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Isaimozhi
Nanda En Nila album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nanda Nee En Nila

From Nanda En Nila · 1977

Lyricist
Ra. Pazhanisami
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
V. Dakshinamurthy
Movie name
Nanda En Nila
Movie release year
1977
Lyrics added on
3 Jan 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nanda en nila…aa…aa….aa….
Nanda nee en nila nila
Naayagan madiyil kanbathu sugamae
Naanam yaeno vaa haa haa…aa….
Vizhi meenaadum vizhi mozhi
Thaenaadum mozhi kuzhal
Poovaadum kuzhal ezhil neeyaadum ezhil
Minni varum silaiyil mogana kalaiyae
Vanna vanna mozhiyil vaanavar amuthae
Aasai nenjin deivam neeyae
Aadi nirkum deepaam neeyae
Pesugindra veenai neeyae
Kani idhazh amuthinai vazhangida
Aruginil vaa
Nanda nee en nila nila
Naayagan madiyil kanbathu sugamae
Naanam yaeno vaa haa haa…aa….
Aayiram minnal orr uruvaagi
Aayizhaiyaaga vanthaval neeyae
Aayiram minnal orr uruvaagi
Aayizhaiyaaga vanthaval neeyae
Agathiyam pottrum arunthamizh neeyae
Arunthathi polae piranthu vanthaayae
Nanda nee en nila nila
Naayagan madiyil kanbathu sugamae
Naanam yaeno vaa haa haa…aa….
Aagamam kandu seedhaiyum indru
Raghavan naan endru thirumbi vanthaalo
Aagamam kandu seedhaiyum indru
Raghavan naan endru thirumbi vanthaalo
Megathilaadum oorvasi enthan
Mogathilaada irangi vanthaalo
Nanda nee en nila nila
Naayagan madiyil kanbathu sugamae
Naanam yaeno vaa haa haa…aa….aa…..
Nandha, my moon... ah... ah...
Nandha, you are my moon, my moon
Resting in your lover's lap is sweet bliss
Why this shyness? Come, ha ha... ah...
Eyes like darting fish, speech...
...speech flowing with honey, hair...
...hair swaying with flowers, beauty dancing in your grace
In your glowing, sculpted form, you are captivating art
With your colorful words, you are nectar from the gods
You are the goddess of my longing heart
You are the dancing flame of a lamp
You are a veena (stringed instrument) that speaks
To offer the sweet nectar of your lips
Come close to me...
Nandha, you are my moon, my moon
Resting in your lover's lap is sweet bliss
Why this shyness? Come, ha ha... ah...
A thousand flashes of lightning gathered into one form
You came as a woman adorned in beauty
A thousand flashes of lightning gathered into one form
You came as a woman adorned in beauty
You are the precious Tamil praised by Sage Agastya
You were born to come into this world like Arundhati (symbol of chastity)
Nandha, you are my moon, my moon
Resting in your lover's lap is sweet bliss
Why this shyness? Come, ha ha ah...
Guided by sacred traditions, has Sita today...
...returned to me, knowing that I am Raghavan (Rama)?
Guided by sacred traditions, has Sita today...
...returned to me, knowing that I am Raghavan (Rama)?
Has Urvashi, who dances among the clouds...
...descended to dance in my passionate love?
Nandha, you are my moon, my moon
Resting in your lover's lap is sweet bliss
Why this shyness? Come, ha ha... ah... ah...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Nanda En Nila is a soul-stirring romantic song in which the male protagonist passionately addresses his beloved Nanda, calling her his moon and inviting her to discard her bashfulness and embrace him. He poetically praises her exquisite features—her fish-like eyes, honeyed speech, flower-decked hair, and fruit-like lips—elevating her to the status of a living goddess and a musical instrument that speaks love. The song blends deep intimacy with classic Tamil literary grandeur. In the later verses, the protagonist compares her divine presence to a thousand lightnings taking form, the classical Tamil language revered by Sage Agastya, the mythical purity of Arundhati, and the celestial beauty of Sita and Urvashi. Through rich metaphors and classical Indian imagery, the song portrays love not merely as romantic attraction, but as a divine and transcendent experience.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Nanda nee en nila nila

The protagonist directly compares his beloved to the moon ('en nila'), a speaking instrument ('Pesugindra veenai neeyae'), and a radiant lamp ('deepam neeyae').

Imagery / Simile (Uvamai)

Vizhi meenaadum vizhi mozhi

'Vizhi meenaadum' creates vivid visual imagery, comparing the movement of her eyes to playful fish.

Assonance and Alliteration (Monai)

Aayiram minnal orr uruvaagi

Repetition of initial vowel sounds 'Aa' across lines ('Aayiram', 'Aayizhaiyaaga', 'Agathiyam', 'Arunthamizh') adds melodic structure and flow.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

Aayiram minnal orr uruvaagi

Describing the maiden as a thousand lightnings condensed into a single human form elevates her beauty to cosmic proportions.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the legendary maestro V. Dakshinamurthy, this song stands as one of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's most celebrated classical-infused solos in Tamil film music. The lyrics by Ra. Pazhanisami weave ancient Tamil literary motifs and mythological references seamlessly into modern romantic poetry.

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