- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Vaazhkai Padagu
- Movie release year
- 1965
- Lyrics added on
- 18 Jul 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Naetru Varai Nee Yaaro' is a timeless romantic duet from the 1965 Tamil movie 'Vaazhkai Padagu'. The song beautifully captures the transformation of two strangers into soulmates upon falling in love. The chorus reflects on how two separate lives, previously unaware of each other's existence, suddenly become inseparable and intertwined. The verses feature playful romantic banter between the lovers. The male protagonist teases the female lead for her shy bashfulness—noticing how she looks at the ground when he gazes at her, yet steals glances at him the moment he looks away. He praises her radiant beauty using classic Tamil literary tropes, comparing her face to a lotus and her lips to bright red berries. The female lead expresses her own longing and delight at his arrival, comparing him to a bee drawing close to a flower.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Naetru varai nee yaaro naan yaaro / Indru mudhal nee vaero naan vaero”
The repeating end sounds 'yaaro' and 'vaero' create a rhythmic, melodic cadence throughout the chorus.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Kovai pol idhazhai kanden”
The lyricist explicitly compares the lady's red lips to the ripe Kovai fruit (ivy gourd) using the comparison word 'pol' (like).
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vandu pol vandhaai indru”
The lover's sudden and welcome arrival is compared to a honeybee ('vandu') hovering around a blossom.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Unnai naan paarkkum podhu / Vinnai naan paarkkum podhu”
The second letter 'n' (ன/ண்) in 'Unnai' and 'Vinnai' creates a classic Tamil second-letter rhyme.
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Kaanum varai nee engae... / Kandavudan nee ingae...”
The repetition of the initial 'K' sound ('Kaanum' / 'Kandavudan') creates pleasant head alliteration.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Naetru Varai Nee Yaaro' from 'Vaazhkai Padagu' (1965) features music composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and vocals by P.B. Sreenivas and P. Susheela. Written by Kannadasan, this track remains one of the most famous romantic duets in Tamil cinema, picturized on 'Kaadhal Mannan' Gemini Ganesan and Devika. The song's playful lyrics on courtship and bashful glances made it an enduring classic of 1960s Tamil film music.
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