- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Nadigan
- Movie release year
- 1990
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Jun 2022
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Deva malligai poovey poove
Thaenil ooridum theeve
Female :Poovil aadidum kaattrae kaattae
Sinthu senthamizh pattae
Nee kadhal chiththirama
En kannin soppanamaa
Female :Idhu moga manthiramaa
Enai yaeikkum thanthiramaa
Male :Adi maanae maanae aasai thaenae vaa
En vizhigalin vazhiyae
Poovil aadidum kaattrae kaattae
Sinthu senthamizh pattae
Male :Deva malligai poovey poove
Thaenil ooridum theeve
Thendral oru puram minnal oru puram
Pennil therigirathae
Female :Thingal orupuram veyyil oru puram
Kannil varugirathae
Allum pru puram thullum oru puram
Inbam vazhigirathae
Female :Achcham oru puram vetkkam oru puram
Nenjil ezhugirathae
Aadaikkatti aada vantha vaanavillae
Aasai ennum maalai katti vaadi ingae
Female :Kadhal ennum naadagaththin medai ingae
Kaana vantha inbam ennum kaatchi engae
Ini naanum neeyum naalum kooda
Adi maanae maanae aasai thaenae vaa
En vizhigalin vazhiyae
Poovil aadidum kaattrae kaattae
Sinthu senthamizh pattae
Male :Deva malligai poovey poove
Thaenil ooridum theeve
Idhu moga manthiramaa
Enai yaeikkum thanthiramaa
Male :Nee kadhal chiththiramaa
En kannin soppanamaa
Female :Immaanin maanin aasai thaenae vaa
En vizhigalin vazhiyae
Allikkoduththathao solli kodu
Ena annakkili varumae
Male :Anthi kathaiyithu sinthaikkiniyathu
Aasai pani varumae
Ettippidi enai kattippidi ena
Anjum idai varumae
Male :Endrum pudhusugam pongum vazhiyena
Konjum kili varumae
Kaaman ambai
Kannirendil poottukindraai
Kadhal ennum theeyai
Nenjil moottukindraai
Vaadai thannil
Neeyum ennai vaattukkindraai
Vaalipaththin aasai thanni meettugindraai
En raja soodum roja poovo
Immaanin maanin aasai thaenae vaa
En vizhigalin vazhiyae
Deva malligai poovey poove
Thaenil ooridum theeve
Female :Poovil aadidum kaattrae kaattae
Sinthu senthamizh pattae
Nee kadhal chiththirama
En kannin soppanamaa
Female :Idhu moga manthiramaa
Enai yaeikkum thanthiramaa
Male :Adi maanae maanae aasai thaenae vaa
En vizhigalin vazhiyae
Poovil aadidum kaattrae kaattae
Sinthu senthamizh pattae
Male :Deva malligai poovey poove
Thaenil ooridum theeve
Divine jasmine flower, oh flower!
An island soaked in sweet honey!
Female: Breeze dancing through the flowers, oh breeze!
Melody of sweet and pure Tamil!
Are you a portrait of love?
Or a dream before my eyes?
Female: Is this a magic spell of passion?
Or a trick to deceive me?
Male: Oh my sweet deer, my honey of desire, come,
Enter through the path of my eyes!
Breeze dancing through the flowers, oh breeze!
Melody of sweet and pure Tamil!
Male: Divine jasmine flower, oh flower!
An island soaked in sweet honey!
A cool breeze on one side, flashes of lightning on the other,
I see them both in this lovely woman!
Female: The gentle moon on one side, warm sunshine on the other,
They appear before my eyes!
The quiet night on one side, playful excitement on the other,
Sweet joy overflows!
Female: Fear on one side, shy hesitation on the other,
They rise inside my heart!
Oh rainbow dressed in fine clothes, coming to dance,
Weave a garland of desire and come to me here!
Female: Here is the stage for the play called love,
Where is the scene of joy we came to see?
From now on, for you and me to unite every day,
Oh my sweet deer, my honey of desire, come,
Enter through the path of my eyes!
Breeze dancing through the flowers, oh breeze!
Melody of sweet and pure Tamil!
Male: Divine jasmine flower, oh flower!
An island soaked in sweet honey!
Is this a magic spell of passion?
Or a trick to deceive me?
Male: Are you a portrait of love?
Or a dream before my eyes?
Female: Oh sweetheart of this gentle doe, my honey of desire, come,
Enter through the path of my eyes!
"Teach me what it means to give with an open heart,"
Saying so, the sweet swan-bird will come!
Male: This is an evening story, pleasing to the mind,
And the cool dew of desire will fall!
"Reach out and hold me, embrace me tight,"
Saying so, her timid, slender waist will draw near!
Male: Like a pathway where fresh joy overflows forever,
The sweet, affectionate parrot will come!
The arrows of Kamadeva (the god of love),
You aim them right from your eyes!
The fire known as love,
You light it within my heart!
In this chilly winter wind,
You make me ache with longing!
You awaken all the desires of youth!
Am I the rose worn by my king?
Oh sweetheart of this gentle doe, my honey of desire, come,
Enter through the path of my eyes!
Divine jasmine flower, oh flower!
An island soaked in sweet honey!
Female: Breeze dancing through the flowers, oh breeze!
Melody of sweet and pure Tamil!
Are you a portrait of love?
Or a dream before my eyes?
Female: Is this a magic spell of passion?
Or a trick to deceive me?
Male: Oh my sweet deer, my honey of desire, come,
Enter through the path of my eyes!
Breeze dancing through the flowers, oh breeze!
Melody of sweet and pure Tamil!
Male: Divine jasmine flower, oh flower!
An island soaked in sweet honey!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Deva Malligai Poovey is a classic romantic duet from the 1990 Tamil movie Nadigan. The song portrays a playful yet deeply affectionate dialogue between two lovers who express their romantic fascination and longing through rich metaphors of nature, music, and divine beauty. The male lover praises the heroine as a divine jasmine flower and a honeyed island, while the heroine responds comparing him to a soothing breeze and sweet classical music.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamaani / Metaphor
“Deva malligai poovey poove / Thaenil ooridum theeve”
Comparing the heroine to a jasmine flower ('Deva malligai') and an island soaked in honey ('Thaenil ooridum theeve').
Anaphora / Repetitive Structure
“Thendral oru puram minnal oru puram”
The repetitive use of 'oru puram' (on one side) creates a rhythmical poetic contrast describing dual emotions and traits.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Aadaikkatti aada vantha vaanavillae / Aasai ennum maalai katti vaadi ingae”
The second consonant 'd' rhymes across adjacent lines ('Aadaikkatti' / 'Aasai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja, 'Deva Malligai' features the iconic vocal pairing of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki. The film Nadigan starred Sathyaraj and Khushbu and was a massive box office hit, with this track remaining one of the most cherished romantic melodies of the 1990s.
Keep listening
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