Aadum Alaigal Polave
From Santhana Malargal · 1980
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Santhana Malargal1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aadum alaigal polavae | Like the dancing ocean waves, |
| Aasai odi thirumbudhae | My desire runs and returns back. |
| Mauna kuyil paadum geetham | The song sung by a silent cuckoo, |
| Adhu unakkae puriyadho solvaai kanna | Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest! |
| Female | |
| Aadum alaigal polavae | Like the dancing ocean waves, |
| Female | |
| Unnai ninaithaen | I thought of you, |
| Nenjil kadhai varaindhenae | And painted a story in my heart. |
| Unnodu adhai naan pesa | To speak about it with you, |
| Dhinam thudikindrenae | I yearn eagerly every day. |
| Pudhu pudhu kanavinil naanae | In brand new dreams, I myself, |
| Neeradi poochoodi | Bathing and adorned with flowers, |
| Vazhndhae paarppen kannaa | Will live and see, my dearest! |
| Female | |
| Aadum alaigal polavae | Like the dancing ocean waves, |
| Aasai odi thirumbudhae | My desire runs and returns back. |
| Female | |
| Pesa ninaithaal | When I think of speaking, |
| Oomaikili enna pesum | What can a mute parrot say? |
| Neeyaaga un vaayalae | On your own, from your own lips, |
| Solla thayakkam yaeno | Why is there a hesitation to speak? |
| Narai thirai varugira podhum | Even when gray hair and wrinkles arrive, |
| Piriyaamal maaramal | Without separating or changing, |
| Serndhae vaazhvom kannaa | We shall live together, my dearest! |
| Female | |
| Aadum alaigal polavae | Like the dancing ocean waves, |
| Aasai odi thirumbudhae | My desire runs and returns back. |
| Mauna kuyil paadum geetham | The song sung by a silent cuckoo, |
| Adhu unakkae puriyadho solvaai kanna | Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest! |
| Female | |
| Aadum alaigal polavae | Like the dancing ocean waves, |
| Aasai odi thirumbudhae | My desire runs and returns back. |
ஆடும் அலைகள் போலவே
ஆசை ஓடி திரும்புதே
மௌனக் குயில் பாடும் கீதம் அது
உனக்கே புரியாதோ சொல்வாய் கண்ணா...
Like the dancing ocean waves,
My desire runs and returns back.
The song sung by a silent cuckoo,
Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest!
ஆடும் அலைகள் போலவே
Like the dancing ocean waves,
உன்னை நினைத்தேன்
நெஞ்சில் கதை வரைந்தேனே
உன்னோடு அதை நான் பேச
தினம் துடிக்கின்றேனே
புது புது கனவினில் நானே...
நீராடி பூச்சூடி
வாழ்ந்தே பார்ப்பேன் கண்ணா...
I thought of you,
And painted a story in my heart.
To speak about it with you,
I yearn eagerly every day.
In brand new dreams, I myself,
Bathing and adorned with flowers,
Will live and see, my dearest!
ஆடும் அலைகள் போலவே
ஆசை ஓடி திரும்புதே
Like the dancing ocean waves,
My desire runs and returns back.
பேச நினைத்தால்
ஊமைக்கிளி என்ன பேசும்
நீயாக உன் வாயாலே
சொல்ல தயக்கம் ஏனோ
நரை திரை வருகிற போதும்
பிரியாமல் மாறாமல்
சேர்ந்தே வாழ்வோம் கண்ணா
When I think of speaking,
What can a mute parrot say?
On your own, from your own lips,
Why is there a hesitation to speak?
Even when gray hair and wrinkles arrive,
Without separating or changing,
We shall live together, my dearest!
ஆடும் அலைகள் போலவே
ஆசை ஓடி திரும்புதே
மௌனக் குயில் பாடும் கீதம் அது
உனக்கே புரியாதோ சொல்வாய் கண்ணா...
Like the dancing ocean waves,
My desire runs and returns back.
The song sung by a silent cuckoo,
Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest!
ஆடும் அலைகள் போலவே
ஆசை ஓடி திரும்புதே
Like the dancing ocean waves,
My desire runs and returns back.
Aadum alaigal polavae
Like the dancing ocean waves,
Aasai odi thirumbudhae
My desire runs and returns back.
Mauna kuyil paadum geetham
The song sung by a silent cuckoo,
Adhu unakkae puriyadho solvaai kanna
Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest!
Aadum alaigal polavae
Like the dancing ocean waves,
Unnai ninaithaen
I thought of you,
Nenjil kadhai varaindhenae
And painted a story in my heart.
Unnodu adhai naan pesa
To speak about it with you,
Dhinam thudikindrenae
I yearn eagerly every day.
Pudhu pudhu kanavinil naanae
In brand new dreams, I myself,
Neeradi poochoodi
Bathing and adorned with flowers,
Vazhndhae paarppen kannaa
Will live and see, my dearest!
Aadum alaigal polavae
Like the dancing ocean waves,
Aasai odi thirumbudhae
My desire runs and returns back.
Pesa ninaithaal
When I think of speaking,
Oomaikili enna pesum
What can a mute parrot say?
Neeyaaga un vaayalae
On your own, from your own lips,
Solla thayakkam yaeno
Why is there a hesitation to speak?
Narai thirai varugira podhum
Even when gray hair and wrinkles arrive,
Piriyaamal maaramal
Without separating or changing,
Serndhae vaazhvom kannaa
We shall live together, my dearest!
Aadum alaigal polavae
Like the dancing ocean waves,
Aasai odi thirumbudhae
My desire runs and returns back.
Mauna kuyil paadum geetham
The song sung by a silent cuckoo,
Adhu unakkae puriyadho solvaai kanna
Don't you understand it? Tell me, my dearest!
Aadum alaigal polavae
Like the dancing ocean waves,
Aasai odi thirumbudhae
My desire runs and returns back.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This beautiful romantic song captures the heroine's deep, unspoken longing for her beloved. She compares the restless flow of her desires to ocean waves that crash and recede. Although her heart is filled with love and grand dreams of a shared future, her shyness leaves her tongue-tied like a silent cuckoo or a mute parrot, hoping her lover will understand her non-verbal signals and confess his feelings first. She dreams of an enduring love that transcends physical youth—wishing to remain united with her partner through old age, gray hair, and wrinkles. It is an expressive ode to unconditional, lifelong love and the sweet agony of silent affection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Aadum alaigal polavae”
Compares the continuous, returning nature of her desires to the rhythmic motion of ocean waves using 'polavae' (like).
Oxymoron / Paradox
“Mauna kuyil paadum geetham”
'Mauna kuyil' (silent cuckoo) singing a song is a paradox used to convey how her unexpressed love speaks volumes without words.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Oomaikili enna pesum”
Compares her shy, tongue-tied state when trying to express her feelings to an 'oomaikili' (mute parrot).
Rhyme / Assonance (Edhugai & Monai)
“Neeradi poochoodi”
Internal rhyming of 'Neeradi' and 'Poochoodi' creates a melodic cadence describing her romantic preparations.
Alliteration & Rhyme
“Narai thirai varugira podhum”
'Narai' (gray hair) and 'Thirai' (wrinkles/skin folds) rhyme together to poetically represent old age.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song from 'Santhana Malargal' (1980) features both music and lyrics written by Gangai Amaran, showcasing his versatile skill as a composer and poet during the golden era of 1980s Tamil cinema melody. S. Janaki's subtle and expressive vocal rendition gave life to the shy, romantic mood of the track.
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