- Lyricist
- Na. Kamarasan
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Pudhu Manithan
- Movie release year
- 1991
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Oct 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Nilavukku Thaalaattu' is a poignant composition from Pudhu Manithan (1991) lyricized by Na. Kamarasan. The song uses rich nature imagery—the moon, cuckoos, rains, rivers, and veenas—to express profound grief, empathy, and comfort. It portrays the suffering of a gentle soul who, despite spreading joy and sweetness to others, is burdened with sadness and silence. The emotional arc transitions from sorrow over mute instruments and sorrowful tears to an uplifting message of hope and perseverance. The song reminds the listener that setbacks and tears are temporary phases, reassuring them that today's struggles will bloom into tomorrow's triumph.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Maragatha veenai narambugal oomai…”
Compares an unspoken or silenced voice/talent to the mute strings of an emerald veena.
Simile (Upamai)
“Isai mazhai thedum… nathiyena paadi…”
Explicitly compares the character's yearning voice to a river searching for a rain of music.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Nilavukku thaalaattu / Solai kuyilae nee paadu”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across corresponding metrical positions creating melodic cadence.
Personification
“Kaalangal innum kan moodavillai”
Attributes human characteristics to Time ('Kaalangal'), depicting it as an entity that hasn't closed its eyes.
Did you know?
Trivia
Pudhu Manithan (1991) stars Sathyaraj and Bhanupriya, directed by Thinnai Thozhar Velu. The soundtrack was composed by Deva, featuring memorable lyrics by Na. Kamarasan, one of Tamil cinema's acclaimed modern poets known for his vivid surrealist imagery.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Pudhu Manithan
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.