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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Irava Pagala

From Poovellam Kettuppar · 1999

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singers
Hariharan, Sujatha
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Poovellam Kettuppar1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Irava pagala Kulira veyilaaIs it night or day, cold or heat?
Ennai ondrum seiyaadhadiNothing affects me, girl.
Kadala puyalaIs it the ocean or a storm?
Idiyaa mazhaiyaaIs it thunder or rain?
Ennai ondrum seiyaadhadiNothing affects me, girl.
Male
Aanaal undhanBut your
Mounam matumsilence alone
Yedho seiyudhadidoes something to me.
Ennai yedho seiyudhadiIt does something to me.
Kadhal idhudhaanaaIs this what love is?
Male
Sindum mani polaeLike scattered beads,
Sidharum en nenjammy heart lies shattered.
Konjam nee vandhuIf you come for a moment
Korthaal inbamand string them together, it brings joy.
Male
Nilavin mudhugumIs the back of the moon
Pennin manadhumand a woman's mind
Endrum ragasiyam thaanaalways a secret?
Kanavilaenum solladiTell me at least in a dream,
Pennae kadhalgirl, is love
Nijam thaanaareal?
Male
Irava pagalaIs it night or day,
Kulira veyilaacold or heat?
Ennai ondrum seiyaadhadiNothing affects me, girl.
Male
Ennai thodum thendralDoesn't the breeze that touches me
Unnai thodavillayaatouch you too?
Ennai sudum kadhal unnaiDoesn't the love that burns me
Sudavillayaaburn you too?
Ennil vilum mazhaiDoesn't the rain falling on me
Unnil vilavillayafall on you?
Ennil ezhum minnalDoesn't the lightning striking in me
Unnil ezha villayaastrike in you?
Male
Mugathirku kangal renduTwo eyes for a face,
Muthathirkku idhalgallips for a kiss,
Rendutwo.
Kadhaluku nenjam renduTwo hearts for love,
Ippodhu ondringu illayaebut one is missing here now!
Male
Thanimayilae thanimayilaeIn loneliness, in loneliness,
Thudippadhu edhuvaraihow long must I throb in pain?
Sol veliyaeSpeak up and tell me!
Thanimayilae thanimayilaeIn loneliness, in loneliness,
Thudippadhu edhuvaraihow long must I throb in pain?
Sol veliyaeSpeak up and tell me!
Male
Irava pagalaIs it night or day,
Kulira veyilaacold or heat?
Ennai ondrum seiyaadhadiNothing affects me, girl.
Female
Vaanavillil vaanavillilIn the rainbow, in the rainbow,
Vannam edhukuwhy are there colors?
Vandhu thodumComing to touch,
Vandhu thodumcoming to touch,
Thendral edhukuwhy is there a breeze?
Female
Andhi vaanilIn the evening sky,
Andhi vaanilin the evening sky,
Vekkam edhukuwhy is there shyness?
Purindhadhu purindhadhuI understood, I understood,
Indru enakutoday I understood!
Female
Mazhaiyinil megham thoongaJust as clouds sleep in the rain,
Malarinil vandu thoongaand bees sleep inside flowers,
Un tholilae saaya vandhenI came to lean on your shoulder,
Sollaadha kadhalai sollidato express this unspoken love.
Female
Solli rasippenExpressing it, I will cherish it,
Solli rasippenexpressing it, I will cherish it,
Solli solli nenjukulaeexpressing it again and again, inside my heart
Endrum vasippenI will reside forever.
Male
Alli anaippenI will hold you close,
Alli anaippenI will hold you close,
Konji konji nenjukulaepampering and caressing inside my heart,
Alli anaippenI will hold you close.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Irava Pagala is a tender romantic track from the 1999 movie Poovellam Kettuppar. The protagonist expresses that nature's harshest elements—heat, cold, rain, or violent storms—cannot disturb his peace, yet his beloved's silence torments his soul. He yearns to know if she experiences the same inner turmoil and passion that he feels, questioning why love feels so mysterious like the unseen side of the moon. Ultimately, he realizes that beauty in nature exists to echo love's sweetness, and he longs to rest on her shoulder and hold her close forever.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Sindum mani polae Sidharum en nenjam

Compares the protagonist's scattered, heart-broken feelings to loose beads spilling across the floor.

Anaphora / Initial Rhyme (Moona/Edhukai)

Ennai thodum thendral... Ennai sudum kadhal...

Rhythmic repetition of starting structures ('Ennai thodum', 'Ennai sudum', 'Ennil vilum', 'Ennil ezhum') to build romantic intensity.

Rhetorical Question

Nilavin mudhugum Pennin manadhum Endrum ragasiyam thaana

Asks rhetorical questions comparing hidden aspects of nature to the mysterious mind of a woman.

Did you know?

Trivia

Irava Pagala was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja early in his career and sung by legendary singer Hariharan with lyrics written by Pazhani Bharathi. The film Poovellam Kettuppar stars Suriya and Jyothika, making it one of the classic early collaborations between the real-life celebrity couple.

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