Nee Kaatru Naan Maram
From Nilaave Vaa · 1998
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Hariharan, K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Details
- Nilaave Vaa1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Nee kaatru naan maram | You are the wind, I am the tree |
| Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven } (2) | Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement |
| Male | |
| Nee mazhai naan boomi | You are the wind, I am the tree |
| Engu vizhunthaalum yenthi kollven | Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement |
| Nee iravu naan vinmeen | You are the rain, I am the earth |
| Nee irukum varai thaan naan irupen | Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly |
| Male | |
| Nee kaatru naan maram | You are the night, I am a star |
| Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven | I will exist only as long as you exist |
| Female | |
| ……………………………… | You are the wind, I am the tree |
| Female | |
| Nee alai naan karai | Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement |
| Ennai adithaalum yetru kollven | |
| Male | |
| Nee udal naan nizhal | You are the wave, I am the shore |
| Nee vizha vendam naan vizhuven | Even if you beat against me, I will accept it |
| Female | |
| Nee kizhai naan elai | You are the body, I am the shadow |
| Unnai ottum varaikum thaan uyirtharipen | You do not need to fall, I will fall for you |
| Male | |
| Nee vizhi naan imai | You are the branch, I am the leaf |
| Unnai serum varaikum naan thudithu irupen | I will stay alive only as long as I cling to you |
| Female | |
| Nee swaasam naan thegam | You are the eye, I am the eyelid |
| Naan unnai matum uyir thoda anumathipen | I will keep fluttering until I join you |
| Male | |
| Nee kaatru naan maram | You are the breath, I am the body |
| Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven | I will allow only you to touch my soul |
| Male | |
| ……………………………. | You are the wind, I am the tree |
| Male | |
| Nee vaanam naan neelam | Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement |
| Unnil naanaai kalanthirupen | |
| Female | |
| Nee ennam naan vaarthai | You are the sky, I am the blue |
| Nee sollum pozhudhae veli paduven | I will remain merged within you as myself |
| Male | |
| Nee veyil naan kuyil | You are the thought, I am the spoken word |
| Un varugai paarthuthaan naan isaipen | The moment you speak, I express myself |
| Female | |
| Nee udai naan idai | You are the sunshine, I am the cuckoo bird |
| Unnai urangum pozhuthum naan uduthirupen | Only upon seeing your arrival will I sing |
| Male | |
| Nee pagal naan oli | You are the dress, I am the waist |
| Endrum unnai matum saarndhae naan irupen | Even while sleeping, I will wear you |
| Female | |
| Nee kaatru naan maram | You are the daytime, I am the light |
| Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven | Forever, I will depend only on you |
| Male | |
| Nee mazhai naan boomi | You are the wind, I am the tree |
| Engu vizhunthaalum yenthi kollven | Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement |
| Female | |
| Nee iravu naan vinmeen | You are the rain, I am the earth |
| Nee irukum varai thaan naan irupen | Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly |
| Male | |
| Nee kaatru naan maram | You are the night, I am a star |
| Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven | I will exist only as long as you exist |
{ நீ காற்று
நான் மரம் என்ன
சொன்னாலும்
தலையாட்டுவேன் } (2)
You are the wind, I am the tree
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
நீ மழை நான்
பூமி எங்கு விழுந்தாலும்
ஏந்திக்கொல்வேன்
நீ இரவு நான் விண்மீன்
நீ இருக்கும் வரை தான்
நான் இருப்பேன்
You are the wind, I am the tree
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
You are the rain, I am the earth
Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly
நீ காற்று
நான் மரம் என்ன
சொன்னாலும்
தலையாட்டுவேன்
You are the night, I am a star
I will exist only as long as you exist
...........................
You are the wind, I am the tree
நீ அலை
நான் கரை என்னை
அடித்தாலும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்வேன்
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
நீ உடல் நான்
நிழல் நீ விழ வேண்டாம்
நான் விழுவேன்
You are the wave, I am the shore
Even if you beat against me, I will accept it
நீ கிளை நான்
இலை உன்னை ஒட்டும்
வரைக்கும் தான் உயிர்த்திருப்பேன்
You are the body, I am the shadow
You do not need to fall, I will fall for you
நீ விழி நான்
இமை உன்னை சேரும்
வரைக்கும் நான் துடித்து
இருப்பேன்
You are the branch, I am the leaf
I will stay alive only as long as I cling to you
நீ சுவாசம்
நான் தேகம் நான்
உன்னை மட்டும்
உயிர் தொட அனுமதிப்பேன்
You are the eye, I am the eyelid
I will keep fluttering until I join you
நீ காற்று
நான் மரம் என்ன
சொன்னாலும்
தலையாட்டுவேன்
You are the breath, I am the body
I will allow only you to touch my soul
...........................
You are the wind, I am the tree
நீ வானம் நான்
நீலம் உன்னில் நானாய்
கலந்திருப்பேன்
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
நீ எண்ணம்
நான் வார்த்தை நீ
சொல்லும் பொழுதே
வெளிப்படுவேன்
You are the sky, I am the blue
I will remain merged within you as myself
நீ வெயில்
நான் குயில் உன்
வருகை பார்த்து
தான் நான் இசைப்பேன்
You are the thought, I am the spoken word
The moment you speak, I express myself
நீ உடை நான்
இடை உன்னை உறங்கும்
பொழுதும் நான் உடுத்திருப்பேன்
You are the sunshine, I am the cuckoo bird
Only upon seeing your arrival will I sing
நீ பகல் நான்
ஒளி என்றும் உன்னை
மட்டும் சார்ந்தே நான்
இருப்பேன்
You are the dress, I am the waist
Even while sleeping, I will wear you
நீ காற்று
நான் மரம் என்ன
சொன்னாலும்
தலையாட்டுவேன்
You are the daytime, I am the light
Forever, I will depend only on you
நீ மழை நான்
பூமி எங்கு விழுந்தாலும்
ஏந்திக்கொல்வேன்
You are the wind, I am the tree
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
நீ இரவு நான்
விண்மீன் நீ இருக்கும்
வரை தான் நான் இருப்பேன்
You are the rain, I am the earth
Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly
நீ காற்று
நான் மரம் என்ன
சொன்னாலும்
தலையாட்டுவேன்
You are the night, I am a star
I will exist only as long as you exist
{ Nee kaatru naan maram
You are the wind, I am the tree
Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven } (2)
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
Nee mazhai naan boomi
You are the wind, I am the tree
Engu vizhunthaalum yenthi kollven
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
Nee iravu naan vinmeen
You are the rain, I am the earth
Nee irukum varai thaan naan irupen
Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly
Nee kaatru naan maram
You are the night, I am a star
Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven
I will exist only as long as you exist
………………………………
You are the wind, I am the tree
Nee alai naan karai
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
Ennai adithaalum yetru kollven
Nee udal naan nizhal
You are the wave, I am the shore
Nee vizha vendam naan vizhuven
Even if you beat against me, I will accept it
Nee kizhai naan elai
You are the body, I am the shadow
Unnai ottum varaikum thaan uyirtharipen
You do not need to fall, I will fall for you
Nee vizhi naan imai
You are the branch, I am the leaf
Unnai serum varaikum naan thudithu irupen
I will stay alive only as long as I cling to you
Nee swaasam naan thegam
You are the eye, I am the eyelid
Naan unnai matum uyir thoda anumathipen
I will keep fluttering until I join you
Nee kaatru naan maram
You are the breath, I am the body
Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven
I will allow only you to touch my soul
…………………………….
You are the wind, I am the tree
Nee vaanam naan neelam
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
Unnil naanaai kalanthirupen
Nee ennam naan vaarthai
You are the sky, I am the blue
Nee sollum pozhudhae veli paduven
I will remain merged within you as myself
Nee veyil naan kuyil
You are the thought, I am the spoken word
Un varugai paarthuthaan naan isaipen
The moment you speak, I express myself
Nee udai naan idai
You are the sunshine, I am the cuckoo bird
Unnai urangum pozhuthum naan uduthirupen
Only upon seeing your arrival will I sing
Nee pagal naan oli
You are the dress, I am the waist
Endrum unnai matum saarndhae naan irupen
Even while sleeping, I will wear you
Nee kaatru naan maram
You are the daytime, I am the light
Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven
Forever, I will depend only on you
Nee mazhai naan boomi
You are the wind, I am the tree
Engu vizhunthaalum yenthi kollven
Whatever you say, I will nod in agreement
Nee iravu naan vinmeen
You are the rain, I am the earth
Nee irukum varai thaan naan irupen
Wherever you fall, I will hold you tenderly
Nee kaatru naan maram
You are the night, I am a star
Enna sonnaalum thalaiyaatuven
I will exist only as long as you exist
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song expresses complete devotion, surrender, and total harmony between two lovers. Through a series of paired metaphors from nature and daily life, the speaker describes their existence as entirely derivative of and dependent upon their beloved. The lover is portrayed as the active force—wind, rain, night, wave, sky—while the speaker is the receptive medium—tree, earth, star, shore, and color.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Nee kaatru naan maram”
Pairs opposing yet inseparable entities like wind and tree, rain and earth, wave and shore to depict profound emotional harmony.
Anaphora (Edukku Thodar)
“Nee alai naan karai”
Repetition of the 'Nee ... naan ...' structure at the beginning of lines to reinforce the duality and connection.
End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“thalaiyaatuven / yenthi kollven / irupen”
Rhyming verbs at the ends of alternating lines creating a melodious rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Vidyasagar for the 1998 romantic film 'Nilaave Vaa' starring Vijay, the song is widely celebrated for Vairamuthu's evocative dual-metaphor lyricism.
Keep listening
More from Nilaave Vaa
Nilaave Vaa
Nilaave Vaa
Nilaave Vaa
Nilaave Vaa