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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nillatha Vennila

From Aanazhagan · 1995

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Ilayaraja, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Aanazhagan1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en kaadhaliStop, stop, my beloved!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un kan vazhiSpeak, speak through your eyes!
Nillaamalae nee povadhaenWhy do you leave without stopping?
Sollaamalae naan novadhaen yenWhy do I suffer without you telling me why?
Female
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en vaasalilStop, stop at my doorway!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un paarvaiyilSpeak, speak through your gaze!
Male
Maan thullum malaiyaalathinOf Malayalam land where deer prance,
Ezhil chithiramae chithiramaeOh beautiful portrait, beautiful portrait!
Vaazhaiyum ilaneeraiyum kondaBlessed with plantains and tender coconuts,
Nannilamae nannilamaeOh fertile land, fertile land!
Female
Kerala kuyil koovidumThe cuckoo of Kerala sings,
Isai thitthithadho thitthithadhoIs its music sweet, so sweet?
Aavani thiruvonathilOn the day of Avani Thiruvonam,
Unnai sandhitthadho sandhitthadhoDid it meet you, did it meet you?
Male
Ponnallo siru poovalloIs it gold, or a little flower?
Mella thodavo ennai tharavoShall I touch gently or give myself?
Female
Thaenallo pasum paalalloIs it honey, or fresh cow's milk?
Pakkam varavo naan tharavoShall I come close and give myself?
Male
Semmeengal thulludhaeRed fish are leaping
Ingum angum kan odaiyilHere and there in the stream of eyes!
Female
Sandhosham pongudhaeHappiness overflows
Munnum pinnum un koodalilBefore and after in your union!
Naan sollavao chinna poo allavoShall I tell you, are you not a little flower?
Male
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en kaadhaliStop, stop, my beloved!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un kan vazhiSpeak, speak through your eyes!
Female
Nillaamalae nee povadhaenWhy do you leave without stopping?
Sollaamalae naan novadhaen yenWhy do I suffer without you telling me why?
Male
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en kaadhaliStop, stop, my beloved!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un kan vazhiSpeak, speak through your eyes!
Female
Nee vara edhir paarthadhuAwaiting your arrival,
Indha nandhavanam nandhavanamIs this flower garden, flower garden!
Nee thoda ingu poothadhuBloomed for your touch here
Indha sengamalam sengamalamIs this red lotus, red lotus!
Male
Kaamanin kalai kaanbadhuExperiencing the art of Cupid,
Indha andhappuram andhappuramIs this inner palace, inner palace!
Poo mara kuyil koovudhuThe cuckoo in the flowering tree coos,
Ingu saptha swaram saptha swaramHere are seven musical notes, seven notes!
Female
Manjamae intha nenjamaeThis heart is the bed,
Sugam panjamo ingu konjamoIs pleasure scarce here, or is it a little?
Male
Ullamae inba vellamaeThe mind is a flood of joy,
unnai allavo alli chellavoShall I gather you up and take you away?
Female
Andraadam saervadhuJoining every single day,
Mannaa mannaa un pon madiOh King, oh King, your golden lap!
Male
Ennaalum inbamaeJoy on all days,
Neeyae neeyae en paingiliYou alone, you alone are my green parrot!
Poo mangaiyae pongidum gangaiyaeOh flower maiden, oh overflowing Ganges!
Female
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en vaasalilStop, stop at my doorway!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un paarvaiyilSpeak, speak through your gaze!
Male
Nillaamalae nee povadhaenWhy do you leave without stopping?
Sollaamalae naan novadhaen yenWhy do I suffer without you telling me why?
Female
Nillaadha vennilaaUnstopping white moon,
Nillu nillu en vaasalilStop, stop at my doorway!
Sollaadha pon mozhiUnspoken golden words,
Sollu sollu un paarvaiyilSpeak, speak through your gaze!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Nillaadha Vennilaa is a romantic track from the 1995 Tamil film Aanazhagan, featuring lyrics penned by Vaali. The song captures a romantic duet where two lovers express their intense longing, admiration, and passion for each other. Using rich nature metaphors drawn from the lush landscapes of Kerala—such as tender coconuts, prancing deer, and singing cuckoos—the hero extols the grace and charm of his beloved, comparing her gaze to a flowing stream and her presence to the festive celebration of Thiruvonam. In response, the female lead embraces his love, expressing her desire to surrender to his affection. The lyricist skillfully weaves together themes of yearning, beauty, and emotional togetherness into a melodious rhythm.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Nillaadha vennilaa / Nillu nillu en kaadhali

Repetition of the initial letter 'Ni' across words in the line creating rhythmic resonance.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Nillaamalae nee povadhaen / Sollaamalae naan novadhaen yen

The second letter 'l' (ல்) rhymes in both Nillaamalae and Sollaamalae.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Sollaadha pon mozhi

Unuttered words are directly compared to gold ('pon mozhi').

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Nillu nillu en kaadhali

The word 'Nillu' is repeated consecutively to express urgent pleading and emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

Aanazhagan (1995) was directed by Prashanth's father, Thiagarajan, and famously features actor Prashanth in a female disguise for a significant part of the movie. The film's soundtrack was composed by the legendary music director K. V. Mahadevan.

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