- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Puthiya Paravai
- Movie release year
- 1964
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Apr 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Engae Nimmathi' is an iconic, soul-stirring song depicting deep agony, guilt, and existential anguish. The protagonist, Gopal, tortured by tragic memories of his past and the chaos of his present, desperately searches for a place of peace away from humanity. He laments his tragic fate, stating that whatever he touches turns to sorrow—when he plays music, the veena seems to weep, and when he touches a tender flower, it burns. In his anguish, he curses God for creating woman and giving humans eyes to witness love and heartbreak.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Meetumbothu veenai azhugindrathu”
Attributing human emotions (weeping) to an inanimate musical instrument (veena).
Muran (Antithesis)
“Kaigal thazhuvumbothu malarum sudugindrathu”
Juxtaposing a soft, tender flower with the sensation of burning to express destructive grief.
Metaphor
“Pazhaya paravai polae ondru paranthu vanthadhae... puthiya paravai”
Using 'old bird' and 'new bird' as metaphors for past memories/wife and current love.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Pazhaya / Puthiya”
The second consonant 'zha' / 'thi' paired with symmetrical rhythm structure in Tamil prosody.
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Nimmathi engae... Angae enakor idam vendum”
Repetition of the longing for peace and a sanctuary to heighten the emotional intensity of the protagonist's plea.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Engae Nimmathi' from *Puthiya Paravai* (1964) is considered one of the grandest musical compositions in Tamil cinema history. Composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and sung by T. M. Soundararajan with lyrics by Kannadasan, the song featured a massive orchestra of over 100 musicians playing live, incorporating Western symphonic brass and string arrangements. Sivaji Ganesan's iconic pacing and intense performance during this song remain a masterclass in cinematic expression.
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