Moongil Ilai Kaadugale (Female)
From Penmani Aval Kanmani · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Penmani Aval Kanmani1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Moongil ilai kaadugalae | O bamboo-leaf forests, |
| Muththu mazhai megangalae | O pearl-rain clouds, |
| Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga | O flocks of songbirds, please listen! |
| Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku | For women who wear the wedding garland, |
| Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral | If suicide is their heaven, |
| Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal | Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread? |
| Female | |
| Moongil ilai kaadugalae | O bamboo-leaf forests, |
| Muththu mazhai megangalae | O pearl-rain clouds, |
| Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga | O flocks of songbirds, please listen! |
| Female | |
| Maam pookkalae mainaakkalae | O mango blossoms, O mainas, |
| Kalyaana paavaiyin kanneerai paarungal | Look at the tears of the bride! |
| Naanalgalae naraigalae | O reeds, O grey-haired elders, |
| Penn patta paadugal ellorukkum koorungal | Tell everyone about the suffering women endure! |
| Female | |
| Peram pesavae kalyaana santhaiyo | Is the wedding market merely a place to bargain? |
| Pengal yaavanum vellaattu manthaiyo | Are all women just a herd of goats? |
| Kalyaana oorvalam ellaamae naadagam | Is the whole wedding procession just a drama? |
| Female | |
| Moongil ilai kaadugalae | O bamboo-leaf forests, |
| Muththu mazhai megangalae | O pearl-rain clouds, |
| Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga | O flocks of songbirds, please listen! |
| Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku | For women who wear the wedding garland, |
| Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral | If suicide is their heaven, |
| Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal | Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread? |
| Female | |
| Poochchoodavum paai podavum | To wear flowers and to spread the mat, |
| Kalyaana maappillai ketpaanae vaadagai | The groom demands rent! |
| Pennoduthaan penn theduvaal | A woman searches for faults in another woman, |
| Ammaadi maamiyaar pennalla thaadagai | My goodness, the mother-in-law is not a woman but a demoness! |
| Female | |
| Kelvi enbathae illaatha dhesamaa | Is this a land where no questions are asked? |
| Yaarum unmaiyai sollaatha dhosamaa | Is it a sin that no one speaks the truth? |
| Penn ingu thaaramaa vanthalae bharamaa | Is a woman a wife here, or if she arrives, is she a burden? |
| Female | |
| Moongil ilai kaadugalae | O bamboo-leaf forests, |
| Muththu mazhai megangalae | O pearl-rain clouds, |
| Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga | O flocks of songbirds, please listen! |
| Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku | For women who wear the wedding garland, |
| Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral | If suicide is their heaven, |
| Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal… | Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread? |
மூங்கில் இலை காடுகளே
முத்து மழை மேகங்களே
பூங்குருவி கூட்டங்களே கேளுங்கள்
மாலையிட்ட மங்கையர்க்கு
தற்கொலை தான் சொர்க்கம் என்றால்
மேளம் என்ன தாலி என்ன கூறுங்கள் கூறுங்கள்....
O bamboo-leaf forests,
O pearl-rain clouds,
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
For women who wear the wedding garland,
If suicide is their heaven,
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
மூங்கில் இலை காடுகளே
முத்து மழை மேகங்களே
பூங்குருவி கூட்டங்களே கேளுங்கள்
O bamboo-leaf forests,
O pearl-rain clouds,
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
மாம்பூக்களே மைனாக்களே
கல்யாணப் பாவையின் கண்ணீரை பாருங்கள்
நாணல்களே நாரைகளே
பெண் பட்ட பாடுகள் எல்லோருக்கும் கூறுங்கள்
O mango blossoms, O mainas,
Look at the tears of the bride!
O reeds, O grey-haired elders,
Tell everyone about the suffering women endure!
பேரம் பேசவே கல்யாண சந்தையோ
பெண்கள் யாவரும் வெள்ளாட்டு மந்தையோ
கல்யாண ஊர்வலம் எல்லாமே நாடகம்
Is the wedding market merely a place to bargain?
Are all women just a herd of goats?
Is the whole wedding procession just a drama?
மூங்கில் இலை காடுகளே
முத்து மழை மேகங்களே
பூங்குருவி கூட்டங்களே கேளுங்கள்
மாலையிட்ட மங்கையர்க்கு
தற்கொலை தான் சொர்க்கம் என்றால்
மேளம் என்ன தாலி என்ன கூறுங்கள் கூறுங்கள்......
O bamboo-leaf forests,
O pearl-rain clouds,
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
For women who wear the wedding garland,
If suicide is their heaven,
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
பூச்சூடவும் பாய் போடவும்
கல்யாண மாப்பிள்ளை கேட்பானே வாடகை
பொன்னோடுதான் பெண் தேடுவாள்
அம்மாடி மாமியார் பெண்ணல்ல தாடகை
To wear flowers and to spread the mat,
The groom demands rent!
A woman searches for faults in another woman,
My goodness, the mother-in-law is not a woman but a demoness!
கேள்வி என்பதே இல்லாத தேசமா
யாரும் உண்மையை சொல்லாத தோஷமா
பெண் இங்கு தாரமா வந்தாலே பாரமா
Is this a land where no questions are asked?
Is it a sin that no one speaks the truth?
Is a woman a wife here, or if she arrives, is she a burden?
மூங்கில் இலை காடுகளே
முத்து மழை மேகங்களே
பூங்குருவி கூட்டங்களே கேளுங்கள்
மாலையிட்ட மங்கையர்க்கு
தற்கொலை தான் சொர்க்கம் என்றால்
மேளம் என்ன தாலி என்ன கூறுங்கள் கூறுங்கள்....
O bamboo-leaf forests,
O pearl-rain clouds,
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
For women who wear the wedding garland,
If suicide is their heaven,
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
Moongil ilai kaadugalae
O bamboo-leaf forests,
Muththu mazhai megangalae
O pearl-rain clouds,
Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku
For women who wear the wedding garland,
Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral
If suicide is their heaven,
Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
Moongil ilai kaadugalae
O bamboo-leaf forests,
Muththu mazhai megangalae
O pearl-rain clouds,
Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
Maam pookkalae mainaakkalae
O mango blossoms, O mainas,
Kalyaana paavaiyin kanneerai paarungal
Look at the tears of the bride!
Naanalgalae naraigalae
O reeds, O grey-haired elders,
Penn patta paadugal ellorukkum koorungal
Tell everyone about the suffering women endure!
Peram pesavae kalyaana santhaiyo
Is the wedding market merely a place to bargain?
Pengal yaavanum vellaattu manthaiyo
Are all women just a herd of goats?
Kalyaana oorvalam ellaamae naadagam
Is the whole wedding procession just a drama?
Moongil ilai kaadugalae
O bamboo-leaf forests,
Muththu mazhai megangalae
O pearl-rain clouds,
Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku
For women who wear the wedding garland,
Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral
If suicide is their heaven,
Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
Poochchoodavum paai podavum
To wear flowers and to spread the mat,
Kalyaana maappillai ketpaanae vaadagai
The groom demands rent!
Pennoduthaan penn theduvaal
A woman searches for faults in another woman,
Ammaadi maamiyaar pennalla thaadagai
My goodness, the mother-in-law is not a woman but a demoness!
Kelvi enbathae illaatha dhesamaa
Is this a land where no questions are asked?
Yaarum unmaiyai sollaatha dhosamaa
Is it a sin that no one speaks the truth?
Penn ingu thaaramaa vanthalae bharamaa
Is a woman a wife here, or if she arrives, is she a burden?
Moongil ilai kaadugalae
O bamboo-leaf forests,
Muththu mazhai megangalae
O pearl-rain clouds,
Poonguruvi koottangalae kelunga
O flocks of songbirds, please listen!
Maalaiyitta mangaiyarkku
For women who wear the wedding garland,
Tharkolaithaan sorkkam endral
If suicide is their heaven,
Melam enna thaali enna koorungal koorungal…
Tell me, what is the point of wedding drums and the sacred thread?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from Penmani Aval Kanmani addresses the tragic realities of dowry harassment, marital abuse, and societal indifference towards women's suffering. The singer appeals to elements of nature—forests, rain clouds, and birds—asking them to bear witness to the agony of young brides whose marital lives become so unbearable that suicide seems like their only refuge. Vaali's lyrics scathingly critique the commercialization of marriage, comparing wedding markets to livestock auctions and exposing the hypocrisy of sacred marital traditions when they fail to protect women. The song questions a society that remains silent while women suffer at the hands of greedy grooms and abusive in-laws.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe / Personification
“Moongil ilai kaadugalae / Muththu mazhai megangalae”
Addressing non-human nature elements (bamboo forests, clouds, birds) as listeners capable of understanding human grief.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Moongil ilai kaadugalae / Muththu mazhai megangalae”
Repetition of the initial sound 'M' across lines 1 and 2.
Metaphor
“Pengal yaavanum vellaattu manthaiyo”
Comparing women to a herd of goats being bargained for in a market.
Mythological Allusion
“Ammaadi maamiyaar pennalla thaadagai”
Comparing a cruel mother-in-law to Thaadagai, the formidable demoness from the Ramayana.
Did you know?
Trivia
Penmani Aval Kanmani (1988) was directed by Visu, a filmmaker renowned for dealing with joint family issues and social domestic themes. Though listed as unknown in some song compilations, the soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with impactful lyrics by Vaali.
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