Ilaya Nila
From Payanangal Mudivathillai · 1982
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Payanangal Mudivathillai1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae | Soaking all the way to the heart |
| Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae | The strolling cloud dreams |
| Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae | The sky celebrates a festival |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae | Soaking all the way to the heart |
| Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae | The strolling cloud dreams |
| Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae | The sky celebrates a festival |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae | Soaking all the way to the heart |
| Male | |
| Varum vazhiyil pani mazhaiyil | On the coming way in the mist and rain |
| Paruva nilaa dhinam nanaiyum | The youthful moon gets drenched daily |
| Mugil eduthu mugam thudaithu | Taking a cloud to wipe its face |
| Vdiyum varai nadai pazhagum | It practices walking until dawn |
| Male | |
| Varum vazhiyil pani mazhaiyil | On the coming way in the mist and rain |
| Paruva nilaa dhinam nanaiyum | The youthful moon gets drenched daily |
| Mugil eduthu mugam thudaithu | Taking a cloud to wipe its face |
| Vdiyum varai nadai pazhagum | It practices walking until dawn |
| Male | |
| Vaana veedhiyil mega oorvalam | A cloud procession on the sky street |
| Kaanumbodhilae aarudhal tharum | Brings comfort whenever seen |
| Paruva magal vizhigalilae kanavu varum | Dreams enter the eyes of a young woman |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae | The strolling cloud dreams |
| Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae | The sky celebrates a festival |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Male | |
| Mugilinangal alaigiradhae | Groups of clouds wander about |
| Mugavarigal tholaindhanavo | Have they lost their addresses? |
| Mugavarigal thavariyadhaal | Because they lost their address |
| Azhudhidumo adhu mazhaiyo | Are they crying, or is it rain? |
| Male | |
| Mugilinangal alaigiradhae | Groups of clouds wander about |
| Mugavarigal tholaindhanavo | Have they lost their addresses? |
| Mugavarigal thavariyadhaal | Because they lost their address |
| Azhudhidumo adhu mazhaiyo | Are they crying, or is it rain? |
| Male | |
| Neela vaanilae velli odaigal | Silver streams in the blue sky |
| Oduginradhae enna jaadaigal | They flow, what gestures are these? |
| Vin veliyil vidhaiththadhu yaar | Who sowed in outer space |
| Nava manigal | The nine precious gems? |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
| Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae | Soaking all the way to the heart |
| Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae | The strolling cloud dreams |
| Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae | The sky celebrates a festival |
| Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae | The young moon is pouring its moonlight |
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
இதயம் வரை நனைகிறதே
உலாப் போகும் மேகம் கனாக் காணுமே
விழாக் காணுமே வானமே
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Soaking all the way to the heart
The strolling cloud dreams
The sky celebrates a festival
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
இதயம் வரை நனைகிறதே
உலாப் போகும் மேகம் கனாக் காணுமே
விழாக் காணுமே வானமே
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Soaking all the way to the heart
The strolling cloud dreams
The sky celebrates a festival
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
இதயம் வரை நனைகிறதே
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Soaking all the way to the heart
வரும் வழியில் பனி மழையில்
பருவ நிலா தினம் நனையும்
முகிலெடுத்து முகம் துடைத்து
விடியும் வரை நடை பழகும்
On the coming way in the mist and rain
The youthful moon gets drenched daily
Taking a cloud to wipe its face
It practices walking until dawn
வரும் வழியில் பனி மழையில்
பருவ நிலா தினம் நனையும்
முகிலெடுத்து முகம் துடைத்து
விடியும் வரை நடை பழகும்
On the coming way in the mist and rain
The youthful moon gets drenched daily
Taking a cloud to wipe its face
It practices walking until dawn
வான வீதியில் மேக ஊர்வலம்
காணும் போதிலே ஆறுதல் தரும்
பருவ மகள் விழிகளிலே கனவு வரும்
A cloud procession on the sky street
Brings comfort whenever seen
Dreams enter the eyes of a young woman
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
உலாப் போகும் மேகம் கனாக் காணுமே
விழாக் காணுமே வானமே
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
The strolling cloud dreams
The sky celebrates a festival
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
முகிலினங்கள் அலைகிறதே
முகவரிகள் தொலைந்தனவோ
முகவரிகள் தவறியதால்
அழுதிடுமோ அது மழையோ
Groups of clouds wander about
Have they lost their addresses?
Because they lost their address
Are they crying, or is it rain?
முகிலினங்கள் அலைகிறதே
முகவரிகள் தொலைந்தனவோ
முகவரிகள் தவறியதால்
அழுதிடுமோ அது மழையோ
Groups of clouds wander about
Have they lost their addresses?
Because they lost their address
Are they crying, or is it rain?
நீல வானிலே வெள்ளி ஓடைகள்
ஓடுகின்றதே என்ன ஜாடைகள்
விண்வெளியில் விதைத்தது
யார் நவமணிகள்
Silver streams in the blue sky
They flow, what gestures are these?
Who sowed in outer space
The nine precious gems?
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
இதயம் வரை நனைகிறதே
உலாப் போகும் மேகம் கனாக் காணுமே
விழாக் காணுமே வானமே
இளைய நிலா பொழிகிறதே
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Soaking all the way to the heart
The strolling cloud dreams
The sky celebrates a festival
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae
Soaking all the way to the heart
Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae
The strolling cloud dreams
Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae
The sky celebrates a festival
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae
Soaking all the way to the heart
Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae
The strolling cloud dreams
Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae
The sky celebrates a festival
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae
Soaking all the way to the heart
Varum vazhiyil pani mazhaiyil
On the coming way in the mist and rain
Paruva nilaa dhinam nanaiyum
The youthful moon gets drenched daily
Mugil eduthu mugam thudaithu
Taking a cloud to wipe its face
Vdiyum varai nadai pazhagum
It practices walking until dawn
Varum vazhiyil pani mazhaiyil
On the coming way in the mist and rain
Paruva nilaa dhinam nanaiyum
The youthful moon gets drenched daily
Mugil eduthu mugam thudaithu
Taking a cloud to wipe its face
Vdiyum varai nadai pazhagum
It practices walking until dawn
Vaana veedhiyil mega oorvalam
A cloud procession on the sky street
Kaanumbodhilae aarudhal tharum
Brings comfort whenever seen
Paruva magal vizhigalilae kanavu varum
Dreams enter the eyes of a young woman
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae
The strolling cloud dreams
Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae
The sky celebrates a festival
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Mugilinangal alaigiradhae
Groups of clouds wander about
Mugavarigal tholaindhanavo
Have they lost their addresses?
Mugavarigal thavariyadhaal
Because they lost their address
Azhudhidumo adhu mazhaiyo
Are they crying, or is it rain?
Mugilinangal alaigiradhae
Groups of clouds wander about
Mugavarigal tholaindhanavo
Have they lost their addresses?
Mugavarigal thavariyadhaal
Because they lost their address
Azhudhidumo adhu mazhaiyo
Are they crying, or is it rain?
Neela vaanilae velli odaigal
Silver streams in the blue sky
Oduginradhae enna jaadaigal
They flow, what gestures are these?
Vin veliyil vidhaiththadhu yaar
Who sowed in outer space
Nava manigal
The nine precious gems?
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Idhayam varai nanaigiradhae
Soaking all the way to the heart
Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae
The strolling cloud dreams
Vizhaakkaanumae vaanamae
The sky celebrates a festival
Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae
The young moon is pouring its moonlight
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Ilaiya Nilaa Pozhigiradhae is a nocturnal romantic song that celebrates the enchanting beauty of the moonlit sky. The lyricist Vairamuthu personifies celestial bodies with vivid imagination—the young moon drenching the listener's heart, clouds strolling and dreaming, and the sky rejoicing in celebration. The moon is pictured as a youthful entity using clouds as a towel after getting soaked in night dew while learning to walk across the sky until dawn. In the second half, wandering clouds are poetically visualized as lost wanderers whose tears manifest as rain when they lose their destination. Stars scattered across the cosmic expanse are metaphorically seen as nine precious gems sowed in space. Sung effortlessly by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and set to music by Ilaiyaraaja, the song captures the soothing and contemplative essence of night.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (Makkalmayam / Uruvagam)
“Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae”
Clouds are personified as wandering, dreaming, and weeping like humans.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Ilaiya nilaa pozhigiradhae / Ulaa pogum megam kanaa kaanumae”
The second consonant sound 'la' matches across consecutive lines (Ilaiya / Ulaa).
Metaphor (Tharkurippetru Ani)
“Azhudhidumo adhu mazhaiyo”
Poetic attribution of rain as clouds weeping due to losing their destination address.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, this song from Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982) features one of the most famous acoustic guitar prelude and interlude passages in Indian film music history, performed by guitarist Chandrasekar.
Keep listening
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