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Maamiyar Veedu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Theriyamal Matti

From Maamiyar Veedu · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, S. N. Surendar, Deepan Chakravarthy, Sunanda
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Maamiyar Veedu
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
17 Mar 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Adadada theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Oru naal mattum sumangalikku dheivangalae
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Oru naal mattum sumangalikku dheivangalae
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Aa… aa… aa… oi…
Dhinam dhinamum poraadi parithavippaai
Konda manaiviyarin pudavaigalai nee thuvaippaai
Kari kaaigal vaangi vandhu samaitthiruppaai
Aval varum podhu paai eduthu nee virippaai
Adithaalum poruthu asadaattam sirithu
Idi thaangum angi yena nimirndhu nirppaai
Manaivikku surrender maavaattum grinder
Avar pona pinnaalum kunindhu nirppaai
Purushan uzhaikkira maadaa
Indha poojai namakkoru kaedaa
Aval vaesham kalaikka rosham pirakka
Ezhundhu nadandhu nimirndhu veli vara
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Oru naal mattum sumangalikku dheivangalae
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Oru naal mattum sumangalikku dheivangalae
Theriyaamal maatti konda kanavargalae
Aa… aa…aa….aa….aa….aa…aa…aa…aa…
……………………………..
Kallaaga irundhaalum kanavan endru
Dhinam full aaga vandhaalum purushan endru
Ellaamum andraadam porutthu nindru
Thollai thaangaamal sila naeram veruthadhundu
Beach endru undaa park endru undaa
Aanaalum mugam thannai sulithadhundaa
Illaamal irundhaalum virundhaali vandhaal
Samaalikka theriyaamal vizhithadhundaa
Thaaikku pin thaaram
Ummai kaappadhu sumangali thaaram
Ungal aayum nilaikka vaazhvum thazhaikka
Nonbu irukkum kudumba pengalai
Puriyaamal pesugindra kanavargalae
Idhu umakkaaga nadathugindra poojaigalae
Puriyaamal pesugindra kanavargalae
Idhu umakkaaga nadathugindra poojaigalae
Puriyaamal paesugindra kanavargalae
Ae… ae… ae…
Oh husbands who got trapped without knowing!
Oh my, husbands who got trapped without knowing!
You are gods to your wives for just this one day!
Husbands who got trapped without knowing!
You are gods to your wives for just this one day!
Husbands who got trapped without knowing!
Ah… ah… ah… oy…
Day after day, you struggle and suffer in distress,
You even wash the sarees of the wives you wed!
You buy vegetables and cook all the meals,
When she arrives, you rush to spread out the mat for her!
Bearing her hits with a foolish grin,
You stand tall like a shield taking the lightning!
Completely surrendered to your wife, grinding batter like a machine,
Even after she walks away, you stay bent in submission!
Is a husband merely a working ox?
Is this ritual prayer nothing but trouble for us?
To shatter her act and awaken your pride,
Stand up, walk with your head held high, and step out!
Husbands who got trapped without knowing!
You are gods to your wives for just this one day!
Husbands who got trapped without knowing!
You are gods to your wives for just this one day!
Husbands who got trapped without knowing!
Ah… ah… ah… ah… ah… ah… ah… ah… ah…
.........................
Believing that even if he is as unyielding as a stone, he is the husband,
Believing that even if he comes home fully drunk every day, he is the husband,
Enduring everything patiently day after day,
Unable to bear the strain, she might have felt bitter at times.
Have we ever demanded to go to the beach or the park?
Even then, have we ever frowned or shown discontent?
Even when we had nothing, if a guest arrived,
Have we ever panicked without knowing how to manage?
Next to a mother stands a wife,
The one who protects you is your devoted wife!
So that your life lasts long and your home prospers,
To the devoted women observing these sacred fasts,
Oh husbands who speak without understanding,
These prayer rituals are performed only for your sake!
Oh husbands who speak without understanding,
These prayer rituals are performed only for your sake!
Oh husbands who speak without understanding!
Yey… yey… yey…
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
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Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This track presents a humorous battle-of-the-sexes perspective on marital life and domestic dynamics. The initial section speaks from the viewpoint of overworked husbands who feel henpecked and reduced to doing daily household chores like cooking, washing sarees, and grinding batter. It calls on men to reclaim their dignity and stand up against exaggerated domestic servitude.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Idi thaangum angi yena nimirndhu nirppaai

Compares the long-suffering husband to a lightning conductor ('Idi thaangum angi') that silently absorbs shock and anger.

Metaphor & Tanglish Internal Rhyme

Manaivikku surrender maavaattum grinder

Compares the submissive husband to a kitchen appliance ('grinder') while rhyming English 'surrender' with 'grinder'.

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme) & Tanglish Wordplay

Kallaaga irundhaalum kanavan endru / Dhinam full aaga vandhaalum purushan endru

Matches 'Kallaaga' (even if stone-like) with 'Full aaga' (drunk full) using comedic phonetic matching.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by lyricist Vaali for the 1993 film 'Maamiyar Veedu' (starring Sarathkumar and Jayachitra), this track showcases Vaali's trademark ability to blend lighthearted Tanglish slang with traditional Tamil cultural adages regarding marriage.

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