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Isaimozhi
Shahjahan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

May Madham

From Shahjahan · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Devan Ekambaram, Sujatha Mohan
Music director
Mani Sharma
Movie name
Shahjahan
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
14 Apr 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
May maatha megam
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
Pesaatha penmai enai per sollum pothu
Kaalgal thada thada
Aan vaadai kaatru
En aadaikkul motha pada pada
Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha
Kaalgal thada thada
Punnagai sottu punnagai
Ennai pulavanaai maatruthae
Boomiyum antha vaanamum
Chinna pulliyaai poanathae
Kangalae antha kangalae
Enthan karpinai theenduthae
Poovukkum eetti velukkum
Indru porkalam moondathae
Sila neram velum vellalaam
Pala neram poovum vellalaam
Athu thaanae kaathal yutham anbae
Vendraalum inimai kaanbathum
Thotraalum perumai kaanbathum
Ingae dhaan kaana koodum anbae
Oh may maatha megam
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
May maatha megam
Ennai nil endru solla
Paravaigal pesum mozhigalai
Kaatru ariyumaa illaiya
Kangalaal pesum mozhigalai
Kaadhal ariyanum illaiya
Malaigalai katti izhuppathu
Enakku sulabam than illaiya
Manathilae ulla kaathalai
Irukki vaippathae thollaiyaa
Po po po ennum sollukku
Vaa vaa vaa endru arthamae
Athu thaanae indru maarum anbae
Aadaikkul moodi nirkiraal
Athu kooda veru arthamaa
Aahaha purinchu pochu anbae
May maatha megam
Ennai nil endru solla pada pada
Pesaatha pennae enai per sollum pothu
Kaalgal thada thada
Aan vaadai kaatru
En aadaikkul motha pada pada
Por seiyum paarvai en nenjodu motha
Kaalgal thada thada
Clouds of May,
Tell me to stop, making my heart flutter!
When the quiet girl calls out my name,
My feet begin to tremble.
A breeze carrying the scent of a man
Sweeps through my dress, making my heart flutter,
As his piercing gaze strikes against my heart,
My feet begin to tremble.
A smile, just a drop of a smile,
Turns me into a poet!
The earth and the sky
Have shrunk into a tiny dot.
Those eyes, oh those very eyes,
Spark my imagination!
Between a gentle flower and a sharp spear,
A battlefield has broken out today!
Sometimes the spear may win,
Most times the flower will win,
Isn't that the battle of love, my dear?
Finding sweetness in victory,
And finding pride even in defeat,
Can only be seen here in love, my dear!
Oh, clouds of May,
Tell me to stop, making my heart flutter!
Clouds of May,
Tell me to stop...
The language that birds speak,
Doesn't the wind know it?
The language spoken with the eyes,
Shouldn't love understand it too?
Pulling mountains tied with ropes
Is quite easy for me, isn't it?
Yet holding back the love within my heart,
Is that the real struggle?
To the words, "Go, go, go,"
The real meaning is "Come, come, come!"
Isn't that what changes today, my love?
She stands covered in her clothes,
Does that also carry another meaning?
Ahaha, now I understand, my love!
Clouds of May,
Tell me to stop, making my heart flutter!
When that quiet girl calls out my name,
My feet begin to tremble.
A breeze carrying the scent of a man
Sweeps through my dress, making my heart flutter,
As his piercing gaze strikes against my heart,
My feet begin to tremble.
Male
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Female
Male
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Male
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Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

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