Meena Venalil Song from Kilukkam – Lyrics in English with Translation

Song: Meena Venalil from Kilukkam (1992)

Lyrics: Bichu Thirumala

Music: SP Venkatesh

Playback: Chithra, M. G. Sreekumar

Filmed on: Mohanlal, Thilakan, Revathy

Meena Venalil Song from Kilukkam – Lyrics in English with Translation

Meena venalil…Aaa…Aaa

Raga kokile…Aaa…Aaa

In the hot summer of *Meenam,

Hey, singing cuckoo bird,

Alayoo nee alayu

Oru mamboo thirayu

You please wander,

In search of a mango flower

Vasantha kala jaalakam

Manasil iniyum thurakku (M)

Please open the spring window-

In your heart, once again.

Veenudanjoree…Umm…Umm

Gana panchamam…Umm…Umm

This *Panchamam (5th note of 7 Swaras),

Which fell & was broken,

Mozhi kanathiniyum

Vazhi thedum vaniyil

Virinju janma nombaram

Arikil inima kuyile (F)

Without finding words,

While it’s still in forests,

In search of path,

Blossomed agonies of life, near to it,

Hey sweet cuckoo….

 

Soorya sangeetham mookamakum nin

Varilam chundil eenamaakaam njan (M)

I shall become the tune of your tender lips,

Silenced by the music of the sun

Poovinte poovin makaranthame ee

Novinte novin mizhineeru veno

Hey, nectar ofthe  flower,

Do you want these tears of pain?

Ee pazhaya man vipanchi than

Ayanja thanthriyilenthi –

Nnanupama swara jathikal (F)

In the loosen strings of –

This old earthen veena

Why are matchless tunes born?

Meena venalil…Aaa…Aaa

Raga kokile…Aaa…Aaa

In the hot summer of *Meenam,

Hey, singing cuckoo bird,

Alayu nee alayu

Oru mamboo thirayu

You please wander,

In search of a mango flower

Vasantha kala jaalakam

Manasil iniyum thurakku (M)

Please open the spring window-

In your heart, once again.

 

Karnnikarangal swarnna varnnangal

Choodi ninnalum thedumo thumbi (F)

The whorl of that lotus flower…

Its Golden colours…..

Even if you adorn them,

Will you search again, hey dragonfly?

Hemantha ravil makanthamayen

Jeevante jeevan thedunnu nine

Hey, Sweet mango tree of winter nights,

My soul searches for you

Vannithiloru thanuvani malarile

Madhukanam nukaranam ilam kiliye (M)

You please come, dear bird,

& Take away the nectar of cold flower

Veenudanjoree…Umm…Umm

Gana panchamam…Umm…Umm

This *Panchamam (5th note of 7 Swaras),

Which fell & was broken,

Mozhi kanathiniyum

Vazhi thedum vaniyil

Virinju janma nombaram

Arikil inima kuyile (F)

Without finding words,

While it’s still in forests,

In search of a path,

Blossomed agonies of life, near to it,

Hey sweet cuckoo….

Meena venalil…Aaa…Aaa

Raga kokile…Aaa…Aaa (M)

In the hot summer of *Meenam,

Hey, singing cuckoo bird…..

End note:

*Meenam & Medam – Hot summer months in Kerala (March mid-May mid) & monsoon arrives halfway through Idavam; Season of mangoes too.

Songs of the 90s were so rich in lyrics & abundant in Sanskrit words too. Lyricists had deep knowledge of culture & social life too. Many words look so easy, but not in common use. As times changed, rural culture slowly moved to urban areas, and these songs also slowly faded away.

Kilukkam played an important role in giving super stardom to Mohanlal, also Jagathy, for his comic role. Movie remade by the same director, Priyadarshan titled Muskurahat, in Hindi, flopped at box office. Revathy reprised her role in Hindi too. Amrish Puri reprised Thilakan’s father role in the Hindi version.