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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nee Pournami Endrum

From Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam · 1988

Lyricist
Ponnadiyan
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam1988

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aa…aa….aa….aa….aah….aa…Vocalizing (Aa...aa...)
Male
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthaeThe cloud called melody sings and dances for you
Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthaeThe cloud called melody sings and dances for you
Male
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Nee pournami…..You are full moon...
Male
Vinnil aadum vaanin meenaeOh star of the sky dancing in the heavens
Aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…Vocalizing (Aa...aa...)
Vinnil aadum vaanin meenaeOh star of the sky dancing in the heavens
Ennai neeyum vaattaathaeDo not torment me like this
Male
Nee illaatha vaanam ingaeHere is a sky without you
Mei illaatha jeevan ingaeHere is a body-less soul
Nee illaatha vaanam ingaeHere is a sky without you
Mei illaatha jeevan ingaeHere is a body-less soul
Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthaeThe cloud called melody sings and dances for you
Male
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Nee pournami…..You are full moon...
Male
Velli nathiyil aadumpothuWhen bathing in the silver river
Kaatchi kaana vantha neeYou who came to witness the sight
Alli eduththu koodumpothuWhen embracing and coming together
Saatchiyaaga illaiyaaWere you not a witness to it?
Male
Enniraintha kadhal nenjamMy heart filled with immense love
Kodi kodi paarththa neeYou who observed millions of such moments
Kannirainthu vaazha konjamTo live happily with eyes full of joy
Vaazhththu solla maranthathaenWhy did you forget to offer your blessings?
Male
Paa tha pa ma pa tha pa ma ga riMusical swara syllables (Pa Dha Pa Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma Ga Ri)
Saa ri ga ri sa ri ga ma paMusical swara syllables (Sa Ri Ga Ri Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa)
En idhayam thudikkuthu dhinamumMy heart beats every single day
Urugum aval ninaivilMelting in her sweet memories
Male
Paa tha pa ma pa tha ni sa riMusical swara syllables (Pa Dha Pa Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa Ri)
Ree ga ri sa ni sa ga ri saMusical swara syllables (Ri Ga Ri Sa Ni Sa Ga Ri Sa)
Kann imaiyil aval uruvamHer image rests upon my eyelashes
Sol thamizhil aval amuthamHer sweetness is like classical Tamil
Male
Ree ree ri ri ree ree ri ri ree ree ri riRhythmic swara syllables (Ri ri ri...)
Ni ri ga ri ni ri ga rireeRhythmic swara syllables (Ni ri ga ri...)
Thanimaiyin kodumaiyil kadhalilIn the cruelty of loneliness, through love
Andrenai vaattiyathaenWhy did you torment me back then?
Male
Kaa ka ka kaa ka ka kaa ka kaRhythmic vocalizations (Ka ka ka...)
Sa ri ga ri ga pa ma ga riMusical swara syllables (Sa Ri Ga Ri Ga Pa Ma Ga Ri)
Pirivenum siraithanil saathalilIn the prison of separation, near death
Indrenai vaattuvathaenWhy are you tormenting me today?
Male
Pa tha ni sa ri ga ri sa ni saMusical swara syllables (Pa Dha Ni Sa Ri Ga Ri Sa Ni Sa)
Ga ri sa ni sa ri sa ni tha niMusical swara syllables (Ga Ri Sa Ni Sa Ri Sa Ni Dha Ni)
Sa ni tha pa ni tha pa ma tha pa ma gaMusical swara syllables (Sa Ni Dha Pa Ni Dha Pa Ma Dha Pa Ma Ga)
Male
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthaeThe cloud called melody sings and dances for you
Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthaeThe cloud called melody sings and dances for you
Male
Nee pournami endrum en nenjilaeYou are forever a full moon in my heart
Nee pournami…..You are full moon...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Nee Pournami Endrum En Nenjilae is a deeply emotional, Carnatic-infused classical fusion track from Oruvar Vaazhum Aalayam (1988). Sung with intense devotion and technical mastery by K. J. Yesudas, the song depicts a lover expressing his eternal devotion to his absent beloved. He compares her to a radiant full moon residing inside his heart and laments the grief of separation, contrasting past romantic ecstasy with present solitude.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagakani)

Nee pournami endrum en nenjilae

Directly equates the beloved to a full moon ('Pournami') dwelling in the lover's heart.

Metaphor (Uruvagakani)

Raagam ennum megam unnai paadi aaduthae

Compares musical melody ('Raagam') to a cloud ('Megam') that sings and dances.

Parallelism & Antithesis

Nee illaatha vaanam ingae / Mei illaatha jeevan ingae

Draws a structural balance between a sky deprived of the moon and a body deprived of a soul.

Simile / Cultural Allusion

Sol thamizhil aval amutham

Compares the sweetness of the beloved's presence to the sweetness of the Tamil language ('Sol thamizhil aval amutham').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track showcases Ilaiyaraaja's expertise in combining intricate classical Carnatic swaraprastara (solfa note improvisations) with contemporary film orchestration. K. J. Yesudas seamlessly transitions between emotional lyricism and complex swara passages, making it one of the most celebrated classical-light music crossover compositions in late 1980s Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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