Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Paadu Nilave album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chithirai Maadhathu Nilavu

From Paadu Nilave · 1987

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Paadu Nilave
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
3 Feb 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Chiththirai maathathu
Nilavu varuthu
Vazhi vidu vazhi vidu
Megamae vazhi vidu
Manthira gaanamum
Mogangal tharuthu
Vilagidu vilagidu
Naanamae vilagidu
{Mazhaipol varuvaai
Enakkaaga
Nilampol thavippen
Atharkkaaga} (2)
Chiththirai maathathu
Nilavu varuthu
Vazhi vidu vazhi vidu
Megamae vazhi vidu
Neerodum aaraaga
Nee aagum pothu
Naanthaanae meenpola
Neer aaduven
Meenpola nee vanthu
Neer aadum pothu
Naanthaanae thaalaamal
Poraaduven
Kaayangal
Yethum aagaamalae
Kaalodu kaalum
Kaiyodu kaiyyum
Pinnaatho….
Kaavalthaan
Meeraatho aaval
Nee ennai konja
Pattum padamalae
Hmm hmm hmm
Thogai maeni vaadum
Chiththirai maathathu
Nilavu varuthu
Vazhi vidu vazhi vidu
Megamae vazhi vidu
Manthira gaanamum
Mogangal tharuthu
Vilagidu vilagidu
Naanamae vilagidu
Hae…hae…
La la la ..lala..laa…
La la la ..lala..laa…
La la la ..lala..laa…
Oh ho…oh hoo….
Oorengum osaigal
Oigindra neram
Aarambam aagaatho
Aaraathanam
Naan paadum raagangal
Ondralla nooru
Aanaalum neethaan
En aaroganam
Thaalangal endrum
Maaraamalae
Baavangal yaavum
Paattodu serum
Naalthaano
Aathaaram neethaano
Anbae
Aanantham endrum
Santham kedaamalae
Hmmm hmmm hmmm
Kaathal geetham paada
Chiththirai maathathu
Nilavu varuthu
Vazhi vidu vazhi vidu
Megamae vazhi vidu
Manthira gaanamum
Mogangal tharuthu
Vilagidu vilagidu
Naanamae vilagidu
{Mazhaipol varuvaai
Enakkaaga
Female :Nilampol thavippen
Atharkkaaga} (2)
Chiththirai maathathu
Nilavu varuthu
Vazhi vidu vazhi vidu
Megamae vazhi vidu
Manthira gaanamum
Mogangal tharuthu
Vilagidu vilagidu
Naanamae vilagidu
The Chithirai month's
moon is arriving,
make way, make way,
oh cloud, make way!
A magical melody
stirs up sweet desires,
step aside, step aside,
oh shyness, step aside!
{You will come like rain
for my sake,
and like parched land, I will yearn
for that.} (2)
The Chithirai month's
moon is arriving,
make way, make way,
oh cloud, make way!
When you become
a flowing river,
won't I swim like a fish
in your waters?
When you come like a fish
and swim in the waters,
unable to bear it,
I will struggle with longing.
Without causing
any hurt at all,
legs with legs
and hands with hands,
won't they intertwine?
Won't all restraint
be broken by desire,
as you caress me,
touching yet barely touching?
Hmmm hmmm hmmm,
my tender body wilts with longing.
The Chithirai month's
moon is arriving,
make way, make way,
oh cloud, make way!
A magical melody
stirs up sweet desires,
step aside, step aside,
oh shyness, step aside!
Hey... hey...
La la la... lala... laa...
La la la... lala... laa...
La la la... lala... laa...
Oh ho... oh ho...
When all the sounds across town
quiet down into the night,
won't it begin,
our worship of love?
The melodies I sing
are not one, but a hundred,
yet you alone are
my ascending scale.
Without ever losing
the steady beat,
every emotion
blends into the song—
is today that day?
Aren't you the foundation,
my love,
for endless joy,
without losing the rhythm,
Hmmm hmmm hmmm,
to sing a song of love?
The Chithirai month's
moon is arriving,
make way, make way,
oh cloud, make way!
A magical melody
stirs up sweet desires,
step aside, step aside,
oh shyness, step aside!
{You will come like rain
for my sake,
[Female]: and like parched land, I will yearn
for that.} (2)
The Chithirai month's
moon is arriving,
make way, make way,
oh cloud, make way!
A magical melody
stirs up sweet desires,
step aside, step aside,
oh shyness, step aside!
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Chiththirai Maathathu Nilavu' is a romantic duet expressing intense love, intimacy, and longing between two lovers. The lyrics metaphorically equate the arrival of the beloved to the bright spring moon of Chithirai month, asking clouds (obstacles) and shyness to step aside so that their romance can bloom freely. The song draws rich imagery from nature, comparing the lovers to rain and thirsty earth, and to a river and a fish swimming playfully in it. As the night falls and the world goes quiet, their intimate union is described as a sacred act of worship and musical harmony. The lyrics integrate musical terminology like 'Arohanam' (ascending notes), rhythm, and raga to symbolize how the lover completes the melody of life, conveying a deep sensory and emotional bond.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Mazhaipol varuvaai / Nilampol thavippen

Compares the lover's arrival to rain quenching the thirsty earth.

Personification

Megamae vazhi vidu / Naanamae vilagidu

Shyness and clouds are spoken to as sentient entities, requested to move away.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Neerodum aaraaga nee aagum pothu / Naanthaanae meenpola neer aaduven

Compares the beloved to a river and the lover to a fish bathing in it.

Musical Metaphor

Aanaalum neethaan en aaroganam

Uses Carnatic music concepts (Arohanam - ascending scale) as a metaphor for the lover being the peak/climax of life's melody.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Paadu Nilave

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.