Nilavenna Pesumo
From Vadivangal · 1982
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Chandrabose
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Vadivangal1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| …………….. | |
| Male | |
| Nilavenna pesumo | Will the moon speak? |
| Ilangaattru veesumo | Will the gentle breeze blow? |
| Vizhiyodu uravaadum | Bonding with the eyes, |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo | Why is language silent? |
| Male | |
| Nilavenna pesumo | Will the moon speak? |
| Ilangaattru veesumo | Will the gentle breeze blow? |
| Vizhiyodu uravaadum | Bonding with the eyes, |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo | Why is language silent? |
| Male | |
| Kulirkaala kodaiyil | In the summer of winter times, |
| Kodhikkindra vaadaiyil | In the scorching northern breeze, |
| Thalirukku thee moottum niyaayangalo | Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves? |
| Kulirkaala kodaiyil | In the summer of winter times, |
| Kothikkindra vaadaiyil | In the scorching northern breeze, |
| Thalirukku thee moottum niyaayangalo | Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves? |
| Male | |
| Karaiyaeri vaarungal | Come ashore, |
| Imai sinthum pookkalae | O flowers shed by the eyelashes! |
| Irai thedi thedi | Searching and searching for sustenance, |
| Ingae yaemaattramo… | Is there only disappointment here? |
| Male | |
| Nilavenna pesumo | Will the moon speak? |
| Ilangaattru veesumo | Will the gentle breeze blow? |
| Vizhiyodu uravaadum | Bonding with the eyes, |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo | Why is language silent? |
| Male | |
| Irul illai iravukku | There is no darkness left in the night, |
| Porulillai uravukku | There is no meaning in relationships, |
| Theruppaadal aasthaana sabai yaerumo | Will a street song ever enter the royal court? |
| Irul illai iravukku | There is no darkness left in the night, |
| Porulillai uravukku | There is no meaning in relationships, |
| Theruppaadal aasthaana sabai yaerumo | Will a street song ever enter the royal court? |
| Male | |
| Pudhirukku vidaiyillai | There is no answer to the riddle, |
| Porukkum pagaiyillai | There is no hostility left to endure, |
| Vidhi solli solli | By repeatedly blaming destiny, |
| Intha nilai maarumo | Will this state ever change? |
| Male | |
| Nilavenna pesumo | Will the moon speak? |
| Ilangaattru veesumo | Will the gentle breeze blow? |
| Vizhiyodu uravaadum | Bonding with the eyes, |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo | Why is language silent? |
| Male | |
| Nilavenna pesumo | Will the moon speak? |
| Ilangaattru veesumo | Will the gentle breeze blow? |
| Vizhiyodu uravaadum | Bonding with the eyes, |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo | Why is language silent? |
| Mozhiyenna mounamo…. | Why is language silent? |
......................
நிலவென்ன பேசுமோ
இளங்காற்று வீசுமோ
விழியோடு உறவாடும்
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ
Will the moon speak?
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Bonding with the eyes,
Why is language silent?
நிலவென்ன பேசுமோ
இளங்காற்று வீசுமோ
விழியோடு உறவாடும்
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ...
Will the moon speak?
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Bonding with the eyes,
Why is language silent?
குளிர்கால கோடையில்
கொதிக்கின்ற வாடையில்
தளிருக்கு தீ மூட்டும் நியாயங்களோ
குளிர்கால கோடையில்
கொதிக்கின்ற வாடையில்
தளிருக்கு தீ மூட்டும் நியாயங்களோ
In the summer of winter times,
In the scorching northern breeze,
Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves?
In the summer of winter times,
In the scorching northern breeze,
Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves?
கரையேறி வாருங்கள்
இமை சிந்தும் பூக்களே
இரை தேடித் தேடி
இங்கே ஏமாற்றமோ.....
Come ashore,
O flowers shed by the eyelashes!
Searching and searching for sustenance,
Is there only disappointment here?
நிலவென்ன பேசுமோ
இளங்காற்று வீசுமோ
விழியோடு உறவாடும்
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ...
Will the moon speak?
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Bonding with the eyes,
Why is language silent?
இருள் இல்லை இரவுக்கு
பொருளில்லை உறவுக்கு
தெருப்பாடல் ஆஸ்தான சபை ஏறுமோ
இருள் இல்லை இரவுக்கு
பொருளில்லை உறவுக்கு
தெருப்பாடல் ஆஸ்தான சபை ஏறுமோ
There is no darkness left in the night,
There is no meaning in relationships,
Will a street song ever enter the royal court?
There is no darkness left in the night,
There is no meaning in relationships,
Will a street song ever enter the royal court?
புதிருக்கு விடையில்லை
போருக்கு பகையில்லை
விதி சொல்லி சொல்லி
இந்த நிலை மாறுமோ
There is no answer to the riddle,
There is no hostility left to endure,
By repeatedly blaming destiny,
Will this state ever change?
நிலவென்ன பேசுமோ
இளங்காற்று வீசுமோ
விழியோடு உறவாடும்
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ...
Will the moon speak?
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Bonding with the eyes,
Why is language silent?
நிலவென்ன பேசுமோ
இளங்காற்று வீசுமோ
விழியோடு உறவாடும்
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ...
மொழியென்ன மௌனமோ...
Will the moon speak?
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Bonding with the eyes,
Why is language silent?
Why is language silent?
……………..
Nilavenna pesumo
Will the moon speak?
Ilangaattru veesumo
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Vizhiyodu uravaadum
Bonding with the eyes,
Mozhiyenna mounamo
Why is language silent?
Nilavenna pesumo
Will the moon speak?
Ilangaattru veesumo
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Vizhiyodu uravaadum
Bonding with the eyes,
Mozhiyenna mounamo
Why is language silent?
Kulirkaala kodaiyil
In the summer of winter times,
Kodhikkindra vaadaiyil
In the scorching northern breeze,
Thalirukku thee moottum niyaayangalo
Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves?
Kulirkaala kodaiyil
In the summer of winter times,
Kothikkindra vaadaiyil
In the scorching northern breeze,
Thalirukku thee moottum niyaayangalo
Is it fair to set fire to tender leaves?
Karaiyaeri vaarungal
Come ashore,
Imai sinthum pookkalae
O flowers shed by the eyelashes!
Irai thedi thedi
Searching and searching for sustenance,
Ingae yaemaattramo…
Is there only disappointment here?
Nilavenna pesumo
Will the moon speak?
Ilangaattru veesumo
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Vizhiyodu uravaadum
Bonding with the eyes,
Mozhiyenna mounamo
Why is language silent?
Irul illai iravukku
There is no darkness left in the night,
Porulillai uravukku
There is no meaning in relationships,
Theruppaadal aasthaana sabai yaerumo
Will a street song ever enter the royal court?
Irul illai iravukku
There is no darkness left in the night,
Porulillai uravukku
There is no meaning in relationships,
Theruppaadal aasthaana sabai yaerumo
Will a street song ever enter the royal court?
Pudhirukku vidaiyillai
There is no answer to the riddle,
Porukkum pagaiyillai
There is no hostility left to endure,
Vidhi solli solli
By repeatedly blaming destiny,
Intha nilai maarumo
Will this state ever change?
Nilavenna pesumo
Will the moon speak?
Ilangaattru veesumo
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Vizhiyodu uravaadum
Bonding with the eyes,
Mozhiyenna mounamo
Why is language silent?
Nilavenna pesumo
Will the moon speak?
Ilangaattru veesumo
Will the gentle breeze blow?
Vizhiyodu uravaadum
Bonding with the eyes,
Mozhiyenna mounamo
Why is language silent?
Mozhiyenna mounamo….
Why is language silent?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Nilavenna Pesumo' is a melancholic, reflective song from the 1982 Tamil film Vadivangal, composed and sung by Chandrabose with lyrics written by Vaali. The protagonist laments their deep existential sorrow, questioning nature and destiny. The lyricism centers on themes of quiet pain, unanswered questions, and the heavy silence that descends when emotional distress becomes overwhelming. Through vivid imagery—such as setting fire to tender shoots in summer cold or asking if a humble street song can ever reach a royal court—Vaali highlights themes of helplessness and social rejection. The emotional trajectory transitions from silent grief to questioning the cruelty of fate, concluding with an echoing rhetorical plea about the silence of words.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Muran (Oxymoron / Paradox)
“Kulirkaala kodaiyil / Kodhikkindra vaadaiyil”
Pairs opposing concepts—'Kulirkaalam' (winter/cold season) with 'Kodai' (summer), and 'Kodhikkindra' (boiling/scalding) with 'Vaadai' (cold northern wind)—to express inner turmoil and severe contradiction.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Imai sinthum pookkalae”
Tears shed from eyelashes are poetically metaphorized as falling flowers ('pookkal').
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)
“Theruppaadal aasthaana sabai yaerumo”
The speaker asks whether a simple street song can ever reach a royal court, reflecting the anguish of social disparity and unrecognized pain without expecting a literal answer.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Irul illai iravukku / Porulillai uravukku”
The second letter 'ru' (ரு) in 'Irul' and 'Porul' rhymes across consecutive lines, creating a rhythmic and melancholic sound.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Nilavenna Pesumo' is a rare track where Chandrabose served as both the music composer and sole playback singer. Known primarily for his upbeat and folk-influenced compositions in 1980s Rajinikanth hits like 'Manidhan' and 'Raja Chinna Roja', Chandrabose demonstrates his soulful vocal range and emotional depth in this quiet, introspective song from 'Vadivangal' (1982).
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