- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- Jikki
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Manamulla Marutharam
- Movie release year
- 1958
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Feb 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic song celebrates traditional Tamil values, family virtues, and cultural heritage. It highlights how symbolic elements like the sacred lamp (Thiruvilakku) beautify a home, the mangalsutra grounds a woman's life, and community festivals bring vibrancy to towns. The lyrics emphasize that these traditions form the pride of Tamil culture. Furthermore, lyricist A. Maruthakasi weaves references to iconic literary and historical figures. He cites Sage Thiruvalluvar and his devoted wife Vasugi as the ideal emblem of married life, Avvaiyar for her moral maxims, and Mayavaram Vedhanayagam Pillai for his wisdom on conjugal harmony and domestic bliss.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora (Initial Repetition / Moonaai)
“Thiruvilakku veettuku alangaram”
Repetition of the honorific prefix 'Thiru' across opening phrases ('Thiruvilakku', 'Thirumaangalyam', 'Thiruvizha') creates rhythmic harmony and sacred resonance.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Thirumaangalyam pengaluku jeevaatharam”
Matching end sounds ('alangaram', 'jeevaatharam', 'singaaram', 'aathaaram') maintain melodic flow and internal structure.
Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagaimai)
“Thellamuthaam neethi mozhi thannaiyae”
Describing moral ethical sayings ('neethi mozhi') as 'Thellamutham' (pure nectar) elevates moral teachings to divine nourishment.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song uniquely pays tribute to Mayavaram Vedhanayagam Pillai (1826–1889), who was a famous Tamil poet, judge, and author of 'Pratapa Mudaliar Charithram' (the first modern Tamil novel), placing him alongside ancient legends like Thiruvalluvar and Avvaiyar.
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