Nalam Nalamariya Aaval
From Kadhal Kottai · 1996
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know of your well-being. |
| Un nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know your welfare. |
| Nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa | Are you fine here? Am I fine there? |
| Male | |
| Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa | Are you fine here, and am I fine there? |
| Nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know of your well-being. |
| Un nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know your welfare. |
| Male | |
| Theenda varum kaatrinaiyae nee anupu | Send me the breeze that comes to touch you, |
| Ingu verkiradhae | For I am sweating here. |
| Female | |
| Vendum oru sooriyanae nee anupu | Send me a sun as required, |
| Kulir ketkiradhae | For I am feeling the cold here. |
| Male | |
| Kadidhathil muthangal anupidalamae | Can kisses be sent inside a letter? |
| Female | |
| En idhazh unai andri pirar thodalamaa | Can any lips touch mine other than yours? |
| Male | |
| Iravinil kanavugal dhinam thollaiyae | Dreams trouble me every night, |
| Female | |
| Urakamum enakillai kanavillaiyae | I have no sleep, hence no dreams either. |
| Nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know of your well-being. |
| Male | |
| Un nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know your welfare. |
| Male | |
| Kovililae naan thozhudhen kola mayil | I prayed at the temple, like a beautiful peacock, |
| Unai serndhidavae | So that I may unite with you. |
| Female | |
| Kodi murai naan thozhudhen kaalamellam | I prayed a million times for all eternity, |
| Nee vaazhnthidavae | So that you may live long. |
| Male | |
| Un mugam naan paarka kadidhamae thaanaa | Is a letter enough for me to see your face? |
| Female | |
| Vaarthaiyil theriyaadha vadivamum naanaa | Am I a form that cannot be described in words? |
| Male | |
| Nizhar padam anupidu en uyire | Send me a photograph, my life, |
| Female | |
| Nijam indri ver illai ennidamae | I have nothing else with me except reality. |
| Male | |
| Nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know of your well-being. |
| Female | |
| Un nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know your welfare. |
| Male | |
| Ohhh … nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa | Oh... Are you fine here? Am I fine there? |
| Female | |
| Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa | Are you fine here, and am I fine there? |
| Male | |
| Nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know of your well-being. |
| Un nalam nalamariya aaval | I long to know your welfare. |
நலம் நலமறிய
ஆவல் உன் நலம் நலமறிய
ஆவல் நீ இங்கு சுகமே நான்
அங்கு சுகமா
I long to know of your well-being.
I long to know your welfare.
Are you fine here? Am I fine there?
நீ இங்கு சுகமே
நான் அங்கு சுகமா நலம்
நலமறிய ஆவல் உன் நலம்
நலமறிய ஆவல்
Are you fine here, and am I fine there?
I long to know of your well-being.
I long to know your welfare.
தீண்ட வரும்
காற்றினையே நீ அனுப்பு
இங்கு வோ்க்கிறதே
Send me the breeze that comes to touch you,
For I am sweating here.
வேண்டும் ஒரு
சூாியனே நீ அனுப்பு
குளிா் கேட்கிறதே
Send me a sun as required,
For I am feeling the cold here.
கடிதத்தில் முத்தங்கள்
அனுப்பிடலாமே
Can kisses be sent inside a letter?
என் இதழ் உனையன்றி
பிறா் தொடலாமா
Can any lips touch mine other than yours?
இரவினில் கனவுகள்
தினம் தொல்லையே
Dreams trouble me every night,
உறக்கமும் எனக்கில்லை
கனவில்லையே நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
I have no sleep, hence no dreams either.
I long to know of your well-being.
உன் நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
I long to know your welfare.
கோவிலிலே நான்
தொழுதேன் கோலமயில்
உனைச் சோ்ந்திடவே
I prayed at the temple, like a beautiful peacock,
So that I may unite with you.
கோடி முறை நான்
தொழுதேன் காலமெல்லாம்
நீ வாழ்ந்திடவே
I prayed a million times for all eternity,
So that you may live long.
உன் முகம் நான்
பாா்க்க கடிதமே தானா
Is a letter enough for me to see your face?
வாா்த்தையில் தொியாத
வடிவமும் நானா
Am I a form that cannot be described in words?
நிழற்படம் அனுப்பிடு
என்னுயிரே
Send me a photograph, my life,
நிஜமின்றி வோில்லை
என்னிடமே
I have nothing else with me except reality.
நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
I long to know of your well-being.
உன் நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
I long to know your welfare.
ஓ...நீ இங்கு சுகமே
நான் அங்கு சுகமா
Oh... Are you fine here? Am I fine there?
நீ இங்கு சுகமே
நான் அங்கு சுகமா
Are you fine here, and am I fine there?
நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
உன் நலம் நலமறிய ஆவல்
I long to know of your well-being.
I long to know your welfare.
Nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know of your well-being.
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know your welfare.
Nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa
Are you fine here? Am I fine there?
Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa
Are you fine here, and am I fine there?
Nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know of your well-being.
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know your welfare.
Theenda varum kaatrinaiyae nee anupu
Send me the breeze that comes to touch you,
Ingu verkiradhae
For I am sweating here.
Vendum oru sooriyanae nee anupu
Send me a sun as required,
Kulir ketkiradhae
For I am feeling the cold here.
Kadidhathil muthangal anupidalamae
Can kisses be sent inside a letter?
En idhazh unai andri pirar thodalamaa
Can any lips touch mine other than yours?
Iravinil kanavugal dhinam thollaiyae
Dreams trouble me every night,
Urakamum enakillai kanavillaiyae
I have no sleep, hence no dreams either.
Nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know of your well-being.
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know your welfare.
Kovililae naan thozhudhen kola mayil
I prayed at the temple, like a beautiful peacock,
Unai serndhidavae
So that I may unite with you.
Kodi murai naan thozhudhen kaalamellam
I prayed a million times for all eternity,
Nee vaazhnthidavae
So that you may live long.
Un mugam naan paarka kadidhamae thaanaa
Is a letter enough for me to see your face?
Vaarthaiyil theriyaadha vadivamum naanaa
Am I a form that cannot be described in words?
Nizhar padam anupidu en uyire
Send me a photograph, my life,
Nijam indri ver illai ennidamae
I have nothing else with me except reality.
Nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know of your well-being.
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know your welfare.
Ohhh … nee ingu sugamae…ae naan angu sugamaa…aaaa
Oh... Are you fine here? Am I fine there?
Nee ingu sugamae naan angu sugamaa
Are you fine here, and am I fine there?
Nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know of your well-being.
Un nalam nalamariya aaval
I long to know your welfare.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'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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