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Rishi Moolam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Mazhai Varuvathu

From Rishi Moolam · 1980

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Rishi Moolam
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
14 Feb 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Ini avllathu ulagathil
Pagalenna iravenna magane kathiravanaam
Varum iravinil avane pudhu nilavaam….
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Aval kala kala kala ena irunthavalthaan
Miga pada pada pada ena porinthavalthaan
Aval kala kala kala ena irunthavalthaan
Miga pada pada pada ena porinthavalthaan
Aval sari ena ninaithathu
Thavarena mudinthathu kalagathile
Aval miga miga pazhayaval ulagathile
Indru miga miga pudhiyaval gunathinile
Ithu kaliyugamo illai pudhu yugamo
Ival idhayathile….
Aa….aa….aa…..lalala lalala lalalaa
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Ini avllathu ulagathil
Pagalenna iravenna magane kathiravanaam
Varum iravinil avane pudhu nilavaam….
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Andru nadanthadhai ninaipathil kalangugiraal
Indru nadappadhai ninaippadhil myangugiraal
Andru nadanthadhai ninaipathil kalangugiraal
Indru nadappadhai ninaippadhil myangugiraal
Oru maganukku thaai ena
Ulagathil yaarukku theriginrathu
Oru manathukkul ragasiyam irukkinrathu
Athu kanavilum ninaivilum thavikkinrathu
Avan maranthu vittan ival marakkavillai
Kathai nadakkinrathu….
Aa….aa….aa…..lalala lalala lalalaa
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Ini avllathu ulagathil
Pagalenna iravenna magane kathiravanaam
Varum iravinil avane pudhu nilavaam….
Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum
Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum
Lalala lalala lalalaa lalala lalala lalalaa
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
In her world from this day on,
what does day or night matter? Her son is the sun,
and in the coming night, he is the new moon.
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
She was once full of cheerful laughter,
she was once quick to flare up in temper.
She was once full of cheerful laughter,
she was once quick to flare up in temper.
What she believed was right
turned out to be a mistake in the chaos.
To the world, she belongs to the old ways,
yet today, she is completely new in spirit.
Is this Kali Yuga (an age of darkness) or a brand new era
within her heart?
Ah... ah... ah... la la la la la la la la laa
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
In her world from this day on,
what does day or night matter? Her son is the sun,
and in the coming night, he is the new moon.
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
Thinking of what happened back then, she breaks down in sorrow;
thinking of what is happening today, she is dazed with confusion.
Thinking of what happened back then, she breaks down in sorrow;
thinking of what is happening today, she is dazed with confusion.
That she is the mother of a son,
who in this world really knows?
There is a secret hidden inside a heart,
and it suffers in dreams and in waking thoughts.
He has forgotten, but she hasn't;
and the story goes on.
Ah... ah... ah... la la la la la la la la laa
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
In her world from this day on,
what does day or night matter? Her son is the sun,
and in the coming night, he is the new moon.
The peacock knows when the rain is coming,
and a mother's heart knows the face of her son.
La la la la la la la la laa la la la la la la la la laa
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Mazhai Varuvathu Mayilukku Theriyum' from the film Rishi Moolam (1980) portrays deep maternal love, hidden secrets, and emotional anguish. Kannadasan compares a mother's natural intuition to a peacock sensing rain—just as nature signals the arrival of monsoon to peacocks, a mother's heart instantly knows her child regardless of time or separation. The son becomes the central light of her world, serving as both her sun during the day and her moon at night. However, the narrative carries profound tragic undercurrents. The mother harbors a painful secret that her son remains unaware of. While he has moved on having forgotten the past, she carries the burden of memory, suffering through dreams and waking moments alike. She reflects on her past vibrancy compared to her current silent suffering, wondering at the strange turns of fate that govern her life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)

“Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum / Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum”

Compares a mother's instinct of recognizing her child to a peacock intuitively knowing the arrival of rain.

Irattai Kilavi (Onomatopoeic expressional pairing)

“Aval kala kala kala ena irunthavalthaan”

The usage of 'kala kala' denotes cheerful, tinkling laughter and vibrant energy.

Irattai Kilavi (Expressional sound pairing)

“Miga pada pada pada ena porinthavalthaan”

The phrase 'pada pada' conveys rapid, anxious, or passionate action.

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

“Mazhai varuvathu mayilukku theriyum / Magan thirumugam manadhukku theriyum”

Repetition of the 'Ma' (ம) sound at the start of adjacent words ('Mazhai', 'Mayilukku', 'Magan', 'Manadhukku').

Ethirsol (Antithesis / Contrast)

“Avan maranthu vittan ival marakkavillai”

Direct contrast between 'Avan maranthu vittan' (he forgot) and 'ival marakkavillai' (she did not forget) to highlight emotional dissonance.

Did you know?

Trivia

Rishi Moolam (1980) featured Sivaji Ganesan and K. R. Vijaya, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics written by Kannadasan. The track, rendered by P. Susheela, is celebrated as one of Kannadasan's most poignant explorations of maternal instinct and hidden sorrow.

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