Nilavu Thoongum Neram
From Kunguma Chimil · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- S. Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Kunguma Chimil1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nilavu thoongum neram | When the moon goes to sleep |
| Ninaivu thoongidathu | Memories do not sleep |
| Female :Iravu thoonginaalum | Female: Even if the night falls asleep |
| Uravu thoongidathu | Our bond does not sleep |
| Male | |
| Idhu oru thodar kathai | This is a continuous story |
| Female :Dhinam dhinam valar pirai | Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon |
| Male :Nilavu thoongum neram | Male: When the moon goes to sleep |
| Male | |
| Naangu kannil indru | Today, in four eyes |
| Oru kaatchiyaanathae | A single vision was formed |
| Female :Vaanam kaatru boomi | Female: Sky, wind, and earth |
| Ivai saatchiyaanathae | These became the witnesses |
| Male | |
| Naan unnai paarthathu | Me seeing you |
| Poorva jenma bantham | Is a bond from a past life |
| Female :Neenda naal ninaivilae | Female: In memories cherished over long days |
| Vaazhum indha sontham | Lives this kinship |
| Male | |
| Naan ini nee.. | From now on, I am you.. |
| Female :Nee ini naan | Female: From now on, you are me |
| Male:Vaazhvom vaa kannae | Male: Come, my beloved, let us live |
| Female | |
| Nilavu thoongum neram | When the moon goes to sleep |
| Ninaivu thoongidathu | Memories do not sleep |
| Iravu thoonginaalum | Even if the night falls asleep |
| Uravu thoongidathu | Our bond does not sleep |
| Male | |
| Idhu oru thodar kathai | This is a continuous story |
| Dhinam dhinam valar pirai | Growing day by day like a waxing moon |
| Female :Nilavu thoongum neram… | Female: When the moon goes to sleep… |
| Male | |
| Geethai pola kaadhal | Love is like the Gita |
| Miga punithamaanathu | Extremely sacred |
| Female :Kothai nenjil aadum intha | Female: Swaying in a maiden's heart, this |
| Siluvai pondrathu | Is like a cross |
| Female | |
| Vaazhvilum thaazhvilum | In prosperity and adversity |
| Vilagidaatha nesam | An affection that never parts |
| Male :Vaalibam thendralaai | Male: Youth like a gentle breeze |
| Endrum ingu veesum | Will blow here forever |
| Female | |
| Yen mayakkam….. | Why this infatuation?..... |
| Male :Yen thayakkam | Male: Why this hesitation? |
| Female :Kannaa vaa ingae… | Female: Darling, come here… |
| Male | |
| Nilavu thoongum neram | When the moon goes to sleep |
| Ninaivu thoongidathu | Memories do not sleep |
| Female :Iravu thoonginaalum | Female: Even if the night falls asleep |
| Uravu thoongidathu | Our bond does not sleep |
| Male | |
| Idhu oru thodar kathai | This is a continuous story |
| Female :Dhinam dhinam valar pirai | Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon |
| Male & Female : | Male & Female: |
| Nilavu thoongum neram | When the moon goes to sleep |
| Ninaivu thoongidathu… | Memories do not sleep… |
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
நினைவு தூங்கிடாது
இரவு தூங்கினாலும்
உறவு தூங்கிடாது
இது ஒரு தொடர்கதை
தினம் தினம் வளர்பிறை
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
When the moon goes to sleep
Memories do not sleep
Female: Even if the night falls asleep
Our bond does not sleep
நான்கு கண்ணில் இன்று
ஒரு காட்சியானதே
வானம் காற்று பூமி இவை
சாட்சியானதே
This is a continuous story
Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Male: When the moon goes to sleep
நான் உனை பார்த்தது
பூர்வ ஜென்ம பந்தம்
நீண்ட நாள் நினைவிலே
வாழும் இந்த சொந்தம்
Today, in four eyes
A single vision was formed
Female: Sky, wind, and earth
These became the witnesses
நான் இனி நீ...
நீ இனி நான்
வாழ்வோம் வா கண்ணே
Me seeing you
Is a bond from a past life
Female: In memories cherished over long days
Lives this kinship
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
நினைவு தூங்கிடாது
இரவு தூங்கினாலும்
உறவு தூங்கிடாது
இது ஒரு தொடர்கதை
தினம் தினம் வளர்பிறை
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
From now on, I am you..
Female: From now on, you are me
Male: Come, my beloved, let us live
கீதை போலக் காதல்
மிகப் புனிதமானது
கோதை நெஞ்சில் ஆடும்
இந்தச் சிலுவை போன்றது
வாழ்விலும் தாழ்விலும்
விலகிடாத நேசம்
வாலிபம் தென்றலாய்
என்றும் இங்கு வீசும்
When the moon goes to sleep
Memories do not sleep
Even if the night falls asleep
Our bond does not sleep
ஏன் மயக்கம்
ஏன் தயக்கம்
கண்ணா வா இங்கே
This is a continuous story
Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Female: When the moon goes to sleep…
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
நினைவு தூங்கிடாது
இரவு தூங்கினாலும்
உறவு தூங்கிடாது
இது ஒரு தொடர்கதை
தினம் தினம் வளர்பிறை
ஆண் மற்றும் பெண் :
நிலவு தூங்கும் நேரம்
நினைவு தூங்கிடாது
Love is like the Gita
Extremely sacred
Female: Swaying in a maiden's heart, this
Is like a cross
In prosperity and adversity
An affection that never parts
Male: Youth like a gentle breeze
Will blow here forever
Why this infatuation?.....
Male: Why this hesitation?
Female: Darling, come here…
When the moon goes to sleep
Memories do not sleep
Female: Even if the night falls asleep
Our bond does not sleep
This is a continuous story
Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Male & Female:
When the moon goes to sleep
Memories do not sleep…
Nilavu thoongum neram
When the moon goes to sleep
Ninaivu thoongidathu
Memories do not sleep
Female :Iravu thoonginaalum
Female: Even if the night falls asleep
Uravu thoongidathu
Our bond does not sleep
Idhu oru thodar kathai
This is a continuous story
Female :Dhinam dhinam valar pirai
Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Male :Nilavu thoongum neram
Male: When the moon goes to sleep
Naangu kannil indru
Today, in four eyes
Oru kaatchiyaanathae
A single vision was formed
Female :Vaanam kaatru boomi
Female: Sky, wind, and earth
Ivai saatchiyaanathae
These became the witnesses
Naan unnai paarthathu
Me seeing you
Poorva jenma bantham
Is a bond from a past life
Female :Neenda naal ninaivilae
Female: In memories cherished over long days
Vaazhum indha sontham
Lives this kinship
Naan ini nee..
From now on, I am you..
Female :Nee ini naan
Female: From now on, you are me
Male:Vaazhvom vaa kannae
Male: Come, my beloved, let us live
Nilavu thoongum neram
When the moon goes to sleep
Ninaivu thoongidathu
Memories do not sleep
Iravu thoonginaalum
Even if the night falls asleep
Uravu thoongidathu
Our bond does not sleep
Idhu oru thodar kathai
This is a continuous story
Dhinam dhinam valar pirai
Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Female :Nilavu thoongum neram…
Female: When the moon goes to sleep…
Geethai pola kaadhal
Love is like the Gita
Miga punithamaanathu
Extremely sacred
Female :Kothai nenjil aadum intha
Female: Swaying in a maiden's heart, this
Siluvai pondrathu
Is like a cross
Vaazhvilum thaazhvilum
In prosperity and adversity
Vilagidaatha nesam
An affection that never parts
Male :Vaalibam thendralaai
Male: Youth like a gentle breeze
Endrum ingu veesum
Will blow here forever
Yen mayakkam…..
Why this infatuation?.....
Male :Yen thayakkam
Male: Why this hesitation?
Female :Kannaa vaa ingae…
Female: Darling, come here…
Nilavu thoongum neram
When the moon goes to sleep
Ninaivu thoongidathu
Memories do not sleep
Female :Iravu thoonginaalum
Female: Even if the night falls asleep
Uravu thoongidathu
Our bond does not sleep
Idhu oru thodar kathai
This is a continuous story
Female :Dhinam dhinam valar pirai
Female: Growing day by day like a waxing moon
Male & Female :
Male & Female:
Nilavu thoongum neram
When the moon goes to sleep
Ninaivu thoongidathu…
Memories do not sleep…
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This romantic duet expresses the eternal and sacred nature of love between two soulmates. The lovers reflect on how their connection transcends night, sleep, and time itself, viewing their romance as a continuous story that grows deeper like a waxing moon. Nature itself—the sky, wind, and earth—stands witness to a destiny rooted in past lifetimes. Comparing love to sacred scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and holy symbols like the Cross, the song highlights the solemnity, sacrifice, and divinity within true devotion. The lovers shed their individual identities to become one entity, pledging eternal togetherness through all life's ups and downs.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Nilavu thoongum neram / Ninaivu thoongidathu”
Both lines begin with the sound 'Ni' (Nilavu, Ninaivu), creating an alliterative rhythmic flow.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Iravu thoonginaalum / Uravu thoongidathu”
The second consonant 'ra' (ra) is identical in both 'Iravu' and 'Uravu'.
Simile (Uvamai Ani)
“Geethai pola kaadhal / Siluvai pondrathu”
Love is explicitly compared to the Gita ('pola') and to a cross ('pondrathu'), emphasizing its sacred and self-sacrificing nature.
Metaphor
“Dhinam dhinam valar pirai”
The growing affection between the lovers is metaphorically equated to a waxing moon ('valar pirai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as unknown in the provided context, 'Kunguma Chimil' (1985) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with this iconic duet rendered by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki. The lyrics were penned by Vaali, who cleverly blended secular and religious metaphors (Gita and Cross) to signify universal, sacred love.
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