May Madham
From Shahjahan · 2001
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Devan Ekambaram, Sujatha Mohan
- Music director
- Mani Sharma
- Details
- Shahjahan2001
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| May maatha megam | The cloud of the month of May |
| Ennai nil endru solla pada pada | Fluttering as it tells me to stop |
| Pesaatha penmai enai per sollum pothu | When silent womanhood calls me by my name |
| Kaalgal thada thada | My legs tremble |
| Female | |
| Aan vaadai kaatru | The breeze bearing a masculine scent |
| En aadaikkul motha pada pada | Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter |
| Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha | As her warring glance clashes against my heart |
| Kaalgal thada thada | My legs tremble |
| Male | |
| Punnagai sottu punnagai | Smiles, dripping smiles |
| Ennai pulavanaai maatruthae | Turn me into a poet |
| Boomiyum antha vaanamum | The earth and that vast sky |
| Chinna pulliyaai poanathae | Have shrunk into a tiny dot |
| Female | |
| Kangalae antha kangalae | Those eyes, oh those eyes |
| Enthan karpinai theenduthae | Touch my imagination |
| Poovukkum eetti velukkum | Between a flower and a sharp spear |
| Indru porkalam moondathae | A battlefield has been ignited today |
| Male | |
| Sila neram velum vellalaam | Sometimes the spear may win |
| Pala neram poovum vellalaam | Many times the flower may win |
| Athu thaanae kaathal yutham anbae | That is indeed the war of love, my dear |
| Female | |
| Vendraalum inimai kaanbathum | Finding sweetness even in victory |
| Thotraalum perumai kaanbathum | Finding pride even in defeat |
| Ingae dhaan kaana koodum anbae | Can be witnessed only here, my dear |
| Male | |
| Oh may maatha megam | Oh cloud of the month of May |
| Ennai nil endru solla pada pada | Fluttering as it tells me to stop |
| May maatha megam | Cloud of the month of May |
| Ennai nil endru solla | Telling me to stop |
| Female | |
| Paravaigal pesum mozhigalai | The languages that birds speak |
| Kaatru ariyumaa illaiya | Doesn't the wind know it? |
| Kangalaal pesum mozhigalai | The language spoken through the eyes |
| Kaadhal ariyanum illaiya | Shouldn't love understand it? |
| Male | |
| Malaigalai katti izhuppathu | Tying up and pulling mountains |
| Enakku sulabam than illaiya | Is quite easy for me, isn't it? |
| Manathilae ulla kaathalai | Holding back the love inside the heart |
| Irukki vaippathae thollaiyaa | Suppressing it tightly is the real trouble |
| Female | |
| Po po po ennum sollukku | To the word 'Go, go, go' |
| Vaa vaa vaa endru arthamae | The true meaning is 'Come, come, come' |
| Athu thaanae indru maarum anbae | Doesn't that change today, my love? |
| Male | |
| Aadaikkul moodi nirkiraal | She stands covered inside her dress |
| Athu kooda veru arthamaa | Does even that have a different meaning? |
| Aahaha purinchu pochu anbae | Ahaha, now I understand, my love! |
| Male | |
| May maatha megam | The cloud of the month of May |
| Ennai nil endru solla pada pada | Fluttering as it tells me to stop |
| Pesaatha pennae enai per sollum pothu | Oh silent girl, when you call me by my name |
| Kaalgal thada thada | My legs tremble |
| Female | |
| Aan vaadai kaatru | The breeze bearing a masculine scent |
| En aadaikkul motha pada pada | Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter |
| Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha | As her warring glance clashes against my heart |
| Kaalgal thada thada | My legs tremble |
மே மாத மேகம்
என்னை நில் என்று சொல்ல பட பட
பேசாத பெண்மை
என்னை பேர் சொல்லும்போது
கால்கள் தட தட
The cloud of the month of May
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
When silent womanhood calls me by my name
My legs tremble
ஆண் வாடை காற்று
என் ஆடைக்குள் மோத பட பட
போர் செய்யும் பார்வை
என் நெஞ்சோடு மோத
கால்கள் தட தட
The breeze bearing a masculine scent
Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter
As her warring glance clashes against my heart
My legs tremble
புன்னகை சொட்டு புன்னகை
என்னை புலவனாய் மாற்றுதே
பூமியும் அந்த வானமும்
சின்ன புள்ளியாய் போனதே
Smiles, dripping smiles
Turn me into a poet
The earth and that vast sky
Have shrunk into a tiny dot
கண்களே அந்த கண்களே
எந்தன் கற்பினை தீண்டுதே
பூவுக்கும் ஈட்டி வேலுக்கும்
இன்று போர்க்களம் மூண்டதே
Those eyes, oh those eyes
Touch my imagination
Between a flower and a sharp spear
A battlefield has been ignited today
சில நேரம் வேலும் வெல்லலாம்
பல நேரம் பூவும் வெல்லலாம்
அதுதானே காதல் யுத்தம் அன்பே
Sometimes the spear may win
Many times the flower may win
That is indeed the war of love, my dear
வென்றாலும் இனிமை கான்பதும்
தோற்றாலும் பெருமை கான்பதும்
இங்கேதான் காணக்கூடும் அன்பே
Finding sweetness even in victory
Finding pride even in defeat
Can be witnessed only here, my dear
ஓ மே மாத மேகம்
என்னை நில் என்று சொல்ல பட பட
மே மாத மேகம்
என்னை நில் என்று சொல்ல
Oh cloud of the month of May
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
Cloud of the month of May
Telling me to stop
பறவைகள் பேசும் மொழிகளை
காற்று அறியுமா இல்லையா
கண்களால் பேசும் மொழிகளை
காதல் அறியனும் இல்லையா
The languages that birds speak
Doesn't the wind know it?
The language spoken through the eyes
Shouldn't love understand it?
மலைகளை கட்டி இழுப்பது
எனக்கு சுலபம்தான் இல்லையா
மனதிலே உள்ள காதலை
இறக்கி வைப்பதே தொல்லையா
Tying up and pulling mountains
Is quite easy for me, isn't it?
Holding back the love inside the heart
Suppressing it tightly is the real trouble
போ போ போ
என்னும் சொல்லுக்கு
வா வா வா என்று அர்த்தமே
அது தானே இங்கு மாறும் அன்பே
To the word 'Go, go, go'
The true meaning is 'Come, come, come'
Doesn't that change today, my love?
ஆடைக்குள் மூடி நிற்கிறாய்
அது கூட வேறு அர்த்தமா
ஆஹாஹா புரிஞ்சு போச்சு அன்பே
She stands covered inside her dress
Does even that have a different meaning?
Ahaha, now I understand, my love!
மே மாத மேகம்
என்னை நில் என்று சொல்ல பட பட
பேசாத பெண்மை
என்னை பேர் சொல்லும்போது
கால்கள் தட தட
The cloud of the month of May
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
Oh silent girl, when you call me by my name
My legs tremble
ஆண் வாடை காற்று
என் ஆடைக்குள் மோத பட பட
போர் செய்யும் பார்வை
என் நெஞ்சோடு மோத
கால்கள் தட தட
The breeze bearing a masculine scent
Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter
As her warring glance clashes against my heart
My legs tremble
May maatha megam
The cloud of the month of May
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
Pesaatha penmai enai per sollum pothu
When silent womanhood calls me by my name
Kaalgal thada thada
My legs tremble
Aan vaadai kaatru
The breeze bearing a masculine scent
En aadaikkul motha pada pada
Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter
Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha
As her warring glance clashes against my heart
Kaalgal thada thada
My legs tremble
Punnagai sottu punnagai
Smiles, dripping smiles
Ennai pulavanaai maatruthae
Turn me into a poet
Boomiyum antha vaanamum
The earth and that vast sky
Chinna pulliyaai poanathae
Have shrunk into a tiny dot
Kangalae antha kangalae
Those eyes, oh those eyes
Enthan karpinai theenduthae
Touch my imagination
Poovukkum eetti velukkum
Between a flower and a sharp spear
Indru porkalam moondathae
A battlefield has been ignited today
Sila neram velum vellalaam
Sometimes the spear may win
Pala neram poovum vellalaam
Many times the flower may win
Athu thaanae kaathal yutham anbae
That is indeed the war of love, my dear
Vendraalum inimai kaanbathum
Finding sweetness even in victory
Thotraalum perumai kaanbathum
Finding pride even in defeat
Ingae dhaan kaana koodum anbae
Can be witnessed only here, my dear
Oh may maatha megam
Oh cloud of the month of May
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
May maatha megam
Cloud of the month of May
Ennai nil endru solla
Telling me to stop
Paravaigal pesum mozhigalai
The languages that birds speak
Kaatru ariyumaa illaiya
Doesn't the wind know it?
Kangalaal pesum mozhigalai
The language spoken through the eyes
Kaadhal ariyanum illaiya
Shouldn't love understand it?
Malaigalai katti izhuppathu
Tying up and pulling mountains
Enakku sulabam than illaiya
Is quite easy for me, isn't it?
Manathilae ulla kaathalai
Holding back the love inside the heart
Irukki vaippathae thollaiyaa
Suppressing it tightly is the real trouble
Po po po ennum sollukku
To the word 'Go, go, go'
Vaa vaa vaa endru arthamae
The true meaning is 'Come, come, come'
Athu thaanae indru maarum anbae
Doesn't that change today, my love?
Aadaikkul moodi nirkiraal
She stands covered inside her dress
Athu kooda veru arthamaa
Does even that have a different meaning?
Aahaha purinchu pochu anbae
Ahaha, now I understand, my love!
May maatha megam
The cloud of the month of May
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
Fluttering as it tells me to stop
Pesaatha pennae enai per sollum pothu
Oh silent girl, when you call me by my name
Kaalgal thada thada
My legs tremble
Aan vaadai kaatru
The breeze bearing a masculine scent
En aadaikkul motha pada pada
Strikes inside my dress, causing a flutter
Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha
As her warring glance clashes against my heart
Kaalgal thada thada
My legs tremble
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
May Maatha Megam from the movie Shahjahan (2001) expresses the intense emotional and physical sensations experienced when facing one's beloved. The song portrays love as a playful battlefield where soft emotions clash with overpowering passion, leaving the lovers with fluttering hearts and trembling steps. Vairamuthu's lyrics eloquently describe how the grandeur of the universe shrinks before the intimate glance of love, where even paradoxes make perfect sense—a soft flower can defeat a sharp spear, and a command to leave actually means an invitation to come closer.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Onomatopoeia (Irattai Kilavi)
“Ennai nil endru solla pada pada / Kaalgal thada thada”
The rhythmically repeated words 'pada pada' and 'thada thada' mimic sound effects for heartbeat fluttering and legs trembling under romantic tension.
Paradox / Juxtaposition
“Sila neram velum vellalaam / Pala neram poovum vellalaam”
Contrasting the gentle flower ('poovum') with a lethal weapon ('velum'), suggesting that soft love can defeat brute strength in the arena of affection.
Metaphor & Imagery
“Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha”
Describing a lover's intense look as a military attack ('por seiyum paarvai') creating vivid martial imagery in a romantic context.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song was composed by Mani Sharma for the hit 2001 romantic drama 'Shahjahan' starring Vijay. Sung by Devan Ekambaram and Sujatha Mohan, it features iconic lyrics by Vairamuthu capturing youthful romance.
Keep listening
More from Shahjahan
Shahjahan
Shahjahan
Shahjahan
Shahjahan
Shahjahan
Shahjahan