- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Jayachandran
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan
- Movie name
- Raga Banthangal
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Aug 2022
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Devi vadivaaga amarnthaval yaaro
Devi vadivaaga amarnthaval yaaro
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Needhaanaa azhaiththathum needhanaa
Nedunaalaai niniththathum idhaithaanaa
Needhaanaa azhaiththathum needhanaa
Nedunaalaai niniththathum idhaithaanaa
En devi unakkithu sarithaanaa
En devi unakkithu sarithaanaa
Minnal minnum iru vizhiyil
Annai unnai idhya malar
Alli allai kavithai tharuvaen
Thozhuthu varuvaen thodarnthu varuvaen
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Naan oru poosaari unakkithu theriyaatho…oo…oo..oo…
Naan oru poosaari unakkithu theriyaatho…
Nadamaadum thirukoyil neeyallavo
Nadamaadum thirukoyil neeyallavo
Adimaiyai marakkaathae aduththathai ninaikkaathae…ae…ae…ae…
Adimaiyai marakkaathae aduththathai ninaikkaathae…
Unnai enni urgi varum
Ennai endrum arul peruga
Konjum dheivam unathu thirunaal
Viraivil varumo vidivu tharumo
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Sagama…thanisa
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Saga…sagasa nitha nisa nisani thama
Thani thanitha magasa sagama thanisa
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo
Sagamaga magasani sagamagasani nisaga sagasanitha
Nisaga sanitha thanisa nisanithama thanisa nithama
Sagamatha sagamagathani sagamathanisa
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo….
Nini…sasa…gaga…sasa….sasanini…sasa…gaga…sasasa…
Madha….mani…sasa….riga….magasa…magasa…nitha…nisa….
Sasa…gaga….mama….thatha…ni….mama….thatha…nini….sasa….ga….
Mama…gaga…sasa…nini…thatha…nini….sa…
Mathani….sagasanitha….nisaga
Nisa…nisa….sagama…sa….sasa…nini…thatha….mama…
Nini…thatha….mama….gaga…thatha…mama…
Gaga…sasa…gamathani…sa….
Sasa…nini..thatha..mama…nini…thatha mama…gaga
Thatha…mama…gaga…sasa…gamathani…sa…
Nisa…gasa…nisa…gasa…nini…sasa…gagama
Thani…sani…thani…sani…thatha…nini…sasaga
Sasa…gaga…mama…thatha..gaga…mama….thatha….nini…
Sasa…nithama…nini…thamaga…saga…mathani….
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo….
Devi vadivaaga amaranthaval yaaro
Malaro nilavo malaimagalo….
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Who is she, seated here in the form of a goddess?
Who is she, seated here in the form of a goddess?
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Is it really you? Were you the one who called me?
Is this what I had been longing for all these days?
Is it really you? Were you the one who called me?
Is this what I had been longing for all these days?
My goddess, does this feel right to you?
My goddess, does this feel right to you?
With lightning flashing in your two eyes,
O divine mother, with the flower of my heart,
I will offer heaps and heaps of poetry,
I will come worshipping you, I will follow you always.
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
I am your devotee, do you not know this? Oo... oo... oo...
I am your devotee, do you not know this?
Aren't you a living, walking temple?
Aren't you a living, walking temple?
Do not forget your humble servant, think of nothing else... Ah...
Do not forget your humble servant, think of nothing else...
Melting in devotion as I think of you,
Shower your endless grace upon me always.
My sweet goddess, will your sacred festival day
arrive soon and bring me a new dawn?
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Sa ga ma... dha ni sa
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Sa ga... sa ga sa ni dha ni sa ni sa ni dha ma
Dha ni dha ni tha ma ga sa sa ga ma dha ni sa
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Sa ga ma ga ma ga sa ni sa ga ma ga sa ni ni sa ga sa ga sa ni dha
Ni sa ga sa ni dha dha ni sa ni sa ni dha ma dha ni sa ni dha ma
Sa ga ma dha sa ga ma ga dha ni sa ga ma dha ni sa
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Ni ni... sa sa... ga ga... sa sa... sa sa ni ni... sa sa... ga ga... sa sa sa...
Ma dha... ma ni... sa sa... ri ga... ma ga sa... ma ga sa... ni dha... ni sa...
Sa sa... ga ga... ma ma... dha dha... ni... ma ma... dha dha... ni ni... sa sa... ga...
Ma ma... ga ga... sa sa... ni ni... dha dha... ni ni... sa...
Ma dha ni... sa ga sa ni dha... ni sa ga
Ni sa... ni sa... sa ga ma... sa... sa sa... ni ni... dha dha... ma ma...
Ni ni... dha dha... ma ma... ga ga... dha dha... ma ma...
Ga ga... sa sa... ga ma dha ni... sa...
Sa sa... ni ni... dha dha... ma ma... ni ni... dha dha ma ma... ga ga
Dha dha... ma ma... ga ga... sa sa... ga ma dha ni... sa...
Ni sa... ga sa... ni sa... ga sa... ni ni... sa sa... ga ga ma
Dha ni... sa ni... dha ni... sa ni... dha dha... ni ni... sa sa ga
Sa sa... ga ga... ma ma... dha dha... ga ga... ma ma... dha dha... ni ni...
Sa sa... ni dha ma... ni ni... dha ma ga... sa ga... ma dha ni...
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Who is she, seated here in the form of a goddess?
Is she a flower? Is she the moon? Or the daughter of the mountains?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Malaro Nilavo Malaimagalo from the film Raga Banthangal (1982) is a deeply classical, devotional-romantic composition written by Kannadasan and tuned by Kunnakudi Vaidhiyanathan. The song portrays a protagonist in deep awe of his beloved or divine mother, questioning whether she is a divine blossom, the radiant moon, or Goddess Parvathi herself. He views himself as her dedicated priest and praises her as a walking divine shrine. Rich Carnatic swara passages (solfa) are intertwined with poetic expressions of lifelong worship, yearning, and ultimate devotion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nadamaadum thirukoyil neeyallavo”
Comparing the woman to a walking holy shrine ('Nadamaadum thirukoyil neeyallavo').
Imagery & Simile
“Minnal minnum iru vizhiyil”
Comparing the brightness of her eyes to flashing lightning ('Minnal minnum iru vizhiyil').
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Malaro nilavo malaimagalo”
Rhyming ending syllables with 'o' sound (Malaro, nilavo, malaimagalo) creating rhythmic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary violinist and music director Kunnakudi Vaidhiyanathan, the track highlights extensive Carnatic swara (solfege) improvisations sung smoothly by P. Jayachandran, blending classical Carnatic music traditions seamlessly into Tamil cinema.
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