Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naan Than Maappille

From Thodarum · 1999

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Arun Mozhi, Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Thodarum1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Haei naanan naanan nannaa naanan nannaaHaei naanan naanan nannaa naanan nannaa
Chorus :Haa one haa two haa three haa fourChorus: Haa one haa two haa three haa four
Male
Haei naanan naanan nannaa naanan nannaaHaei naanan naanan nannaa naanan nannaa
Chorus :Haa one haa two haa three haa fourChorus: Haa one haa two haa three haa four
Male
Chaakku chakkaa chakkaaraeChaakku chakkaa chakkaarae
Cheekku chikkaa chikkaaraeCheekku chikkaa chikkaarae
Daakku dakku dakkaaraeDaakku dakku dakkaarae
Chorus :Hae haeiChorus: Hae haei
Male
Chaakku chakkaa chakkaaraeChaakku chakkaa chakkaarae
Cheekku chikkaa chikkaaraeCheekku chikkaa chikkaarae
Daakku dakku dakkaaraeDaakku dakku dakkaarae
Chorus :Hae haeiChorus: Hae haei
Male
Naan thaan maappillaeI am the groom
Naan porandha naattilae hoooIn the land where I was born, hooo
Naan thaan maappillaeI am the groom
Naan porandha naattilaeIn the land where I was born
Superaana ponnu onna thaediSearching for a superb girl
Kai pudippen paattu onna paadiI will hold her hand while singing a song
Male
Haa onakku nallaHaa, a really great
Poruthamaana jodiMatching pair for you
Vaachirukku noothil oru kodiOne in a hundred million matched by fate
Male
Kaaru ingae oorudhuThe car is crawling here
Nalla naeram pogudhuGood time is slipping away
Thambi thambiBrother, brother
Male
Unga maruti suzukikkaeFor your Maruti Suzuki
Maadu edhukkaiyaeWhy do you need a bullock, sir?
Anbu thambiDear brother
Male
Naan thaan maappillaeI am the groom
Chorus :Hae hae haeiChorus: Hae hae haei
Male :Naan porandha naattilaeMale: In the land where I was born
Chorus :Hae hae haeiChorus: Hae hae haei
Chorus
Nee thaan roattilaeYou are on the road
Male :Dha hae durr…Male: Dha hae durr…
Chorus :Ponnu angae veettilaeChorus: The girl is there at home
Hae… maattu vandiyila maappilla vandhaachu…Hae… the groom has arrived in a bullock cart…
Female
Maappilla vandhaar maappilla vandhaarThe groom has come, the groom has come
Maattu vandiyilaIn a bullock cart
Male
Apdiyaa maappillaikku thanniya kaattuIs that so? Show the groom some liquor
Maattukku kaappi kuduGive coffee to the bullock
Chorus :Haa…Chorus: Haa…
Male
Maattukku kaappi kuduGive coffee to the bullock
Maappillaikku thanni kaattuShow liquor to the groom
Chorus :Haa…Chorus: Haa…
Male
Maappillaikku thanni kuduthaa ennaSo what if you give liquor to the groom?
Kaappi kuduthaa ennappaaSo what if you give coffee, man?
Sandhosathula thaathaakku onnum puriyalaIn all the happiness, Grandpa doesn't understand anything
Male
Maappilla kedandhu thudikkiraaruThe groom is lying down squirming
Ada ponna vara chollungaHey, ask the bride to come
Male
Thaathaa ponna vara chollungaGrandpa, ask the bride to come
Ponnu konjam age daa irukkaaIs the bride a bit aged?
Male
Adhu yen chitthi maappillaThat is my aunt, groom
Male
Ho paattu varumaaHo, will she sing a song?
Ponnukku paattu varumaaWill the bride sing a song?
Male
Bagya lashmi mmm…Bagya Lakshmi mmm…
Female
Miyaa miyaa poonai kuttiMeow meow kitten
Veettai chuthum poonai kuttiThe kitten roaming around the house
Aththaan manasu vella kattiGroom's heart is like a block of jaggery
Avar azhagai cholladi chella kuttiTell us about his beauty, dear darling
Male
Nalla sagunam…A good omen…
Ponnukku paattu varumaannu kaettaaWhen asked if the bride can sing,
Paattaiyae paadi kaattittaa pongoLook, she actually sang a song!
Male
Haiyo…Oh dear…
Female
Seethaa thaedumYou are the Lord Rama
Sri raaman neeyaeThat Sita searches for
Nee thaan endhanYou alone are my
Uyir jeevan polaeVery soul and life
Boologamae kondaadumThe king of kings
Raajaadhi raajanaeCelebrated by the whole world
Seethaa thaedum sri raaman neeyaeYou are the Lord Rama that Sita searches for
Nee thaan endhan uyir jeevan polaeYou alone are my very soul and life
Male
Pullaikkenna koduppeengaWhat will you give the child?
Nisagama paama neepaNisagama paama neepa
Saani saanipa nipama gamagapaSaani saanipa nipama gamagapa
Pullaikkenna koduppeengaWhat will you give the child?
Chorus
Appdi pottu thaakkuHit it hard like that
Thaakku thaakkida tharikida thakadhimiThaakku thaakkida tharikida thakadhimi
Thattheengu thatthom thattheengu thatthomThattheengu thatthom thattheengu thatthom
Thadheengida thom thadheengida thomThadheengida thom thadheengida thom
Thadheengida thom that thomThadheengida thom that thom
Male
Enna ippavae thadheengida thomaa…What, rhythm beat already?
Female
Paappa iva chinna paappaaChild, she is a little girl
Male
Yempaa enna enna keppaeHey man, what all will you ask?
Male
Maamaa kindal pannalaamaaUncle, can we tease you?
Maamee… anju latcham kekkalaamaaAuntie… can we ask for five lakhs?
Male
Azhagaana maappillaeHandsome groom
Aiyaiya yaiyai yaiyaaAiyaiya yaiyai yaiyaa
Anju latcham kekkuraanHe asks for five lakhs
Female
Azhagaana ponnirukku indhaaHere is a beautiful girl
Nee anju latcham kekkuradhu bandhaaAsking for five lakhs is just your show-off
Male
Yaaraavadhu azhagaanaWould anyone give a beautiful
Ponnaiyum kuduthuGirl as well as
Anju latcham panamum kuduppaangalaaGive five lakhs in cash too?
Male
Sari vidunga ponna neenga vechukkangaAlright, forget it, you keep the girl
Anju latcham panattha mattum kudungaJust give me the five lakhs cash!
Male
Ponna pudichu pochuI like the girl
Adhu pudicha pinnumAfter liking her
Edhukkinnum vetti pechuWhy continue this useless talk?
Chorus
Haehaehae haeiHaehaehae haei
Male
Thiruppathi laddu thaan…She is like a Tirupati laddu…
Thiruppathi laddu thaanShe is like a Tirupati laddu
Chetti naattu puttu thaanShe is like Chettinad puttu
Izhutthu valachu mayakki sirikkiraPulling, twisting, charming, and smiling
Siru ponna pudichu pochuI fell in love with this young girl
Adhu pudicha pinnumAfter liking her
Edhukkinnum vetti pechuWhy continue this useless talk?
Female
Kaana vandha kaatchi ennaWhat is this scene brought to view
Velli nilavaeOh silver moon?
Nee kandu vitta kolam ennaWhat is this state you have witnessed
Velli nilavaeOh silver moon?
Male
Arugil vandhaal adhatti nindraalShe came close, scolded me, and stood there
Kondu ponaalaeShe took it away
Male
Oli mayamaana arai bottleA bright, luminous half bottle
En pockettil irukkiradhuIs in my pocket
Male
Indha kizhavi podum koochal ini melThe noise this old woman makes hereafter
Chorus :Kaadhil ketkaadhuChorus: Won't be heard in the ears
Male
Daei vidinjuruchu daa yendhiringa…Hey, it's dawn, wake up guys…
Endhirichu vaasingaGet up and play the instruments
Male
Daei mugoortham pathara manikku daaHey, the auspicious hour is at 10:30 AM
Ponnazhaippukku vaasingadaaPlay the music to welcome the bride!
Chorus
Nilavaa nilavaa inguIs it the moon, the moon
Nadandhu varuvadhuWalking towards here?
Nadhiyaa nadhiyaa mellaIs it a river, a river gently
Asaindhu varuvadhuSwaying towards here?
Boologamae kondaadum naal indha naaladiThis day is celebrated by the whole world, my girl
Chorus
Nilavaa nilavaa inguIs it the moon, the moon
Nadandhu varuvadhuWalking towards here?
Nadhiyaa nadhiyaa mellaIs it a river, a river gently
Asaindhu varuvadhuSwaying towards here?
Male
Pullaiyaandaana suthi vaappaaPerform the warding off ritual around the boy
Male
Nisagama paama neepaNisagama paama neepa
Saani saanipa nipama gamagapaSaani saanipa nipama gamagapa
Male
Thookkam innum pogalappaaSleep hasn't gone away yet, man
Chorus
Appdi pottu thaakkuHit it hard like that
Thaakku thaakkida tharikida thakadhimiThaakku thaakkida tharikida thakadhimi
Thattheengu thatthom thattheengu thatthomThattheengu thatthom thattheengu thatthom
Thadheengida thom thadheengida thomThadheengida thom thadheengida thom
Thadheengida thom that thomThadheengida thom that thom
Male
Enna ippavum thadheengida thomWhat, still playing the rhythm beat?
Male
Natta nadu raathiriyilIn the middle of the midnight
Kotta kotta muzhichirundhaeStaying wide awake
Thaali kattum nerathilae thoongi vidaadhaeDon't fall asleep at the time of tying the sacred thread!
Male
Aiyarae mandhiratha sollu paaPriest, chant the mantras!
Male
Sarva mangala maangalyaeSarva mangala maangalyae
Sarvaatha saadhagaeSarvaatha saadhagae
Male
Aiyarae mandhiram batthiramPriest, keep the mantra safe!
Male
Enna maamaa ponnu jacket podaamaHey uncle, why is the bride without a jacket,
Kavarchiyaa irukkuLooking attractive?
Male
Athuu aiyaru maappillaThat is priest's groom
Tkkathula thaaliya maathi kattidaadhaeDon't tie the sacred thread on the wrong person by mistake!
Chorus
Nee thaan maappillaeYou are the groom
Ponnu kitta maattikkittaeYou got caught by the bride
Male
Ippa yenna kaliyaanamnaa lesaaNow, is marriage an easy thing?
Yaeppaa thanni pola selavazhikkanum kaasaaHey man, money has to be spent like water!
Male
Aamaa yaa raasaaYes, my king
Male
Ponna pethutaaHaving given birth to a daughter
Porandha veettukkaeIs a burden
Baaram thaan daaTo the parental home
Chorus
Lulululu…Lulululu…
Female
Maappillae kedachuttaanFound a groom
Kai pudichu koduthuttaanGave her hand in marriage
Neram thaan daaThe right time has come
Chorus
Lulululu…Lulululu…
Chorus
Kalyaanamaam kalyaanamIt's a wedding, a wedding
Idhu super aana kalyaanamThis is a super wedding
Kalyaanamaam kalyaanamIt's a wedding, a wedding
Idhu super aana kalyaanamThis is a super wedding

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This theatrical and comedic song from the 1999 movie 'Thodarum' captures the chaotic, joyous, and humorous atmosphere of a traditional Tamil wedding celebration. Through playful exchanges, banter between relatives, musical solfege (svaras), percussion mnemonics, dowry humor, and witty observations about the groom, bride, and priest, the lyricist Gangai Amaran builds a lively festive scene.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition

Naan thaan maappillae / Naan porandha naattilae

Repetition of introductory lines and choruses creates rhythmic drive in wedding folk songs.

Simile / Metaphor

Thiruppathi laddu thaan... Chetti naattu puttu thaan

Comparing the bride to sweet delicacies ('Tirupati laddu', 'Chetti naattu puttu') and nature elements ('Velli nilavae').

Onomatopoeia & Konnakol

Thaakku thaakkida tharikida thakadhimi / Thattheengu thatthom

Rhythmic percussion syllables mimicking mridangam beats during ceremony music.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Thodarum' (1999) features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, starring Ajith Kumar, Devayani, and Heera Rajgopal. The comedic wedding folk-narrative song format showcases Gangai Amaran's distinct signature style of wedding folklore banter.

Keep listening

More from Thodarum