Aaha Mella Nada
From Puthiya Paravai · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Puthiya Paravai1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum } (2) | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Mullai malar paatham nogum | Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt, |
| Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum | Your slender waist will bend and sway, |
| Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum | Your colorful beauty will be disheveled. |
| Male | |
| Oh oh oh ohoo hoo | Oh oh oh ohoo hoo |
| Male | |
| Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Male | |
| { Padukaiyai | The bed, |
| Iraivan virithaan | God has spread; |
| Varum panithiraiyaal | With a veil of mist, |
| Adhai maraithaan } (2) | He concealed it. |
| Male | |
| Paruvathil | In the season of youth, |
| Aasaiyai koduthaan | He gave desire; |
| { Varum naanathinaal | With oncoming modesty, |
| Adhai thaduthaan } (2) | He restrained it. |
| Male | |
| Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Male | |
| { Adikadi | The frequent, |
| Sirikum siripu | smiling laughter, |
| Adhil azhagiya | in which lies the beautiful |
| Meniyin nadipu } (2) | drama of your body. |
| Male | |
| Pada padavena | Flutteringly, |
| Varum thudipu | arises a throb; |
| { Indru pathungiyadhae | today it hides away, |
| Enna ninaipu } (2) | what a thought! |
| Male | |
| Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Mullai malar paatham nogum | Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt, |
| Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum | Your slender waist will bend and sway, |
| Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum | Your colorful beauty will be disheveled. |
| Male | |
| Oh oh oh ohoo hoo | Oh oh oh ohoo hoo |
| Male | |
| Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Male | |
| Thirumanam | Marriage, |
| Endrathum adakam | the moment it is mentioned, brings bashfulness. |
| Kangal thiranthirunthaalum | Even if the eyes are open, |
| Urakam varuvathai | the thought of sleep arriving |
| Ninaithaal nadukam | causes a shudder of thrill. |
| Male | |
| { Pakkam | When coming near, |
| Vanthuvittalo mayakam } (2) | does intoxication take over? |
| Male | |
| Haiyo mella nada | Oh dear, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
| Mullai malar paatham nogum | Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt, |
| Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum | Your slender waist will bend and sway, |
| Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum | Your colorful beauty will be disheveled. |
| Male | |
| Oh oh oh ohoo hoo | Oh oh oh ohoo hoo |
| Male | |
| Aaha mella nada | Aaha, walk gently, |
| Mella nada meni ennaagum | walk gently, or what will happen to your body? |
{ ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும் } (2)
முல்லை மலர் பாதம்
நோகும் உந்தன் சின்ன
இடை வளைந்தாடும்
வண்ண சிங்காரம்
குலைந்துவிடும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
ஓ ஓ ஓ
ஓஹோ ஹோ
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
{ படுக்கையை
இறைவன் விரித்தான்
வரும் பனித்திரையால்
அதை மறைத்தான் } (2)
The bed,
God has spread;
With a veil of mist,
He concealed it.
பருவத்தில்
ஆசையை கொடுத்தான்
{ வரும் நாணத்தினால்
அதை தடுத்தான் } (2)
In the season of youth,
He gave desire;
With oncoming modesty,
He restrained it.
ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
{ அடிக்கடி
சிரிக்கும் சிரிப்பு
அதில் அழகிய
மேனியின் நடிப்பு } (2)
The frequent,
smiling laughter,
in which lies the beautiful
drama of your body.
பட படவென
வரும் துடிப்பு
{ இன்று பதுங்கியதே
என்ன நினைப்பு } (2)
Flutteringly,
arises a throb;
today it hides away,
what a thought!
ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும் முல்லை
மலர் பாதம் நோகும்
உந்தன் சின்ன இடை
வளைந்தாடும் வண்ண
சிங்காரம் குலைந்துவிடும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
ஓ ஓ ஓ
ஓஹோ ஹோ
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
திருமணம் என்றதும்
அடக்கம் கண்கள்
திறந்திருந்தாலும் உறக்கம்
வருவதை நினைத்தால் நடுக்கம்
Marriage,
the moment it is mentioned, brings bashfulness.
Even if the eyes are open,
the thought of sleep arriving
causes a shudder of thrill.
{ பக்கம் வந்து
விட்டாலோ மயக்கம் } (2)
When coming near,
does intoxication take over?
ஹையோ மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும் முல்லை
மலர் பாதம் நோகும்
உந்தன் சின்ன இடை
வளைந்தாடும் வண்ண
சிங்காரம் குலைந்துவிடும்
Oh dear, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
ஓ ஓ ஓ
ஓஹோ ஹோ
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
ஆஹா மெல்ல
நட மெல்ல நட மேனி
என்னாகும்
Aaha, walk gently,
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
{ Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum } (2)
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Mullai malar paatham nogum
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
{ Padukaiyai
The bed,
Iraivan virithaan
God has spread;
Varum panithiraiyaal
With a veil of mist,
Adhai maraithaan } (2)
He concealed it.
Paruvathil
In the season of youth,
Aasaiyai koduthaan
He gave desire;
{ Varum naanathinaal
With oncoming modesty,
Adhai thaduthaan } (2)
He restrained it.
Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
{ Adikadi
The frequent,
Sirikum siripu
smiling laughter,
Adhil azhagiya
in which lies the beautiful
Meniyin nadipu } (2)
drama of your body.
Pada padavena
Flutteringly,
Varum thudipu
arises a throb;
{ Indru pathungiyadhae
today it hides away,
Enna ninaipu } (2)
what a thought!
Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Mullai malar paatham nogum
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Thirumanam
Marriage,
Endrathum adakam
the moment it is mentioned, brings bashfulness.
Kangal thiranthirunthaalum
Even if the eyes are open,
Urakam varuvathai
the thought of sleep arriving
Ninaithaal nadukam
causes a shudder of thrill.
{ Pakkam
When coming near,
Vanthuvittalo mayakam } (2)
does intoxication take over?
Haiyo mella nada
Oh dear, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Mullai malar paatham nogum
Your jasmine-flower-like feet will hurt,
Unthan chinna idai valainthaadum
Your slender waist will bend and sway,
Vanna chingaaram kulainthuvidum
Your colorful beauty will be disheveled.
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Oh oh oh ohoo hoo
Aaha mella nada
Aaha, walk gently,
Mella nada meni ennaagum
walk gently, or what will happen to your body?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
"Aaha Mella Nada" is a celebrated romantic track from the classic 1964 Tamil film 'Puthiya Paravai'. Lyricist Kannadasan crafts a poetic and playful interaction where the protagonist gently teases his beloved about her delicate nature, shyness, and graceful movements as she walks. He affectionately warns her that her jasmine-soft feet might ache and her thin waist might sway under strain if she walks hastily. Throughout the song, nature and human emotions are interwoven metaphorically. The lyrics highlight how nature brings mist to veil intimacy and how youth introduces desire balanced by innate bashfulness. Set to a melodious composition by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, the track captures the sweet anticipation, thrill, and innocence of romance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Mullai malar paatham nogum”
Compares the beloved's delicate feet to tender jasmine flowers ('Mullai malar').
Imagery & Personification
“Varum panithiraiyaal adhai maraithaan”
Creates a vivid picture of divine creation hiding intimacy behind a blanket of mist.
Repetition / Anaphora (Adukku Thodar)
“Aaha mella nada Mella nada meni ennaagum”
Repetition of 'Mella nada' highlights the emphasis on gentleness and rhythm.
Contrast / Paradox
“Paruvathil aasaiyai koduthaan / Varum naanathinaal adhai thaduthaan”
Juxtaposes the desire granted during youth with the natural modesty that holds it back.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Aaha Mella Nada' features performance by Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi in 'Puthiya Paravai' (1964). Sung soulfully by T. M. Soundararajan with music composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, the song remains one of the finest examples of Kannadasan's mastery over intimate, romantic Tamil poetry.
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