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Manasellam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nee Thoongum Nerathil (Female)

From Manasellam · 2003

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
Sadhana Sargam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Manasellam
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
29 Dec 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
Kanmaniyae hoo kanmaniyae
Kannukul kannaaga
Endrendrum nee vendum
Ennuyirae hoo ennuyirae
Poo ondru un meedhu
Vizhundhaalum thaangaadhu
En nenjam punnaai pogumae ..ae…
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
Kanmaniyae hoo kanmaniyae
Ahaaa…aa…aaa…aaa…..
Ahaaa…aa…aaa…aaa…..
Ahaaa…aaa …haaa..aaahaaa…
Madi meedhu nee irundhaal
Swargangal unmai endru aagaadho
Nodi neram pirindhaalum
Kaalangalum nindru pogaadho
Oru moochil iru dhegam
Vaazhvadhu naam andri veraaro
Nam kaadhal vellathil
Naduvae naam irundhaalum
En nenjam dhaagam kolludhae… ohooo
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
Kanmaniyae hoo kanmaniyae
Kannukul kannaaga
Endrendrum nee vendum
Ennuyirae hoo ennuyirae
Kannodum nenjodum
Uyiraalae unnai moodi kondenae
Kanavodum ninaivodum
Neengaamal unnarugil vaazhndhenae
Madhi parikum madhi mugamae
Unn oli alaithannil naan irupen
Engae nee sendraalum
Angae naan varuvenae
Manasellam neethaan neethaanae…ohooo
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
Kanmaniyae hoo kanmaniyae
Poo ondru un meedhu
Vizhundhaalum thaangaadhu
En nenjam punnaai pogumae ..ae….
Nee thoongum nerathil
En kangal thoongaadhu
{Kanmaniyae hoo kanmaniyae} (2)
Ennuyirae hoo ennuyirae
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
My darling, oh my darling...
As the very sight within my eyes,
I need you forever.
My life, oh my life...
Even if a single flower
Falls on you, it cannot bear it—
My heart would be wounded and ache...
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
My darling, oh my darling...
Aha... aa... aah... aa...
Aha... aa... aah... aa...
Aha... aah... haa... aahaa...
If you lie upon my lap,
Wouldn't heaven become real?
If we are parted even for a second,
Wouldn't time itself stand still?
Two bodies living in a single breath—
Who else could it be, but us?
In the flood of our love,
Even while we are in its midst,
My heart still thirsts for you... oh...
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
My darling, oh my darling...
As the very sight within my eyes,
I need you forever.
My life, oh my life...
With my eyes and my heart,
I have sheltered you with my life.
In my dreams and my memories,
I have lived beside you, never parting.
Oh moon-like face that steals my senses,
I will live within your waves of light.
Wherever you go,
I will come there too.
My whole heart is only you, only you... oh...
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
My darling, oh my darling...
Even if a single flower
Falls on you, it cannot bear it—
My heart would be wounded and ache...
When you fall asleep,
My eyes will not sleep.
My darling, oh my darling, my darling, oh my darling...
My life, oh my life...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Nee Thoongum Nerathil is a soul-stirring romantic lullaby-esque ballad from the movie Manasellam (2003). The song captures the overwhelming tender tenderness and emotional depth of true love. The speaker watches over their beloved as they sleep, feeling a love so gentle that even the touch of a falling flower seems too heavy. The lyrics portray a sense of complete devotion where two lovers share a single breath and feel an endless thirst for love even while submerged in its ocean. Written with profound simplicity by lyricist Na. Muthukumar, the song conveys that true love transcends bodily presence, wrapping the beloved in soul, dreams, and thoughts forever.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

Poo ondru un meedhu vizhundhaalum thaangaadhu

Exaggerating the delicate nature of the beloved by stating that even the soft weight of a flower falling on them would cause unbearable pain to the lover's heart.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Oru moochil iru dhegam vaazhvadhu

Comparing the intimate spiritual union of two lovers to two separate bodies sharing a single breath.

Paradox

Nam kaadhal vellathil naduvae naam irundhaalum en nenjam dhaagam kolludhae

Expressing a deep emotional thirst despite being surrounded completely by the flood of love.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kannodum nenjodum / Kanavodum ninaivodum

Matching of the second consonant sound 'n' in 'Kannodum' and 'Kanavodum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and was sung by Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam for the 2003 Tamil film Manasellam, starring Srikanth and Trisha. Lyricist Na. Muthukumar won widespread acclaim for capturing the delicate nuances of romantic devotion in simple yet deep Tamil phrasing.

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