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Isaimozhi
Iruvar album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Narumugaye Narumugaye

From Iruvar · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Unnikrishnan, Bombay Jayashree
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Iruvar
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
23 Dec 2016

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Narumugayae narumugayae nee oru naaligai nillaai
Sengani ooriya vaai thiranthu nee oru thiru mozhi sollaai
Attrai thingal annillavil netri tharala neer vadiya
Kottra poigal aadiyaval neeya
Attrai thingal annillavil netri tharala neer vadiya
Kottra poigal aadiyaval neeya
Thirumaganae thirumaganae nee oru naaligai paarai
Vennira puraviyil vanthavanae vel vizhi mozhigal kellaai
Attrai thingal annilavil kottra poigai aadugaiyil
Ottrai paarvai paarthavannum neeya
Attrai thingal annilavil kottra poigai aadugaiyil
Ottrai paarvai paarthavannum neeya
Mangai maanvizhi ambugal en maarthulaitha thenna
Mangai maanvizhi ambugal en maarthulaitha thenna
Female :Paandi naadanai kanda en mannam passalai konda thenna
Male :Nillaavilae paartha vannum kanaavilae thondrum innum
Nillaavilae paartha vannum kanaavilae thondrum innum
Female :Illaithen thudithen porruka villai
Idaiyinil megallai irrukavillai
Narumugayae narumugayae nee oru naaligai nillaai
Sengani ooriya vaai thiranthu nee oru thiru mozhi sollaai
Female :Attrai thingal annilavil kottra poigai aadugaiyil
Ottrai paarvai paarthavannum neeya
Male :Attrai thingal annillavil netri tharala neer vadiya
Kottra poigal aadiyaval neeya
Yaayum yaayum yaaragiyaro nenjil nendrathenna
Yaayum yaayum yaaragiyaro nenjil nendrathenna
Male :Yaanum neeyum yevalli-aridhum ooravu serndhathenna
Female :Orae oru theendal seithaai ooyir kodi pootha thenna
Orae oru theendal seithaai ooyir kodi pootha thenna
Male :Sembullam serndhaa neer thulli pol
Ambudai nenjam kallantha thenna
Thirumaganae thirumaganae nee oru naaligai paarai
Vennira puraviyil vanthavanae vel vizhi mozhigal kellaai
Attrai thingal annilavil kottra poigai aadugaiyil
Ottrai paarvai paarthavannum neeya
Attrai thingal annilavil kottra poigai aadugaiyil
Ottrai paarvai paarthavannum neeya
Attrai thingal annillavil netri tharala neer vadiya
Kottra poigal aadiyaval neeya
Female :Aa aaa aaaaaaa…
Male :Neeya..
Female :Aa aaa aaaaaaa..
Male :Neeya..
Female :Aa aaa aaaaaaa..
Male :Neeya..
O fragrant bloom, stay for a moment!
Open your sweet red lips and speak a word of grace!
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, with water dripping like pearls from your forehead,
were you the one who bathed in the royal pond?
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, with water dripping like pearls from your forehead,
were you the one who bathed in the royal pond?
O noble prince, look at me for a moment!
You who arrived on a white horse, listen to the words of my spear-sharp eyes!
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, as I bathed in the royal pond,
were you the one who cast that single glance at me?
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, as I bathed in the royal pond,
were you the one who cast that single glance at me?
Why did the arrows of your deer-like eyes pierce my chest?
Why did the arrows of your deer-like eyes pierce my chest?
Why did my heart grow pale with longing upon seeing the ruler of the Pandya land?
The sight I saw in the moonlight still appears in my dreams.
The sight I saw in the moonlight still appears in my dreams.
I grew thin, I trembled, unable to bear it any longer;
the belt around my waist slipped away.
O fragrant bloom, stay for a moment!
Open your sweet red lips and speak a word of grace!
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, as I bathed in the royal pond,
were you the one who cast that single glance at me?
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, with water dripping like pearls from your forehead,
were you the one who bathed in the royal pond?
What were our mothers to each other, yet why do you stay in my heart?
What were our mothers to each other, yet why do you stay in my heart?
How did you and I ever know each other, yet how did love unite us?
You gave me just one touch, so why did the vine of my life blossom?
You gave me just one touch, so why did the vine of my life blossom?
Like rain falling onto red soil,
how have our loving hearts merged into one?
O noble prince, look at me for a moment!
You who arrived on a white horse, listen to the words of my spear-sharp eyes!
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, as I bathed in the royal pond,
were you the one who cast that single glance at me?
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, as I bathed in the royal pond,
were you the one who cast that single glance at me?
On that full moon night, under that moonlight, with water dripping like pearls from your forehead,
were you the one who bathed in the royal pond?
Ah... ah...
Was it you?
Ah... ah...
Was it you?
Ah... ah...
Was it you?
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Narumugaye is an exquisitely crafted classical duet from the film Iruvar, depicting a romantic exchange between a prince and his beloved in the style of Sangam-era Tamil poetry. Under the moonlit sky, the lovers recall their captivating first meeting near a royal pond. They exchange poetic inquiries, marveling at how a single glance and gentle touch transformed their lives and bound their destinies forever.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Sembullam serndhaa neer thulli pol

Compares the merging of loving hearts to rain falling upon red soil and blending seamlessly, directly echoing the famous Sangam poem Kuruntokai 40.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Attrai thingal annillavil netri tharala neer vadiya

Metaphorically compares drops of water dripping from the forehead to glistening pearls (tharala neer).

Classical Allusion

Yaayum yaayum yaaragiyaro nenjil nendrathenna

Directly quotes and adapts ancient Tamil Sangam poetry lines (such as Kabilar's verse and Kuruntokai) to convey timeless romantic longing.

Did you know?

Trivia

Lyricist Vairamuthu adapted verses directly from ancient Sangam Tamil literature for this track, notably borrowing lines from Kuruntokai ('Sembula peyn eera neer pol') and Purananuru ('Attrai thingal annilavil') to match the film's period aesthetic.

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