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Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vadamalliyae

From Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu · 1986

Lyricist
K. Kalimuthu
Singers
Banumathi Ramakrishna, B. S. Sasirekha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
25 Sept 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aa… thandhaanaa thanaa naanaanaa
Thandhaanaa thanaa naanaanaa
Thaanaanaa naanaanaa naa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Aanandha raagam paadum en raajaa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Ponnin manjal maeni
Poovai polae nenjam
Endhan kannin paavaiyae nee thaanadaa
Asaindhaadum thendral…
Aa… aa… aa… aa…aaa..aa…
Asaindhaadum thendral nadai kondadhaa
Kuyil paadum paadal kural aanadhaa
Penmaiyin kaaviyam nee thaanadaa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Aanandha raagam paadum en raajaa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Mazhai megam vandhaal
Mayil koottam aadum
Endhan koyil dheviyae nee thaanadaa
Unai kandu annam vidai kondadhaa
Oli veesum silai thaan uyir kandadhaa
Oviya thaamarai nee thaanadaa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Aanandha raagam paadum en raajaa
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae
Ah... Thanthaanaa thanaa naanaanaa
Thanthaanaa thanaa naanaanaa
Thaanaanaa naanaanaa naa
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
My little prince who sings a song of joy!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
With your glowing golden skin,
And a heart as soft as a flower,
You are the apple of my eye!
The gently swaying breeze...
Ah... aah... aah... aah... aah...
Did the swaying breeze turn into your graceful walk?
Did the cuckoo's song become your sweet voice?
You are the masterpiece of womanhood!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
My little prince who sings a song of joy!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
When the rain clouds gather,
The peacocks dance in delight,
You are the goddess of my temple!
Did the graceful swan take leave after seeing you?
Has a glowing statue come to life?
You are like a painted lotus!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
My little prince who sings a song of joy!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
O unfading jasmine, O jasmine I have yet to wear!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a tender and romantic lyrical piece expressing deep adoration and affectionate praise between lovers. Using classical Tamil floral and nature imagery, the speaker compares the beloved to unfading jasmine, a graceful breeze, a cuckoo's song, and a living lotus sculpture. The lyrics celebrate the divinity, elegance, and soft-hearted nature of love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirai)

Vaadaa malliyae naan soodaa mullaiyae

The second consonants 'da' in 'Vaadaa' and 'Soodaa', as well as 'll' in 'malliyae' and 'mullaiyae', create a harmonious rhythmic rhyme.

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Poovai polae nenjam

Compares the gentleness and warmth of the heart directly to a soft flower using 'polae' (like).

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)

Asaindhaadum thendral nadai kondadhaa

Uses poetic questioning to hyperbolically suggest that natural elements like the breeze and cuckoo learned their grace and melody from the beloved.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Oviya thaamarai nee thaanadaa

Directly identifies the beloved as a picture-perfect lotus come to life and an epic of womanhood.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics for this song were written by K. Kalimuthu, a prominent Tamil politician and scholar who served as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and occasionally penned evocative lyrics for Tamil cinema. The film 'Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu' (1986) features music composed by the legendary Maestro Ilaiyaraaja.

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