- Lyricist
- Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Movie name
- Thangamalai Ragasiyam
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 6 Apr 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Amudhai Poliyum Nilavae is a iconic Tamil romantic song from the 1957 movie Thangamalai Ragasiyam. In this song, the protagonist addresses her lover metaphorically as the nectar-showering moon and herself as the night-blooming lily (alli). She expresses deep longing and pain over his distance, asking why he hesitates to come close and comfort her before her youth and love wither away. The lyrics delicately touch upon themes of love, transient youth, and emotional yearning. The heroine pleads with her beloved not to let their sweet memories fade like a dream, urging him to bring solace to her grieving heart.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Amudhai poliyum nilavae / Yengidum alliyai paaraai”
The lover is compared to a nectar-bearing moon ('Amudhai poliyum nilavae'), while the singer compares herself to a lily ('Yengidum alliyai') blooming for the moon.
Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)
“Inimai ninaivum ilamai valamum”
Matching initial consonants/vowels across words in a line, creating rhythmic harmony.
Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Manadhil aasaiyai ootiya pinnae / Marandhae oodidalaama”
Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive words/lines (e.g., 'Manadhil' and 'Marandhae').
Refrain / Repetition (Anaphora)
“Arugil varadhadheno”
The line 'Arugil varadhadheno' is repeated multiple times to emphasize intense emotional longing and yearning.
Did you know?
Trivia
Picturized on Jamuna and Sivaji Ganesan in the film Thangamalai Ragasiyam (1957), this song rendered by P. Susheela and composed by T. G. Lingappa became an everlasting classic. It played a major role in cementing P. Susheela's reputation as the preeminent female playback singer of Tamil cinema in the late 1950s.
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