Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oorengum Maappillai Oorvalam

From Shanthi · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Details
Shanthi1965

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oorengum maappillai oorvalamGroom's procession everywhere in the town,
Veedengum maavillai thoranamMango leaf festoons decorating every house.
Oorengum maappillai oorvalamGroom's procession everywhere in the town,
Veedengum maavillai thoranamMango leaf festoons decorating every house.
Oru naal andha thirunaalOne day, that auspicious day,
Undhan mananaal thaan vaaraadhoWill it not arrive as your wedding day?
Female
Oorengum maappillai oorvalamGroom's procession everywhere in the town,
Veedengum maavillai thoranamMango leaf festoons decorating every house.
Oru naal andha thirunaalOne day, that auspicious day,
Undhan mananaal thaan vaaraadhoWill it not arrive as your wedding day?
Female
Iraivan veettil erigindra dheepamThe lamp burning in God's sanctuary,
Iru vizhi polae vara vaendumMust arrive like two shining eyes.
Inmuga kanavan than mugam paarthuLooking at the cheerful face of her husband,
Kanneer vadikkum sugam vendumOne longs for the joy of shedding tears of happiness.
Female
Iraivan veettil erigindra dheepamThe lamp burning in God's sanctuary,
Iru vizhi polae vara vaendumMust arrive like two shining eyes.
Inmuga kanavan than mugam paarthuLooking at the cheerful face of her husband,
Kanneer vadikkum sugam vendumOne longs for the joy of shedding tears of happiness.
Ivai vendum endra kural kaetkka inguTo hear the voice asking for these wishes here,
Oru dheivam undu maravaadhaeThere is a God, never forget it.
Oru dheivam undu maravaadhaeThere is a God, never forget it.
Female
Oorengum maappillai oorvalamGroom's procession everywhere in the town,
Veedengum maavillai thoranamMango leaf festoons decorating every house.
Oru naal andha thirunaalOne day, that auspicious day,
Undhan mananaal thaan vaaraadhoWill it not arrive as your wedding day?
Female
Unakkena oruvan ulagathil iruppaanSomeone exists in this world meant just for you,
Oru naal varuvaan unai thaediOne day he will come searching for you.
Kangalai marandhu idhayathai ninaithuDisregarding superficial looks and cherishing the heart,
Karunaiyum tharuvaan malar soodiHe will shower compassion and adorn you with flowers.
Female
Unakkena oruvan ulagathil iruppaanSomeone exists in this world meant just for you,
Oru naal varuvaan unai thaediOne day he will come searching for you.
Kangalai marandhu idhayathai ninaithuDisregarding superficial looks and cherishing the heart,
Karunaiyum tharuvaan malar soodiHe will shower compassion and adorn you with flowers.
Kula maadhar yaarum thaniyaaga vaadumThat virtuous women must wither away in loneliness,
Vidhiyendrum illai maravaadhaeIs never a rule written by fate, never forget it.
Vidhiyendrum illai maravaadhaeIs never a rule written by fate, never forget it.
Female
Oorengum maappillai oorvalamGroom's procession everywhere in the town,
Veedengum maavillai thoranamMango leaf festoons decorating every house.
Oru naal andha thirunaalOne day, that auspicious day,
Undhan mananaal thaan vaaraadhoWill it not arrive as your wedding day?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Oorengum Maappillai Oorvalam' is a deeply comforting and reassuring song from the 1965 Tamil classic film 'Shanthi'. Set against traditional Tamil wedding festivities—replete with grand groom processions and mango leaf decorations—the song serves as a beacon of hope for a young woman yearning for love, companionship, and marriage. Through philosophical lyrics, poet Kannadasan instills optimism, reassuring her that divine providence listens to pure desires and will grant them at the right time. The song highlights the virtue of true love, emphasizing that a soulmate will look beyond external appearances and value the warmth of the heart. It delivers a powerful consolation that no virtuous woman is destined by fate to suffer in solitude forever, assuring that happiness and wedded bliss will inevitably arrive.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Iraivan veettil erigindra dheepam / Iru vizhi polae vara vaendum

The second letter 'ra' (ர) rhymes in 'Iraivan' and 'Iru'.

Monai (First Letter Rhyme / Assonance)

Iraivan veettil erigindra dheepam / Iru vizhi polae vara vaendum

The opening vowel sound 'I' (இ) is repeated at the start of both consecutive lines.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Oorengum maappillai oorvalam / Veedengum maavillai thoranam

The lines end with matching rhyming sounds 'oorvalam' and 'thoranam'.

Simile (Uvamai)

Iraivan veettil erigindra dheepam / Iru vizhi polae vara vaendum

The divine lamp burning in God's home is explicitly compared to a person's glowing pair of eyes using 'polae' (like).

Imagery & Visual Motif

Veedengum maavillai thoranam

Evokes rich Tamil cultural imagery of festoons made of mango leaves hung across doors during wedding celebrations.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Oorengum Maappillai Oorvalam' features in the 1965 Tamil film 'Shanthi', starring Sivaji Ganesan and Devika. The music was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy (M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy) during the final year of their original golden collaboration before they separated. Sung soulfully by P. Susheela, the song remains one of Kannadasan's classic philosophical compositions that offers solace to women awaiting marriage.

Keep listening

More from Shanthi