Engey Nimmathi
From Puthiya Paravai · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Puthiya Paravai1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| …………………….. | |
| Male | |
| Engae | Where |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi engae nimmathi | Where is peace, where is peace? |
| Male | |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| Idam vendum } (2) | I need a place } (2) |
| Male | |
| Engae | Where |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi | Peace... |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| Idam vendum } (2) | I need a place } (2) |
| Male | |
| Engae manithan | Where human beings |
| Yaarum illaiyo | Are nowhere to be found |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| idam vendum } (2) | I need a place } (2) |
| Male | |
| Engae | Where |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi | Peace... |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| Idam vendum } (3) | I need a place } (3) |
| Male | |
| { Enathu kaigal | { When my hands |
| Meetumbothu veenai | Pluck the strings, the veena |
| Azhugindrathu enathu | Weeps; when my |
| Kaigal thazhuvumbothu | Hands embrace, |
| Malarum sudugindrathu } (2) | Even a flower burns } (2) |
| Male | |
| Enna ninaithu | What was he thinking |
| Ennai padaithaan | When he created me, |
| Iraivan enbavanae | The one called God? |
| Male | |
| Kannai padaithu | Giving us eyes to see, |
| Pennai padaitha iraivan | God who created woman |
| Kodiyavanae oh oh iraivan kodiyavanae | Is cruel, oh God is cruel! |
| Male | |
| Engae | Where |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi | Peace... |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| Idam vendum } (3) | I need a place } (3) |
| Chorus | |
| …………………….. | |
| Male | |
| { Pazhaya paravai | { Like an old bird |
| Polae ondru paranthu | One came flying back, |
| Vanthadhae puthiya | And the new bird |
| Paravai enathu nenjai | Forgot my heart |
| Maranthu ponadhae } (2) | And flew away } (2) |
| Male | |
| Ennai konjam | If you let me |
| Thoonga vaithaal | Sleep for a little while, |
| Vananguven thaayae | I will bow to you, Mother; |
| Male | |
| Indru matum | If just for today |
| Amaithi thanthaal | You grant me peace, |
| Uranguven thaayae | I will sleep, Mother; |
| Oh uranguven thaayae | Oh, I will sleep, Mother! |
| Male | |
| Engae | Where |
| Nimmathi engae | Where is peace? |
| Nimmathi | Peace... |
| { Angae enakor | There, for me, |
| Idam vendum } (3) | I need a place } (3) |
.....................
எங்கே நிம்மதி
எங்கே நிம்மதி எங்கே
நிம்மதி எங்கே நிம்மதி
Where
Where is peace?
Where is peace?
Where is peace, where is peace?
{ அங்கே
எனக்கோர் இடம்
வேண்டும் } (2)
There, for me,
I need a place } (2)
எங்கே நிம்மதி
எங்கே நிம்மதி
{ அங்கே எனக்கோர்
இடம் வேண்டும் } (2)
Where
Where is peace?
Peace...
There, for me,
I need a place } (2)
எங்கே மனிதன்
யாரும் இல்லையோ
{ அங்கே எனக்கோர்
இடம் வேண்டும் } (2)
Where human beings
Are nowhere to be found
There, for me,
I need a place } (2)
எங்கே நிம்மதி
எங்கே நிம்மதி
{ அங்கே எனக்கோர்
இடம் வேண்டும் } (3)
Where
Where is peace?
Peace...
There, for me,
I need a place } (3)
{ எனது கைகள்
மீட்டும் போது வீணை
அழுகின்றது எனது கைகள்
தழுவும் போது மலரும்
சுடுகின்றது } (2)
{ When my hands
Pluck the strings, the veena
Weeps; when my
Hands embrace,
Even a flower burns } (2)
என்ன நினைத்து
என்னைப் படைத்தான்
இறைவன் என்பவனே
What was he thinking
When he created me,
The one called God?
கண்ணைப்
படைத்து பெண்ணைப்
படைத்த இறைவன்
கொடியவனே ஓ ஓ
இறைவன் கொடியவனே
Giving us eyes to see,
God who created woman
Is cruel, oh God is cruel!
எங்கே நிம்மதி
எங்கே நிம்மதி
{ அங்கே எனக்கோர்
இடம் வேண்டும் } (3)
Where
Where is peace?
Peace...
There, for me,
I need a place } (3)
......................
{ பழைய பறவை
போல ஒன்று பறந்து
வந்ததே புதிய பறவை
எனது நெஞ்சை மறந்து
போனதே } (2)
{ Like an old bird
One came flying back,
And the new bird
Forgot my heart
And flew away } (2)
என்னைக் கொஞ்சம்
தூங்க வைத்தால் வணங்குவேன்
தாயே
If you let me
Sleep for a little while,
I will bow to you, Mother;
இன்று மட்டும்
அமைதி தந்தால்
உறங்குவேன் தாயே ஓ
உறங்குவேன் தாயே
If just for today
You grant me peace,
I will sleep, Mother;
Oh, I will sleep, Mother!
எங்கே நிம்மதி
எங்கே நிம்மதி
{ அங்கே எனக்கோர்
இடம் வேண்டும் } (3)
Where
Where is peace?
Peace...
There, for me,
I need a place } (3)
……………………..
Engae
Where
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi engae nimmathi
Where is peace, where is peace?
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
Idam vendum } (2)
I need a place } (2)
Engae
Where
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi
Peace...
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
Idam vendum } (2)
I need a place } (2)
Engae manithan
Where human beings
Yaarum illaiyo
Are nowhere to be found
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
idam vendum } (2)
I need a place } (2)
Engae
Where
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi
Peace...
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
Idam vendum } (3)
I need a place } (3)
{ Enathu kaigal
{ When my hands
Meetumbothu veenai
Pluck the strings, the veena
Azhugindrathu enathu
Weeps; when my
Kaigal thazhuvumbothu
Hands embrace,
Malarum sudugindrathu } (2)
Even a flower burns } (2)
Enna ninaithu
What was he thinking
Ennai padaithaan
When he created me,
Iraivan enbavanae
The one called God?
Kannai padaithu
Giving us eyes to see,
Pennai padaitha iraivan
God who created woman
Kodiyavanae oh oh iraivan kodiyavanae
Is cruel, oh God is cruel!
Engae
Where
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi
Peace...
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
Idam vendum } (3)
I need a place } (3)
……………………..
{ Pazhaya paravai
{ Like an old bird
Polae ondru paranthu
One came flying back,
Vanthadhae puthiya
And the new bird
Paravai enathu nenjai
Forgot my heart
Maranthu ponadhae } (2)
And flew away } (2)
Ennai konjam
If you let me
Thoonga vaithaal
Sleep for a little while,
Vananguven thaayae
I will bow to you, Mother;
Indru matum
If just for today
Amaithi thanthaal
You grant me peace,
Uranguven thaayae
I will sleep, Mother;
Oh uranguven thaayae
Oh, I will sleep, Mother!
Engae
Where
Nimmathi engae
Where is peace?
Nimmathi
Peace...
{ Angae enakor
There, for me,
Idam vendum } (3)
I need a place } (3)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'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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