- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singers
- P. Unnikrishnan, Harini
- Music director
- D. Imman
- Movie name
- Desingu Raja
- Movie release year
- 2013
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Jun 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Nelaavattam (or 'Pom Pom Penne') from the movie Desingu Raja (2013) is a vibrant, upbeat rural Tamil folk track composed by D. Imman with lyrics by Yugabharathi. The song captures the playful flirtation between two lovers in a village setting, using everyday domestic activities—such as cooking ragi porridge, folding clothes, and chopping vegetables—as energetic metaphors for their evolving romantic feelings.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration) & Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kedaa vetti pongaiyilae.. / Keppa kazhi kindaiyila”
The song uses traditional Tamil poetic sound structures like repeating initial 'K' sounds ('Kedaa', 'Keppa', 'Kindaiyila') to create a rhythmic folk cadence.
Uvamai (Metaphor)
“Nelaavattam nethiyilae..”
'Nelaavattam' compares a round, attractive forehead directly to the full moon, highlighting the heroine's facial grace.
Anaphora / Lyrical Parallelism
“Vengayam narukka pazhagunen / Velleri narukka pazhagunen”
Repeating 'pazhagunen' (I learned) at the end of consecutive lines builds a conversational, incremental rhythm reflecting daily village chores.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by D. Imman with lyrics by Yugabharathi, 'Nelaavattam' showcases Imman's signature blend of traditional Tamil percussion instruments and lively brass folk arrangements suited for rural romantic comedies.
Keep listening
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