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Lyrics & meaning

Tajmahalum Yedhu Oru Mumthaj

From Mambazhathu Vandu · 1979

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
P. Susheela, Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Mambazhathu Vandu1979

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhu..aa…What is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz... ah...
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?
Indha begam vandhaal unakaagaThis queen (begum) has come just for you
Ilam pirai pol uruvam valaivaagaWith a curved form like a crescent moon
Ival pesugindra oviyamShe is a picture that speaks
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?
Female
{Pattaadai paadhi moodum maeniA body half-covered in silk attire
Vannam roja poomaalaiA colorful garland of roses
Female
Panneeril aadum neramThe time spent bathing in rose water
Koodum bothu paadum paamalai} (2)A poetic song sung when coming together
Female
Angae en roobam alangaara deepamThere, my form is a decorative lamp
Female
Angae en roobam alangaara deepamThere, my form is a decorative lamp
Female
Allaamal ponaal adangaathu daabamWithout it, the intense yearning will not subside
Allaamal ponaal adangaathu daabamWithout it, the intense yearning will not subside
Female
Konjaamal naanum neeyumWithout caressing, you and I
Sindhithaen laabamPondered what the benefit would be
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Female
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?
Female
{Pennalae dhegam kondaA peacock embodied in a woman's form
Thogai undu undhan munnalaeStands right before you
Female
Unnalae oonjal aadumBecause of you, a swinging heart
Ullam ondru urugum thannalae} (2)Melts all on its own
Female
Kannodu paaru kadal konda neelamLook into the eyes, they hold the deep blue of the ocean
Kannodu paaru kadal konda neelamLook into the eyes, they hold the deep blue of the ocean
Female
Sollaamal sollum naan konda jaalamThe unspoken magic that I possess
Sollaamal sollum naan konda jaalamThe unspoken magic that I possess
Female
Kangal thaan neeyum naanumEyes are indeed the bridge
Sandhikkindra paalamWhere you and I meet
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Female
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?
Female
Indha begam vandhaal unakaagaThis queen (begum) has come just for you
Ilam pirai pol uruvam valaivaagaWith a curved form like a crescent moon
Ival pesugindra oviyamShe is a picture that speaks
Female
Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhuWhat is a Taj Mahal without a Mumtaz?
Female
Thaththuva kaadhal yedhu umarkaiyyaam illadhuWhat is philosophical love without Omar Khayyam?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Tajmahalum yedhu oru mumtaj illadhu' from the 1979 Tamil film 'Mambazhathu Vandu' is a classical-fusion romantic duet celebrating love, elegance, and feminine beauty through grand poetic allegories. The lyrics invoke romantic icons and artistic symbols such as the Taj Mahal, Mumtaz, and Persian poet Omar Khayyam to emphasize that romantic grandeur is incomplete without a beloved muse. The singers express passionate longing, likening beauty to a crescent moon, a speaking portrait, and a graceful peacock. Throughout the track, romantic intimacy is portrayed with rich imagery—silk clothing, rose garlands, ocean-blue eyes, and silent gazes acting as bridges connecting two souls. The song elevates romantic affection into a philosophical art form, underscoring how mutual attraction and deep gaze create an enduring bond of intimacy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile / Metaphor)

Ilam pirai pol uruvam valaivaaga

Compares the woman's curved silhouette directly to a crescent moon ('Ilam pirai pol uruvam valaivaaga') and her eyes to the blue depth of the sea ('kadal konda neelam').

Uruvagamb (Metaphor)

Ival pesugindra oviyam

Metaphorically describes the woman as a 'speaking painting' ('pesugindra oviyam') and the eyes as a 'bridge where lovers meet' ('Sandhikkindra paalam').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Angae en roobam alangaara deepam

Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'ng' across consecutive lines ('Angae' / 'Allaamal').

Alliteration & Imagery

Pattaadai paadhi moodum maeni

Use of vivid imagery with repeating melodic consonants ('Pattaadai', 'Panneeril', 'Paamalai').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the legendary music director duo Shankar-Ganesh, this song is notable for featuring a rare female duet performance by two of South Indian cinema's greatest playback singers, P. Susheela and Vani Jayaram. Lyricist Vaali incorporated Persian and Mughal cultural motifs—such as Omar Khayyam, Taj Mahal, Mumtaz, and Begum—to give the song a distinct Ghazal-influenced, royal aesthetic within a Tamil film music framework.

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