Muthumani Malai
From Chinna Gounder · 1992
- Lyricist
- R. V. Udhaya Kumar
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Chinna Gounder1992
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Muthu mani maala unnai thottu thottu thaalaatta | As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep, |
| Vekathila sela konjam vitu vitu poraada | Your saree sways back and forth in shyness, |
| Male | |
| Ullathilae nee thaanae | You alone reside within my heart, |
| Uthami un per thaanae | Your name belongs to a virtuous woman, |
| Oru nandhavana poo thaanae | You are a flower from the garden, |
| Puthu santhanamum nee thaanae | You are like fresh sandalwood paste. |
| Male | |
| Muthu mani maala unnai thottu thottu thaalaatta | As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep, |
| Female | |
| Kolusu thaan mounamaguma manasu thaan pesumaa | Will the anklets stay silent, or will the heart speak out? |
| Male | |
| Megam thaan nilavai mooduma mousu thaan kuraiyumaa | Will clouds cover the moon, and will its charm ever fade? |
| Female | |
| Nesapattu vandha paasa kodiku kaasi pattu thandha raasavae | Oh king who gifted Kanchipuram silk to the affectionate creeper that came seeking love, |
| Male | |
| Vaakapattu vandha vaasamalarae vannam kalaiyaadha rosavae | Oh fragrant flower wedded to me, a rose whose vibrant colors never fade, |
| Female | |
| Thaazham poovula veesum kaathula vaasam thedi mama vaa | Come my beloved, seeking the fragrance in the breeze blowing through screwpine flowers. |
| Male | |
| Muthu mani maala | The pearl necklace, |
| Female | |
| Ennai thottu thottu thaalaatta | Touches me gently to lull me to sleep, |
| Male | |
| Vekathila selai | The saree in shyness, |
| Female | |
| Konjam vitu vitu poraada | Sways back and forth a little bit, |
| Male | |
| Kaalilae potta minju thaan kadhula pesudhae | The toe ring worn on the foot speaks to the ears, |
| Female | |
| Kazhuthula potta thaali thaan kaaviyam paadudhae | The mangalsutra tied around the neck sings a classic epic, |
| Male | |
| Netri chutti aadum uchan thalaiyil pottu vetchadhaaru Naandhanae | Who placed the bindi at the crest of the head where the forehead ornament sways? It was me! |
| Female | |
| Athi marapoovum acha paduma pakka thunaiyaaru needhanae | Will even the rare fig flower feel shy? Who is the steadfast companion? It is you! |
| Male | |
| Aasai pechula paadhi moochilae lesa dhegam soodera | Midway through loving whispers and deep breaths, the body warms up gently, |
| Female | |
| Muthu mani maala ennai thottu thottu thaalaata | The pearl necklace touches me gently to lull me to sleep, |
| Vekathilae sela konjam vitu vitu poraada | The saree sways back and forth a bit in shyness, |
| Female | |
| Ullathilae nee thaanae | You alone reside in my heart, |
| Uthamanum nee thaanae | You alone are the virtuous man, |
| Idhu nandhavana poo thaanae | This is indeed a flower from the garden, |
| Pudhu santhanamum nee thaanae | You are also the fresh sandalwood paste, |
| Male | |
| Oru nandhavana poo thaanae | A flower from the garden, |
| Puthu santhanamum nee thaanae | You are also the fresh sandalwood paste. |
முத்து மணி
மாலை உன்னத்
தொட்டுத் தொட்டுத்
தாலாட்ட வெட்கத்துல
சேலை கொஞ்சம் விட்டு
விட்டுப் போராட
As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep,
Your saree sways back and forth in shyness,
உள்ளத்தில நீதானே
உத்தமி உன் பேர்தானே
ஒரு நந்தவனப் பூதானே
புது சந்தனமும் நீதானே
You alone reside within my heart,
Your name belongs to a virtuous woman,
You are a flower from the garden,
You are like fresh sandalwood paste.
முத்து மணி
மாலை உன்னத்
தொட்டுத் தொட்டுத்
தாலாட்ட
As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep,
கொலுசுதான்
மெளனமாகுமா
மனசு தான் பேசுமா
Will the anklets stay silent, or will the heart speak out?
மேகம் தான்
நிலவை மூடுமா
மவுசு தான் குறையுமா
Will clouds cover the moon, and will its charm ever fade?
நேசப்பட்டு
வந்த பாசக் கொடிக்கு
காசிப்பட்டு தந்த ராசாவே
Oh king who gifted Kanchipuram silk to the affectionate creeper that came seeking love,
வாக்கப்பட்டு
வந்த வாசமலரே
வண்ணம் கலையாத
ரோசாவே
Oh fragrant flower wedded to me, a rose whose vibrant colors never fade,
தாழம்பூவுல
வீசும் காத்துல
வாசம் தேடி மாமா
வா
Come my beloved, seeking the fragrance in the breeze blowing through screwpine flowers.
முத்து
மணி மாலை
The pearl necklace,
என்னத்
தொட்டுத் தொட்டுத்
தாலாட்ட
Touches me gently to lull me to sleep,
வெட்கத்துல
சேலை
The saree in shyness,
கொஞ்சம்
விட்டுவிட்டுப் போராட
Sways back and forth a little bit,
காலிலே போட்ட
மிஞ்சி தான் காதுல
பேசுதே
The toe ring worn on the foot speaks to the ears,
கழுத்துல
போட்ட தாலி தான்
காவியம் பாடுதே
The mangalsutra tied around the neck sings a classic epic,
நெத்திச்சுட்டி
ஆடும் உச்சந்தலையில்
பொட்டுவச்சதாரு
நான்தானே
Who placed the bindi at the crest of the head where the forehead ornament sways? It was me!
அத்திமரப்பூவும்
அச்சப்படுமா பக்கத்துணையாரு
நீதானே
Will even the rare fig flower feel shy? Who is the steadfast companion? It is you!
ஆசை பேச்சுல
பாதி மூச்சுல லேசா
தேகம் சூடேற
Midway through loving whispers and deep breaths, the body warms up gently,
முத்து மணிமாலை
என்னைத் தொட்டுத் தொட்டுத்
தாலாட்ட வெட்கத்துல சேலை
கொஞ்சம் விட்டுவிட்டுப்
போராட
The pearl necklace touches me gently to lull me to sleep,
The saree sways back and forth a bit in shyness,
உள்ளத்தில நீ தானே
உத்தமனும் நீதானே
இது நந்தவனப் பூ தானே
புது சந்தனமும் நீதானே
You alone reside in my heart,
You alone are the virtuous man,
This is indeed a flower from the garden,
You are also the fresh sandalwood paste,
ஒரு நந்தவனப்
பூ தானே புது சந்தனமும்
நீதானே
A flower from the garden,
You are also the fresh sandalwood paste.
Muthu mani maala unnai thottu thottu thaalaatta
As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep,
Vekathila sela konjam vitu vitu poraada
Your saree sways back and forth in shyness,
Ullathilae nee thaanae
You alone reside within my heart,
Uthami un per thaanae
Your name belongs to a virtuous woman,
Oru nandhavana poo thaanae
You are a flower from the garden,
Puthu santhanamum nee thaanae
You are like fresh sandalwood paste.
Muthu mani maala unnai thottu thottu thaalaatta
As the pearl necklace touches you gently to lull you to sleep,
Kolusu thaan mounamaguma manasu thaan pesumaa
Will the anklets stay silent, or will the heart speak out?
Megam thaan nilavai mooduma mousu thaan kuraiyumaa
Will clouds cover the moon, and will its charm ever fade?
Nesapattu vandha paasa kodiku kaasi pattu thandha raasavae
Oh king who gifted Kanchipuram silk to the affectionate creeper that came seeking love,
Vaakapattu vandha vaasamalarae vannam kalaiyaadha rosavae
Oh fragrant flower wedded to me, a rose whose vibrant colors never fade,
Thaazham poovula veesum kaathula vaasam thedi mama vaa
Come my beloved, seeking the fragrance in the breeze blowing through screwpine flowers.
Muthu mani maala
The pearl necklace,
Ennai thottu thottu thaalaatta
Touches me gently to lull me to sleep,
Vekathila selai
The saree in shyness,
Konjam vitu vitu poraada
Sways back and forth a little bit,
Kaalilae potta minju thaan kadhula pesudhae
The toe ring worn on the foot speaks to the ears,
Kazhuthula potta thaali thaan kaaviyam paadudhae
The mangalsutra tied around the neck sings a classic epic,
Netri chutti aadum uchan thalaiyil pottu vetchadhaaru Naandhanae
Who placed the bindi at the crest of the head where the forehead ornament sways? It was me!
Athi marapoovum acha paduma pakka thunaiyaaru needhanae
Will even the rare fig flower feel shy? Who is the steadfast companion? It is you!
Aasai pechula paadhi moochilae lesa dhegam soodera
Midway through loving whispers and deep breaths, the body warms up gently,
Muthu mani maala ennai thottu thottu thaalaata
The pearl necklace touches me gently to lull me to sleep,
Vekathilae sela konjam vitu vitu poraada
The saree sways back and forth a bit in shyness,
Ullathilae nee thaanae
You alone reside in my heart,
Uthamanum nee thaanae
You alone are the virtuous man,
Idhu nandhavana poo thaanae
This is indeed a flower from the garden,
Pudhu santhanamum nee thaanae
You are also the fresh sandalwood paste,
Oru nandhavana poo thaanae
A flower from the garden,
Puthu santhanamum nee thaanae
You are also the fresh sandalwood paste.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Muthu Mani Maala is a classic romantic duet celebrating the intimacy, emotional bond, and mutual adoration between a newly married rural couple. Through sweet exchanges, the couple expresses how ornaments, breezes, and gentle touch heighten their affection and sense of togetherness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Adukku Thodar (Rhythmic Word Repetition)
“Muthu mani maala unnai thottu thottu thaalaatta”
The repetition of 'thottu thottu' (touching repeatedly) and 'vitu vitu' (intermittently) creates a rhythmic, musical lulling effect.
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Vaakapattu vandha vaasamalarae vannam kalaiyaadha rosavae”
Comparing the beloved to an everlasting rose whose colors never fade ('vannam kalaiyaadha rosavae').
Personification
“Kaalilae potta minju thaan kadhula pesudhae / Kazhuthula potta thaali thaan kaaviyam paadudhae”
Giving human qualities to inanimate ornaments like toe-rings ('minju') speaking and the mangalsutra ('thaali') singing epics.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and penned by director-lyricist R.V. Udhaya Kumar for the blockbuster film Chinna Gounder (1992), this evergreen track features brilliant vocal performances by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and P. Susheela.
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