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Isaimozhi
Manikuyil album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thaneerilay Mugam

From Manikuyil · 1993

Lyricist
Ponnadiyan
Singers
Mano, Uma Ramanan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Manikuyil
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
26 Mar 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hoo ooo oo hoo oooo
Hoo ooo oo hoo oooo
Lulululuululu lulululu
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Innaarkku innaar thaan saami sonnadhammaa
Kalyaanam vaibogam thannaal aagumaa
Ini unnai vittu naan vaazha aagaadhammaa
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Unnidathil ithanai naal
Unmai ondrai maraithadhundu
Chinnanjiru vayadhu mudhal
Enakkoru manaivi undu
Kobam kolla vendaam ammaa hoi
Thaangi kolla vendum ammaa
Nallavan endru unnaiyae ninaithaenae
Unmai arindhu thudithaenae naan thaanae
Pottadhenna vaesham ini podhum podhum mosam
Naan sonna samsaaram endhan sangeetham
Idhai kandu kolla mudiyaamal aarpaattamaa
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Innaarkku innaar thaan saami sonnadhammaa
Kalyaanam vaibogam thannaal aagumaa
Ini unnai vittu naan vaazha aagaadhammaa
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Nenjai allum paadalilae
Ennai alli koduthu vitten
Nalla isai thaedalilae
Veredhaiyum marandhu vitten
Ennudaiya sangeetham nee ho hoi
Unnudaiya saareeram naan
Ondrai ondru thaan ini mael piriyaadhu
Alla alla thaan amudham kuraiyaadhu
Thellu thamizh pallu un kannil ulla kallu
Ennaalum un naadham ennai neengaadhu
Ini kaalam thorum oyaadhu aalaapanam
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Innaarkku innaar thaan saami sonnadhammaa
Kalyaanam vaibogam thannaal aagumaa
Ini unnai vittu naan vaazha aagaadhammaa
Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae
Nalla panneerilae neeraadum poonthottamae
Hoo ooo oo hoo oooo
Hoo ooo oo hoo oooo
Lululuululu lulululu
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater,
God has decreed who belongs to whom!
Can a wedding celebration happen all on its own?
I cannot live without you anymore!
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater,
All these days, from you,
I have kept one truth hidden...
Ever since I was young,
I have had a wife!
Please do not get angry, my dear!
You must bear with it, my dear!
I thought you were such a good man,
And learning the truth, my heart suffered in pain!
What an act you put on! Enough of this deception!
The wife I spoke of is my music!
Why make such a fuss without understanding that?
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater,
God has decreed who belongs to whom!
Can a wedding celebration happen all on its own?
I cannot live without you anymore!
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater,
To this song that captures the heart,
I gave my entire self away!
In the search for good music,
I forgot everything else!
You are my music, ho hoy!
And I am your singing voice!
From now on, neither shall ever part from the other!
No matter how much we drink, this sweet nectar will never run dry!
Like pure Tamil poetry, your eyes hold an intoxicating charm!
Your divine melody will never leave me!
Through every era, this sweet melody will never cease!
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater,
God has decreed who belongs to whom!
Can a wedding celebration happen all on its own?
I cannot live without you anymore!
O sky that gazes at its face in the water,
O flower garden bathing in pure rosewater!
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from 'Manikuyil' (1993) portrays a playful, romantic dialogue between two lovers bound deeply by their shared passion for music. The hero humorously teases the heroine by claiming he has been married since childhood, causing her initial shock and distress. He quickly resolves the playful trick by clarifying that his true lifelong wife is 'music' itself, transforming her anguish into deep joy. The lovers then express their eternal bond, comparing their unity to the seamless relationship between music and voice, melody and devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyam)

Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae

Comparing the beloved to the sky reflecting in water and a flower garden in rosewater ('Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae').

Play on Words / Double Entendre (Sleidai)

Naan sonna samsaaram endhan sangeetham

Using 'Samsaaram' (wife) metaphorically to represent 'Sangeetham' (music), creating a playful dramatic plot twist.

Etukai (Second letter rhyming in Tamil prosody)

Thanneerilae mugam paarkkum aagaayamae

Rhyming second letters in adjacent lines: 'Thanneerilae' and 'Panneerilae' ('nneer' sound matching).

Monaai (Initial letter alliteration)

Innaarkku innaar thaan saami sonnadhammaa

Alliteration of the initial letter 'I' in 'Innaarkku' and 'Ini'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Manikuyil' (1993) featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Ponnadiyan. The song showcases a signature duet structure where playful narrative lyrics build a mini dramatic arc within the composition.

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