eyelids try to hide them.
Male
Maragadha vallikkuFor the emerald creeper,
Mana kolamA bridal adornment.
En mangala chelvikkuFor my auspicious, cherished girl,
Malar kolamA flower decoration.
Kanmani thaamaraiLike a darling lotus,
Kaal kondu nadandhaalAs she walks on her feet,
Kangalil yen indha neer kolamWhy are there tears pooling in her eyes?
Kolam thiru kolamA sacred, beautiful scene!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Maragadha vallikku from Anbulla Appa (1987) is a poignant father-daughter wedding song. The father lovingly reflects on raising his daughter, remembering how she used to adorn herself with flowers each day of the week. As she gets married, he affectionately wonders about her future in her husband's home, wishing her lifelong happiness while coping with the deep pain of parting.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Maragadha vallikku

The daughter is metaphorically referred to as an 'emerald vine' (Maragadha valli) and 'pure gold' (Katti thangam), illustrating her irreplaceable worth to her father.

Wordplay / Polysemy (Kolam)

Kangalil yen indha neer kolam

The word 'Kolam' is masterfully varied from 'Mana kolam' (wedding attire) and 'Malar kolam' (flower decor) to 'Neer kolam' (pool of tears) and 'Thiru kolam' (sacred appearance).

Alliteration (Monaai)

Kanmani thaamarai / Kaal kondu nadandhaal

Repetition of the 'Ka' sound in 'Kanmani' and 'Kaal' creates a rhythmic beat.

Parallelism / Analogy

Malar endra uravu / Parikkum varai

Compares a flower being plucked from a plant to a daughter being given away in marriage, highlighting the bittersweet emotional transition.

Did you know?

Trivia

Anbulla Appa (1987) features Sivaji Ganesan and Nadhiya in a story centered around an affectionate father-daughter bond. The music was composed by Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics written by Vairamuthu, creating one of the classic wedding send-off (Kanyadaan) songs in Tamil cinema.

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