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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Neeyindri Naano Naanindri Neeyo

From Magarantham · 1981

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Magarantham1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Neeyindri naano naanindri neeyoAm I myself without you, or are you yourself without me?
Neeyindri naano naanindri neeyoAm I myself without you, or are you yourself without me?
Nilavindri vaano idhai ninaivil kolvaayoCan the sky exist without the moon? Will you keep this in mind?
Female
Yaenintha kobam idhilenna laabamWhy this anger? What is the gain in it?
Yaenintha kobam idhilenna laabamWhy this anger? What is the gain in it?
En kadhal dheepam ennaalum neeyandroAren't you forever the lamp of my love?
Male
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Kadhali kodi malaraamarandroIsn't the beloved like a creeper blooming with a million flowers?
Kaatchiyin saatchi manam thaanandroIsn't the heart itself the true witness to this spectacle?
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Male
Vaadaatha meni soodaana raniO queen of warm, unfading beauty,
Vaadaatha meni soodaana raniO queen of warm, unfading beauty,
Paadaatha thaenee penn paavai neeyandroAren't you a silent honeybee, a delicate maiden?
Female
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Kadhali kodi malaraamarandroIsn't the beloved like a creeper blooming with a million flowers?
Kaatchiyin saatchi manam thaanandroIsn't the heart itself the true witness to this spectacle?
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Male
Virumpaatha ennam thirumpaatha vannamWith unwanted thoughts and unreturning ways,
Virumpaatha ennam thirumpaatha vannamWith unwanted thoughts and unreturning ways,
Arumoaana mullai kurunagaiyum sinthaathoWon't you scatter a gentle smile like precious jasmine?
Female
Arumpaaga minnum kurumpaana ennamMischievous thoughts gleaming like tender buds,
Arumpaaga minnum kurumpaana ennamMischievous thoughts gleaming like tender buds,
Karumpaagum vannam kannpaarvai sollaathoWon't a glance from your eyes reveal how sweet as sugarcane it becomes?
Male
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Female :Kadhali kodi malaraamarandroFemale: Isn't the beloved like a creeper blooming with a million flowers?
Male :Kaatchiyin saatchi manam thaanandroMale: Isn't the heart itself the true witness to this spectacle?
Both :Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroBoth: Isn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?
Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandroIsn't love a sight of seven rainbow colors?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic romantic duet celebrates the profound interdependence and sweet reconciliation between two lovers. The speaker gently questions the reason for lingering anger, emphasizing that just as the sky cannot exist without the moon, neither lover is complete without the other. Love is depicted as a vibrant rainbow filled with joyful colors, transforming life into something as sweet as sugarcane. Through rich classical imagery—comparing the heroine to an unfading flower, a warm queen, and a tender jasmine bloom—the song highlights how genuine affection melts misunderstandings. The heart serves as the ultimate witness to their deep, unbreakable romantic connection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Analogy & Rhetorical Question

Nilavindri vaano idhai ninaivil kolvaayo

The line compares the lovers' interdependence to the sky and the moon, asking rhetorically if one can exist without the other.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Vaanavil yaezhu vanna kaatchiyandro

Love is directly metaphorized as a vibrant seven-colored rainbow display.

Edhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Virumpaatha ennam thirumpaatha vannam

The second consonant sound 'ru' rhymes across consecutive words (Virumpaatha / Thirumpaatha).

Simile & Imagery

Arumoaana mullai kurunagaiyum sinthaatho

Compares a tender smile to blossoming jasmine flowers (mullai kurunagai).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the popular music duo Shankar-Ganesh for the 1981 film 'Magarantham', this song features lyrics by the legendary A. Maruthakasi. Maruthakasi was renowned for his rich classical Tamil vocabulary and elegant imagery, which made his duets timeless during the Golden Age of Tamil film music.

Keep listening

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