Nee Oru Ragamaligai
From Pen Ondru Kanden · 1974
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Pen Ondru Kanden1974
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Un maivizhi anantha bairavi paadum | Your kohl-lined eyes sing the raga Anandabhairavi |
| Un thegaththil mohana raagaththin paavam | Your body expresses the emotion of Mohana raga |
| Un ilanadai malayamaarutham aagum | Your gentle walk becomes the soft breeze of Malayamarutham |
| Un malar mugam saaramathiyena koorum | Your lotus-like face declares itself as Saramathi |
| Male | |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai | Your heart is my palace of love |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Male | |
| Nee uravukku udavidum sarasaangi | You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy |
| Inba kalaigalai vilakkidum saraswathi | You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts |
| Nee uravukku udavidum sarasaangi | You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy |
| Inba kalaigalai vilakkidum saraswathi | You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts |
| Kuralvazhi piranthathu amsathvani | Hamsadhwani was born through the voice |
| Un kuralvazhi piranthathu amsathvani | Through your voice was born Hamsadhwani |
| Un thaalaattil vilainthathu neelaampari | Neelambari bloomed within your soothing lullaby |
| Male | |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai | Your heart is my palace of love |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Male | |
| Naan vaavena azhaikkaiyil | When I call out to you asking you to come |
| Virainthodi vanthu thazhuvidum devamanohari | You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me |
| Naan vaavena azhaikkaiyil | When I call out to you asking you to come |
| Virainthodi vanthu thazhuvidum devamanohari | You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me |
| Male | |
| Aarapimaanamum thevaiyillai | There is no need for grand pretense or pride |
| Intha agilaththil unpol paavaiyillai | In this entire universe there is no maiden like you |
| Male | |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai | Your heart is my palace of love |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Male | |
| Nee enakkae thaaram endrirukka | When you are destined to be my life partner |
| Unai en vasam thaavena naan kettaen | I requested you to yield yourself to me |
| Nee enakkae thaaram endrirukka | When you are destined to be my life partner |
| Unai en vasam thaavena naan kettaen | I requested you to yield yourself to me |
| Male | |
| En nenjinil konjidu ranjaniyae | Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani |
| nenjinil konjidu ranjaniyae | Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani |
| Intha naayagan thedidum naayagiyae | Oh heroine sought by this hero |
| Male | |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
| Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai | Your heart is my palace of love |
| Nee oru raagamaaligai | You are a garland of musical ragas |
உன் மைவிழி ஆனந்த பைரவி பாடும்
உன் தேகத்தில் மோஹன ராகத்தின் பாவம்
உன் இளநடை மலயமாருதம் ஆகும்
உன் மலர் முகம் சாரமதியென கூறும்
Your kohl-lined eyes sing the raga Anandabhairavi
Your body expresses the emotion of Mohana raga
Your gentle walk becomes the soft breeze of Malayamarutham
Your lotus-like face declares itself as Saramathi
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
உன் நெஞ்சம் என் காதல் மாளிகை
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
You are a garland of musical ragas
Your heart is my palace of love
You are a garland of musical ragas
நீ உறவுக்கு உதவிடும் சரசாங்கி
இன்ப கலைகளை விளக்கிடும் சரஸ்வதி
நீ உறவுக்கு உதவிடும் சரசாங்கி
இன்ப கலைகளை விளக்கிடும் சரஸ்வதி
குரல்வழி பிறந்தது அம்சத்வனி
உன் குரல்வழி பிறந்தது அம்சத்வனி
உன் தாலாட்டில் விளைந்தது நீலாம்பரி
You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy
You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts
You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy
You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts
Hamsadhwani was born through the voice
Through your voice was born Hamsadhwani
Neelambari bloomed within your soothing lullaby
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
உன் நெஞ்சம் என் காதல் மாளிகை
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
You are a garland of musical ragas
Your heart is my palace of love
You are a garland of musical ragas
நான் வாவனெ அழைக்கையில்
விரைந்தோடி வந்து தழுவிடும் தேவமனோஹரி
நான் வாவனெ அழைக்கையில்
விரைந்தோடி வந்து தழுவிடும் தேவமனோஹரி
When I call out to you asking you to come
You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me
When I call out to you asking you to come
You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me
ஆரபிமானமும் தேவையில்லை
இந்த அகிலத்தில் உன்போல் பாவையில்லை
There is no need for grand pretense or pride
In this entire universe there is no maiden like you
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
உன் நெஞ்சம் என் காதல் மாளிகை
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
You are a garland of musical ragas
Your heart is my palace of love
You are a garland of musical ragas
நீ எனக்கே தாரம் என்றிருக்க
உனை என் வசம் தாவென நான் கேட்டேன்
நீ எனக்கே தாரம் என்றிருக்க
உனை என் வசம் தாவென நான் கேட்டேன்
When you are destined to be my life partner
I requested you to yield yourself to me
When you are destined to be my life partner
I requested you to yield yourself to me
என் நெஞ்சினில் கொஞ்சிடு ரஞ்சனியே
நெஞ்சினில் கொஞ்சிடு ரஞ்சனியே
இந்த நாயகன் தேடிடும் நாயகியே
Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani
Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani
Oh heroine sought by this hero
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
உன் நெஞ்சம் என் காதல் மாளிகை
நீ ஒரு ராகமாலிகை
You are a garland of musical ragas
Your heart is my palace of love
You are a garland of musical ragas
Un maivizhi anantha bairavi paadum
Your kohl-lined eyes sing the raga Anandabhairavi
Un thegaththil mohana raagaththin paavam
Your body expresses the emotion of Mohana raga
Un ilanadai malayamaarutham aagum
Your gentle walk becomes the soft breeze of Malayamarutham
Un malar mugam saaramathiyena koorum
Your lotus-like face declares itself as Saramathi
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai
Your heart is my palace of love
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Nee uravukku udavidum sarasaangi
You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy
Inba kalaigalai vilakkidum saraswathi
You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts
Nee uravukku udavidum sarasaangi
You are Sarasangi who aids in sweet intimacy
Inba kalaigalai vilakkidum saraswathi
You are Saraswathi who illustrates the joyful arts
Kuralvazhi piranthathu amsathvani
Hamsadhwani was born through the voice
Un kuralvazhi piranthathu amsathvani
Through your voice was born Hamsadhwani
Un thaalaattil vilainthathu neelaampari
Neelambari bloomed within your soothing lullaby
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai
Your heart is my palace of love
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Naan vaavena azhaikkaiyil
When I call out to you asking you to come
Virainthodi vanthu thazhuvidum devamanohari
You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me
Naan vaavena azhaikkaiyil
When I call out to you asking you to come
Virainthodi vanthu thazhuvidum devamanohari
You are Devamanohari who rushes to embrace me
Aarapimaanamum thevaiyillai
There is no need for grand pretense or pride
Intha agilaththil unpol paavaiyillai
In this entire universe there is no maiden like you
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai
Your heart is my palace of love
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Nee enakkae thaaram endrirukka
When you are destined to be my life partner
Unai en vasam thaavena naan kettaen
I requested you to yield yourself to me
Nee enakkae thaaram endrirukka
When you are destined to be my life partner
Unai en vasam thaavena naan kettaen
I requested you to yield yourself to me
En nenjinil konjidu ranjaniyae
Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani
nenjinil konjidu ranjaniyae
Cuddle in my heart, oh Ranjani
Intha naayagan thedidum naayagiyae
Oh heroine sought by this hero
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai
Your heart is my palace of love
Nee oru raagamaaligai
You are a garland of musical ragas
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Nee Oru Raagamaaligai' is a classic romantic song from the film Pen Ondru Kanden (1974), composed by M. S. Viswanathan and written by lyricist Vaali. Sung delightfully by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, the song is a poetic masterclass where the hero praises his lover's charm, grace, voice, and affection by intertwining the names of over ten Carnatic ragas into her romantic attributes. The lyricist seamlessly merges musical concepts with feminine grace, portraying the heroine as a ragamalika (a garland of ragas). Her eyes reflect Anandabhairavi, her posture expresses Mohanam, her walk feels like Malayamarutham, and her embrace embodies Devamanohari, symbolizing the divine harmony between love and music.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Double Entendre (Sleshai)
“Un maivizhi anantha bairavi paadum”
Lyricist Vaali ingeniously uses the names of Carnatic ragas (Anandabhairavi, Mohanam, Malayamarutham, Saramathi, Sarasangi, Saraswathi, Hamsadhwani, Neelambari, Devamanohari, Arabhi, Ranjani) dual-functionally as raga names and descriptive epithets for the heroine.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nee oru raagamaaligai / Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai”
Directly equates the heroine to a garland of musical ragas ('raagamaaligai') and her heart to a palace of love ('kadhal maaligai').
End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Nee oru raagamaaligai / Un nenjam en kadhal maaligai”
The identical end sounds in 'raagamaaligai' and 'kadhal maaligai' create a pleasing lyrical rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is famous in Tamil cinema history for embedding eleven classical Carnatic ragas into its lyric sheet as wordplay. Despite referencing classical ragas, MSV composed the song in a light, accessible melody, making it a timeless hit among both classical lovers and film music enthusiasts.
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