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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Marumagane Marumagane

From Deva · 1995

Lyricist
Kavidasan
Singers
Deva, Krishnaraj
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Deva1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Marumagane marumagane mamankaran naaneNephew, nephew, I am your maternal uncle
Un kaal valikkum kai valikkumYour feet will ache, your hands will ache
Thol valikkum thodai valikkumYour shoulders will ache, your thighs will ache
Kanniponnu kaiyi pattaaIf a young girl touches you with her hands
Ella novum paranthu pogumAll the pain will fly away
Male
Apadi poduHit it like that!
Male
Aa…..coffee thanni podatumaAh... shall I make coffee?
Tea thanni podatumaShall I make tea?
Mappula coffee thanni podatumaGroom, shall I make coffee?
Tea thanni podatumaShall I make tea?
Solunga marumagane en mammuthaneTell me nephew, my precious nephew
Sollunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Male
Coffee thanni venaa mamaI don't need coffee, uncle
Enaku tea thanni venaa mamaI don't need tea, uncle
Pacha thanni podhum mamaPlain water is enough, uncle
En thaagathukuFor my thirst
Pacha thanni podhum mamaPlain water is enough, uncle
Male
Kammanjoru aakkatumaShall I cook millet rice?
Nellu soru aakkatumaShall I cook paddy rice?
Kammanjoru aakkatumaShall I cook millet rice?
Nellu soru aakkatumaShall I cook paddy rice?
Solunga marumagane en mammuthaneTell me nephew, my precious nephew
Solunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Male
Kammajorum venaa mamaI don't need millet rice, uncle
Enaku nellu sorum venaa mamaI don't need paddy rice either, uncle
Koozh irundha podhum mamaPorridge is enough, uncle
Naan oothikkollaFor me to drink
Koozh irundha podhum mamoiPorridge is enough, uncle!
Male
Karikulambu aakkatumaaShall I cook mutton curry?
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….oi….Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... hey...
Karikulambu aakkatumaaShall I cook mutton curry?
Meenkulambu aakkatumaShall I cook fish curry?
Solunga marumagane en mammuthaneTell me nephew, my precious nephew
Solunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Male
Kaikulambum venaa mama…..I don't need mutton curry, uncle...
Enaku meenkulambum venaa mamaI don't need fish curry, uncle
Ooruka irundha podhum mamaPickle is enough, uncle
Naan thottu thinnaFor me to eat with side dishes
Ooruka irundha podhum mama hoiPickle is enough, uncle hey!
Male
Vaazhai ilai podatumaa…..Shall I lay out a banana leaf?
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….oi….Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... hey...
Vaazhai ilai podatumaShall I lay out a banana leaf?
Thaiya ilai podatumaShall I lay out a stitched leaf plate?
Solunga marumagane en mammuthaneTell me nephew, my precious nephew
Solunga marumagane sollungaTell me nephew, tell me
Male
Vaazhai ilai venaam mamaI don't need a banana leaf, uncle
Enaku thaiya ilai venaam mamaI don't need a stitched leaf plate, uncle
Kaiyiladan podu mamaJust serve it in my hands, uncle
En arumai mamaMy dear uncle
Kaiyiladan podu mamaJust serve it in my hands, uncle
Male
Thennam paaya virikatuma…..Shall I spread out a coconut-leaf mat?
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Thennam paaya virikkatumaShall I spread out a coconut-leaf mat?
Eecham paaya virikkatumaShall I spread out a date-palm mat?
Solunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Nee paduthukkathanFor you to lie down
Solunga marumaganeyTell me nephew
Solunga mappulaiTell me groom
Male
Thennam paayum venaam mamaI don't need a coconut mat, uncle
Enaku eecham paayum venaam mamaI don't need a date-palm mat, uncle
Koni irundha podhum mamaA gunny sack is enough, uncle
Ne nellu kottumThe ones used to store paddy
Koni irundha podhum mamaA gunny sack is enough, uncle
Male
Chinna ponnu nalaarukaaIs the younger girl good?
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Chinna ponnu nalaarukaaIs the younger girl good?
Periya ponnu nalaarukaIs the elder girl good?
Solunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Ne yaethukkathanFor you to choose and marry
Solunga marumaganeTell me nephew
Yenunga enna solringaHey, what are you saying?
Male
Chinna ponnum nallaa ilaThe younger girl is not good
Periya ponnum nallaa illaThe elder girl is not good either
Male
Ennada idhuWhat is this?
Ethanai ponna kondaandhu niruthikirenI brought so many girls and lined them up for you
Onnu kooda nallaa ilainguraAnd you say not even one is good?
Idhuku mela engadaa povenWhere else will I go beyond this?
Yarraa venum solli tholaidaJust tell me who on earth you want!
Male
Chinna ponnum venaam mamaI don't want the younger girl, uncle
Periya ponnum venaam mamaI don't want the elder girl, uncle
Athai matum podhum mamaAunt alone is enough for me, uncle
Male
Yarraa endra pondatiyaaWhat?! You mean my wife?!
Male :Aththai matum podhum mamaAunt alone is enough, uncle
En makku mamaMy foolish uncle
Mathathellam sottha mamaEverything else is junk, uncle
Male :Dei dei deiHey hey hey!
Male
Aththai matum podhum mamaAunt alone is enough, uncle
En makku mamaMy foolish uncle
Mathathellam sottha mamaEverything else is junk, uncle
Male
Adraa serupaala rascol-u…..Hit him with a slipper, you rascal!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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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