Neelaveni Amma
From Saami Potta Mudichu · 1991
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- K. S. Chithra, Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Saami Potta Mudichu1991
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thoni meedhu paadum kuyilu | The cuckoo singing upon the boat |
| Thozhiyodu pogum mayilu | The peacock walking with her female companion |
| Jaadai kaana aadai kaana | To catch a glimpse of gestures and attire |
| Dhaagam koodi ponadho | Has the thirst grown even stronger? |
| Female | |
| Aathu melae pogum thoni | The boat moving along the river |
| Adhukku melae raajaa raani | And upon it, the king and the queen |
| Paattu kettu nottam poda | Listening to the song and taking a glance |
| Paarvai thaedi paadudho | Is it singing while searching for that gaze? |
| Female | |
| Thaedi thaedi paaraiyaa | Look and search closely, sir |
| Chinna mayilu naan aiyaa | I am a little peacock, sir |
| Thaedi thaedi paaraiyaa | Look and search closely, sir |
| Chinna mayilu naan aiyaa | I am a little peacock, sir |
| Dheva loga raani pola | Like a queen living in the celestial world |
| Vaazhugindra aal aiyaa | I am one who lives gracefully, sir |
| Male | |
| Koondhal enna aalam vizhudho | Is her tress like the aerial roots of a banyan tree? |
| Kungumam thaan kaalai pozhudho | Is her vermilion mark like the bright morning dawn? |
| Saendha rendu cheran villu | Are these two joined together like the bow of the Chera king |
| Puruvam aagi ponadho | To have transformed into her eyebrows? |
| Male | |
| Kangal rendu meeno maano | Are her two eyes fish or deer? |
| Kannam enna poovo ponno | Are her cheeks soft flowers or pure gold? |
| Chinna vaayil enna saayal | What shade does her small mouth hold |
| Pavalamaaga aanadho | That it turned into precious red coral? |
| Male | |
| Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae | One who has never been seen before |
| Parithidaadha mullaiyae | Like an unplucked jasmine flower |
| Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae | One who has never been seen before |
| Parithidaadha mullaiyae | Like an unplucked jasmine flower |
| Parikka vendum ketka vendum | Must be plucked, must be asked |
| Kettidaadha kelviyae | A question that has never been asked before! |
ஆண் குழு :
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
The cuckoo singing upon the boat
The peacock walking with her female companion
To catch a glimpse of gestures and attire
Has the thirst grown even stronger?
ஆண் குழு :
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
மாக்கான்னு நெனைக்காதக்கா
கேக்காம பதில் சொல்லக்கா
அஞ்சாத ஆம்பளையா
ஒரு பொண்ண தேடி வந்தோம்
அழகா ஆடிப் பாடி வந்தோம்
அவ பேரு நீலவேணி
நல்ல மாமன் வீட்டு ராணி
The boat moving along the river
And upon it, the king and the queen
Listening to the song and taking a glance
Is it singing while searching for that gaze?
ஆண் குழு :
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
Look and search closely, sir
I am a little peacock, sir
Look and search closely, sir
I am a little peacock, sir
Like a queen living in the celestial world
I am one who lives gracefully, sir
தோணி மீது பாடும் குயிலு
தோழியோடு போகும் மயிலு
ஜாடை காண ஆடை காண
தாகம் கூடிப் போனதோ
Is her tress like the aerial roots of a banyan tree?
Is her vermilion mark like the bright morning dawn?
Are these two joined together like the bow of the Chera king
To have transformed into her eyebrows?
ஆத்து மேலே போகும் தோணி
அதுக்கு மேலே ராஜா ராணி
பாட்டுக் கேட்டு நோட்டம் போட
பார்வை தேடிப் பாடுதோ
Are her two eyes fish or deer?
Are her cheeks soft flowers or pure gold?
What shade does her small mouth hold
That it turned into precious red coral?
தேடித் தேடிப் பாரையா
சின்ன மயிலு நான் அய்யா
தேடித் தேடிப் பாரையா
சின்ன மயிலு நான் அய்யா
தேவ லோக ராணி போல
வாழுகின்ற ஆள் அய்யா
One who has never been seen before
Like an unplucked jasmine flower
One who has never been seen before
Like an unplucked jasmine flower
Must be plucked, must be asked
A question that has never been asked before!
ஆண் குழு :
மாக்கான்னு நெனைக்காதக்கா
கேக்காம பதில் சொல்லக்கா
அஞ்சாத ஆம்பளையா
ஒரு பொண்ண தேடி வந்தோம்
அழகா ஆடிப் பாடி வந்தோம்
அவ பேரு நீலவேணி
நல்ல மாமன் வீட்டு ராணி
ஆண் குழு :
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
கூந்தல் என்ன ஆலம் விழுதோ
குங்குமம் தான் காலைப் பொழுதோ
சேந்த ரெண்டு சேரன் வில்லு
புருவம் ஆகிப் போனதோ
கண்கள் ரெண்டு மீனோ மானோ
கன்னம் என்ன பூவோ பொன்னோ
சின்ன வாயில் என்ன சாயல்
பவளமாக ஆனதோ
பார்த்ததுதான் இல்லையே
பறித்திடாத முல்லையே
பார்த்ததுதான் இல்லையே
பறித்திடாத முல்லையே
பார்க்க வேண்டும் கேட்க வேண்டும்
கேட்டிடாத கேள்வியே
ஆண் குழு :
மாக்கான்னு நெனைக்காதக்கா
கேக்காம பதில் சொல்லக்கா
அஞ்சாத ஆம்பளையா
ஒரு பொண்ண தேடி வந்தோம்
அழகா ஆடிப் பாடி வந்தோம்
அவ பேரு நீலவேணி
நல்ல மாமன் வீட்டு ராணி
ஆண் குழு :
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
நீலவேணி அம்மா நீலவேணி
Thoni meedhu paadum kuyilu
The cuckoo singing upon the boat
Thozhiyodu pogum mayilu
The peacock walking with her female companion
Jaadai kaana aadai kaana
To catch a glimpse of gestures and attire
Dhaagam koodi ponadho
Has the thirst grown even stronger?
Aathu melae pogum thoni
The boat moving along the river
Adhukku melae raajaa raani
And upon it, the king and the queen
Paattu kettu nottam poda
Listening to the song and taking a glance
Paarvai thaedi paadudho
Is it singing while searching for that gaze?
Thaedi thaedi paaraiyaa
Look and search closely, sir
Chinna mayilu naan aiyaa
I am a little peacock, sir
Thaedi thaedi paaraiyaa
Look and search closely, sir
Chinna mayilu naan aiyaa
I am a little peacock, sir
Dheva loga raani pola
Like a queen living in the celestial world
Vaazhugindra aal aiyaa
I am one who lives gracefully, sir
Koondhal enna aalam vizhudho
Is her tress like the aerial roots of a banyan tree?
Kungumam thaan kaalai pozhudho
Is her vermilion mark like the bright morning dawn?
Saendha rendu cheran villu
Are these two joined together like the bow of the Chera king
Puruvam aagi ponadho
To have transformed into her eyebrows?
Kangal rendu meeno maano
Are her two eyes fish or deer?
Kannam enna poovo ponno
Are her cheeks soft flowers or pure gold?
Chinna vaayil enna saayal
What shade does her small mouth hold
Pavalamaaga aanadho
That it turned into precious red coral?
Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae
One who has never been seen before
Parithidaadha mullaiyae
Like an unplucked jasmine flower
Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae
One who has never been seen before
Parithidaadha mullaiyae
Like an unplucked jasmine flower
Parikka vendum ketka vendum
Must be plucked, must be asked
Kettidaadha kelviyae
A question that has never been asked before!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a romantic duettish melody set on a riverboat journey. The male protagonist admires his beloved's beauty using rich classical and folk imagery, comparing her hair to banyan aerial roots, her brows to the famous bow of the Chera dynasty, her eyes to fish or deer, and her cheeks to gold and flowers. The female protagonist responds playfully, describing herself as a proud, celestial peacock gliding through life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile/Metaphor)
“Koondhal enna aalam vizhudho... Cheran villu puruvam aagi ponadho”
Compares eyebrows to the bow of the Chera kings (Cheran villu) and hair to banyan aerial roots (aalam vizhudhu).
Uvamai (Metaphor)
“Kangal rendu meeno maano / Kannam enna poovo ponno”
Compares eyes to fish or deer (meeno maano) and small mouth to red coral (pavalamaaga).
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thoni meedhu paadum kuyilu / Thozhiyodu pogum mayilu”
Matching second consonant sounds 'nee' in 'Thoni' and 'zhi' in 'Thozhi', or 'dd' in 'Thaedi' / 'Chinna'.
Monai (First Letter Alliteration)
“Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae / Parithidaadha mullaiyae”
Repetition of initial consonants 'Pa' across lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1991 Tamil film 'Saami Potta Mudichu', directed by R. Sundarrajan. Although written by Gangai Amaran, the film's music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, showcasing classic rural folk-pop arrangements typical of 1990s Tamil cinema boat songs.
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