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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naam Oruvarai

From Kumari Kottam · 1971

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Kumari Kottam1971

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
Male
Hum… hum… hum…Hum… hum… hum…
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
En idadhu kannum thudithadhuMy left eye twitched as a good omen
Unnai kanden innaal ponnaalI met you today, making it a golden day
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
En idadhu kannum thudithadhuMy left eye twitched as a good omen
Unnai kanden innaal ponnaalI met you today, making it a golden day
Female
Patta pagalena nilaverikkaMoonlight shines bright as broad daylight
Andha nilavinil malar sirikkaIn that moonlight, a flower smiles
Andha malarinil madhuvirukkaInside that flower, sweet nectar resides
Andha madhu unna manam thudikka…And my heart yearns to taste that nectar…
Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
En idadhu kannum thudithadhuMy left eye twitched as a good omen
Unnai kanden innaal ponnaalI met you today, making it a golden day
Female
Neer kuditha maegamLike a dark cloud filled with water
En neelavanna koondhalIs my dark blue-hued long hair
Neer kuditha maegamLike a dark cloud filled with water
En neelavanna koondhalIs my dark blue-hued long hair
Andha neelavana koondhalThat dark blue-hued long hair
Adhu neeyirukkum oonjal…Is a swing where you rest…
Female
Paal kodutha venmaiThe whiteness bestowed by milk
En palingu pondra maeniIs like my marble-like body
Paal kodutha venmaiThe whiteness bestowed by milk
En palingu pondra maeniIs like my marble-like body
Ven palingu pondra maeniSuch a white marble-like body
Adhil pangu kolla vaa neeCome and take your place in it
Female
Vatta karuvizhi varavazhaikkaAs round dark eyes beckon you
Andha varavinil uravirukkaMay closeness bloom in that arrival
Andha uravinil iravirukkaMay night descend upon that relationship
Andha iravugal valarndhirukka…May those nights keep growing deeper…
Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
Male
Naan thodarndhu pogaAs I kept walking along
Ennai maan thodarndhennaWhy did a deer follow me?
Naan thodarndhu pogaAs I kept walking along
Ennai maan thodarndhennaWhy did a deer follow me?
Pon maan thodarndha podhuWhen that golden deer followed me
Manam maiyal kondadhenna…Why did my heart fall deeply in love?
Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….
Male
Mai vaditha kannilIn eyes lined with kohl
Pen poi vadithadhennaWhy did the maiden shed playful tears?
Mai vaditha kannilIn eyes lined with kohl
Pen poi vadithadhennaWhy did the maiden shed playful tears?
Kan poi vaditha paavaiThe maiden who shed false tears from her eyes
En kai pidithadhennaWhy did she clasp my hands?
Male
Velli pani vizhum malai irukkaWhile there stands a mountain where silver snow falls
Andha malaiyinil mazhai adikkaRain pours down upon that mountain
Andha mazhaiyinil nadhi pirakkaA river is born from that rain
Andha nadhi vandhu kadal kalakka…And that river flows to merge into the sea…
Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….Ha… aa… aa… haa… aaa….aa….
Female
Naam oruvarai oruvarThat we both
Sandhippom yenaWould meet each other
Kaadhal dhevadhai sonnaalThe goddess of love foretold
Female :Haaa…haaa…haaaFemale: Haaa…haaa…haaa
Male :En idadhu kannum thudithadhuMale: My left eye twitched as a good omen
Unnai kanden innaal ponnaalI met you today, making it a golden day
Unnai kanden innaal ponnaalI met you today, making it a golden day

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Naam Oruvarai Oruvar is a classic duet from the 1971 Tamil film Kumari Kottam, starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. Written by Vaali and set to music by M. S. Viswanathan, the song is a romantic dialogue celebrating a union foretold by the goddess of love. The lovers exchange poetic compliments, comparing love to natural phenomena such as moonlight, rain-bearing clouds, rivers merging into the sea, and mountain snow.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anadiplosis / Chain Rhyme (Anthathi)

Andha malaiyinil mazhai adikka / Andha mazhaiyinil nadhi pirakka / Andha nadhi vandhu kadal kalakka…

Each line ends with a concept or word that forms the beginning of the next line, creating a cascading narrative flow.

Simile (Uvamai)

En palingu pondra maeni

Comparing the heroine's fair complexion directly to white marble using the comparative marker 'pondra'.

Metaphor (Uruvagham)

Neer kuditha maegam / En neelavanna koondhal

Directly metaphorizing rain clouds to dark, lustrous tresses of hair.

Cultural Allusion & Superstition

En idadhu kannum thudithadhu / Unnai kanden innaal ponnaal

References the traditional Indian belief that twitching of the left eye for men (or right eye for women depending on context) signifies good fortune or meeting a loved one.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kumari Kottam (1971) was a hit film directed by M. G. Ramachandran's frequent collaborator P. Neelakantan. The song features iconic playback singing by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela under the music direction of M. S. Viswanathan.

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