Vanathu Muzhumathiyo
From Kanniyin Kathali · 1949
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Trichy Loganathan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Details
- Kanniyin Kathali1949
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Vaanaththu muzhumathiyo | Is it the full moon in the sky? |
| Maanilaththu oorivasiyo | Or Urvashi, the heavenly nymph, descended on earth? |
| Mathi mayangum karpanaiyo | Or a mind-boggling figment of imagination? |
| Karpanaiyin mudivuraiyo | Or the ultimate conclusion of imagination itself? |
| Female | |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
| Aa….aaa…..aa….aa….. | Aa... aaa... aa... aa... |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
| Un mugam seethak kamalammaa neeyae | Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady. |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
| Un mugam seethak kamalammaa neeyae | Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady. |
| Female | |
| Muththu varisai endraal parkalai | If your teeth are compared to a row of pearls, |
| Muththu varisai endraal | If described as a row of pearls, |
| Ammaa mullai vaadi varunthaatho | Oh lady, won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow? |
| Mullai vadi varunthaatho ammaa neeyae | Won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow, oh lady? |
| Female | |
| Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae | Even the purest 24-karat gold itself, |
| Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae | Even the purest 24-karat gold itself, |
| Pazhiththidum un angamellam | Your entire body shames and outshines it. |
| Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae | Even the purest 24-karat gold itself, |
| Pazhiththidum un angamellam | Your entire body shames and outshines it. |
| Female | |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
| ………………………… | [Musical transition] |
| Chiththira paavaiyamma | Oh, beautiful picture-like doll! |
வானத்து முழுமதியோ
மாநிலத்து ஊர்வசியோ
மதி மயக்கும் கற்பனையோ
கற்பனையின் முடிவுரையோ.....
Is it the full moon in the sky?
Or Urvashi, the heavenly nymph, descended on earth?
Or a mind-boggling figment of imagination?
Or the ultimate conclusion of imagination itself?
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா......
ஆஅ.....ஆஆஅ.....ஆ....
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா
உன் முகம் சீதக் கமலம்மா நீயே.....
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா
உன் முகம் சீதக் கமலம்மா நீயே.....
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Aa... aaa... aa... aa...
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady.
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady.
முத்து வரிசையென்றால் பற்களை
முத்து வரிசையென்றால்
அம்மா முல்லை வாடி வருந்தாதோ
முல்லை வாடி வருந்தாதோ அம்மா நீயே.....
If your teeth are compared to a row of pearls,
If described as a row of pearls,
Oh lady, won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow?
Won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow, oh lady?
பத்தரை மாற்றுத் தங்கம் தன்னையே
பத்தரை மாற்றுத் தங்கம் தன்னையே
பழித்திடும் உன் அங்கமெல்லாம்
பத்தரை மாற்றுத் தங்கம் தன்னையே
பழித்திடும் உன் அங்கமெல்லாம்
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Your entire body shames and outshines it.
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Your entire body shames and outshines it.
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா
.............................
சித்திரப் பாவையம்மா
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
[Musical transition]
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Vaanaththu muzhumathiyo
Is it the full moon in the sky?
Maanilaththu oorivasiyo
Or Urvashi, the heavenly nymph, descended on earth?
Mathi mayangum karpanaiyo
Or a mind-boggling figment of imagination?
Karpanaiyin mudivuraiyo
Or the ultimate conclusion of imagination itself?
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Aa….aaa…..aa….aa…..
Aa... aaa... aa... aa...
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Un mugam seethak kamalammaa neeyae
Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady.
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Un mugam seethak kamalammaa neeyae
Your face is a cool, serene lotus flower, oh lady.
Muththu varisai endraal parkalai
If your teeth are compared to a row of pearls,
Muththu varisai endraal
If described as a row of pearls,
Ammaa mullai vaadi varunthaatho
Oh lady, won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow?
Mullai vadi varunthaatho ammaa neeyae
Won't the jasmine flower wither in sorrow, oh lady?
Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Pazhiththidum un angamellam
Your entire body shames and outshines it.
Paththarai maattru thangam thannaiyae
Even the purest 24-karat gold itself,
Pazhiththidum un angamellam
Your entire body shames and outshines it.
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
…………………………
[Musical transition]
Chiththira paavaiyamma
Oh, beautiful picture-like doll!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Vaanaththu muzhumathiyo from the 1949 film Kanniyin Kathali is a poetic ode praising a woman's exquisite beauty. Lyricist Kannadasan compares her features to celestial wonders—wondering if she is the full moon, the divine dancer Urvashi on earth, or the pinnacle of human imagination. He compliments her face as a cool lotus, her teeth as finer than pearls (making jasmine buds wither in jealousy), and her skin as radiant enough to put pure gold to shame.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Ammaa mullai vaadi varunthaatho”
Exaggerating that jasmine flowers would wither in envy upon seeing the beauty of her teeth.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Un mugam seethak kamalammaa neeyae”
Comparing the maiden's face directly to a cool, divine lotus flower.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Vaanaththu muzhumathiyo / Maanilaththu oorivasiyo”
Repeatedly questioning her identity through poetical comparisons to create a romantic rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kanniyin Kathali (1949) holds landmark historical importance in Tamil cinema as it marked the debut of the legendary poet Kaviarasu Kannadasan as a film lyricist. The movie was adapted from William Shakespeare's famous play 'Twelfth Night'.
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