Nilavu Oru Pennagi
From Ulagam Sutrum Valiban · 1973
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Ulagam Sutrum Valiban1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Nilavu oru pennagi | Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman |
| Ulavugindra azhago | and is strolling around? |
| Neeralaigal idam maari | Is it hair that swims |
| Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2) | like water waves shifting places? |
| Neenthugindra kuzhalo | Hair that swims like shifting waves? |
| Male | |
| { Maathulaiyin poo polae | Like a pomegranate flower, |
| Malarugindra idhazho } (2) | are these lips that bloom? |
| Maan inamum meen inamum | Eyes that make deer and fish |
| Mayangugindra vizhiyo | swoon with enchantment? |
| Male | |
| Nilavu oru pennagi | Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman |
| Ulavugindra azhago | and is strolling around? |
| Neeralaigal idam maari | Is it hair that swims |
| { Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2) | like water waves shifting places? |
| Male | |
| { Puruvam oru villaga | With her eyebrow as a bow, |
| Paarvai oru kanaiyaaga } (2) | and her glance as an arrow, |
| Paruvam oru thalamaaga | with her youth as the battlefield, |
| Por thoduka piranthavalo | was she born to wage a war of love? |
| Male | |
| { Kurunagaiyin vannathil | In the color of a subtle smile, |
| Kuzhi vizhuntha kannathil } (2) | on her dimpled cheek, |
| Thaen suvaiyai thaan kuzhaithu | mixing the sweet taste of honey, |
| Kodupathellam ival thaano | is she the one who bestows it all? |
| Male | |
| Nilavu oru pennagi | Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman |
| Ulavugindra azhago | and is strolling around? |
| Neeralaigal idam maari | Is it hair that swims |
| Neenthugindra kuzhalo | like water waves shifting places? |
| Male | |
| Pavalamena viral | Fingers like coral, |
| Nagamum pasum thalir | nails and tender leaf-like |
| Pol valaikaramum | bangled arms, |
| Male | |
| Thaen kanigal iru | bearing sweet fruit-like breasts |
| Puramum thaangi | on both sides, |
| Varum poonkodiyo | is she a flowering creeper approaching? |
| Male | |
| { Aalkadalin sangaaga | Formed like a conch from the deep sea, |
| Neelkazhuthu amainthavalo } (2) | does she possess a long, graceful neck? |
| Yazhisaiyin oliyaaga vaaimozhi | Her spoken words blooming like |
| Thaan malarnthavalo | the melody of a lute? |
| Male | |
| Nilavu oru pennagi | Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman |
| Ulavugindra azhago | and is strolling around? |
| Neeralaigal idam maari | Is it hair that swims |
| Neenthugindra kuzhalo | like water waves shifting places? |
| Male | |
| Senthazhalin oli | Taking the brilliance of red flame, |
| Eduthu santhanathin | and imparting the coolness |
| Kulir koduthu | of sandalwood, |
| Male | |
| Ponpagatil vaarthu | cast in golden splendor, |
| Vaitha pennudalai ennavenben | what shall I call this crafted female form? |
| Male | |
| { Madalvaazhai thudai | With thighs like plantain stems, |
| Iruka macham ondru adhil iruka } (2) | and a mole adorned upon them, |
| Padaithavanin thiramai ellam | I call her the ultimate beauty who embodies |
| Muzhumai petra azhagi enben | the total perfection of the Creator's skill. |
| Male | |
| Nilavu oru pennagi | Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman |
| Ulavugindra azhago | and is strolling around? |
| Neeralaigal idam maari | Is it hair that swims |
| { Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2) | like water waves shifting places? |
{ நிலவு ஒரு
பெண்ணாகி உலவுகின்ற
அழகோ நீரலைகள் இடம்
மாறி நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ } (2)
நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
and is strolling around?
Is it hair that swims
like water waves shifting places?
Hair that swims like shifting waves?
{ மாதுளையின் பூ
போலே மலருகின்ற
இதழோ } (2)
மான் இனமும் மீன்
இனமும் மயங்குகின்ற
விழியோ
Like a pomegranate flower,
are these lips that bloom?
Eyes that make deer and fish
swoon with enchantment?
நிலவு ஒரு
பெண்ணாகி உலவுகின்ற
அழகோ நீரலைகள் இடம்
மாறி நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
and is strolling around?
Is it hair that swims
like water waves shifting places?
{ புருவம் ஒரு
வில்லாக பார்வை
ஒரு கணையாக } (2)
பருவம் ஒரு தளமாக
போர் தொடுக்க பிறந்தவளோ
With her eyebrow as a bow,
and her glance as an arrow,
with her youth as the battlefield,
was she born to wage a war of love?
{ குறுநகையின்
வண்ணத்தில் குழி
விழுந்த கன்னத்தில் } (2)
தேன் சுவையை தான்
குழைத்து கொடுப்பதெல்லாம்
இவள் தானோ
In the color of a subtle smile,
on her dimpled cheek,
mixing the sweet taste of honey,
is she the one who bestows it all?
நிலவு ஒரு
பெண்ணாகி உலவுகின்ற
அழகோ நீரலைகள் இடம்
மாறி நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
and is strolling around?
Is it hair that swims
like water waves shifting places?
பவளமென விரல்
நகமும் பசும் தளிர் போல்
வளைகரமும்
Fingers like coral,
nails and tender leaf-like
bangled arms,
தேன் கனிகள்
இரு புறமும் தாங்கி
வரும் பூங்கொடியோ
bearing sweet fruit-like breasts
on both sides,
is she a flowering creeper approaching?
{ ஆழ்கடலின்
சங்காக நீள்கழுத்து
அமைந்தவளோ } (2)
யாழிசையின் ஒலியாக
வாய்மொழி தான்
மலர்ந்தவளோ
Formed like a conch from the deep sea,
does she possess a long, graceful neck?
Her spoken words blooming like
the melody of a lute?
நிலவு ஒரு
பெண்ணாகி உலவுகின்ற
அழகோ நீரலைகள் இடம்
மாறி நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
and is strolling around?
Is it hair that swims
like water waves shifting places?
செந்தழலின் ஒளி
எடுத்து சந்தனத்தின்
குளிர் கொடுத்து
Taking the brilliance of red flame,
and imparting the coolness
of sandalwood,
பொன்பகட்டில்
வார்த்துவைத்த
பெண்ணுடலை
என்னவென்பேன்
cast in golden splendor,
what shall I call this crafted female form?
{ மடல்வாழை
தொடை இருக்க மச்சம்
ஒன்று அதில் இருக்க } (2)
படைத்தவனின் திறமை
எல்லாம் முழுமை பெற்ற
அழகி என்பேன்
With thighs like plantain stems,
and a mole adorned upon them,
I call her the ultimate beauty who embodies
the total perfection of the Creator's skill.
நிலவு ஒரு
பெண்ணாகி உலவுகின்ற
அழகோ நீரலைகள் இடம்
மாறி நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
நீந்துகின்ற குழலோ
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
and is strolling around?
Is it hair that swims
like water waves shifting places?
{ Nilavu oru pennagi
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
Ulavugindra azhago
and is strolling around?
Neeralaigal idam maari
Is it hair that swims
Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2)
like water waves shifting places?
Neenthugindra kuzhalo
Hair that swims like shifting waves?
{ Maathulaiyin poo polae
Like a pomegranate flower,
Malarugindra idhazho } (2)
are these lips that bloom?
Maan inamum meen inamum
Eyes that make deer and fish
Mayangugindra vizhiyo
swoon with enchantment?
Nilavu oru pennagi
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
Ulavugindra azhago
and is strolling around?
Neeralaigal idam maari
Is it hair that swims
{ Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2)
like water waves shifting places?
{ Puruvam oru villaga
With her eyebrow as a bow,
Paarvai oru kanaiyaaga } (2)
and her glance as an arrow,
Paruvam oru thalamaaga
with her youth as the battlefield,
Por thoduka piranthavalo
was she born to wage a war of love?
{ Kurunagaiyin vannathil
In the color of a subtle smile,
Kuzhi vizhuntha kannathil } (2)
on her dimpled cheek,
Thaen suvaiyai thaan kuzhaithu
mixing the sweet taste of honey,
Kodupathellam ival thaano
is she the one who bestows it all?
Nilavu oru pennagi
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
Ulavugindra azhago
and is strolling around?
Neeralaigal idam maari
Is it hair that swims
Neenthugindra kuzhalo
like water waves shifting places?
Pavalamena viral
Fingers like coral,
Nagamum pasum thalir
nails and tender leaf-like
Pol valaikaramum
bangled arms,
Thaen kanigal iru
bearing sweet fruit-like breasts
Puramum thaangi
on both sides,
Varum poonkodiyo
is she a flowering creeper approaching?
{ Aalkadalin sangaaga
Formed like a conch from the deep sea,
Neelkazhuthu amainthavalo } (2)
does she possess a long, graceful neck?
Yazhisaiyin oliyaaga vaaimozhi
Her spoken words blooming like
Thaan malarnthavalo
the melody of a lute?
Nilavu oru pennagi
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
Ulavugindra azhago
and is strolling around?
Neeralaigal idam maari
Is it hair that swims
Neenthugindra kuzhalo
like water waves shifting places?
Senthazhalin oli
Taking the brilliance of red flame,
Eduthu santhanathin
and imparting the coolness
Kulir koduthu
of sandalwood,
Ponpagatil vaarthu
cast in golden splendor,
Vaitha pennudalai ennavenben
what shall I call this crafted female form?
{ Madalvaazhai thudai
With thighs like plantain stems,
Iruka macham ondru adhil iruka } (2)
and a mole adorned upon them,
Padaithavanin thiramai ellam
I call her the ultimate beauty who embodies
Muzhumai petra azhagi enben
the total perfection of the Creator's skill.
Nilavu oru pennagi
Is it a beauty where the moon became a woman
Ulavugindra azhago
and is strolling around?
Neeralaigal idam maari
Is it hair that swims
{ Neenthugindra kuzhalo } (2)
like water waves shifting places?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Nilavu Oru Pennagi' is a romantic visual track from the 1973 film 'Ulagam Sutrum Valiban'. Written by Vaali, the song poetically extols the heroine's physical beauty by comparing her features to various elements of nature and fine arts. Her face is equated to the walking moon, her cascading hair to shifting water waves, her lips to pomegranate blossoms, and her eyes to the captivating gaze of deer and fish. The hero marvels at the Creator's craftsmanship, viewing her as an artwork synthesized from the glow of fire, the coolness of sandalwood, and the radiance of gold. Through classical Tamil poetic imagery, the song portrays her as an embodiment of ultimate aesthetic perfection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai Ani (Simile)
“Maathulaiyin poo polae”
Compares the blooming lips directly to a pomegranate flower using the explicit comparison word 'polae'.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Puruvam oru villaga Paarvai oru kanaiyaaga”
Metaphorically equates the eyebrows to a bow and the romantic glance to an arrow launched in a battlefield of youth.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Puruvam / Paarvai / Paruvam / Por”
Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'P' across consecutive lines creates rhythmic flow.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kurunagaiyin / Kuzhi”
Matching of second letter consonants ('ru' / 'zhi' / soft 'u' sounds) in consecutive descriptions.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Nilavu Oru Pennagi' was composed by M. S. Viswanathan and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan for M. G. Ramachandran in the mega-hit film 'Ulagam Sutrum Valiban' (1973). The movie was one of the earliest Indian films to be extensively shot in foreign locations across East Asia, including Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
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