Antha Nilava Thaan
From Muthal Mariyathai · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Ilayaraja, K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Muthal Mariyathai1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Antha nilaava thaan | That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| En raasavukaaga | For my king |
| Male | |
| Sevizhi….. | Whistle/call sound... |
| Female | |
| {Antha nilaava thaan | {That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| En raasavukaaga} (2) | For my king} (2) |
| Male | |
| {Enga enga | {Where, where? |
| Konjam naan parkuren | Let me see a little |
| Female :Kannai moodu | Female: Close your eyes |
| Konjam naan katturen} (2) | I will show you a little} (2) |
| Male | |
| Antha nilaava thaan | That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| En raasathikaaga | For my queen |
| Female | |
| Mallu vetti katti irukku | A soft cotton veshti is worn |
| Athumela manjal enna otti irukku | Why is there yellow turmeric smeared on top of it? |
| Male :Muthazhagi katti pudichi | Male: Holding the pearl-like beauty in a embrace |
| Mutham kodukka manja vanthu ottikiduchu | While giving a kiss, the turmeric got smeared on me |
| Female | |
| Margazhi maasam parthu | Seeing the cold month of Margazhi |
| Maarula kulirachu | Coldness settled on the chest |
| Male :Hmm ethuda vamba pochu | Male: Hmm, what a predicament this has become |
| Ravukkaiyum kidaiyathu | There is not even a blouse on |
| Female | |
| Sakkambatti selai katti | Draped in a traditional Sakkambatti saree |
| Poothirukku poonjolai | The flower garden has bloomed |
| Male :Poovu onnu kannadicha | Male: If a flower winks, |
| Vandu varum pinnaala | The honeybee will follow behind |
| Female :Yekku thappu vendam | Female: Let us not do anything inappropriate |
| Hm..mmm | Hm..mmm |
| Male | |
| Antha nilaava thaan | That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| En raasathikaaga | For my queen |
| Female | |
| {Enga enga | {Where, where? |
| Konjam naan parkuren | Let me see a little |
| Male :Kannai moodu | Male: Close your eyes |
| Konjam naan katturen} (2) | I will show you a little} (2) |
| Female | |
| Antha nilaava thaan | That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| Male :En raasathikaaga | Male: For my queen |
| Male | |
| Rathinamae mutham vaikkava | My precious gem, shall I plant a kiss? |
| Athukaga pattanam poi vakkeel vaikava | Do I need to go to town and hire a lawyer for that? |
| Female :Vetkathaiyum pothi vaikkava | Female: Shall I bundle away my shyness? |
| Athukaga mandhiyila pandhi vaikava | Do I need to host a grand feast at noon for that? |
| Male | |
| Odi vaa oodai pakkam | Run over to the side of the stream |
| Oliyalaam medhuvaga | We can gently hide there |
| Female :Athukulla venanmunga | Female: Not so fast, please |
| Aalugha varuvaaga | People might come by |
| Male | |
| Kaathadicha thaangathadi | If the wind blows, it cannot withstand, |
| Malligai poo maraappu | This jasmine flower shawl |
| Female :Kaiyirukku kaavalukku | Female: My hands are here to guard it, |
| Venamunga veerappu | No need for your heroic boasting |
| Male :Adi podi pullai ellam doopu | Male: Oh go on girl, it is all just playful pretend! |
| Female | |
| {Antha nilaava thaan | {That moon itself |
| Naan kaiyila pudichen | I caught in my hands |
| En raasavukaaga} (2) | For my king} (2) |
அந்த நிலாவ
தான் நான் கையில
புடிச்சேன் என்
ராசாவுக்காக
That moon itself
I caught in my hands
For my king
செவ்விழி
Whistle/call sound...
{ அந்த நிலாவ தான்
நான் கையில புடிச்சேன்
என் ராசாவுக்காக } (2)
{That moon itself
I caught in my hands
For my king} (2)
{ எங்க எங்க
கொஞ்சம் நான்
பார்க்குறேன்
கண்ணை மூடு
கொஞ்சம் நான்
காட்டுறேன் } (2)
{Where, where?
Let me see a little
Female: Close your eyes
I will show you a little} (2)
அந்த நிலாவ தான்
நான் கையில புடிச்சேன்
என் ராசாத்திக்காக
That moon itself
I caught in my hands
For my queen
மல்லு வேட்டி
கட்டி இருக்கு அது மேல
மஞ்சள் என்ன ஒட்டி இருக்கு
முத்தழகி கட்டி புடிச்சி
முத்தம் கொடுக்க மஞ்ச வந்து
ஒட்டிகிடுச்சு
A soft cotton veshti is worn
Why is there yellow turmeric smeared on top of it?
Male: Holding the pearl-like beauty in a embrace
While giving a kiss, the turmeric got smeared on me
மார்கழி மாசம்
பார்த்து மாருல குளிராச்சு
ஹ்ம்ம் ஏதுடா வம்பா
போச்சு ரவுக்கையும் கிடையாது
Seeing the cold month of Margazhi
Coldness settled on the chest
Male: Hmm, what a predicament this has become
There is not even a blouse on
சக்கம்பட்டி சேலை
கட்டி பூத்திருக்கு பூஞ்சோலை
பூவு ஒன்னு கண்ணடிச்சா
வண்டு வரும் பின்னால
எக்கு தப்பு வேண்டாம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
Draped in a traditional Sakkambatti saree
The flower garden has bloomed
Male: If a flower winks,
The honeybee will follow behind
Female: Let us not do anything inappropriate
Hm..mmm
அந்த நிலாவ தான்
நான் கையில புடிச்சேன்
என் ராசாத்திக்காக
That moon itself
I caught in my hands
For my queen
{ எங்க எங்க
கொஞ்சம் நான்
பார்க்குறேன்
கண்ணை மூடு
கொஞ்சம் நான்
காட்டுறேன் } (2)
{Where, where?
Let me see a little
Male: Close your eyes
I will show you a little} (2)
அந்த நிலாவ தான்
நான் கையில புடிச்சேன்
என் ராசாத்திக்காக
That moon itself
I caught in my hands
Male: For my queen
ரத்தினமே முத்தம்
வைக்கவா அதுக்காக
பட்டணம் போய் வக்கீல்
வைக்கவா
வெட்கத்தையும்
பொத்தி வைக்கவா
அதுக்காக மந்தியில
பந்தி வைக்கவா
My precious gem, shall I plant a kiss?
Do I need to go to town and hire a lawyer for that?
Female: Shall I bundle away my shyness?
Do I need to host a grand feast at noon for that?
ஓடிவா ஓடை
பக்கம் ஒளியலாம்
மெதுவாக
அதுக்குள்ள
வேணாமுங்க ஆளுக
வருவாக
Run over to the side of the stream
We can gently hide there
Female: Not so fast, please
People might come by
காத்தடிச்சா தாங்காதடி
மல்லிகை பூ மாராப்பு
கையிருக்கு காவலுக்கு
வேணாமுங்க வீராப்பு
அடி போடி புள்ளை
எல்லாம் டூப்பு
If the wind blows, it cannot withstand,
This jasmine flower shawl
Female: My hands are here to guard it,
No need for your heroic boasting
Male: Oh go on girl, it is all just playful pretend!
{ அந்த நிலாவ
தான் நான் கையில
புடிச்சேன் என்
ராசாவுக்காக } (2)
{That moon itself
I caught in my hands
For my king} (2)
Antha nilaava thaan
That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
En raasavukaaga
For my king
Sevizhi…..
Whistle/call sound...
{Antha nilaava thaan
{That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
En raasavukaaga} (2)
For my king} (2)
{Enga enga
{Where, where?
Konjam naan parkuren
Let me see a little
Female :Kannai moodu
Female: Close your eyes
Konjam naan katturen} (2)
I will show you a little} (2)
Antha nilaava thaan
That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
En raasathikaaga
For my queen
Mallu vetti katti irukku
A soft cotton veshti is worn
Athumela manjal enna otti irukku
Why is there yellow turmeric smeared on top of it?
Male :Muthazhagi katti pudichi
Male: Holding the pearl-like beauty in a embrace
Mutham kodukka manja vanthu ottikiduchu
While giving a kiss, the turmeric got smeared on me
Margazhi maasam parthu
Seeing the cold month of Margazhi
Maarula kulirachu
Coldness settled on the chest
Male :Hmm ethuda vamba pochu
Male: Hmm, what a predicament this has become
Ravukkaiyum kidaiyathu
There is not even a blouse on
Sakkambatti selai katti
Draped in a traditional Sakkambatti saree
Poothirukku poonjolai
The flower garden has bloomed
Male :Poovu onnu kannadicha
Male: If a flower winks,
Vandu varum pinnaala
The honeybee will follow behind
Female :Yekku thappu vendam
Female: Let us not do anything inappropriate
Hm..mmm
Hm..mmm
Antha nilaava thaan
That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
En raasathikaaga
For my queen
{Enga enga
{Where, where?
Konjam naan parkuren
Let me see a little
Male :Kannai moodu
Male: Close your eyes
Konjam naan katturen} (2)
I will show you a little} (2)
Antha nilaava thaan
That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
Male :En raasathikaaga
Male: For my queen
Rathinamae mutham vaikkava
My precious gem, shall I plant a kiss?
Athukaga pattanam poi vakkeel vaikava
Do I need to go to town and hire a lawyer for that?
Female :Vetkathaiyum pothi vaikkava
Female: Shall I bundle away my shyness?
Athukaga mandhiyila pandhi vaikava
Do I need to host a grand feast at noon for that?
Odi vaa oodai pakkam
Run over to the side of the stream
Oliyalaam medhuvaga
We can gently hide there
Female :Athukulla venanmunga
Female: Not so fast, please
Aalugha varuvaaga
People might come by
Kaathadicha thaangathadi
If the wind blows, it cannot withstand,
Malligai poo maraappu
This jasmine flower shawl
Female :Kaiyirukku kaavalukku
Female: My hands are here to guard it,
Venamunga veerappu
No need for your heroic boasting
Male :Adi podi pullai ellam doopu
Male: Oh go on girl, it is all just playful pretend!
{Antha nilaava thaan
{That moon itself
Naan kaiyila pudichen
I caught in my hands
En raasavukaaga} (2)
For my king} (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Antha Nilaava Thaan is a beloved rural romantic duet from the iconic 1985 Tamil film Muthal Mariyathai, directed by Bharathiraja with music by Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song presents an intimate and playful exchange between two lovers in a village environment. The core metaphor revolves around capturing the moon in one's hands, symbolizing the joy and pride of holding one's beloved. Through vivid folk imagery, witty banter about traditional attire, and romantic teasing, the song encapsulates innocent rustic romance, modesty, and deep romantic longing.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Antha nilaava thaan Naan kaiyila pudichen”
Comparing the beloved to the moon captured in one's hands to express absolute affection and ecstasy.
Visual Imagery
“Sakkambatti selai katti Poothirukku poonjolai”
Paints a vivid rustic image of a flower garden in full bloom represented by a woman draped in a traditional saree.
Personification
“Poovu onnu kannadicha Vandu varum pinnaala”
Attributes human actions like winking to a flower to metaphorically portray romantic flirtation enticing a bee.
Did you know?
Trivia
Muthal Mariyathai (1985) won several awards, including National Film Awards, and its soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja is considered a landmark in Tamil cinema for blending authentic village folk aesthetics with symphonic orchestra elements. The lyrics by Vairamuthu showcase exquisite Tamil village dialect and traditional clothing references like Sakkambatti selai.
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