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Isaimozhi
May Madham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Marghazhi Poove

From May Madham · 1994

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Shoba Shankar, Chorus
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
May Madham
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
5 Dec 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maargazi poovae maargazi poovae
Unmadi melae oridam vendum
Maargazi poovae maargazi poovae
Unmadi melae oridam vendum
Meththai mel kangal moodavum illai
Un madi sernthaal kanavugal kollai
Meththai mel kangal moodavum illai
Un madi sernthaal kanavugal kollai
Maargazi poovae maargazi poovae
Unmadi melae oridam vendum
Aaa….aaaa….aaa…ahaaa….aaa…ahaaa
Aaaa…aaa…..aaaa…aaaa….aaa…aaa…
Pookkalai piriththu
Puththagam padippen
Pulveli kandaal muyal pol kuthippen
Naan mattum iravil thanimaiyil nadappen
Nadaipaadhai kadayil thaeneer kudippen
Vaazkaiyin oru paadhi
Naan endru vasippen
Vaazkaiyin maru paadhi
Naan endru rasippen
Kaatril varum megam polae
Naan endrum midhappen
Maargazi poovae maargazi poovae
Unmadi melae oridam vendum
{Venpaa paadi varum vandukku
Sendhaen thandhuvidum sempookkal
Konjam paada varum pennukku
Sandham thandhu vidum mainaakkal} (2)
Kaveri manalil nadanthathum illai
Kadarkarai alaiyil kaal vaithathillai
Suthanthira vaanil paranthathum illai
Suda chuda mazhayil nanainthathum illai
Salaiyil naanaga ponathum illai
Samayathil aanaga aanathum illai
Ezhai manam kaanum inbam
Naan kaanavillai
Margazhi poovae margazhi poovae
Female :Unmadi melae oridam vendum
Chorus :Margazhi poovae margazhi poovae
Unmadi melae oridam vendum
Aaaaa…..aaaa…..aaa….aaa..
Aaa..aa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…
Aaa…aaa..aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa..aa…
Naaa…haa..haa..aaaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…
{Venpaa paadi varum vandukku
Sendhaen thandhuvidum sempookkal
Konjam paada varum pennukku
Sandham thandhu vidum mainaakkal} (2)
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
Lying on a soft bed, my eyes never close in sleep,
Yet resting on your lap, endless dreams will bloom.
Lying on a soft bed, my eyes never close in sleep,
Yet resting on your lap, endless dreams will bloom.
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
Aa... aaaa... aa... ahaa... aa... ahaa...
Aaaa... aa... aaaa... aaaa... aa... aa...
Spreading flower petals,
I want to read a book.
If I see a meadow, I'll leap like a rabbit.
I want to walk all alone in the night,
And drink hot tea at a roadside stall.
For one half of my life,
I want to live as myself,
And for the other half of life,
I want to savor everything as myself.
Like a soft cloud drifting in the breeze,
I want to float forever.
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
To the bee singing its sweet verse,
Red blossoms gladly offer their rich honey;
To a young girl who can barely sing,
The mynas will gift their rhythm.
I have never walked on the sands of the Cauvery,
I have never dipped my feet into ocean waves.
I have never flown in the open skies of freedom,
I have never been drenched in fresh, warm rain.
I have never walked down the street all on my own,
Nor have I ever lived freely like a man.
The simple joy that a poor heart knows,
I have never experienced.
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
O Margazhi flower, O Margazhi flower,
I want a little place upon your lap.
Aaaa... aaaa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Naa... ha... ha... aaaa... aa... aa... aa...
To the bee singing its sweet verse,
Red blossoms gladly offer their rich honey;
To a young girl who can barely sing,
The mynas will gift their rhythm.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Margazhi Poove from the 1994 Tamil film May Madham, with music by A. R. Rahman and lyrics by Vairamuthu, is a deeply expressive song about a young woman longing for freedom, emotional solace, and simple joys. Despite living in luxury, she finds no peace on soft beds and yearns for the comforting lap of nature represented by the chilly, auspicious month of Margazhi. She dreams of simple pleasures like walking on the beach, drinking tea at a roadside stall, reading books, and living authentically without restrictions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Pulveli kandaal muyal pol kuthippen

Compares her desire for lighthearted freedom to a rabbit jumping on grass and floating like a cloud in the breeze.

Personification

Venpaa paadi varum vandukku Sendhaen thandhuvidum sempookkal

Attributes human poetic and musical traits to nature, describing red flowers giving honey to bees singing Venpa meter and myna birds giving rhythm to a singing girl.

Refrain / Repetition (Anaphora)

Maargazi poovae maargazi poovae

Repetition of the phrase 'Margazhi poove' reinforces the central metaphor of seeking gentle sanctuary and maternal peace.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song was composed by A. R. Rahman and rendered by classical singer Shobana Vignesh (famously known as Mahanadhi Shobana) when she was a teenager, making it one of the most memorable Carnatic-pop fusion tracks of 90s Tamil cinema.

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