Alai Meedhu Vilaiyaadum
From Kadhal Kavithai · 1998
- Lyricist
- Agathiyan
- Singer
- Bhavatharani
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Kadhal Kavithai1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| Aa… aa… aa… aa… | Ah... ah... ah... ah... |
| Aa… aa… aa… aa… | Ah... ah... ah... ah... |
| Female | |
| Alai meedhu vilaiyaadum | Playing upon the ocean waves, |
| Ilam thendralae | O gentle young breeze, |
| Alai paayum ila nenjai | Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves, |
| Karai saerthu vaa | Safely to the shore. |
| Female | |
| Ulagaalum maamannan | What is on the mind of the great king |
| Manadhennavo | Who rules this world? |
| Uyir vaazha oru vaarthai | Go ask him for a single word |
| Nee kaettu vaa | So that I may stay alive. |
| Female | |
| Maalai andhi maalai | The twilight of the evening arrives |
| Vandhu ennai mayakkum | And entrance me with longing. |
| Chorus :Mm…mm…mm… | Chorus: Mm... mm... mm... |
| Female :Olai avan olai pera | Female: My heart throbs with yearning |
| Ullam thudikkum | To receive a palm-leaf letter from him. |
| Chorus :Mm…mm…mm… | Chorus: Mm... mm... mm... |
| Female | |
| Thendral ennai valaikkum | The gentle breeze curves around me, |
| Dhaegam thottu thulaikkum | Touching and piercing my body. |
| Avan ninaivil ingae oru maadhu uruga | As a woman melts here in his thoughts, |
| Ilavaenil theendum ilam thollai peruga | The subtle torment touched by early spring multiplies. |
| Ennilaiyai arivaano varuvaano oo… ho…aahaa | Will he understand my plight? Will he return? Oh... ho... aha... |
| Female | |
| Alai meedhu vilaiyaadum | Playing upon the ocean waves, |
| Ilam thendralae | O gentle young breeze, |
| Alai paayum ila nenjai | Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves, |
| Karai saerthu vaa | Safely to the shore. |
| Female | |
| Ulagaalum maamannan | What is on the mind of the great king |
| Manadhennavo | Who rules this world? |
| Uyir vaazha oru vaarthai | Go ask him for a single word |
| Nee kaettu vaa | So that I may stay alive. |
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ......
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ......
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
அலை மீது விளையாடும்
இளம் தென்றலே
அலை பாயம் இள நெஞ்சை
கரை சேர்த்து வா
Playing upon the ocean waves,
O gentle young breeze,
Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves,
Safely to the shore.
உலகாளும் மாமன்னன்
மனதென்னவோ
உயிர் வாழ ஒரு வார்த்தை
நீ கேட்டு வா
What is on the mind of the great king
Who rules this world?
Go ask him for a single word
So that I may stay alive.
மாலை அந்தி மாலை
வந்து என்னை மயக்கும்
குழு :
ம்ம்......ம்ம்......ம்ம்......
ஓலை அவன் ஓலை பெற
உள்ளம் துடிக்கும்
குழு :
ம்ம்......ம்ம்......ம்ம்......
The twilight of the evening arrives
And entrance me with longing.
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
Female: My heart throbs with yearning
To receive a palm-leaf letter from him.
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
தென்றல் என்னை வளைக்கும்
தேகம் தொட்டு துளைக்கும்
அவன் நினைவில் இங்கே
ஒரு மாது உருக
இளவேனில் தீண்டும்
இளம் தொல்லை பெறுக
என் நிலையை அறிவானோ வருவானோ
ஓ... ஹோ...ஆஹா
The gentle breeze curves around me,
Touching and piercing my body.
As a woman melts here in his thoughts,
The subtle torment touched by early spring multiplies.
Will he understand my plight? Will he return? Oh... ho... aha...
அலை மீது விளையாடும்
இளம் தென்றலே
அலை பாயம் இள நெஞ்சை
கரை சேர்த்து வா
Playing upon the ocean waves,
O gentle young breeze,
Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves,
Safely to the shore.
உலகாளும் மாமன்னன்
மனதென்னவோ
உயிர் வாழ ஒரு வார்த்தை
நீ கேட்டு வா
What is on the mind of the great king
Who rules this world?
Go ask him for a single word
So that I may stay alive.
Aa… aa… aa… aa…
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Aa… aa… aa… aa…
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Alai meedhu vilaiyaadum
Playing upon the ocean waves,
Ilam thendralae
O gentle young breeze,
Alai paayum ila nenjai
Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves,
Karai saerthu vaa
Safely to the shore.
Ulagaalum maamannan
What is on the mind of the great king
Manadhennavo
Who rules this world?
Uyir vaazha oru vaarthai
Go ask him for a single word
Nee kaettu vaa
So that I may stay alive.
Maalai andhi maalai
The twilight of the evening arrives
Vandhu ennai mayakkum
And entrance me with longing.
Chorus :Mm…mm…mm…
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
Female :Olai avan olai pera
Female: My heart throbs with yearning
Ullam thudikkum
To receive a palm-leaf letter from him.
Chorus :Mm…mm…mm…
Chorus: Mm... mm... mm...
Thendral ennai valaikkum
The gentle breeze curves around me,
Dhaegam thottu thulaikkum
Touching and piercing my body.
Avan ninaivil ingae oru maadhu uruga
As a woman melts here in his thoughts,
Ilavaenil theendum ilam thollai peruga
The subtle torment touched by early spring multiplies.
Ennilaiyai arivaano varuvaano oo… ho…aahaa
Will he understand my plight? Will he return? Oh... ho... aha...
Alai meedhu vilaiyaadum
Playing upon the ocean waves,
Ilam thendralae
O gentle young breeze,
Alai paayum ila nenjai
Bring my youthful heart, tossed like waves,
Karai saerthu vaa
Safely to the shore.
Ulagaalum maamannan
What is on the mind of the great king
Manadhennavo
Who rules this world?
Uyir vaazha oru vaarthai
Go ask him for a single word
Nee kaettu vaa
So that I may stay alive.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This soulful song from 'Kadhal Kavithai' captures a woman's intense yearning for her distant lover, whom she poetically elevates to a great king ruling her world. She addresses the gentle sea breeze as her messenger (a classic Tamil Sangam literary trope known as 'Thoodhu'), pleading with it to guide her turbulent, wave-like heart back to the safety of the shore. She describes how evening twilight, spring air, and solitary nights intensify her pain of separation. Desperately longing for a single comforting word or message from him to sustain her life, she wonders if he realizes her suffering and whether he will ever return to reunite with her.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (Thendral Thoodhu)
“Alai meedhu vilaiyaadum Ilam thendralae... Nee kaettu vaa”
Addressing the breeze as a conscious entity capable of traveling to her lover and returning with a message, drawing directly from traditional Tamil poetic conventions.
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Alai paayum ila nenjai Karai saerthu vaa”
Comparing her anxious, restless young heart to turbulent ocean waves ('Alai paayum ila nenjai').
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Ulagaalum maamannan ... Uyir vaazha oru vaarthai”
Repetition of the initial vowel/consonant sound across adjacent lines ('Alai' / 'Alai', 'Ulagaalum' / 'Uyir').
Edhukai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Olai avan olai pera / Ullam thudikkum”
Rhyming of the second letter in consecutive lines ('Olai' and 'Ullam' featuring the 'la' sound).
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for director Agathiyan's 1998 romantic drama 'Kadhal Kavithai' (starring Prashanth and Isha Koppikar), this song features lyrics written by Agathiyan himself. Agathiyan is known for weaving classical Tamil literary themes into modern film song situations.
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