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Lyrics & meaning

Megamumilla Mazhai Peiyavumilla

From Pen Manam Pesugirathu · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Pen Manam Pesugirathu1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Megamumilla mazhai peiyyavumillaThere are no clouds, nor does it rain
Adi muththammaa…aa….aa…Oh Muththamma...
Vanthathu ellaam sollaama ponathu engoWhere did everything that came go without a word?
Kannula kanneeru adhu kaattukku ennaagumWhat good are tears in the eyes to a dry forest?
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own
Female
Megamumilla mazhai peiyyavumillaThere are no clouds, nor does it rain
Adi muththammaa…aa….aa…Oh Muththamma...
Vanthathu ellaam sollaama ponathu engoWhere did everything that came go without a word?
Kannula kanneeru adhu kaattukku ennaagumWhat good are tears in the eyes to a dry forest?
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own
Female
Rendu pakkam thoondilFishhooks on both sides
Angae naanum oru meenaanaeAnd there I became a caught fish
Kaanalilae meen pidikkaTrying to catch fish in a mirage
Pona kadhai naanaenI became a story of futile effort
Female
Rendu pakkam thoondilFishhooks on both sides
Angae naanum oru meenaanaeAnd there I became a caught fish
Kaanalilae meen pidikkaTrying to catch fish in a mirage
Pona kadhai naanaenI became a story of futile effort
Female
Aththi maram pookkaathuThe fig tree does not bloom
Aasa vekkam paakkaathuDesire knows no shyness or modesty
Aththi maram pookkaathuThe fig tree does not bloom
Aasa vekkam paakkaathuDesire knows no shyness or modesty
Kannu rendum ponapinnaeAfter losing both of my eyes
Dheepamum onnu vaikkavaeSomeone brings a lamp to light the way
Female
Megamumilla mazhai peiyyavumillaThere are no clouds, nor does it rain
Adi muththammaa…aa….aa…Oh Muththamma...
Vanthathu ellaam sollaama ponathu engoWhere did everything that came go without a word?
Kannula kanneeru adhu kaattukku ennaagumWhat good are tears in the eyes to a dry forest?
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own
Female
Paaththi katti naaththu vachchenI built nursery beds and planted saplings
Aththanaiyum mullaachchuAll of them turned into sharp thorns
Paavi maga aasaipattuThis sinful woman gave in to desire
Thottapakkam punnaachchuEvery side she touched turned into a wound
Female
Paaththi katti naaththu vachchenI built nursery beds and planted saplings
Aththanaiyum mullaachchuAll of them turned into sharp thorns
Paavi maga aasaipattuThis sinful woman gave in to desire
Thottapakkam punnaachchuEvery side she touched turned into a wound
Female
Aadi vellaam poyaachchuThe heavy monsoon floods of Aadi have passed
Aaru manal medaachchuThe riverbed has turned into dry sand mounds
Aadi vellaam poyaachchuThe heavy monsoon floods of Aadi have passed
Aaru manal medaachchuThe riverbed has turned into dry sand mounds
Aaththukkulla thanniyillaThere is no water left in the river
Odam onnu vittaenaeYet I launched a boat into it
Female
Megamumilla mazhai peiyyavumillaThere are no clouds, nor does it rain
Adi muththammaa…aa….aa…Oh Muththamma...
Vanthathu ellaam sollaama ponathu engoWhere did everything that came go without a word?
Kannula kanneeru adhu kaattukku ennaagumWhat good are tears in the eyes to a dry forest?
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own
Kaayuthu thannaalae payir pottathu ellaamaeAll the crops that were planted are drying up on their own

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This poignant song expresses intense grief, helplessness, and emotional despair through rich rural agricultural metaphors. The protagonist laments how her hopes and desires have dried up like crops in a drought. She feels trapped between conflicting forces, comparing her situation to a fish caught between two hooks or someone attempting to catch fish in a mirage. Her efforts to build a life or nurture love have yielded only pain and thorns, rendering her sacrifices futile like sailing a boat in a dry, waterless riverbed.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor (உவமை)

Kaanalilae meen pidikka

Comparing futile hopes to fishing in a mirage ('Kaanalilae meen pidikka') and sailing a boat in a dry riverbed ('Aaththukkulla thanniyilla odam onnu vittaenae').

Emona / Rhyme (எதுகை)

Paaththi katti naaththu vachchen

The second letter harmony across lines, such as 'Paaththi' and 'Aththanaiyum' or 'Aadi' and 'Aaru'.

Paradox / Irony (முரண்)

Kannu rendum ponapinnae

Lighting a lamp after losing vision ('Kannu rendum ponapinnae dheepamum onnu vaikkavae'), highlighting the irony of delayed help or late realization.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh and features lyrics by the legendary poet Kannadasan. S. Janaki's soulful rendition vividly conveys the tragic sorrow of rural life and heartbreak, utilizing Kannadasan's signature style of blending folk imagery with profound philosophical truths.

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