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Isaimozhi
Sondham 16 album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Amman Koyil Therazhagu

From Sondham 16 · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Sondham 16
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
17 Jul 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Ennudaiya karpanaiyil
Vandhu nirkkum vanna mayil
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Ennudaiya karpanaiyil
Vandhu nirkkum vanna mayil
Neerodaiyil neendhum senthaamarai
Malar thaan yena mugam thaan konda
Pen paavai thaan
Mel vaanilae thondrum moondraam pirai
Puruvam yena amaiyum ilam
Poonthogai thaan
Idai thaan mannil vandha
Minnal endru aada
Nadai thaan mandram vandha
Thendral endru oda
Kendai meenum vanna maanum
Kann irandil thullaadho
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Ennudaiya karpanaiyil
Vandhu nirkkum vanna mayil
Meenaatchi thaan
Kaanji kaamaatchi thaan
Manjal dhinam poosum
Mugam dheiveegam thaan
Thennaadu thaan pesum panpaadu thaan
Kaakkum gunam naalum
Andha pennodu thaan
Aval thaan ennodu thaan
Poo maalai thaan sooda
Adadaa engae andha pen thaan
Endru thaeda
Ennai thaedi sindhu paadi
Soppanathil vandhaalae
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Ennudaiya karpanaiyil
Vandhu nirkkum vanna mayil
Amman koyil thaerazhagu
Aayirathil orazhagu
Naanam ulla kannazhagu
Naan virumbum pennazhagu
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Inside my imagination,
she stands like a colorful peacock.
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Inside my imagination,
she stands like a colorful peacock.
Like a red lotus floating in a gentle stream,
having a face that blossoms like a flower,
she is a delicate doll of a girl.
Like the crescent moon appearing in the high sky,
curved eyebrows grace
this young, blossoming beauty.
Her slender waist sways
like lightning that descended to the earth,
her gentle walk glides along
like a soft breeze arriving at the courtyard,
would not playful fish and graceful deer
leap with joy in her two eyes?
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Inside my imagination,
she stands like a colorful peacock.
Is she Goddess Meenakshi,
or Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchi?
Her face, bathed daily in turmeric,
shines with a divine grace.
The rich culture praised across the southern land,
and the virtue of protecting it every day,
truly lives within that woman.
She is the one who will be mine,
to exchange garlands of flowers.
Ah, while I was searching around,
wondering where that girl was,
she came looking for me, singing a sweet tune,
and appeared right in my dream!
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Inside my imagination,
she stands like a colorful peacock.
Beautiful like a temple chariot of the goddess,
she is a rare beauty, one in a thousand,
with the charm of shy, modest eyes,
she is the lovely woman I long for.
Male
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Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic romantic Tamil song celebrates the divine beauty, grace, and traditional virtues of the protagonist's dream woman. He compares her physical features to sacred and natural elements—her face to a lotus in a stream, her eyebrows to a crescent moon, her waist to lightning, her gait to a gentle breeze, and her eyes to playful fish and deer. He elevates her presence by connecting her to divine deities like Goddess Meenakshi and Kamakshi, praising her modesty and adherence to South Indian cultural values. Ultimately, he expresses his longing to unite with her in marriage, noting how she arrives in his dreams singing melodies.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)

“Neerodaiyil neendhum senthaamarai / Malar thaan yena mugam thaan konda”

Compares the woman's face to a blooming lotus floating in a stream.

Uvamai (Simile)

“Mel vaanilae thondrum moondraam pirai / Puruvam yena amaiyum ilam”

Compares her eyebrows to the third-day crescent moon in the sky.

Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Naanam ulla kannazhagu / Naan virumbum pennazhagu”

The starting letters 'Naa' rhyme across consecutive lines ('Naanam', 'Naan').

Anupiraasam (Alliteration)

“thaerazhagu / orazhagu / kannazhagu / pennazhagu”

Repetition of the 'azhagu' suffix across multiple lines creating rhythmic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics of this track from the 1986 film 'Sondham 16' were penned by the prolific lyricist Vaali. The imagery relies heavily on Sangam and traditional Tamil literary tropes, comparing feminine grace to temple chariots, crescent moons, and classical deities.

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From the same album

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