Vanthaanga Mappillai
From Srivalli · 1961
- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singers
- P. Susheela, Chorus
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Srivalli1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ettadha kani melae kottavi vittaanaam | It is said someone yawned at an unreachable fruit, |
| Haaa …aaa aaa | Haaa …aaa aaa |
| Mudavan kittadha thaen melae | And a lame person hovered in circles |
| Vattaram pottaanaam | around unreachable honey. |
| Aa..aa..aa..aa..haaa aa | Aa..aa..aa..aa..haaa aa |
| Female | |
| Adhai polae | Just like that, |
| Female | |
| Vandhaanga maappillainga vaanaram pola | The grooms came like monkeys, |
| Kurathi vanji pennayae mayakki maalaiya poda | To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her. |
| Female and Chorus :Vandhaanga maappillainga vaanaram pola | Female and Chorus :The grooms came like monkeys, |
| Kurathi vanji pennayae mayakki maalaiya poda | To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her. |
| Vandhaanga maappillainga | The grooms came, |
| Female | |
| Vaayadi veeran valainji odavae | Causing the boastful hero to bend and run away, |
| Chorus :Haa..aaa..aaa… | Chorus :Haa..aaa..aaa… |
| Female :Vayadhu sendra kizham thallattam podavae | Female :Causing the old man advanced in age to stagger, |
| Varattu pavalan vaayaiyum moodavae | And shutting the mouth of the dry, useless poet. |
| Chorus :Thananae thannaanae Thananae thannaanae | Chorus :Thananae thannaanae Thananae thannaanae |
| Female :Mariyaadhai izhandhaarae veen madhiyaale | Female :They lost their respect due to foolish pride. |
| Female | |
| Kannae illadhavan kaatchiyai paakkuraan | A blind person tries to look at a sight, |
| Chorus :Aamam pakkuraan | Chorus :Yes, he looks, |
| Female :Kaadhae illadhavan kanathai ketkkuraan | Female :A deaf person tries to hear a deep sound, |
| Chorus :Aamam ketkkuraan | Chorus :Yes, he listens, |
| Female :Onnumae illadhavan ooraiyae yeikkuraan | Female :A person with nothing deceives the whole town, |
| Udhavaadha aan ellaam yen valai veesuraan | Why do all these useless men cast their nets? |
| Chorus :Yen valai veesuraan | Chorus :Why do they cast their nets? |
| Female :Pennalae veeram pongum naatilae | Female :In a land where valor surges because of women, |
| Puriyamal ariyaamal aasaiyinaalae | Without understanding or knowing, purely out of desire. |
எட்டாத கனி மேலே கொட்டாவி விட்டானாம்
ஹா ..ஆ..ஆ..ஆ
முடவன் கிட்டாத தேன் மேலே
வட்டாரம் போட்டானாம்
ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....
It is said someone yawned at an unreachable fruit,
Haaa …aaa aaa
And a lame person hovered in circles
around unreachable honey.
Aa..aa..aa..aa..haaa aa
அதைப் போலே
Just like that,
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க வானரம் போல
குறத்தி வஞ்சி பெண்ணையே மயக்கி மாலை போட....
பெண் மற்றும் குழு :
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க வானரம் போல
குறத்தி வஞ்சி பெண்ணையே மயக்கி மாலை போட...
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க
The grooms came like monkeys,
To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her.
Female and Chorus :The grooms came like monkeys,
To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her.
The grooms came,
வாயாடி வீரன் வளைஞ்சி ஓடவே
குழு :
ஹா ..ஆ..ஆ..
வயது சென்ற கிழம் தள்ளாட்டம் போடவே
வரட்டுப் பாவலன் வாயையும் மூடவே
குழு :
தானனே தன்னானே தானனே தன்னானே
மரியாதை இழந்தாரே வீண் மதியாலே..
Causing the boastful hero to bend and run away,
Chorus :Haa..aaa..aaa…
Female :Causing the old man advanced in age to stagger,
And shutting the mouth of the dry, useless poet.
Chorus :Thananae thannaanae Thananae thannaanae
Female :They lost their respect due to foolish pride.
பெண் மற்றும் குழு :
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க வானரம் போல
குறத்தி வஞ்சி பெண்ணையே மயக்கி மாலை போட...
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க
A blind person tries to look at a sight,
Chorus :Yes, he looks,
Female :A deaf person tries to hear a deep sound,
Chorus :Yes, he listens,
Female :A person with nothing deceives the whole town,
Why do all these useless men cast their nets?
Chorus :Why do they cast their nets?
Female :In a land where valor surges because of women,
Without understanding or knowing, purely out of desire.
கண்ணே இல்லாதவன் காட்சியை பாக்குறான்
குழு :
ஆமாம் பாக்குறான்
காதே இல்லாதவன் கானத்தை கேக்குறான்
குழு :
ஆமாம் கேக்குறான்
ஒண்ணுமே இல்லாதவன் ஊரையே ஏய்க்கிறான்
உதவாத ஆணெல்லாம் ஏன் வலை வீசுறான்
குழு :
ஏன் வலை வீசுறான்
பெண்ணாலே வீரம் பொங்கும் நாட்டிலே
புரியாமல் அறியாமல் ஆசையினாலே...
பெண் மற்றும் குழு :
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க வானரம் போல
குறத்தி வஞ்சி பெண்ணையே மயக்கி மாலை போட...
வந்தாங்க மாப்பிள்ளைங்க
Ettadha kani melae kottavi vittaanaam
It is said someone yawned at an unreachable fruit,
Haaa …aaa aaa
Haaa …aaa aaa
Mudavan kittadha thaen melae
And a lame person hovered in circles
Vattaram pottaanaam
around unreachable honey.
Aa..aa..aa..aa..haaa aa
Aa..aa..aa..aa..haaa aa
Adhai polae
Just like that,
Vandhaanga maappillainga vaanaram pola
The grooms came like monkeys,
Kurathi vanji pennayae mayakki maalaiya poda
To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her.
Female and Chorus :Vandhaanga maappillainga vaanaram pola
Female and Chorus :The grooms came like monkeys,
Kurathi vanji pennayae mayakki maalaiya poda
To charm the Kurathi maiden and put a garland on her.
Vandhaanga maappillainga
The grooms came,
Vaayadi veeran valainji odavae
Causing the boastful hero to bend and run away,
Chorus :Haa..aaa..aaa…
Chorus :Haa..aaa..aaa…
Female :Vayadhu sendra kizham thallattam podavae
Female :Causing the old man advanced in age to stagger,
Varattu pavalan vaayaiyum moodavae
And shutting the mouth of the dry, useless poet.
Chorus :Thananae thannaanae Thananae thannaanae
Chorus :Thananae thannaanae Thananae thannaanae
Female :Mariyaadhai izhandhaarae veen madhiyaale
Female :They lost their respect due to foolish pride.
Kannae illadhavan kaatchiyai paakkuraan
A blind person tries to look at a sight,
Chorus :Aamam pakkuraan
Chorus :Yes, he looks,
Female :Kaadhae illadhavan kanathai ketkkuraan
Female :A deaf person tries to hear a deep sound,
Chorus :Aamam ketkkuraan
Chorus :Yes, he listens,
Female :Onnumae illadhavan ooraiyae yeikkuraan
Female :A person with nothing deceives the whole town,
Udhavaadha aan ellaam yen valai veesuraan
Why do all these useless men cast their nets?
Chorus :Yen valai veesuraan
Chorus :Why do they cast their nets?
Female :Pennalae veeram pongum naatilae
Female :In a land where valor surges because of women,
Puriyamal ariyaamal aasaiyinaalae
Without understanding or knowing, purely out of desire.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful folk-style song from the movie Srivalli satirizes foolish, arrogant suitors who try to win the affection of a maiden (Valli) beyond their reach. Using vivid proverbs and humorous analogies—such as a lame person trying to reach honey or a blind person looking at a view—the lead female singer and chorus mock the men's absurd desires and lack of self-awareness. The song highlights female agency and dignity, pointing out that in a land where women embody strength and valor, these unsuitable men only humiliate themselves by casting useless nets of attraction out of unguided greed.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Vandhaanga maappillainga vaanaram pola”
Comparing the arriving suitors directly to monkeys ('vaanaram pola').
Proverbial Metaphor (Pazhamozhi)
“Mudavan kittadha thaen melae Vattaram pottaanaam”
Using classic Tamil idioms about a lame person circling unreachable honey or someone yawning at unreachable fruit to symbolize foolish ambition.
Paradox / Irony (Muran)
“Kannae illadhavan kaatchiyai paakkuraan”
Juxtaposing impossible actions like a blind person attempting to view a spectacle or a deaf person listening to sound to mock the suitors' inadequacy.
Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Vaayadi veeran valainji odavae”
Repetition of the 'v' sound across words ('Vaayadi', 'veeran', 'valainji') creating a rhythmic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Srivalli (1961) stars Sivaji Ganesan as Lord Murugan and Padmini as Valli. The song incorporates traditional Tamil folk 'Kuravan-Kurathi' performance elements composed by legend G. Ramanathan, with lyrics penned by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass.
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