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Raaja Paarvai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Azhage Azhagu

From Raaja Paarvai · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Raaja Paarvai
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
20 Sept 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hmmm…mmmm…mmm
Aaa..haaaa…dhara du du ra ra ra
Da da raa ri raa
Azhagil azhagu dhevadhai
Aayiram paavalar
Ezhuthum kaaviyam
Azhagil azhagu dhevadhai
Koonthal vannam megam pola
Kulirnthu nindrathu
Konjugindra sevigal rendum
Kelvi aanathu
Ponmugam thaamarai
Pookkalae kangalo
Mana kangal sollum
Ponnoviyam
Azhagil azhagu dhevadhai
Sippi pola idhazhgal rendum
Minnugindrana
Serntha pallin varisaiyaavum
Mullai pondrana
Moongilae thoalgalo
Thenkuzhal viralgalo
Oru angam kaigal
Ariyaathathu
Azhagil azhagu dhevadhai
Poo ulaavum kodiyai pola
Idaiyai kaangiren
Poga poga vaazhai pola
Azhagai kaangiren
Maavilai paadhamo
Mangai nee vedhamoo
Intha mannil idhu pol
Pennilaiyae
Azhagil azhagu dhevadhai…..
Aayiram paavalar
Ezhuthum kaaviyam
Azhagil azhagu
Mmm… mmmm… mmm
Aah… haaa… tha ra thu thu ra ra ra
Tha tha raa ri raa
An angel of pure beauty,
an epic poem
written by a thousand poets.
An angel of pure beauty.
Her hair, dark like a raincloud,
rests cool and gentle.
Her two tender ears
are curved like question marks.
Her golden face is a lotus,
are her eyes blossoms?
A golden portrait painted
by the eyes of the heart.
An angel of pure beauty.
Her lips, like twin seashells,
glisten softly.
Her neat row of teeth
is like fresh jasmine buds.
Are her shoulders like smooth bamboo?
Are her fingers like sweet, slender flutes?
There is one part of her
my hands have not known.
An angel of pure beauty.
Like a flowering vine swaying gently,
I see her waist.
Moving further down, like a smooth plantain tree,
I see her beauty.
Are her feet tender like fresh mango leaves?
O woman, are you a sacred scripture?
On this earth,
there is no woman like her.
An angel of pure beauty...
an epic poem
written by a thousand poets.
The very beauty of beauty.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from 'Raaja Paarvai' is a poetic celebration of feminine beauty sung by a blind violinist who visualizes his beloved through his inner vision. Kannadasan employs traditional Tamil literary imagery, comparing her hair to rain clouds, ears to question marks, lips to pearl shells, and teeth to jasmine buds. The song emphasizes that true aesthetic beauty is felt and envisioned through the mind's eye ('mana kangal') rather than mere physical sight.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

“Koonthal vannam megam pola”

Compares physical attributes directly using 'pola' (like) and 'pondrana' (resembling), such as hair like rain clouds ('megam pola') and teeth like jasmine buds ('mullai pondrana').

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Mana kangal sollum ponnoviyam”

Metaphorically equates her form to a golden painting ('ponnoviyam') envisioned internally.

Iyamani / Vinavu (Rhetorical Question)

“Pookkalae kangalo / Mangai nee vedhamoo”

Uses poetic doubts ending in '-o' to marvel at her features, questioning if her eyes are flowers ('kangal-o') or if she herself is a sacred Veda ('vedham-o').

Mona (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Sippi pola idhazhgal rendum / Serntha pallin varisaiyaavum”

Matching initial consonant/vowel sound across adjacent words or line starts, such as 'Sippi' and 'Serntha'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Raaja Paarvai' (1981) marked Kamal Haasan's 100th film as an actor and his maiden venture as a producer under Raaj Kamal Films International. Because the protagonist is a blind violinist, the lyricist Kannadasan cleverly incorporated lines like 'Mana kangal sollum ponnoviyam' (A golden painting described by the mind's eyes), reflecting the hero's internal perception of beauty.

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