Ilaya Nilave
From Ponnu Veettukkaran · 1999
- Lyricist
- Pazhani Bharathi
- Singers
- Srinivas, Bhavatharani
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Ponnu Veettukkaran1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| O naananaa | Oh naananaa |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon |
| Female | |
| Nanaa nananaa | Nanaa nananaa |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon |
| Female | |
| Nanaa nananaa | Nanaa nananaa |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum enna maunamo | Why this continued silence? |
| Male | |
| Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal | If your beautiful eyes refuse to look, |
| Endhan manam thaangumo | Will my heart bear it? |
| Male | |
| Nee thaanadi en nimmadhi | You alone are my peace |
| O vaanmathi unadhu dhisaiyil yaen | Oh full moon, why go in your own direction? |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum enna maunamo | Why this continued silence? |
| Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal | If your beautiful eyes refuse to look, |
| Endhan manam thaangumo | Will my heart bear it? |
| Male | |
| Isaikkum kuyilae | Oh musical cuckoo, |
| Maunam sumandhaal | If you carry silence, |
| Yaengum yaengum poongaatru | The gentle breeze yearns and yearns |
| Female | |
| Urakkam izhandhu | Having lost sleep, |
| Thavikkum enakkul | Within me who suffers, |
| Vaeru yaedhu thaalaattu | What other lullaby can comfort? |
| Male | |
| Vasanthamae pona pin | After spring departs, |
| Paadumo poonguyil | Will the sweet cuckoo ever sing? |
| Vaazhvellaam kodaiyae aadumo pon maiyil | When life becomes endless summer, will the golden peacock dance? |
| Female | |
| Un kangalil neer kolamo | Are those tearful patterns in your eyes? |
| En nenjinai kalanga vidalaamo | Should you allow my heart to sink in sorrow? |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum yenna maunamo | Why this continued silence? |
| Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal | If your beautiful eyes refuse to look, |
| Endhan manam thaangumo | Will my heart bear it? |
| Female | |
| Nadandha nadhiyum | The river that has flowed away, |
| Kadandha pozhudhum | And the time that has passed, |
| Meendum thirumbumo ingae | Will they ever return here? |
| Male | |
| Velicha nilavu iruttil azhudhaal | If the bright moon cries in darkness, |
| Vaanam neelumae anbae | The sky stretches on in endless grief, my love |
| Female | |
| Kanavennum malargalai | The flowers known as dreams, |
| Vidhaitthadhaar poo mugam | Who sowed them on your tender, flower-like face? |
| Yaar manam yaaridam vaazhkkaiyo naadagam | Whose heart belongs to whom? Life is a drama |
| Male | |
| O vaanmathi yaen thani vazhi | Oh full moon, why take a solitary path? |
| Un paadhaiyai maatri chellalaamaa | Can you really change your course and leave? |
| Female | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum enna salanamo | Why this hesitation now? |
| Pudhiya thisaiyil udhikka ninaithaal | If you think of rising in a new direction, |
| Endhan manam thaangumo | Will my heart bear it? |
| Male | |
| Nee thaanadi en nimmadhi | You alone are my peace |
| O vaanmathi unadhu dhisaiyil yaen | Oh full moon, why go in your own direction? |
| Male | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum enna maunamo | Why this continued silence? |
| Female | |
| Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae | Oh young moon, oh young moon |
| Innum enna salanamo | Why this hesitation now? |
ஓ னானனா
Oh naananaa
இளைய நிலவே
Oh young moon
னனா னனனா
Nanaa nananaa
இளைய நிலவே
Oh young moon
னனா னனனா
Nanaa nananaa
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன மௌனமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this continued silence?
அழகு விழிகள் பார்க்க மறுத்தால்
எந்தன் மனம் தாங்குமோ
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Will my heart bear it?
நீ தானடி என் நிம்மதி
ஓர் வான்மதி உனது திசையில் ஏன்
You alone are my peace
Oh full moon, why go in your own direction?
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன மௌனமோ
அழகு விழிகள் பார்க்க மறுத்தால்
எந்தன் மனம் தாங்குமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this continued silence?
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Will my heart bear it?
இசைக்கும் குயிலே
மௌனம் சுமந்தால்
ஏங்கும் ஏங்கும் பூங்காற்று
Oh musical cuckoo,
If you carry silence,
The gentle breeze yearns and yearns
உறக்கம் இழந்து
தவிக்கும் எனக்குள்
வேறு ஏது தாலாட்டு
Having lost sleep,
Within me who suffers,
What other lullaby can comfort?
வசந்தமே போன பின்
பாடுமோ பூங்குயில்
வாழ்வெல்லாம் கோடையே ஆடுமோ
பொன் மயில்
After spring departs,
Will the sweet cuckoo ever sing?
When life becomes endless summer, will the golden peacock dance?
உன் கண்களில் நீர்க் கோலமோ
என் நெஞ்சினை கலங்க விடலாமோ
Are those tearful patterns in your eyes?
Should you allow my heart to sink in sorrow?
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன மௌனமோ
அழகு விழிகள் பார்க்க மறுத்தால்
எந்தன் மனம் தாங்குமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this continued silence?
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Will my heart bear it?
நடந்த நதியும்
கடந்த பொழுதும்
மீண்டும் திரும்புமோ இங்கே
The river that has flowed away,
And the time that has passed,
Will they ever return here?
வெளிச்ச நிலவு இருட்டில் அழுதால்
வானம் நீளுமே அன்பே
If the bright moon cries in darkness,
The sky stretches on in endless grief, my love
கனவென்னும் மலர்களை
விதைத்ததார் பூ முகம்
யார் மனம் யாரிடம் வாழ்கையோ நாடகம்
The flowers known as dreams,
Who sowed them on your tender, flower-like face?
Whose heart belongs to whom? Life is a drama
ஓ வான்மதி ஏன் தனி வழி
உன் பாதையை மாற்றிச் செல்லலாமா
Oh full moon, why take a solitary path?
Can you really change your course and leave?
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன சலனமோ
புதிய திசையில் உதிக்க நினைத்தால்
எந்தன் மனம் தாங்குமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this hesitation now?
If you think of rising in a new direction,
Will my heart bear it?
நீ தானடி என் நிம்மதி
ஓர் வான்மதி உனது திசையில் ஏன்
You alone are my peace
Oh full moon, why go in your own direction?
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன மௌனமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this continued silence?
இளைய நிலவே இளைய நிலவே
இன்னும் என்ன சலனமோ
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Why this hesitation now?
O naananaa
Oh naananaa
Ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon
Nanaa nananaa
Nanaa nananaa
Ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon
Nanaa nananaa
Nanaa nananaa
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum enna maunamo
Why this continued silence?
Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Endhan manam thaangumo
Will my heart bear it?
Nee thaanadi en nimmadhi
You alone are my peace
O vaanmathi unadhu dhisaiyil yaen
Oh full moon, why go in your own direction?
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum enna maunamo
Why this continued silence?
Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Endhan manam thaangumo
Will my heart bear it?
Isaikkum kuyilae
Oh musical cuckoo,
Maunam sumandhaal
If you carry silence,
Yaengum yaengum poongaatru
The gentle breeze yearns and yearns
Urakkam izhandhu
Having lost sleep,
Thavikkum enakkul
Within me who suffers,
Vaeru yaedhu thaalaattu
What other lullaby can comfort?
Vasanthamae pona pin
After spring departs,
Paadumo poonguyil
Will the sweet cuckoo ever sing?
Vaazhvellaam kodaiyae aadumo pon maiyil
When life becomes endless summer, will the golden peacock dance?
Un kangalil neer kolamo
Are those tearful patterns in your eyes?
En nenjinai kalanga vidalaamo
Should you allow my heart to sink in sorrow?
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum yenna maunamo
Why this continued silence?
Azhagu vizhigal paarkka maruthaal
If your beautiful eyes refuse to look,
Endhan manam thaangumo
Will my heart bear it?
Nadandha nadhiyum
The river that has flowed away,
Kadandha pozhudhum
And the time that has passed,
Meendum thirumbumo ingae
Will they ever return here?
Velicha nilavu iruttil azhudhaal
If the bright moon cries in darkness,
Vaanam neelumae anbae
The sky stretches on in endless grief, my love
Kanavennum malargalai
The flowers known as dreams,
Vidhaitthadhaar poo mugam
Who sowed them on your tender, flower-like face?
Yaar manam yaaridam vaazhkkaiyo naadagam
Whose heart belongs to whom? Life is a drama
O vaanmathi yaen thani vazhi
Oh full moon, why take a solitary path?
Un paadhaiyai maatri chellalaamaa
Can you really change your course and leave?
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum enna salanamo
Why this hesitation now?
Pudhiya thisaiyil udhikka ninaithaal
If you think of rising in a new direction,
Endhan manam thaangumo
Will my heart bear it?
Nee thaanadi en nimmadhi
You alone are my peace
O vaanmathi unadhu dhisaiyil yaen
Oh full moon, why go in your own direction?
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum enna maunamo
Why this continued silence?
Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae
Oh young moon, oh young moon
Innum enna salanamo
Why this hesitation now?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This soulful song expresses the deep pain of longing, separation, and emotional distantness between lovers. The protagonist addresses his beloved metaphorically as a 'young moon' (Ilaiya Nilave) and a singing cuckoo, pleading with her to end her painful silence. He wonders how his heart can sustain if her loving gaze turns away or if she chooses a path separate from his.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Ilaiya nilavae ilaiya nilavae”
Addressing the beloved as 'Ilaiya Nilave' (young moon) and 'Isaikkum kuyilae' (musical cuckoo) compares her beauty and voice directly to nature.
Rhetorical Question
“Meendum thirumbumo ingae”
The speaker asks questions like 'Nadandha nadhiyum kadandha pozhudhum meendum thirumbumo ingae' to emphasize the irreversible nature of past time and sorrow.
Anaphora / Monorhyme (Edhukai)
“Nadandha nadhiyum / Kadandha pozhudhum”
Repetition of second-letter consonant sounds in line pairings such as 'Nadandha' and 'Kadandha'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track features lyrics written by Pazhani Bharathi for the 1999 Tamil film 'Ponnu Veettukkaran', starring Sathyaraj and Preetha Vijayakumar, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
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