♫ Tanglish lyrics	↻ English translation
Female
Mangaiyar thilagamae	Oh jewel among women!
Maadhar kula maanikkamae	Oh gem of womanhood!
Maha kavi bharathiyaar paadi veitha	Sung about by the great poet Bharathiyar,
Pudhumai pennae…ae….	Oh modern woman...!
Male
Aamaa …aamaa	Yes... yes...
Paatula vechaaru bharathiyaaru	Poet Bharathiyar placed you in his songs,
Tamil yettula vechaaru bharathi dhaasaru	Poet Bharathidasan placed you in Tamil literature,
Ungala naatulaaa…namma veetula	In our country... in our home,
Vekkira idatthula thaan vekkanum	You must be kept strictly in your place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	You must be kept strictly in your place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Male
Thumba vittu vaal pudichaa	If you let go of the tethering rope and try to catch the tail,
Maadu kooda nikkaadhu	Even a cow will not stand still.
Pombalainga appadi thaan	Women are just like that,
Poga vittaa sikkaadhu	If you let them go free, they cannot be caught.
Muttai idum pettaigala	The hens that lay eggs,
Aratti urutti meratti	By scolding, shaking, and intimidating,
Male
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	Must be kept strictly in their place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Male
Akkini suthi ammi midhippaa	She walks around the sacred fire and steps on the grinding stone,
Appuramaa thaan namma midhippaa	Only after that does she trample on us!
Kannagiyaya pol katchiyalippaa	She appears looking pure like Kannagi,
Kondavanaiyae bendu eduppaa	And then completely bends her husband to her whim!
Dhinam oor suthi varuvaa podhu sevaigal purivaa	Daily she roams the town performing public service,
Andha aatthirathilum avasarathilum purushana viduvaa	And in all that rage and rush, she neglects her husband.
Male
Samaikkaamal oru naalum irukka vendaa	Do not go a single day without cooking,
Samasaaram enbadhaiyae marakka vendaa	Do not forget the meaning of family life.
Hotelaiyae veedu endru enna vendaa	Do not regard a hotel as your home,
Husband ah suspend panna vendaa	Do not suspend your husband!
Meetingu partynu alanjaakkaa thirinjaakkaa	If you wander off going to meetings and parties,
Buthi ketta pathiniya adakki odukki madakki	Subduing, restraining, and controlling the foolish wife,
Male
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	She must be kept strictly in her place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Male
Thumba vittu vaal pudichaa	If you let go of the tethering rope and try to catch the tail,
Maadu kooda nikkaadhu	Even a cow will not stand still.
Pombalainga appadi thaan	Women are just like that,
Poga vittaa sikkaadhu	If you let them go free, they cannot be caught.
Muttai idum pettaigala	The hens that lay eggs,
Aratti urutti meratti	By scolding, shaking, and intimidating,
Male
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	Must be kept strictly in their place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum haan haan	If not kept so, we will end up ruined, ha ha!
Male
Saatai eduthaa maadu adangum	If you take a whip, cattle will obey,
Kolai eduthaa mandhi adangum	If you take a stick, a monkey will obey,
Angusathilae aana adangum	With an elephant goad, an elephant will obey,
Enna pannunaa ponnu adangum	What must be done to make a woman obey?
Andha pattinathaarum sithar padhinettu perum	Saint Pattinathar and the eighteen Siddhas,
Unga saagasathaiyum sarithirathaiyum sonnadha kelu	Listen to what they said about your antics and history!
Male
Marudhaani manjalaiyum yaesa vendaa	Do not despise henna and turmeric,
Make up pan cake poosa vendaa	Do not smear pancake makeup on your face.
Panpaatta kuppaiyilae veesa vendaa	Do not throw culture into the trash,
Socialism idhuvendru pesa vendaa	Do not talk, labeling this as socialism!
Varundhaama thirundhaama ini melum irundhaalae	If you continue to remain unrepentant and unreformed,
Rendungettaan pondungala arinju therinju purinju	Understanding, knowing, and realizing such confused women,
Male
Vekkira idathula	In the place to keep them,
Ongala vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	You must be kept strictly in your place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Male
Thumba vittu vaal pudichaa	If you let go of the tethering rope and try to catch the tail,
Maadu kooda nikkaadhu	Even a cow will not stand still.
Pombalainga appadi thaan	Women are just like that,
Poga vittaa sikkaadhu	If you let them go free, they cannot be caught.
Muttai idum pettaigala	The hens that lay eggs,
Aratti urutti meratti	By scolding, shaking, and intimidating,
Male
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	Must be kept strictly in their place.
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.
Haan haan	Ha ha!
Vekkira idathula thaan vekkanum	Must be kept strictly in their place,
Appadi vekkaatti naanga kettu nikkanum	If not kept so, we will end up ruined.

Lyrics & meaning

Song interpretation

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (Rhyme) / Rhythm

Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)

Metaphor / Analogy

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