Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Neethane Maharani

From Neethikku Thandanai · 1987

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singers
Shoba Chandrasekar, P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Neethikku Thandanai1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Needhaanae magaraani niramenna maruthaaniYou are the queen, your color is like henna.
Meal naattil yuvaraani keezh naattil kalaivaaniA princess in Western lands, the goddess of arts in Eastern lands.
Un pattaadai thottaada pattaththu raasaakkaalEven crowned kings who wish to touch your silk garment,
Kottaavi vittaalum kittathu kittaathu vaa vaa vaaCannot attain it even if they yawn and wait; come, come, come!
Female
Needhaanae magaraani niramenna maruthaaniYou are the queen, your color is like henna.
Female
Ezhunthu virinthu sivantha kozhunthu nee nee neeYou are a tender red leaf that rises and blooms, you, you, you!
Irunthu magizhnthu virunthu arunthu nee nee neeStay, rejoice, and feast, you, you, you!
Vaazhththinaan manthiri vaazha vaa sundhariThe minister blessed you; come live, oh beautiful one.
Engal oor manthiri raagavan maadhiriOur local minister is like Lord Rama.
Female
Anbodu panbodu kannaana karpoduWith love, virtue, and precious chastity,
Vaazhgindra thennaaduThe southern land that lives,
Ennaalum ponnaadu paar paar paarIs forever a golden land, look, look, look!
Female
Needhaanae magaraani niramenna maruthaaniYou are the queen, your color is like henna.
Meal naattil yuvaraani keezh naattil kalaivaaniA princess in Western lands, the goddess of arts in Eastern lands.
Un pattaadai thottaada pattaththu raasaakkaalEven crowned kings who wish to touch your silk garment,
Kottaavi vittaalum kittathu kittaathu vaa vaa vaaCannot attain it even if they yawn and wait; come, come, come!
Female
Aaa…..aa….aa…parukaatha pazhachchaaruAh... unsipped fruit juice,
Udhattil irunthu pozhiinthu vazhinth vanthathae…Has poured down and overflowed from your lips...
Imaikkaatha vizhi kolamUnblinking artistic eyes,
Nilavai pizhinthu velichcham eduththu thanthathae…Have squeezed the moon and brought forth light...
Female
Madhu paanai adhai thaangi mangai vanthaalaeAs the maiden arrived holding a pot of wine,
Bothai vanthathaeIntoxication arrived!
Un kaaladi adhu poovadi nadakka nadakkaYour footsteps are soft flower-feet; as you walk,
Nilamum kooda sivanthu ponathaeEven the ground turned red beneath you!
Female
Naadu vittu vidu vantha naagareega pennaeOh civilized lady who came leaving her country,
Un koondhal mattum yaelam vittaalIf only your hair were put up for auction,
Nooru kodi pennaeOh woman worth a hundred crores!
Female
Needhaanae magaraani niramenna maruthaani…..ee..You are the queen, your color is like henna...
Female
Mayakkum sarakku unakku irukku vaa vaa vaaYou possess intoxicating charm, come, come, come!
Un puruva suzhippil paruvam sezhikka vaa vaa vaaCome, let youth flourish at the twitch of your eyebrow, come, come, come!
Female
Kaaviya raniyae kangalae un palamOh queen of epic poetry, your eyes are your strength.
Paavai un kottaiyil paarvaiyae sambalamIn your fortress, oh damsel, a mere glance is the salary.
Nee thanneerai thottaalum panneerin vaasangalEven if you touch plain water, fragrance of rosewater,
Undaagum undaagum mul kooda sendaagum vaa vaa vaaWill be created, and even a thorn will turn into a flower cluster; come, come, come!
Female
Needhaanae magaraani niramenna maruthaaniYou are the queen, your color is like henna.
Meal naattil yuvaraani keezh naattil kalaivaaniA princess in Western lands, the goddess of arts in Eastern lands.
Un pattaadai thottaada pattaththu raasaakkaalEven crowned kings who wish to touch your silk garment,
Kottaavi vittaalum kittathu kittaathu vaa vaa vaaCannot attain it even if they yawn and wait; come, come, come!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Needhaanae Magaraani is a romantic song praising the ethereal beauty, grace, and regal charm of a beloved woman. The narrator elevates her status to that of a queen reigning across both Western and Eastern worlds, admiring her glowing skin, lips overflowing like sweet juice, and eyes that capture the moonlight.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (Rhyming)

Meal naattil yuvaraani keezh naattil kalaivaani

End rhymes are used to create a rhythmic musical flow across paired lines (e.g., 'magaraani' / 'maruthaani', 'yuvaraani' / 'kalaivaani').

Uyarvu Navirtchi (Hyperbole)

Nee thanneerai thottaalum panneerin vaasangal undaagum undaagum mul kooda sendaagum

Extravagant hyperbole is used to exaggerate her gentle and divine touch, claiming that plain water turns into rosewater and sharp thorns turn into soft flowers when she touches them.

Uvamai (Metaphor/Simile)

Un kaaladi adhu poovadi nadakka nadakka nilamum kooda sivanthu ponathae

Compares her footsteps to soft flowers so delicate that her walking turns the ground red.

Did you know?

Trivia

Neethikku Thandanai (1987) is a Tamil political thriller film written by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi and directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar, featuring music composed by M. S. Viswanathan.

Keep listening

More from Neethikku Thandanai