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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Intha Nilavai

From Bhavani · 1967

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari, P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Bhavani1967

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Indha nilavai naan paarthaalWhen I look at this moon,
Adhu enakena vanthathu pol irukkumIt feels as though it came just for me.
En ninaivai eduthu varumIt carries my thoughts,
Unthan nenjinil koduthu vidumAnd places them inside your heart.
Indha nilavai naan paarthaalWhen I look at this moon,
Adhu enakena vanthathu pol irukkumIt feels as though it came just for me.
En ninaivai eduthu varumIt carries my thoughts,
Unthan nenjinil koduthu vidumAnd places them inside your heart.
Male
Irave varuga urave varuga…Welcome, O night! Welcome, O relative!
Male
Thooya manjathil paavai nenajathilOn a pure bed, in a maiden's drenched heart,
Naan irukka paarthirukkum kaadhal vennilaThe loving white moon watches for me to be there.
Naangu kanngal pesi kollattumLet four eyes speak to each other.
Female
Kaalayil vettkkam maalaiyil pakkamShyness in the morning, closeness in the evening,
Naalai innum veandum endru theadidum ullamThe heart yearns, wanting even more tomorrow.
Kungumapottu nenjinil pattuWith vermilion on the forehead and silk on the chest,
Kodi innbam odi vanthu baavanai sollumTen million joys come running to convey the emotion.
Female
Kannaadi kinnangalil mathu rasam eduthuTaking the sweet nectar in glass cups,
Pen endru persolliNaming it as woman,
En kayil koduthuAnd placing it in my hands,
Kannale paruga sonnaanHe told me to drink it with my eyes,
Adhil vandaaga amara sonnanHe told me to settle in it like a beetle.
Female
oru maalai malar koduthuGiving an evening flower garland,
Athil neeyum kudiyiurkkaAnd asking you to reside in it,
Azhaithaal varuvenIf you call, I will come.
Anaithaal thaan tharuvenOnly if you embrace will I surrender.
Female
Kalyana pen enumGiving me the title,
Per ondru koduthuOf a bride,
Kannaadi kinnangalil mathu rasam eduthuTaking the sweet nectar in glass cups,
Kannale parugi viduDrink it completely with your eyes,
Adhil vandaaga amarnthu viduSettle inside it like a beetle.
Male
Adhu naalai nadakkattumeLet that happen tomorrow,
Intha neram inikattumeLet this moment be sweet!
Idhu thaan oru naalThis is indeed a day,
Ninaithaal sugam tharum naalA day that gives pleasure just by thinking of it.
Female
Oorellam sirikkum osaiThe sound of laughter across the town,
Urangaathe kangal ingeSleepless eyes here.
Oorellam sirikkum osaiThe sound of laughter across the town,
Urangaathe kangal ingeSleepless eyes here.
Naalellam thanimai ingeAll day long, there is solitude here,
Naan theadum vaazhkai engeWhere is the life I am searching for?
Naan theadum vaazhkai engeWhere is the life I am searching for?
Female
Malargalile vaasamillaiThere is no fragrance in the flowers,
Manjalile azhagu illaiThere is no beauty in the turmeric,
Thalaivanidam kaadhal illaiThere is no love in the leader,
Iravanidam karunai illaiThere is no mercy in God.
Female
Indha nilavai naan paarthaalWhen I look at this moon,
Adhu enakena vanthathu pol irukkumIt feels as though it came just for me.
En ninaivai eduthu varumIt carries my thoughts,
Antha nenjinil koduthu vidumAnd places them inside that heart.
Iravae maraiga… Pozhuthe vidiga…Fade away, O night... Dawn, arise...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic song expresses the sweet intimacy, romantic anticipation, and eventual tragic disillusionment of love. In the beginning, the moon acts as a silent messenger bridging the hearts of lovers, capturing the poetic beauty of romantic longing, marital bliss, and shared affection. However, as the song progresses, the tone shifts into deep grief, reflecting a sense of loneliness, where nature loses its allure, love is absent, and the night becomes a source of sleepless suffering.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

En ninaivai eduthu varum / Unthan nenjinil koduthu vidum

The moon is personified and metaphorically presented as a messenger that conveys secret thoughts to the lover's heart.

Ethukai (Second-letter rhyme) / Parallelism

Malargalile vaasamillai / Manjalile azhagu illai

Kannadasan uses rhythmic second-letter matching and parallel sentence structure to evoke deep emotional emphasis.

Apostrophe / Personification

Iravae maraiga… Pozhuthe vidiga…

Directly addressing abstract elements like night ('Irave') and dawn ('Pozhuthe') as living entities capable of arrival or departure.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Vishwanathan with poignant lyrics by Kannadasan, 'Indha Nilavai Naan Paarthaal' from Bhavani (1967) exemplifies the emotional range of 1960s Tamil film music, blending multi-vocal perspectives to represent romantic dreams alongside profound heartbreak.

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