- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Movie name
- Ellorum Innaattu Mannar
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 14 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic Tamil track features a hero speaking directly to the moon, addressing it as a confidante and messenger. He playfully questions whether the moon is younger or older than his beloved, compares the surrounding stars to her protective friends, and humorously asks if the craters on the moon are mark-lines left by its lover's pinch. The core narrative turns to his love life: his innocent heart has been taken away by a sly, charming woman. He asks the moon to retrieve his heart, advising that if asking politely fails, the moon should simply snatch it back—because taking hearts without permission is the very trick she taught him.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe / Moon Address
“En arumai kaadhalikku vennilaavae”
Addressing the inanimate full moon directly as a messenger and confidante throughout the song.
Personification
“Unnai kaaval kaakkum thozhiyaro vennilaavae”
Personifying stars as human friends guarding the moon.
Muran (Antonymy / Contrast)
“Nee ilaiyavalaa moothavalaa”
Contrasting 'ilaiyavala' (younger) with 'moothavala' (elder) to create rhythmic and conceptual contrast.
Metaphor
“Oru kalliyidam irukkudhadi vennilaavae”
Referring to the charming beloved as a 'kalli' (deceitful/sly woman) who stole his heart.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the renowned poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram for the 1960 movie Ellorum Innaattu Mannar (starring Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi), the song is set in a folk-pop idiom, playfully adapting classical Sangam Tamil literary motifs like addressing the moon (Vennila) to modern cinematic romance.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Ellorum Innaattu Mannar
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.