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Lyrics & meaning

Sleepi Kanda Meenu

From Maniyaar Kudumbam · 2018

Lyricist
J. Thambi Ramaiah
Singers
Karthik, Chinmayi
Music director
J. Thambi Ramaiah
Details
Maniyaar Kudumbam2018

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
{Thaana thaana{Thaana thaana
Thana thandhaana…} (3)Thana thandhaana…} (3)
Thandha nana thana naaa….Thandha nana thana naaa….
Male
Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleepSleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
Female :Seema seema seemaFemale: Seema, seema, seema
Seema seemaSeema, seema
Male
Sleepi kanda meena polaLike a sleepy fish catching rest,
Sema karuva mulla polaLike a dense black thorn bush,
En manasil un nenappu valaruthaeThoughts of you keep growing in my heart,
Adi enna meeri en naaku olaruthaeOh, my tongue stammers beyond my control!
Female
Sleepi kanda meena polaLike a sleepy fish catching rest,
Sema karuva mulla polaLike a dense black thorn bush,
En manasil un nenappu valaruthaeThoughts of you keep growing in my heart,
Ada enna meeri en naaku olaruthaeAh, my tongue stammers beyond my control!
Male
Thenga poo manasumA heart gentle like a coconut blossom,
Thennam paalai chirippumAnd a smile like a coconut palm shoot,
Unkuda sernthu vaazha solluthaeUrges me to live together with you,
En usuru kulla pallu muluchu kolluthaeTeeth sprout inside my soul and bite playfully.
Male
Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleepSleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
Female :Seema seema seemaFemale: Seema, seema, seema
Seema seemaSeema, seema
Male
Sleepi kanda meena polaLike a sleepy fish catching rest,
Sema karuva mulla polaLike a dense black thorn bush,
En manasil un nenappu valaruthaeThoughts of you keep growing in my heart,
Adi enna meeri en naaku olaruthaeOh, my tongue stammers beyond my control!
Chorus
………………………………..………………………………..
Male
Un paal piditha paruthi pinjuIn your tender, milky cotton-bud
PaarvaiyilaeGlance,
En neththi mattum vervaiyaachuOnly my forehead breaks into a sweat
NermaiyilaeOut of pure honesty.
Female
Nee rotula thaanWhen you walk on the road,
Nada nadantha pogaiyilaAs you stroll along,
Naan vaai thiranthu nikkurenaeI stand with my mouth wide open
VetkathilaOut of sheer shyness.
Male
Nee vaazha pazhathilLike a doctor who cleverly inserts a needle
Oosi yethum maruthuvachiInto a soft banana without pain,
Naan vazhum varaiAs long as I am alive,
Sathiyama un katchiI swear I am strictly on your side.
Male
Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleepSleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
Female :Seema seema seemaFemale: Seema, seema, seema
Seema seemaSeema, seema
Male
Sleepi kanda meena polaLike a sleepy fish catching rest,
Sema karuva mulla polaLike a dense black thorn bush,
En manasil un nenappu valaruthaeThoughts of you keep growing in my heart,
Adi enna meeri en naaku olaruthaeOh, my tongue stammers beyond my control!
Male
Unna pakkum munnaeBefore meeting you,
Enakku peru ooru suththiI had a reputation across the town,
Intha kali manna poosi kittaYou smeared clay on my soul,
Usura suththiEnveloping my very life.
Female
Kaasu konjamSave up a little money,
Serthu vainga kallam illaKeep it safely; there is no deceit in me,
Unna minja yaarum illaThere is no one greater than you
JillavulaIn this entire district!
Male
Nee irundu kidanthaIn the dark sky that my life was,
Vaanathil oli thanthaaiYou brought bright light;
En idhayam solluthu enakkuMy heart tells me
Nee thaan irandaam thaaiThat you are my second mother.
Male
Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleepSleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
Female :Seema seema seemaFemale: Seema, seema, seema
Seema seemaSeema, seema
Male
Sleepi kanda meena polaLike a sleepy fish catching rest,
Sema karuva mulla polaLike a dense black thorn bush,
En manasil un nenappu valaruthaeThoughts of you keep growing in my heart,
Adi enna meeri en naaku olaruthaeOh, my tongue stammers beyond my control!
Chorus
{Thaana thaana{Thaana thaana
Thana thandhaana…} (3)Thana thandhaana…} (3)
Thandha nana thana naaa….Thandha nana thana naaa….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song is a quirky, romantic rural folk track expressing the protagonist's deep affection and mesmerized state towards her beloved. Using colorful rural metaphors—such as comparing her growing thoughts to a black thorn bush and a sleepy fish—she describes how tongue-tied and awestruck she becomes in his presence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Sleepi kanda meena pola / Sema karuva mulla pola

Compares the deep, steady growth of romantic thoughts in her heart to a sleepy fish and a black thorn bush.

Alliteration (Monaai)

Thenga poo manasum / Thennam paalai chirippum

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across consecutive lines ('Thenga' / 'Thennam').

Metaphor (Uruvakama)

Nee thaan irandaam thaai

Elevates the beloved to a protective, nurturing figure by metaphorically calling him a second mother.

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Trivia

The song from the film 'Maniyaar Kudumbam' (2018) features lyrics written by multi-talented actor-director J. Thambi Ramaiah. Known for his distinctive comedic folk style, Thambi Ramaiah weaves English words like 'sleep' into traditional rural Tamil folk tunes composed by D. Imman.

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