Muniya
From Varnam · 2011
- Lyricist
- Raghu
- Singer
- Jayamoorthy
- Music director
- Isaac Thomas Kottukapally
- Details
- Varnam2011
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Muniya | O Muniya! |
| Male | |
| Paasakaara muniyandi | Loving Muniyandi, |
| Kovakara mudiyandi | Angry Muniyandi, |
| Paasakaran roshakaran | Full of affection, full of pride, |
| Veshakara muniyaandi | Disguised Muniyandi! |
| Male | |
| Kadhai irukku kadahi irukku | There is a story, there is a story, |
| Kadahaiku oru vidhai irukku | There is a seed to this story. |
| Veppillaiyil adichu | Striking with neem leaves, |
| Kadahaiyai sollatume | Shall I tell you the story? |
| Male | |
| Malaiyinile muni irukku | There is a guardian deity (Muni) on the hill, |
| Munikku oru mugam irukku | That Muni has a face. |
| Vepillaiyil adichu | Striking with neem leaves, |
| Mugathai kattatuma | Shall I reveal that face? |
| Male | |
| Azhagarodu kuthirai thaane | The horse that belongs with Lord Azhagar, |
| Muniyanodu vaganam | Is the vehicle of Muniyan! |
| Nadu saamathil kaavalukku | To guard during midnight, |
| Varuvaan iya | He will come, sir! |
| Male | |
| Maeni nalla senniram | His body is a rich red color, |
| Uruvam rendum pana maram | His stature is as tall as two palmyra trees! |
| Nadakayil salangai mani | As he walks, the jingling bells |
| Satham varum | Sound out loudly! |
| Male | |
| Dhaegam engum santhanam | Sandal paste is spread all over his body, |
| Solla poren manthiram | I am going to chant a mantra now. |
| Udukka adichu ukkurathil | As the Udukkai drum beats fiercely, |
| Ratham soodum | The blood boils with heat! |
| Male | |
| Ho.muniya…Ho..muniya | Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya... |
| Male | |
| Mala mela kula koyil | The ancestral temple sits atop the hill, |
| Purangkaaka varuvan padaiyaali | The warrior comes to protect the fortress! |
| Maaveeran kadai sera | To reach the end of the great hero's story, |
| Malai eri varuvane Vizhiyaali | The eagle-eyed deity comes climbing up the hill! |
| Vizhi rendum vilaiyaadum sathiraadi | His two eyes dance and play fiercely, |
| En uyire neethaandi | You are my very life, my friend! |
| En uyire neethaandi | You are my very life, my friend! |
| Male | |
| Ho.muniya…Ho..muniya | Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya... |
| Male | |
| Malayil ulla nagai edukka | To steal the jewels kept on the hill, |
| Guthirayile vadakkil ulla kollaikaaran | A robber riding on a horse from the north, |
| VAnthaan amma | Came, oh dear! |
| Azhagu raani mugathai antha | When that vulture arrived to gaze upon |
| Kazhugu vanthu paarkaiyil | The beautiful queen's face, |
| Kaama karan Dhegathai thaan thinnaan amma | He devoured the lustful robber's body, oh dear! |
| Male | |
| Karugi pona poomaram | The scorched flower tree, |
| Kalanji pona saamaram | The disturbed royal whisk, |
| GAngayile kan vizhyil | In the eye of the holy river, |
| Ratham varum | Blood flows! |
| Male | |
| Ivan vizhyil porgunam | The warlike nature in his eyes |
| Yuir varayil vaer vidum | Takes root deep down to the very soul! |
| VAaal edutha thala therichu odi vidum | When he unsheathes his sword, heads will roll and scatter! |
| Arai nimida porkalam | Within half a minute, the battlefield is over, |
| Avanum malayil iykkiyam | And he becomes one with the hill! |
| Kaval kara muniyaandi aanan amma | Thus he became the guardian deity Muniyandi, oh dear! |
| Male | |
| Muniya poda po | Go on, Muniya, go! |
| Muniya malai erada saami | O Muniya, climb the sacred hill, divine deity! |
முனியா ...
O Muniya!
பாசக்கார முனியாண்டி
கோவக்கார முனியாண்டி
பாசக்காரன் ரோஷக்காரன்
வேஷக்காரன் முனியாண்டி
Loving Muniyandi,
Angry Muniyandi,
Full of affection, full of pride,
Disguised Muniyandi!
கதையிருக்கு கதையிருக்கு
கதைக்கு ஒரு விதை இருக்கு
வேப்பிலையில் அடிச்சு
கதையை சொல்லட்டுமா
There is a story, there is a story,
There is a seed to this story.
Striking with neem leaves,
Shall I tell you the story?
மலையினிலே முனியிருக்கு
முனிக்கு ஒரு முகம் இருக்கு
வேப்பிலையில் அடிச்சு
முகத்தை காட்டட்டுமா
There is a guardian deity (Muni) on the hill,
That Muni has a face.
Striking with neem leaves,
Shall I reveal that face?
அழகரோடு குதிரை தானே
முனியனோடு வாகனம்
நடு சாமத்திலே காவலுக்கு
வருவான் ஐயா
The horse that belongs with Lord Azhagar,
Is the vehicle of Muniyan!
To guard during midnight,
He will come, sir!
மேனி நல்ல செந்நிறம்
உருவம் ரெண்டும் பண மரம்
நடக்கையில் சலங்கை மணி
சத்தம் வரும்
His body is a rich red color,
His stature is as tall as two palmyra trees!
As he walks, the jingling bells
Sound out loudly!
தேகம் எங்கும் சந்தனம்
சொல்ல போறேன் மந்திரம்
உடுக்க அடிச்சி உக்கரத்தில்
ரத்தம் சூடும்
Sandal paste is spread all over his body,
I am going to chant a mantra now.
As the Udukkai drum beats fiercely,
The blood boils with heat!
முனியா ...ஹோ ஹோ ஹோ ஹோ
Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya...
மல மேல குல கோயில்
புறங்காக்க வருவானே படையாளி
மாவீரன் கரைசேர
மலை ஏறி வருவாளே விழியாளி
விழி ரெண்டும் விளையாடும் சதிராடி
என் உயிரே நீதாண்டி
என் உயிரே நீதாண்டி
The ancestral temple sits atop the hill,
The warrior comes to protect the fortress!
To reach the end of the great hero's story,
The eagle-eyed deity comes climbing up the hill!
His two eyes dance and play fiercely,
You are my very life, my friend!
You are my very life, my friend!
ஹோ முனியா ...ஹோ முனியா
Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya...
மலையில் உள்ள நகை எடுக்க
குதிரையிலே வடக்கில் உள்ள கொள்ளைகாரன்
வந்தான் அம்மா
அழகு ராணி முகத்தை அந்த
கழுகு வந்து பார்க்கையில்
காம காரன் தேகத்தை தான் திண்ணான் அம்மா
To steal the jewels kept on the hill,
A robber riding on a horse from the north,
Came, oh dear!
When that vulture arrived to gaze upon
The beautiful queen's face,
He devoured the lustful robber's body, oh dear!
கருகி போன பூமரம்
களஞ்சி போன சாமரம்
காங்கையிலே கண் விழியில்
ரத்தம் வரும்
The scorched flower tree,
The disturbed royal whisk,
In the eye of the holy river,
Blood flows!
இவன் விழியில் போர் குணம்
உயிர் வரையில் வேர் விடும்
வாள் எடுத்தா தல தெறிச்சி ஓடி விடும்
அரை நிமிட போர் கலம்
அவனும் மலையில் ஐக்கியம்
காவல் கார முனியாண்டி ஆனான் அம்மா
The warlike nature in his eyes
Takes root deep down to the very soul!
When he unsheathes his sword, heads will roll and scatter!
Within half a minute, the battlefield is over,
And he becomes one with the hill!
Thus he became the guardian deity Muniyandi, oh dear!
முனியா போடா போ
முனியா மலை ஏறடா சாமி
Go on, Muniya, go!
O Muniya, climb the sacred hill, divine deity!
Muniya
O Muniya!
Paasakaara muniyandi
Loving Muniyandi,
Kovakara mudiyandi
Angry Muniyandi,
Paasakaran roshakaran
Full of affection, full of pride,
Veshakara muniyaandi
Disguised Muniyandi!
Kadhai irukku kadahi irukku
There is a story, there is a story,
Kadahaiku oru vidhai irukku
There is a seed to this story.
Veppillaiyil adichu
Striking with neem leaves,
Kadahaiyai sollatume
Shall I tell you the story?
Malaiyinile muni irukku
There is a guardian deity (Muni) on the hill,
Munikku oru mugam irukku
That Muni has a face.
Vepillaiyil adichu
Striking with neem leaves,
Mugathai kattatuma
Shall I reveal that face?
Azhagarodu kuthirai thaane
The horse that belongs with Lord Azhagar,
Muniyanodu vaganam
Is the vehicle of Muniyan!
Nadu saamathil kaavalukku
To guard during midnight,
Varuvaan iya
He will come, sir!
Maeni nalla senniram
His body is a rich red color,
Uruvam rendum pana maram
His stature is as tall as two palmyra trees!
Nadakayil salangai mani
As he walks, the jingling bells
Satham varum
Sound out loudly!
Dhaegam engum santhanam
Sandal paste is spread all over his body,
Solla poren manthiram
I am going to chant a mantra now.
Udukka adichu ukkurathil
As the Udukkai drum beats fiercely,
Ratham soodum
The blood boils with heat!
Ho.muniya…Ho..muniya
Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya...
Mala mela kula koyil
The ancestral temple sits atop the hill,
Purangkaaka varuvan padaiyaali
The warrior comes to protect the fortress!
Maaveeran kadai sera
To reach the end of the great hero's story,
Malai eri varuvane Vizhiyaali
The eagle-eyed deity comes climbing up the hill!
Vizhi rendum vilaiyaadum sathiraadi
His two eyes dance and play fiercely,
En uyire neethaandi
You are my very life, my friend!
En uyire neethaandi
You are my very life, my friend!
Ho.muniya…Ho..muniya
Oh Muniya... Oh Muniya...
Malayil ulla nagai edukka
To steal the jewels kept on the hill,
Guthirayile vadakkil ulla kollaikaaran
A robber riding on a horse from the north,
VAnthaan amma
Came, oh dear!
Azhagu raani mugathai antha
When that vulture arrived to gaze upon
Kazhugu vanthu paarkaiyil
The beautiful queen's face,
Kaama karan Dhegathai thaan thinnaan amma
He devoured the lustful robber's body, oh dear!
Karugi pona poomaram
The scorched flower tree,
Kalanji pona saamaram
The disturbed royal whisk,
GAngayile kan vizhyil
In the eye of the holy river,
Ratham varum
Blood flows!
Ivan vizhyil porgunam
The warlike nature in his eyes
Yuir varayil vaer vidum
Takes root deep down to the very soul!
VAaal edutha thala therichu odi vidum
When he unsheathes his sword, heads will roll and scatter!
Arai nimida porkalam
Within half a minute, the battlefield is over,
Avanum malayil iykkiyam
And he becomes one with the hill!
Kaval kara muniyaandi aanan amma
Thus he became the guardian deity Muniyandi, oh dear!
Muniya poda po
Go on, Muniya, go!
Muniya malai erada saami
O Muniya, climb the sacred hill, divine deity!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Muniya' is a powerful folk-deity ballad from the movie Varnam (2011), composed by Isaac Thomas Kottukapally and sung by Jayamoorthy. The song invokes Muniyandi, a revered guardian deity (Kaval Deivam) in rural Tamil folk traditions. Through rhythmic drumming (udukkai) and vivid imagery, the singer narrates the legend of a heroic warrior who protected his land and people against an invading robber from the north.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Uruvam rendum pana maram”
Compares the towering physical stature of deity Muniyandi to the height of two stacked palmyra trees.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Paasakaran roshakaran / Veshakara muniyaandi”
The second consonant 's' matches across 'Paasakaran' and 'Veshakara', creating a rhythmic cadence in Tamil folk poetry.
Imagery & Symbolism
“Veppillaiyil adichu / Kadahaiyai sollatume”
Uses ritualistic elements like neem leaves (veppillai), sandalwood paste (santhanam), and the Udukkai drum to evoke divine trance and local spiritual tradition.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Muniya' showcases authentic Tamil folk singing styles, rendered by traditional folk singer Jayamoorthy. Isaac Thomas Kottukapally, known for his subtle art-house cinema scores, utilized native percussion instruments like the Udukkai to capture the authentic ritualistic trance and spiritual fervor associated with Tamil Nadu's Kaaval Deivam (guardian deity) worship.
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