Idhu Irava Pagala
From Neela Malargal · 1979
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- K. J. Yesudas, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Neela Malargal1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hmm hmm hmm mm mmm | Hmm hmm hmm mm mmm |
| Hoo hoo hoo ho ho ho ho… | Hoo hoo hoo ho ho ho ho... |
| Female | |
| Idhu iravaa pagalaa | Is this night or is this day? |
| Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa | Male: Are you the moon or the sun? |
| Female | |
| Idhu iravaa pagalaa | Is this night or is this day? |
| Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa | Male: Are you the moon or the sun? |
| Female | |
| Idhu vanamaa maaligaiyaa | Is this a forest or a palace? |
| Male :Nee malaraa oviyamaa | Male: Are you a flower or a painting? |
| Female | |
| Idhu vanamaa maaligaiyaa | Is this a forest or a palace? |
| Male :Nee malaraa oviyamaa oo hoo oo… | Male: Are you a flower or a painting? Oo hoo oo... |
| Female | |
| Idhu iravaa pagalaa | Is this night or is this day? |
| Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa | Male: Are you the moon or the sun? |
| Female | |
| Megam enbadhum | Aren't the clouds |
| Minnal enbadhum | And the lightnings |
| Arugil illaiyaa | Right beside you? |
| Male | |
| Un koondhal enbadhil | Adorning your tresses |
| Poo charam vaippadhu | With a string of flowers, |
| Arivaa illaiyaa | Is that wisdom or foolishness? |
| Male | |
| Aaaa….aaa…..aaa…. | Aaaa...aaa...aaa... |
| Female :Megam enbadhum | Female: Aren't the clouds |
| Minnal enbadhum | And the lightnings |
| Arugil illaiyaa | Right beside you? |
| Male | |
| Un koondhal enbadhil | Adorning your tresses |
| Poo charam vaippadhu | With a string of flowers, |
| Arivaa illaiyaa | Is that wisdom or foolishness? |
| Female | |
| Idhu kaniyaa kaayaa | Is this a ripe fruit or an unripe fruit? |
| Male :Adhai kadithaal theriyum | Male: You will know if you bite it. |
| Female :Idhu paniyaa mazhaiyaa | Female: Is this dew or rain? |
| Male :Enai anaithaal theriyum | Male: You will know if you embrace me. |
| Female | |
| Idhu iravaa pagalaa | Is this night or is this day? |
| Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa | Male: Are you the moon or the sun? |
| Female | |
| Thendral vandhadhum | When the gentle breeze arrived, |
| Vanna poongodi | Why did the colorful creeper sway? |
| Edhanaal asaindhadhu | Forgetting itself, |
| Male | |
| Thannai marandhu | Love blossomed, |
| Kaadhal kanindhu | And joined together as one. |
| Ondraai inaindhadhu | Aaa...aaa...aaa... |
| Male | |
| Aaa….aaa….aaa… | Female: When the gentle breeze arrived, |
| Female :Thendral vandhadhum | Why did the colorful creeper sway? |
| Vanna poongodi | Forgetting itself, |
| Edhanaal asaindhadhu | Love blossomed, |
| Male | |
| Thannai marandhu | And joined together as one. |
| Kaadhal kanindhu | Is this a cuckoo or a flute? |
| Ondraai inaindhadhu | Male: It is the sweetness of your voice. |
| Female | |
| Idhu kuyilaa kuzhalaa | Is this a peacock or a deer? |
| Male :Un kuralin sugamae | Male: They belong to your species. |
| Female | |
| Idhu mayilaa maanaa | Is this night or is this day? |
| Male :Avai undhan inamae | Male: Are you the moon or the sun? |
| Female | |
| Idhu iravaa pagalaa | Can the color of milk |
| Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa | And the color of honey |
| Female | |
| Paalin niramum | Be seen together as one? |
| Thaenin niramum | Can the maiden's cheek |
| Ondraai kaanumaa | And red ivy gourd lips |
| Male | |
| Poovai kannamum | Become unified? |
| Kovai idhazhum | Is the parrot beautiful here? |
| Ondraai aagumaa | Male: Your beauty alone is beauty. |
| Female | |
| Ingu kili thaan azhagaa | Is this world big? |
| Male :Un azhagae azhagu | Male: Our relationship is bigger. |
| Female | |
| Indha ulagam peridhaa | |
| Male :Nam uravae peridhu | |
ஹ்ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
ஹோ ஹோ ஹ் ஹோ ஹோ ஹோ ஹோ....
Hmm hmm hmm mm mmm
Hoo hoo hoo ho ho ho ho...
இது இரவா பகலா
நீ நிலவா கதிரா
Is this night or is this day?
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
இது இரவா பகலா
நீ நிலவா கதிரா
Is this night or is this day?
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
இது வனமா மாளிகையா
நீ மலரா ஓவியமா
Is this a forest or a palace?
Male: Are you a flower or a painting?
இது வனமா மாளிகையா
நீ மலரா ஓவியமா ஓ ஹோ ஓ......
Is this a forest or a palace?
Male: Are you a flower or a painting? Oo hoo oo...
இது இரவா பகலா
நீ நிலவா கதிரா
Is this night or is this day?
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
மேகம் என்பதும்
மின்னல் என்பதும்
அருகில் இல்லையா
Aren't the clouds
And the lightnings
Right beside you?
உன் கூந்தல் என்பதில்
பூச்சரம் வைப்பது
அறிவா இல்லையா
Adorning your tresses
With a string of flowers,
Is that wisdom or foolishness?
ஆஆ.....ஆஅ......ஆஅ......
மேகம் என்பதும்
மின்னல் என்பதும்
அருகில் இல்லையா
Aaaa...aaa...aaa...
Female: Aren't the clouds
And the lightnings
Right beside you?
உன் கூந்தல் என்பதில்
பூச்சரம் வைப்பது
அறிவா இல்லையா
Adorning your tresses
With a string of flowers,
Is that wisdom or foolishness?
இது கனியா காயா
அதை கடித்தால் தெரியும்
இது பனியா மழையா
எனை அணைத்தால் தெரியும்
Is this a ripe fruit or an unripe fruit?
Male: You will know if you bite it.
Female: Is this dew or rain?
Male: You will know if you embrace me.
இது இரவா பகலா
நீ நிலவா கதிரா
Is this night or is this day?
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
தென்றல் வந்ததும்
வண்ணப்பூங்கொடி
எதனால் அசைந்தது
When the gentle breeze arrived,
Why did the colorful creeper sway?
Forgetting itself,
தன்னை மறந்து
காதல் கனிந்து
ஒன்றாய் இணைந்தது
Love blossomed,
And joined together as one.
Aaa...aaa...aaa...
ஆஆ.......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ......
தென்றல் வந்ததும்
வண்ணப்பூங்கொடி
எதனால் அசைந்தது
Female: When the gentle breeze arrived,
Why did the colorful creeper sway?
Forgetting itself,
Love blossomed,
தன்னை மறந்து
காதல் கனிந்து
ஒன்றாய் இணைந்தது
And joined together as one.
Is this a cuckoo or a flute?
Male: It is the sweetness of your voice.
இது குயிலா குழலா
உன் குரலின் சுகமே
Is this a peacock or a deer?
Male: They belong to your species.
இது மயிலா மானா
அவை உந்தன் இனமே
Is this night or is this day?
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
இது இரவா பகலா
நீ நிலவா கதிரா
Can the color of milk
And the color of honey
பாலின் நிறமும்
தேனின் நிறமும்
ஒன்றாய் காணுமா
Be seen together as one?
Can the maiden's cheek
And red ivy gourd lips
பூவை கன்னமும்
கோவை இதழும்
ஒன்றாய் ஆகுமா
Become unified?
Is the parrot beautiful here?
Male: Your beauty alone is beauty.
இங்கு கிளிதான் அழகா
உன் அழகே அழகு
Is this world big?
Male: Our relationship is bigger.
இந்த உலகம் பெரிதா
நம் உறவே பெரிது
நன நனனா நனனா.....
நன நனனா நனனா.....
நன நனனா நனனா.....
Hmm hmm hmm mm mmm
Hmm hmm hmm mm mmm
Hoo hoo hoo ho ho ho ho…
Hoo hoo hoo ho ho ho ho...
Idhu iravaa pagalaa
Is this night or is this day?
Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
Idhu iravaa pagalaa
Is this night or is this day?
Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
Idhu vanamaa maaligaiyaa
Is this a forest or a palace?
Male :Nee malaraa oviyamaa
Male: Are you a flower or a painting?
Idhu vanamaa maaligaiyaa
Is this a forest or a palace?
Male :Nee malaraa oviyamaa oo hoo oo…
Male: Are you a flower or a painting? Oo hoo oo...
Idhu iravaa pagalaa
Is this night or is this day?
Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
Megam enbadhum
Aren't the clouds
Minnal enbadhum
And the lightnings
Arugil illaiyaa
Right beside you?
Un koondhal enbadhil
Adorning your tresses
Poo charam vaippadhu
With a string of flowers,
Arivaa illaiyaa
Is that wisdom or foolishness?
Aaaa….aaa…..aaa….
Aaaa...aaa...aaa...
Female :Megam enbadhum
Female: Aren't the clouds
Minnal enbadhum
And the lightnings
Arugil illaiyaa
Right beside you?
Un koondhal enbadhil
Adorning your tresses
Poo charam vaippadhu
With a string of flowers,
Arivaa illaiyaa
Is that wisdom or foolishness?
Idhu kaniyaa kaayaa
Is this a ripe fruit or an unripe fruit?
Male :Adhai kadithaal theriyum
Male: You will know if you bite it.
Female :Idhu paniyaa mazhaiyaa
Female: Is this dew or rain?
Male :Enai anaithaal theriyum
Male: You will know if you embrace me.
Idhu iravaa pagalaa
Is this night or is this day?
Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
Thendral vandhadhum
When the gentle breeze arrived,
Vanna poongodi
Why did the colorful creeper sway?
Edhanaal asaindhadhu
Forgetting itself,
Thannai marandhu
Love blossomed,
Kaadhal kanindhu
And joined together as one.
Ondraai inaindhadhu
Aaa...aaa...aaa...
Aaa….aaa….aaa…
Female: When the gentle breeze arrived,
Female :Thendral vandhadhum
Why did the colorful creeper sway?
Vanna poongodi
Forgetting itself,
Edhanaal asaindhadhu
Love blossomed,
Thannai marandhu
And joined together as one.
Kaadhal kanindhu
Is this a cuckoo or a flute?
Ondraai inaindhadhu
Male: It is the sweetness of your voice.
Idhu kuyilaa kuzhalaa
Is this a peacock or a deer?
Male :Un kuralin sugamae
Male: They belong to your species.
Idhu mayilaa maanaa
Is this night or is this day?
Male :Avai undhan inamae
Male: Are you the moon or the sun?
Idhu iravaa pagalaa
Can the color of milk
Male :Nee nilavaa kadhiraa
And the color of honey
Paalin niramum
Be seen together as one?
Thaenin niramum
Can the maiden's cheek
Ondraai kaanumaa
And red ivy gourd lips
Poovai kannamum
Become unified?
Kovai idhazhum
Is the parrot beautiful here?
Ondraai aagumaa
Male: Your beauty alone is beauty.
Ingu kili thaan azhagaa
Is this world big?
Male :Un azhagae azhagu
Male: Our relationship is bigger.
Indha ulagam peridhaa
Male :Nam uravae peridhu
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic duet 'Idhu Iravaa Pagalaa' from the film Neela Malargal features a romantic, playful Q&A conversation between lovers. The lyrics utilize poetic questioning (Vinaa Aani) to capture the enchanting confusion and ecstasy of love, where boundaries between day and night, nature and artifice, and sensory experiences blur into one another.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Vinaa Aani (Rhetorical Questions)
“Idhu iravaa pagalaa / Nee nilavaa kadhiraa”
The entire song structure relies on rapid-fire questions and answers between the lovers, comparing nature with human emotions.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Megam enbadhum / Minnal enbadhum”
Matching second consonants across lines like 'Megam' and 'Minnal' creates rhythm.
Metaphor & Imagery (Uvamaani)
“Poovai kannamum / Kovai idhazhum”
Comparing lips to 'Kovai idhazh' (red ivy gourd fruit) and voice to flute/cuckoo music.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan, this iconic duet was sung by K. J. Yesudas and Vani Jairam for the 1979 film 'Neela Malargal' starring Kamal Haasan and Sridevi.
Keep listening
More from Neela Malargal
Neela Malargal
Neela Malargal
Neela Malargal