Nakula
From Vallinam · 2014
- Lyricist
- Parvathi
- Singers
- Nakul, Andrea Jeremiah
- Music director
- S. Thaman
- Details
- Vallinam2014
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai | Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave |
| Valai virithidu ila manam irai | Spread the net, the young heart is the prey |
| Sariyaa idhu nadu narambilum | Is this right? Even in the central nerve... |
| Pattu therippadhu sari thaan vidu | Striking and splashing, it is fine, let it be |
| Female | |
| Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai | Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave |
| Valai virithidu … | Spread the net... |
| Iravum pagalaa thuliyum kadalaa | Is night day? Is a drop the ocean? |
| Manal manalaa manalaa punalaa | Is sand just sand? Is sand a stream? |
| Uyiraa udalaa asalaa nagalaa | Is it life or body? Original or copy? |
| Edhil edhil nee nagulaa | In which and where are you, Nakula? |
| Female | |
| Seviyin sevilaa adhilum adhilaa | Is it deafness of the ear? Even more in that? |
| Medhu mudhuvaa adikkum puyalaa | Is it a storm that strikes ever so gently? |
| Adhilaa idhilaa edhilum mudhalaa | Is it the foremost in that, in this, in everything? |
| Therivadhellaam nagulaa | Everything that appears is Nakula |
| Male | |
| Kai pidi alavaa kai killai aadavaa | Is it the measure of a handhold? Shall a branch sway in the hand? |
| Eppadi maruppen enakkenna adamaa | How can I refuse? Am I being stubborn? |
| Un idai valamaa en viral balamaa | Is your waist curved/strong? Is my finger strong? |
| Nenjukkul kodhithaal adhan paer juramaa | If it boils inside the heart, is its name fever? |
| Kangalai vidavaa kal enna valuvaa | Shall I let go of the eyes? Is stone so slippery/strong? |
| Kelvikku badhil un urakkatthil tharavaa | Shall I give the answer to the question in your sleep? |
| Ullangai thodavaa unmattham nadavaa | Shall I touch the palm? Shall madness occur? |
| Un mutham padhindhaal adhai padhaithidavaa | If your kiss is imprinted, shall I treasure it anxiously? |
| Female | |
| Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai | Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave |
| Valai virithidu ila manam irai | Spread the net, the young heart is the prey |
| Sariyaa idhu nadu narambilum… | Is this right? Even in the central nerve... |
| Female | |
| O… yedhu varai pandhaadum ennam | Oh... until where will thoughts play like a ball? |
| Dhaayam pola uruttiya pinnum | Even after rolling like a die |
| Pala murai ammaalaiyaagi | Failing and restarting many times |
| Naanum aattam pazhaghidanum | I too must learn the game |
| Oru sol podhumae ennai mudakka | Just one word is enough to stall me |
| Pathu pakkam thandhaal edhai padikka | If ten pages are given, which one should I read? |
| Innum innum innum vazhi irukkaa | Are there more, more, and more ways |
| Uyir edukka… | To take life away... |
| Chorus | |
| Minnungal niramaa veyilin gunamaa | Is it the color of lightning? Is it the nature of sunlight? |
| Un mudi parakkum tharikkettu thanamaa | Is it the unruly nature of your hair flying? |
| Neendhida varumaa thathalikkanumaa | Can one swim or must one flounder? |
| Un vizhi kulathil karai pidipadumaa | In the pond of your eyes, can a shore be found? |
| Thee kuchit thiralaa muttidum thanalaa | Is it a bundle of matchsticks? Is it an ember that strikes? |
| Un mugam jolikkum thaga thaga porulaa | Is your face a glowing, glittering object? |
| Konjam nee analaa maaridu nagulaa | Turn a little into fire, Nakula |
| Ippadi virattum kabadikku badhilaa… | In response to this game of Kabaddi that chases me... |
| Female | |
| Aaaa…..aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa… | Aaaa.....aa.....aaa.....aaa.....aaa… |
அலை நுனி வரை தளும்புது நுரை
வலை விரித்திடு இள மனம் இரை
சரியா இது நடு நரம்பிலும்
பட்டுத் தெறிப்பது சரிதான் விடு
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Spread the net, the young heart is the prey
Is this right? Even in the central nerve...
Striking and splashing, it is fine, let it be
அலை நுனி வரை தளும்புது நுரை
வலை விரித்திடு
இரவும் பகலா துளியும் கடலா
மணல் மணலா மணலா புனலா
உயிரா உடலா அசலா நகலா
எதில் எதில் நீ நகுலா
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Spread the net...
Is night day? Is a drop the ocean?
Is sand just sand? Is sand a stream?
Is it life or body? Original or copy?
In which and where are you, Nakula?
செதிலின் செதிலா அதிலும் அதிலா
மெது மெதுவா அடிக்கும் புயலா
அதிலா இதிலா எதிலும் முதலா
தெரிவதெல்லாம் நகுலா
Is it deafness of the ear? Even more in that?
Is it a storm that strikes ever so gently?
Is it the foremost in that, in this, in everything?
Everything that appears is Nakula
கைப் பிடி அளவா கைக் கிள்ளை ஆடவா
எப்படி மறுப்பேன் எனக்கென்ன அடமா
உன் இடை வலமா என் விரல் பலமா
நெஞ்சுக்குள் கொதித்தால் அதன் பேர் ஜுரமா
கண்களை விடவா கல் என்ன வலுவா
கேள்விக்கு பதில் உன் உறக்கத்தில் தரவா
உள்ளங்கை தொடவா உன்மத்தம் நடவா
உன் முத்தம் பதிந்தால் அதை பதைந்திடவா
Is it the measure of a handhold? Shall a branch sway in the hand?
How can I refuse? Am I being stubborn?
Is your waist curved/strong? Is my finger strong?
If it boils inside the heart, is its name fever?
Shall I let go of the eyes? Is stone so slippery/strong?
Shall I give the answer to the question in your sleep?
Shall I touch the palm? Shall madness occur?
If your kiss is imprinted, shall I treasure it anxiously?
அலை நுனி வரை தளும்புது நுரை
வலை விரித்திடு இள மனம் இரை
சரியா இது நடு நரம்பிலும்...
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Spread the net, the young heart is the prey
Is this right? Even in the central nerve...
ஓ... எது வரை பந்தாடும் எண்ணம்
தாயம் போல உருட்டிய பின்னும்
பல முறை அம்மாலையாகி
நானும் ஆட்டம் பழகிடணும்
ஒரு சொல் போதுமே என்னை முடக்க
பத்துப் பக்கம் தந்தால் எதை படிக்க
இன்னும் இன்னும் இன்னும் வழி இருக்கா
உயிர் எடுக்க...
Oh... until where will thoughts play like a ball?
Even after rolling like a die
Failing and restarting many times
I too must learn the game
Just one word is enough to stall me
If ten pages are given, which one should I read?
Are there more, more, and more ways
To take life away...
மின்னுங்கள் நிறமா வெயிலின் குணமா
உன் முடி பறக்கும் தறிக்கெட்டுத் தனமா
நீந்திட வருமா தத்தளிக்கணுமா
உன் விழிக் குளத்தில் கரை பிடிபடுமா
தீக் குச்சித் திரளா முட்டிடும் தனலா
உன் முகம் ஜொலிக்கும் தகத் தகப் பொருளா
கொஞ்சம் நீ அனலா மாறிடு நகுலா
இப்படி விரட்டும் கபடிக்கு பதிலா.....
Is it the color of lightning? Is it the nature of sunlight?
Is it the unruly nature of your hair flying?
Can one swim or must one flounder?
In the pond of your eyes, can a shore be found?
Is it a bundle of matchsticks? Is it an ember that strikes?
Is your face a glowing, glittering object?
Turn a little into fire, Nakula
In response to this game of Kabaddi that chases me...
ஆஅ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......ஆஅ.....
Aaaa.....aa.....aaa.....aaa.....aaa…
Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Valai virithidu ila manam irai
Spread the net, the young heart is the prey
Sariyaa idhu nadu narambilum
Is this right? Even in the central nerve...
Pattu therippadhu sari thaan vidu
Striking and splashing, it is fine, let it be
Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Valai virithidu …
Spread the net...
Iravum pagalaa thuliyum kadalaa
Is night day? Is a drop the ocean?
Manal manalaa manalaa punalaa
Is sand just sand? Is sand a stream?
Uyiraa udalaa asalaa nagalaa
Is it life or body? Original or copy?
Edhil edhil nee nagulaa
In which and where are you, Nakula?
Seviyin sevilaa adhilum adhilaa
Is it deafness of the ear? Even more in that?
Medhu mudhuvaa adikkum puyalaa
Is it a storm that strikes ever so gently?
Adhilaa idhilaa edhilum mudhalaa
Is it the foremost in that, in this, in everything?
Therivadhellaam nagulaa
Everything that appears is Nakula
Kai pidi alavaa kai killai aadavaa
Is it the measure of a handhold? Shall a branch sway in the hand?
Eppadi maruppen enakkenna adamaa
How can I refuse? Am I being stubborn?
Un idai valamaa en viral balamaa
Is your waist curved/strong? Is my finger strong?
Nenjukkul kodhithaal adhan paer juramaa
If it boils inside the heart, is its name fever?
Kangalai vidavaa kal enna valuvaa
Shall I let go of the eyes? Is stone so slippery/strong?
Kelvikku badhil un urakkatthil tharavaa
Shall I give the answer to the question in your sleep?
Ullangai thodavaa unmattham nadavaa
Shall I touch the palm? Shall madness occur?
Un mutham padhindhaal adhai padhaithidavaa
If your kiss is imprinted, shall I treasure it anxiously?
Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai
Foam overflows up to the tip of the wave
Valai virithidu ila manam irai
Spread the net, the young heart is the prey
Sariyaa idhu nadu narambilum…
Is this right? Even in the central nerve...
O… yedhu varai pandhaadum ennam
Oh... until where will thoughts play like a ball?
Dhaayam pola uruttiya pinnum
Even after rolling like a die
Pala murai ammaalaiyaagi
Failing and restarting many times
Naanum aattam pazhaghidanum
I too must learn the game
Oru sol podhumae ennai mudakka
Just one word is enough to stall me
Pathu pakkam thandhaal edhai padikka
If ten pages are given, which one should I read?
Innum innum innum vazhi irukkaa
Are there more, more, and more ways
Uyir edukka…
To take life away...
Minnungal niramaa veyilin gunamaa
Is it the color of lightning? Is it the nature of sunlight?
Un mudi parakkum tharikkettu thanamaa
Is it the unruly nature of your hair flying?
Neendhida varumaa thathalikkanumaa
Can one swim or must one flounder?
Un vizhi kulathil karai pidipadumaa
In the pond of your eyes, can a shore be found?
Thee kuchit thiralaa muttidum thanalaa
Is it a bundle of matchsticks? Is it an ember that strikes?
Un mugam jolikkum thaga thaga porulaa
Is your face a glowing, glittering object?
Konjam nee analaa maaridu nagulaa
Turn a little into fire, Nakula
Ippadi virattum kabadikku badhilaa…
In response to this game of Kabaddi that chases me...
Aaaa…..aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…
Aaaa.....aa.....aaa.....aaa.....aaa…
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Nakula' (Alai Nuni Varai) from the movie Vallinam expresses the overwhelming rush, sweet confusion, and euphoric delirium of falling in love. The lyrics describe how love disrupts everyday reality, making the protagonist question basic perceptions—whether night is day, a drop is an ocean, or a gentle touch is a storm. Addressed to her beloved Nakula, she describes the playful yet intense game of romantic pursuit, comparing her racing heart and thoughts to rolling dice and playing Kabaddi. Throughout the track, vivid natural imagery like ocean waves, overflowing foam, sparks of fire, and flying hair convey the raw intensity of emotion. The song captures the surrender to romance, where one word from the lover can halt everything and every sight around her seems to mirror his presence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Alai nuni varai thalumbudhu nurai / Valai virithidu ila manam irai”
The second consonant sound 'lai' rhymes between 'Alai' and 'Valai', creating a musical flow.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Valai virithidu ila manam irai”
The young heart ('ila manam') is metaphorically portrayed as prey ('irai') caught in a net.
Vinaa Ani (Rhetorical Questions / Hyperbole)
“Iravum pagalaa thuliyum kadalaa / Manal manalaa manalaa punalaa”
A barrage of poetic, rhythmic rhetorical questions expressing confusion and sensory overload caused by love.
Visual Imagery
“Un vizhi kulathil karai pidipadumaa”
Metaphorical visual imagery comparing the lover's eyes to a pond where one tries to find a shore.
Did you know?
Trivia
Though composed by S. Thaman for the sports-drama film 'Vallinam' (2014), lyricist Parvathi wrote this track using rhythmic Tamil tongue-twisters and rapid rhyming couplets that play heavily on sound repetitions (Anaphora and Alliteration).
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