Nathiyil Sayum
From Pooveli · 1998
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Bharathwaj, Reshma
- Music director
- Bharathwaj
- Details
- Pooveli1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| Idhuthaan kaadhala | Is this love? |
| Idhuthaan …aaan kaadala | Is this... ah... love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhala | Is this love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhala | Is this love? |
| Female | |
| Nadhiyil sayum naanal polae | Like a reed leaning in the river, |
| Idhayam sayum undhan melae | My heart leans towards you. |
| Saayum manadhai thadukkavum illai | I did not stop this leaning heart, |
| Thaduthaal manadhu ketkavum illai | Even if stopped, the heart wouldn't listen. |
| Idhuthaan kaadhala | Is this love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhala | Is this love? |
| Male | |
| Manam pesaamalae thudikka | As the heart beats without speaking, |
| Vaai sollaamalae maraikka | As the mouth hides without uttering words, |
| Enna peyar solli naan azhaikka | By what name shall I call this? |
| Idhu kaadhalaa | Is this love? |
| Idhuvae kaadhalaa | Is this itself love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Idhuvum kaadhalaa | Is this also love? |
| Female | |
| Idhu kaadhalaa | Is this love? |
| Idhuvae kaadhalaa | Is this itself love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Idhuvum kaadhalaa | Is this also love? |
| Female | |
| Vaazhkai vaazhkai megam polae | Life, life is like a cloud, |
| Manithargal ellaam adhan thuli polae | All human beings are like its drops. |
| Inainthitta thuligal verridam vizhumo | Will the joined drops fall in different places? |
| Pirinthitta thuligal oridam vizhumo | Will the separated drops fall in the same place? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Male | |
| Manam yedho ondru ninaika | While the mind thinks of one thing, |
| Vidhi yedho ondril inaika | Destiny connects in another way, |
| Enna peyar solli naan azhaika | By what name shall I call this? |
| Male | |
| Idhu kaadhalaa | Is this love? |
| Idhuvae kaadhalaa | Is this itself love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Idhuvum kaadhalaa | Is this also love? |
| Male | |
| Idhu kaadhalaa | Is this love? |
| Idhuvae kaadhalaa | Is this itself love? |
| Idhuthaan kaadhalaa | Is this indeed love? |
| Idhuvum kaadhalaa | Is this also love? |
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுதான்....ஆன் காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
Is this love?
Is this... ah... love?
Is this love?
Is this love?
நதியில் சாயும் நாணல் போலே
இதயம் சாயும் உந்தன் மேலே
சாயும் மனதை தடுக்கவும் இல்லை
தடுத்தால் மனது கேட்கவும் இல்லை
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
Like a reed leaning in the river,
My heart leans towards you.
I did not stop this leaning heart,
Even if stopped, the heart wouldn't listen.
Is this love?
Is this love?
மனம் பேசாமலே துடிக்க
வாய் சொல்லாமலே மறைக்க
என்ன பெயர் சொல்லி நான் அழைக்க
இது காதலா
இதுவே காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுவும் காதலா
As the heart beats without speaking,
As the mouth hides without uttering words,
By what name shall I call this?
Is this love?
Is this itself love?
Is this indeed love?
Is this also love?
இது காதலா
இதுவே காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுவும் காதலா
Is this love?
Is this itself love?
Is this indeed love?
Is this also love?
வாழ்க்கை வாழ்க்கை மேகம் போலே
மனிதர்கள் எல்லாம் அதன் துளி போலே
இணைந்திட்ட துளிகள் வேறிடம் விழுமோ
பிரிந்திட்ட துளிகள் ஓரிடம் விழுமோ
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
Life, life is like a cloud,
All human beings are like its drops.
Will the joined drops fall in different places?
Will the separated drops fall in the same place?
Is this indeed love?
Is this indeed love?
மனம் ஏதோ ஒன்று நினைக்க
விதி ஏதோ ஒன்றில் இணைக்க
என்ன பெயர் சொல்லி நான் அழைக்க
While the mind thinks of one thing,
Destiny connects in another way,
By what name shall I call this?
இது காதலா
இதுவே காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுவும் காதலா
Is this love?
Is this itself love?
Is this indeed love?
Is this also love?
இது காதலா
இதுவே காதலா
இதுதான் காதலா
இதுவும் காதலா
Is this love?
Is this itself love?
Is this indeed love?
Is this also love?
Idhuthaan kaadhala
Is this love?
Idhuthaan …aaan kaadala
Is this... ah... love?
Idhuthaan kaadhala
Is this love?
Idhuthaan kaadhala
Is this love?
Nadhiyil sayum naanal polae
Like a reed leaning in the river,
Idhayam sayum undhan melae
My heart leans towards you.
Saayum manadhai thadukkavum illai
I did not stop this leaning heart,
Thaduthaal manadhu ketkavum illai
Even if stopped, the heart wouldn't listen.
Idhuthaan kaadhala
Is this love?
Idhuthaan kaadhala
Is this love?
Manam pesaamalae thudikka
As the heart beats without speaking,
Vaai sollaamalae maraikka
As the mouth hides without uttering words,
Enna peyar solli naan azhaikka
By what name shall I call this?
Idhu kaadhalaa
Is this love?
Idhuvae kaadhalaa
Is this itself love?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Idhuvum kaadhalaa
Is this also love?
Idhu kaadhalaa
Is this love?
Idhuvae kaadhalaa
Is this itself love?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Idhuvum kaadhalaa
Is this also love?
Vaazhkai vaazhkai megam polae
Life, life is like a cloud,
Manithargal ellaam adhan thuli polae
All human beings are like its drops.
Inainthitta thuligal verridam vizhumo
Will the joined drops fall in different places?
Pirinthitta thuligal oridam vizhumo
Will the separated drops fall in the same place?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Manam yedho ondru ninaika
While the mind thinks of one thing,
Vidhi yedho ondril inaika
Destiny connects in another way,
Enna peyar solli naan azhaika
By what name shall I call this?
Idhu kaadhalaa
Is this love?
Idhuvae kaadhalaa
Is this itself love?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Idhuvum kaadhalaa
Is this also love?
Idhu kaadhalaa
Is this love?
Idhuvae kaadhalaa
Is this itself love?
Idhuthaan kaadhalaa
Is this indeed love?
Idhuvum kaadhalaa
Is this also love?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Idhuthaan Kaadhala explores the quiet, confusing, yet overwhelming realization of falling in love and the mysterious nature of human connection. The protagonist contemplates whether this sudden emotional vulnerability—leaning towards someone like a reed in a river current and being unable to restrain one's own heart—is what people define as love. The song questions how love remains an unspoken emotion that beats within the heart even when words fail to express it. In the second movement, the lyrics reflect philosophically on life, comparing human existence to rain drops originating from a cloud. It muses on how destiny unpredictably unites or separates people regardless of human intention, capturing the profound wonder and uncertainty of romantic awakening.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Nadhiyil sayum naanal polae / Idhayam sayum undhan melae”
Compares the heart bending in love to a flexible reed swaying along a river's flow.
Upamai (Simile)
“Vaazhkai vaazhkai megam polae / Manithargal ellaam adhan thuli polae”
Compares life to a cloud and human beings to individual raindrops falling from it.
Eybhu (End Rhyme)
“Manam pesaamalae thudikka / Vaai sollaamalae maraikka / Enna peyar solli naan azhaikka”
Rhyming ending syllables 'thudikka', 'maraikka', and 'azhaikka' creating a rhythmic flow.
Rhetorical Question
“Inainthitta thuligal verridam vizhumo / Pirinthitta thuligal oridam vizhumo”
Uses philosophical questions about falling raindrops to question fate and relationships.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Pooveli' (1998) was directed by Cheran and featured a popular soundtrack composed by Bharadwaj, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The song captures a pivotal emotional realization in the movie.
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