Neela Niram
From En Annan · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- En Annan1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Neela niram vaanukum | The sky has a blue color, |
| Kadalukum neela niram | The sea also has a blue color. |
| Kaaranam yen kanne | Is the reason, my dear, |
| Unn kanno neela niram | Your eyes, which are blue in color? |
| Male | |
| Neela niram vaanukum | The sky has a blue color, |
| Kadalukum neela niram | The sea also has a blue color. |
| Kaaranam yen kanne | Is the reason, my dear, |
| Unn kanno neela niram | Your eyes, which are blue in color? |
| Male | |
| Thaamarai poovile undhan idhazhgal | Did your lips give their redness |
| Thandhadhe sivapo | To the lotus flower? |
| Female :Meengalin azhagaiye endhan vizhigal | Female: Did my eyes give their beauty |
| Thandhadhaai ninaipo | To the fishes, do you think? |
| Male | |
| Thaamarai poovile undhan idhazhgal | Did your lips give their redness |
| Thandhadhe sivapo | To the lotus flower? |
| Female :Meengalin azhagaiye endhan vizhigal | Female: Did my eyes give their beauty |
| Thandhadhaai ninaipo | To the fishes, do you think? |
| Male | |
| Andha mugil undhan | Is that cloud merely a playmate |
| Karunkoondhal vilaiyaato | Of your dark tresses? |
| Female :Ungal kavidhaiku | Female: Is my body merely a playground |
| En maeni vilaiyaato | For your poetry? |
| Male | |
| Ilaigalum kanigalum unn idaiyil | Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits |
| Vandhadhor azhago | Coming together at your waist? |
| Female :Iyarkayin pasumaiye endhan idhayam | Female: Do you think that nature's greenery |
| Thandhadhaai ninaivo | Was given by my heart? |
| Male | |
| Ilaigalum kanigalum unn idaiyil | Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits |
| Vandhadhor azhago | Coming together at your waist? |
| Female :Iyarkayin pasumaiye endhan idhayam | Female: Do you think that nature's greenery |
| Thandhadhaai ninaivo | Was given by my heart? |
| Male | |
| Andha nadhi enna | Did that river flow |
| Unaiketu nadai potadho | After asking you for permission? |
| Female :Ingu adhai paarthu | Female: Looking at it here, |
| Unn nenjam isai potadho | Did your heart set it to music? |
| Male | |
| Kovilin silaigale unn kolam | Were temple sculptures created |
| Paarthapin padaipo | Only after seeing your form? |
| Female :Gobura kalasame en uruvil | Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest |
| Vandhadhaai ninaipo | Came into being taking my form? |
| Male | |
| Kovilin silaigale unn kolam | Were temple sculptures created |
| Paarthapin padaipo | Only after seeing your form? |
| Female :Gobura kalasame en uruvil | Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest |
| Vandhadhaai ninaipo | Came into being taking my form? |
| Male | |
| Idhu thadai indri | Is this not a relationship that plays |
| Vilaiyaadum uravallavaa | Without any obstacles? |
| Female :Adhil thamizh koorum | Female: Isn't there delight in the similes |
| Uvamaigal suvai allavaa | Expressed in classic Tamil? |
நீல நிறம் வானுக்கும் கடலுக்கும் நீல நிறம்
காரணம் ஏன் கண்ணே உன் கண்ணோ
நீல நிறம் வானுக்கும் கடலுக்கும் நீல நிறம்
காரணம் ஏன் கண்ணே உன் கண்ணோ நீல நிறம்ம்ம்
The sky has a blue color,
The sea also has a blue color.
Is the reason, my dear,
Your eyes, which are blue in color?
தாமரை பூவிலே உந்தன் இதழ்கள் தந்ததே சிவப்போ
மீன்களின் அழகையே எந்தன் விழிகள் தந்ததாய் நினைப்போ
தாமரை பூவிலே உந்தன் இதழ்கள் தந்ததே சிவப்போ
மீன்களின் அழகையே எந்தன் விழிகள் தந்ததாய் நினைப்போ
The sky has a blue color,
The sea also has a blue color.
Is the reason, my dear,
Your eyes, which are blue in color?
அந்த முகில் உந்தன் கருங்கூந்தல் விளையாட்டோ
உங்கள் கவிதைக்கு என் மேனி விளையாட்டோ
இருவர் :
நீல நிறம் வானுக்கும் கடலுக்கும் நீல நிறம்
காரணம் ஏன் கண்ணே உன் கண்ணோ நீல நிறம்ம்ம்
Did your lips give their redness
To the lotus flower?
Female: Did my eyes give their beauty
To the fishes, do you think?
இலைகளும் கனிகளும் உன் இடையில் வந்ததோர் அழகோ
இயற்கையின் பசுமையே எந்தன் இதயம் தந்ததாய் நினைவோ
இலைகளும் கனிகளும் உன் இடையில் வந்ததோர் அழகோ
இயற்கையின் பசுமையே எந்தன் இதயம் தந்ததாய் நினைவோ
Did your lips give their redness
To the lotus flower?
Female: Did my eyes give their beauty
To the fishes, do you think?
அந்த நதி என்ன உனை கேட்டு நடை போட்டதோ
இன்று அதை பார்த்து உன் நெஞ்சம் இசை போட்டதோ
இருவர் :
நீல நிறம் வானுக்கும்
கடலுக்கும் நீல நிறம்
காரணம் ஏன் கண்ணா என் கண்ணோ நீல நிறம்ம்ம்
Is that cloud merely a playmate
Of your dark tresses?
Female: Is my body merely a playground
For your poetry?
கோவிலின் சிலைகளே உன் கோலம் பார்த்த பின் படைப்போ
கோபுர கலசமே என் உருவில் வந்ததாய் நினைப்போ
கோவிலின் சிலைகளே உன் கோலம் பார்த்த பின் படைப்போ
கோபுர கலசமே என் உருவில் வந்ததாய் நினைப்போ
Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits
Coming together at your waist?
Female: Do you think that nature's greenery
Was given by my heart?
இது தடை இன்றி விளையாடும் உறவல்லவா
அதில் தமிழ் கூறும் உவமைகள் சுகம் அல்லவா
Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits
Coming together at your waist?
Female: Do you think that nature's greenery
Was given by my heart?
ஹா..ஆ..ஆ..
நீல நிறம் வானுக்கும் கடலுக்கும் நீல நிறம்
காரணம் ஏன் கண்ணே உன் கண்ணோ நீல நிறம்ம்ம்
Did that river flow
After asking you for permission?
Female: Looking at it here,
Did your heart set it to music?
Were temple sculptures created
Only after seeing your form?
Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest
Came into being taking my form?
Were temple sculptures created
Only after seeing your form?
Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest
Came into being taking my form?
Is this not a relationship that plays
Without any obstacles?
Female: Isn't there delight in the similes
Expressed in classic Tamil?
Neela niram vaanukum
The sky has a blue color,
Kadalukum neela niram
The sea also has a blue color.
Kaaranam yen kanne
Is the reason, my dear,
Unn kanno neela niram
Your eyes, which are blue in color?
Neela niram vaanukum
The sky has a blue color,
Kadalukum neela niram
The sea also has a blue color.
Kaaranam yen kanne
Is the reason, my dear,
Unn kanno neela niram
Your eyes, which are blue in color?
Thaamarai poovile undhan idhazhgal
Did your lips give their redness
Thandhadhe sivapo
To the lotus flower?
Female :Meengalin azhagaiye endhan vizhigal
Female: Did my eyes give their beauty
Thandhadhaai ninaipo
To the fishes, do you think?
Thaamarai poovile undhan idhazhgal
Did your lips give their redness
Thandhadhe sivapo
To the lotus flower?
Female :Meengalin azhagaiye endhan vizhigal
Female: Did my eyes give their beauty
Thandhadhaai ninaipo
To the fishes, do you think?
Andha mugil undhan
Is that cloud merely a playmate
Karunkoondhal vilaiyaato
Of your dark tresses?
Female :Ungal kavidhaiku
Female: Is my body merely a playground
En maeni vilaiyaato
For your poetry?
Ilaigalum kanigalum unn idaiyil
Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits
Vandhadhor azhago
Coming together at your waist?
Female :Iyarkayin pasumaiye endhan idhayam
Female: Do you think that nature's greenery
Thandhadhaai ninaivo
Was given by my heart?
Ilaigalum kanigalum unn idaiyil
Is it the beauty of leaves and fruits
Vandhadhor azhago
Coming together at your waist?
Female :Iyarkayin pasumaiye endhan idhayam
Female: Do you think that nature's greenery
Thandhadhaai ninaivo
Was given by my heart?
Andha nadhi enna
Did that river flow
Unaiketu nadai potadho
After asking you for permission?
Female :Ingu adhai paarthu
Female: Looking at it here,
Unn nenjam isai potadho
Did your heart set it to music?
Kovilin silaigale unn kolam
Were temple sculptures created
Paarthapin padaipo
Only after seeing your form?
Female :Gobura kalasame en uruvil
Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest
Vandhadhaai ninaipo
Came into being taking my form?
Kovilin silaigale unn kolam
Were temple sculptures created
Paarthapin padaipo
Only after seeing your form?
Female :Gobura kalasame en uruvil
Female: Do you think the temple spire's crest
Vandhadhaai ninaipo
Came into being taking my form?
Idhu thadai indri
Is this not a relationship that plays
Vilaiyaadum uravallavaa
Without any obstacles?
Female :Adhil thamizh koorum
Female: Isn't there delight in the similes
Uvamaigal suvai allavaa
Expressed in classic Tamil?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Neela Niram Vaanukum is a iconic romantic duet from the 1970 Tamil film En Annan, sung by T. M. Soundarajan and S. Janaki. In this song, the lead lovers engage in poetic wordplay, hyperbolic praise, and sweet banter. The male protagonist attributes all the captivating hues and shapes of nature—such as the blue sky, the red lotus, the winding river, and temple sculptures—to his lover's exquisite physical beauty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole (Athyukthi / Tharkurippetrasani)
“Neela niram vaanukum / Kadalukum neela niram / Kaaranam yen kanne / Unn kanno neela niram”
Extravagant exaggeration attributing the blue color of the sky and ocean to the heroine's eyes.
Metaphor & Imagery (Uvamai)
“Thaamarai poovile undhan idhazhgal / Thandhadhe sivapo”
Comparing the red lips of the heroine to a lotus flower and attributing the color's origin to her lips.
Personification
“Andha nadhi enna / Unaiketu nadai potadho”
Attributing human traits to natural elements, suggesting the river asked permission before flowing.
Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhukai)
“Ilaigalum kanigalum unn idaiyil / Iyarkayin pasumaiye endhan idhayam”
In Tamil poetry, Edhukai refers to matching the second letter consonant across consecutive lines ('Ilaigalum' / 'Iyarkayin').
Did you know?
Trivia
En Annan (1970) was a hit remake of the Kannada movie Beedi Basavanna. Directed by Pa. Neelakantan, the film starred M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. The song's lyrics by Kannadasan highlight classical Tamil literary tropes (uvamaigal) where womanhood is intertwined with nature.
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