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Kadhal Kottai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nalam Nalamariya Aaval

From Kadhal Kottai · 1996

Lyricist
Agathiyan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Anuradha Sriram
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Kadhal Kottai
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
18 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nalam nalamariya aaval
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
Nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa
Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa
Nalam nalamariya aaval
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
Theenda varum kaatrinaiyae nee anupu
Ingu verkiradhae
Vendum oru sooriyanae nee anupu
Kulir ketkiradhae
Kadidhathil muthangal anupidalamae
En idhazh unai andri pirar thodalamaa
Iravinil kanavugal dhinam thollaiyae
Urakamum enakillai kanavillaiyae
Nalam nalamariya aaval
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
Kovililae naan thozhudhen kola mayil
Unai serndhidavae
Kodi murai naan thozhudhen kaalamellam
Nee vaazhnthidavae
Un mugam naan paarka kadidhamae thaanaa
Vaarthaiyil theriyaadha vadivamum naanaa
Nizhar padam anupidu en uyire
Nijam indri ver illai ennidamae
Nalam nalamariya aaval
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
Ohhh … nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa
Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa
Nalam nalamariya aaval
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I am well, and longing to know how you are
Longing to know of your well-being
Are you happy here in my heart, and am I happy there with you?
Are you happy here in my heart, and am I happy there with you?
I am well, and longing to know how you are
Longing to know of your well-being
Send me the breeze that touches you
For I am sweating here
Send me the sun if I need it
For the cold is asking for it
You could send me kisses in your letter
Could anyone other than you ever touch my lips?
At night, dreams trouble me every day
I have no sleep at all, so there are no dreams
I am well, and longing to know how you are
Longing to know of your well-being
I prayed at the temple, my graceful peacock
To be united with you
Millions of times I prayed, so that through all of time
You may live a long and happy life
Is this letter all I have to see your face?
Am I a form that cannot be seen through words?
Send me a photograph, my dearest life
I have nothing with me except the real me
I am well, and longing to know how you are
Longing to know of your well-being
Oh... are you happy here in my heart, and am I happy there with you?
Are you happy here in my heart, and am I happy there with you?
I am well, and longing to know how you are
Longing to know of your well-being
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Nalam Nalamariya Aaval' is an iconic epistolary romantic track from the 1996 Tamil film Kadhal Kottai. Styled entirely as a lyric exchange between two lovers who write letters to each other without ever having met face-to-face, the song captures the essence of deep emotional intimacy transcending physical distance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Contrast / Antimetabole (Edhirsoi)

Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa

The lyrics flip location and well-being ('Nee ingu sugamae, naan angu sugamaa' - You fine here, I fine there) to emphasize how their souls are intertwined across physical distances.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

Vendum oru sooriyanae nee anupu

Asking the lover to send a breeze or even the sun itself inside a letter exaggerates the power of their written letters to alter physical sensations.

Rhetorical Question

Kadidhathil muthangal anupidalamae

The query asking if kisses can be sent in a letter explores the limits of epistolary romance versus physical affection.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kadhal Kottai won three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Agathiyan. The track's music was composed by Deva, and it was sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Anuradha Sriram.

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