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Isaimozhi
Deva album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Marumagane Marumagane

From Deva · 1995

Lyricist
Kavidasan
Singers
Deva, Krishnaraj
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Deva
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
26 Apr 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Marumagane marumagane mamankaran naane
Un kaal valikkum kai valikkum
Thol valikkum thodai valikkum
Kanniponnu kaiyi pattaa
Ella novum paranthu pogum
Apadi podu
Aa…..coffee thanni podatuma
Tea thanni podatuma
Mappula coffee thanni podatuma
Tea thanni podatuma
Solunga marumagane en mammuthane
Sollunga marumagane
Coffee thanni venaa mama
Enaku tea thanni venaa mama
Pacha thanni podhum mama
En thaagathuku
Pacha thanni podhum mama
Kammanjoru aakkatuma
Nellu soru aakkatuma
Kammanjoru aakkatuma
Nellu soru aakkatuma
Solunga marumagane en mammuthane
Solunga marumagane
Kammajorum venaa mama
Enaku nellu sorum venaa mama
Koozh irundha podhum mama
Naan oothikkolla
Koozh irundha podhum mamoi
Karikulambu aakkatumaa
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….oi….
Karikulambu aakkatumaa
Meenkulambu aakkatuma
Solunga marumagane en mammuthane
Solunga marumagane
Kaikulambum venaa mama…..
Enaku meenkulambum venaa mama
Ooruka irundha podhum mama
Naan thottu thinna
Ooruka irundha podhum mama hoi
Vaazhai ilai podatumaa…..
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….oi….
Vaazhai ilai podatuma
Thaiya ilai podatuma
Solunga marumagane en mammuthane
Solunga marumagane sollunga
Vaazhai ilai venaam mama
Enaku thaiya ilai venaam mama
Kaiyiladan podu mama
En arumai mama
Kaiyiladan podu mama
Thennam paaya virikatuma…..
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….
Thennam paaya virikkatuma
Eecham paaya virikkatuma
Solunga marumagane
Nee paduthukkathan
Solunga marumaganey
Solunga mappulai
Thennam paayum venaam mama
Enaku eecham paayum venaam mama
Koni irundha podhum mama
Ne nellu kottum
Koni irundha podhum mama
Chinna ponnu nalaarukaa
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….
Chinna ponnu nalaarukaa
Periya ponnu nalaaruka
Solunga marumagane
Ne yaethukkathan
Solunga marumagane
Yenunga enna solringa
Chinna ponnum nallaa ila
Periya ponnum nallaa illa
Ennada idhu
Ethanai ponna kondaandhu niruthikiren
Onnu kooda nallaa ilaingura
Idhuku mela engadaa poven
Yarraa venum solli tholaida
Chinna ponnum venaam mama
Periya ponnum venaam mama
Athai matum podhum mama
Yarraa endra pondatiyaa
Male :Aththai matum podhum mama
En makku mama
Mathathellam sottha mama
Male :Dei dei dei
Aththai matum podhum mama
En makku mama
Mathathellam sottha mama
Adraa serupaala rascol-u…..
Nephew, oh nephew, I am your uncle!
Your legs will ache, your arms will ache,
your shoulders will ache, your thighs will ache!
If a young girl touches you,
all your pains will fly away!
Hit it right there!
Ah... shall I make some coffee?
Shall I make some tea?
Son-in-law, shall I make some coffee?
Shall I make some tea?
Tell me, nephew, aren't you my boy?
Tell me, nephew!
I don't want coffee, Uncle.
I don't want tea, Uncle.
Plain water is enough, Uncle,
to quench my thirst.
Plain water is enough, Uncle.
Shall I cook millet rice?
Shall I cook white rice?
Shall I cook millet rice?
Shall I cook white rice?
Tell me, nephew, aren't you my boy?
Tell me, nephew!
I don't want millet rice, Uncle.
I don't want white rice, Uncle.
Porridge is enough, Uncle,
for me to drink.
Porridge is enough, Uncle!
Shall I make meat curry?
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... oy...
Shall I make meat curry?
Shall I make fish curry?
Tell me, nephew, aren't you my boy?
Tell me, nephew!
I don't want meat curry, Uncle...
I don't want fish curry, Uncle.
A little pickle is enough, Uncle,
for me to dip and eat.
A little pickle is enough, Uncle, hoy!
Shall I lay out a banana leaf?...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... oy...
Shall I lay out a banana leaf?
Shall I lay out a stitched leaf plate?
Tell me, nephew, aren't you my boy?
Tell me, nephew, tell me!
I don't want a banana leaf, Uncle.
I don't want a stitched leaf plate, Uncle.
Just serve it in my bare hands, Uncle,
my dear Uncle,
just serve it in my bare hands, Uncle.
Shall I spread out a coconut leaf mat?...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Shall I spread out a coconut leaf mat?
Shall I spread out a date-palm mat?
Tell me, nephew,
for you to lie down on?
Tell me, nephew!
Tell me, son-in-law!
I don't want a coconut leaf mat, Uncle.
I don't want a date-palm mat, Uncle.
A gunny sack is enough, Uncle,
the one you pour grain into,
a gunny sack is enough, Uncle.
Is the younger girl fine with you?
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Is the younger girl fine with you?
Is the elder girl fine with you?
Tell me, nephew,
for you to marry?
Tell me, nephew!
Hey, what are you saying?
The younger girl isn't good.
The elder girl isn't good either.
What on earth is this?
Look how many girls I have brought and lined up for you!
And you say not even one is good?
Where else am I supposed to go after this?
Who do you want? Just spit it out!
I don't want the younger girl, Uncle.
I don't want the elder girl, Uncle.
Aunty alone is enough for me, Uncle!
Who, man? My wife?!
Male: Aunty alone is enough for me, Uncle,
my foolish Uncle!
Does anything else count as wealth, Uncle?
Male: Hey, hey, hey!
Aunty alone is enough for me, Uncle,
my foolish Uncle!
Does anything else count as wealth, Uncle?
Hit this rascal with a slipper!...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This humorous folk dialogue song features a comedic banter between a maternal uncle (mama) and his nephew (marumagan). The eager uncle offers his nephew various lavish hospitalities—ranging from tea/coffee, millet and rice meals, meat and fish curries, fine dining leaves, to cozy woven sleeping mats—along with proposals to marry either his younger or elder daughter. However, the modest nephew turns down all extravagant offers, preferring the simplest alternatives like plain water, basic porridge, pickles, eating out of his hands, and sleeping on a gunny sack. The ultimate punchline arrives when the nephew rejects both of the uncle's daughters and demands to marry his aunt (the uncle's wife) instead, leading to a hilarious climax where the enraged uncle threatens to beat him with a slipper.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetitive Call-and-Response

Coffee thanni podatuma / Tea thanni podatuma ... Coffee thanni venaa mama / Enaku tea thanni venaa mama

The song builds a structured, rhythmic pattern where the uncle repeatedly offers options using 'podatuma' or 'aakkatuma' and addresses his 'marumagane', followed by the nephew's formulaic refusal using 'venaa mama' and 'podhum mama'.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thennam paaya virikatuma / Eecham paaya virikkatuma

A traditional Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines matches for rhythmic harmony.

Antithesis / Contrast

Karikulambu aakkatuma ... Ooruka irundha podhum mama

Juxtaposition of rich, luxurious comforts offered by the uncle against the extremely humble, ascetic demands requested by the nephew.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a classic comedy-folk duet composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the 1995 film 'Deva', starring Vijay. Music director Deva sang this track along with Krishnaraj, lending his iconic raw folk vocal delivery. The comic situation and witty lyrics by Kavidasan made it a popular theatrical highlight.

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