Meena Adi Meena Song
From Yarukku Mappillai Yaaro · 1975
- Lyricist
- Poovai Senguttavan
- Singers
- Vani Jairam, L. R. Anjali
- Music director
- K. Vijaya Baskar
- Details
- Yarukku Mappillai Yaaro1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Meena adi meena | Hey Meena, oh Meena, |
| Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa | Are you a fish that does not know how to swim? |
| Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam | Your body untouched by men, |
| Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae | Let the fish fondle and caress it a little. |
| Chorus | |
| Meena adi meena | Hey Meena, oh Meena, |
| Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa | Are you a fish that does not know how to swim? |
| Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam | Your body untouched by men, |
| Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae | Let the fish fondle and caress it a little. |
| Female | |
| Sheela adu mala intha | Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this, |
| Keliyum kindalum pothumadi | Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend! |
| Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha | To swim in the ocean called time, |
| Paadam kattraval naanthaandi…. | I am the one who has learned the lesson... |
| Chorus | |
| …………… | |
| Female | |
| Imaigal maraikkumadi kangalai | Eyelids conceal the eyes, |
| Udaigal maraikkumadi pengalai | Clothes conceal women, |
| Olivu maraivugal yaenadi | Why have secrets and concealment? |
| Ulaga pengalai paaradi | Look at the women across the world! |
| Female | |
| Pazhamaiyai penmai maranthida vendaam | Womanhood should not forget tradition, |
| Pudhumai pennaai uruvaga vendum | We must transform into modern women, |
| Thunichal endru thevaiyadi…. | Courage is what is needed now... |
| Female | |
| Sheela adu mala intha | Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this, |
| Keliyum kindalum pothumadi | Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend! |
| Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha | To swim in the ocean called time, |
| Paadam kattraval naanthaandi…. | I am the one who has learned the lesson... |
| Female | |
| Vaanil paranthuvarum pennadi | She is a woman who flies in the sky, |
| Neeril neentha vara achchamaa | Are you afraid to step into the water? |
| Neeril neenthugindra anaivarum | Can everyone who swims in the water, |
| Vaanil neenthi vara mudiyumaa | Fly across the sky? |
| Female | |
| Naal vagai gunamum namakku varaathu | The four traditional virtues won't come to us, |
| Naanamillaathu penmaiyum yaethu | What is womanhood without modesty? |
| Pennukku perumai adakkamadi | Humility is the true pride of a woman! |
| Chorus | |
| Meena adi meena | Hey Meena, oh Meena, |
| Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa | Are you a fish that does not know how to swim? |
| Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam | Your body untouched by men, |
| Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae | Let the fish fondle and caress it a little. |
| Female | |
| Melai naattavarin paaniyil | Following the style of Westerners, |
| Paathai maaruvathu thevaiyaa | Is it necessary to alter our path? |
| Kaalam maarugindra velaiyil | When times are changing, |
| Kolam maaruvathu avasiyam | It is essential to change our appearance, |
| Female | |
| Kolaththai poduthal pengalin vazhakkam | Drawing kolam patterns is a woman's custom, |
| Kolangal poduthal pazhangaala pazhakam | Drawing kolams is an ancient tradition, |
| Vazhakkaththai maattrida vendumadi | We must change such old habits! |
| Female | |
| Sheela adu mala intha | Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this, |
| Keliyum kindalum pothumadi | Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend! |
| Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha | To swim in the ocean called time, |
| Paadam kattraval naanthaandi…. | I am the one who has learned the lesson... |
| Chorus | |
| …………… | |
மீனா அடி மீனா
நீ நீந்த தெரியாத மீனா
ஆண்கள் தழுவா மேனியை கொஞ்சம்
மீன்கள் தழுவிக் கொஞ்சட்டுமே....
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Your body untouched by men,
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
மீனா அடி மீனா
நீ நீந்த தெரியாத மீனா
ஆண்கள் தழுவா மேனியை கொஞ்சம்
மீன்கள் தழுவிக் கொஞ்சட்டுமே....
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Your body untouched by men,
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
ஷீலா அடி மாலா இந்த
கேலியும் கிண்டலும் போதுமடி
காலம் என்னும் கடலில் நீந்த
பாடம் கற்றவள் நான்தான்டி.....
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
To swim in the ocean called time,
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
..........................
இமைகள் மறைக்குமடி கண்களை
உடைகள் மறைக்குமடி பெண்களை
ஒளிவு மறைவுகள் ஏனடி
உலகப் பெண்களைப் பாரடி
Eyelids conceal the eyes,
Clothes conceal women,
Why have secrets and concealment?
Look at the women across the world!
பழமையை பெண்மை மறந்திட வேண்டாம்
புதுமை பெண்ணாய் உருவாக வேண்டும்
துணிச்சல் என்றும் தேவையடி....
Womanhood should not forget tradition,
We must transform into modern women,
Courage is what is needed now...
ஷீலா அடி மாலா இந்த
கேலியும் கிண்டலும் போதுமடி
காலம் என்னும் கடலில் நீந்த
பாடம் கற்றவள் நான்தான்டி.....
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
To swim in the ocean called time,
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
வானில் பறந்தவரும் பெண்ணடி
நீரில் நீந்த வர அச்சமா
நீரில் நீந்துகின்ற அனைவரும்
வானில் நீந்தி வர முடியுமா
She is a woman who flies in the sky,
Are you afraid to step into the water?
Can everyone who swims in the water,
Fly across the sky?
நால்வகை குணமும் நமக்கு வராது
நாணமில்லாது பெண்மையும் ஏது
பெண்ணுக்கு பெருமை அடக்கமடி
The four traditional virtues won't come to us,
What is womanhood without modesty?
Humility is the true pride of a woman!
மீனா அடி மீனா
நீ நீந்த தெரியாத மீனா
ஆண்கள் தழுவா மேனியை கொஞ்சம்
மீன்கள் தழுவிக் கொஞ்சட்டுமே....
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Your body untouched by men,
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
மேலை நாட்டவரின் பாணியில்
பாதை மாறுவது தேவையா
காலம் மாறுகின்ற வேளையில்
கோலம் மாறுவது அவசியம்
Following the style of Westerners,
Is it necessary to alter our path?
When times are changing,
It is essential to change our appearance,
கோலத்தை போடுதல் பெண்களின் வழக்கம்
கோலங்கள் போடுதல் பழங்கால பழக்கம்
வழக்கத்தை மாற்றிட வேண்டுமடி
Drawing kolam patterns is a woman's custom,
Drawing kolams is an ancient tradition,
We must change such old habits!
ஷீலா அடி மாலா இந்த
கேலியும் கிண்டலும் போதுமடி
காலம் என்னும் கடலில் நீந்த
பாடம் கற்றவள் நான்தான்டி.....
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
To swim in the ocean called time,
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
..................................
Meena adi meena
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam
Your body untouched by men,
Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
Meena adi meena
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam
Your body untouched by men,
Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
Sheela adu mala intha
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Keliyum kindalum pothumadi
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha
To swim in the ocean called time,
Paadam kattraval naanthaandi….
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
……………
Imaigal maraikkumadi kangalai
Eyelids conceal the eyes,
Udaigal maraikkumadi pengalai
Clothes conceal women,
Olivu maraivugal yaenadi
Why have secrets and concealment?
Ulaga pengalai paaradi
Look at the women across the world!
Pazhamaiyai penmai maranthida vendaam
Womanhood should not forget tradition,
Pudhumai pennaai uruvaga vendum
We must transform into modern women,
Thunichal endru thevaiyadi….
Courage is what is needed now...
Sheela adu mala intha
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Keliyum kindalum pothumadi
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha
To swim in the ocean called time,
Paadam kattraval naanthaandi….
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
Vaanil paranthuvarum pennadi
She is a woman who flies in the sky,
Neeril neentha vara achchamaa
Are you afraid to step into the water?
Neeril neenthugindra anaivarum
Can everyone who swims in the water,
Vaanil neenthi vara mudiyumaa
Fly across the sky?
Naal vagai gunamum namakku varaathu
The four traditional virtues won't come to us,
Naanamillaathu penmaiyum yaethu
What is womanhood without modesty?
Pennukku perumai adakkamadi
Humility is the true pride of a woman!
Meena adi meena
Hey Meena, oh Meena,
Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa
Are you a fish that does not know how to swim?
Aangal thazhuvaa maeniyai konjam
Your body untouched by men,
Meengal thazhuvi konjattumae
Let the fish fondle and caress it a little.
Melai naattavarin paaniyil
Following the style of Westerners,
Paathai maaruvathu thevaiyaa
Is it necessary to alter our path?
Kaalam maarugindra velaiyil
When times are changing,
Kolam maaruvathu avasiyam
It is essential to change our appearance,
Kolaththai poduthal pengalin vazhakkam
Drawing kolam patterns is a woman's custom,
Kolangal poduthal pazhangaala pazhakam
Drawing kolams is an ancient tradition,
Vazhakkaththai maattrida vendumadi
We must change such old habits!
Sheela adu mala intha
Hey Sheela or Mala, stop this,
Keliyum kindalum pothumadi
Enough of this teasing and mocking, my friend!
Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha
To swim in the ocean called time,
Paadam kattraval naanthaandi….
I am the one who has learned the lesson...
……………
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song presents a spirited, friendly debate between two perspectives on womanhood in 1970s South India. One friend argues for modernism, Western attire, courage, and breaking away from restrictive ancient customs. The other friend counters by advocating for moral restraint, modesty (naanam and adakkam), and preserving traditional identity amidst changing times. Through clever banter, lyricist Poovai Senguttavan contrasts Bharathiyar's concept of the modern woman ('Pudhumai Penn') with traditional cultural values, framing life's passage as learning to swim in the ocean of time.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Wordplay (Sleidai)
“Nee neentha theriyaatha meenaa”
Plays on the proper noun 'Meena' and the Tamil noun 'Meen' (fish), asking if Meena is a fish that cannot swim.
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Kaalam ennum kadalil neentha”
Compares time to a vast ocean that one must learn to navigate or swim across.
Antithesis / Contrast
“Pazhamaiyai penmai maranthida vendaam / Pudhumai pennaai uruvaga vendum”
Juxtaposes ancient traditions (pazhamai) against modern womanhood (pudhumai) to highlight the central debate.
Second-letter Rhyme (Edugai)
“Imaigal maraikkumadi kangalai / Udaigal maraikkumadi pengalai”
The second letter in both words ('ma') creates a rhythmic phonetic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Kannada music maestro K. Vijaya Bhaskar for 'Yarukku Mappillai Yaaro' (1975), this song stands out as a musical debate on female empowerment and Westernization during a key era of cultural shift in Tamil cinema.
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