Niram Pirithu
From Time · 1999
- Lyricist
- Pazhani Bharathi
- Singer
- Sujatha Mohan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Time1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Lalala laa laa laalaa | Lalala laa laa laalaa |
| Lalala laa laa laalaa | Lalala laa laa laalaa |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Suram pirithu ketten | I separated the musical notes and listened |
| Sangeedha vannam enna | What is the hue of the music? |
| Female | |
| Parandhen thirinden | I flew and wandered around |
| Un aasaiyil oh… | In the longing for you, oh... |
| Karaindhen uraindhen | I dissolved and froze |
| Un kaadhalil oh… | In your love, oh... |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Female | |
| Endha megam endha ooril | Which cloud in which town |
| Indru sendru pozhiyum | Will go and pour rain today? |
| Munnaalae munnaale yaar solluvaar | Who can tell beforehand, who can tell? |
| Endha kallil enna sirppam | What sculpture lies inside which stone |
| Yaar vadikka koodum | And who will carve it out? |
| Munnaalae munnaale yaar solluvaar | Who can tell beforehand, who can tell? |
| Female | |
| Kaalamae padaiththadhu | Time created it |
| Kaalamae maraiththadhu | Time concealed it |
| Naalaigal enbadhu | That which is called tomorrow |
| Naalaidhaan ulladhu | Lies only in the future |
| Female | |
| Kaalamagal suttuviral | The index finger of Mother Time |
| Endha dhisai kaattum | Whichever direction it points to |
| Angudhaan megamum | Only there will the clouds |
| Mazhai neer ootrum…mmm | Pour down their rainwater... mmm |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Suram pirithu ketten | I separated the musical notes and listened |
| Sangeedha vannam enna | What is the hue of the music? |
| Female | |
| Parandhen thirinden | I flew and wandered around |
| Un aasaiyil oh… | In the longing for you, oh... |
| Karaindhen uraindhen | I dissolved and froze |
| Un kaadhalil oh… | In your love, oh... |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Female | |
| Oviyathil endha kodu | Which stroke in a painting |
| Engu sera koodum | Where might it connect? |
| Ellaamae ellaamae nam kaiyilae | Is everything, everything in our hands? |
| Vaazhkai ennum saalai ondru | This single road called life |
| Engu yaarai serkkum | Where will it bring whom together? |
| Ellaamae ellaamae yaar kaiyilae | In whose hands is everything, everything? |
| Female | |
| Vasandhaththin solaigal | Groves of spring season |
| Vazhiyilae thondralaam | May appear along the way |
| Kaalamum kaadhalum | Time and love |
| Thozhamai aagalaam | Can become companions |
| Female | |
| Muthu chippi moodivaikkum | Just as a pearl oyster shell keeps hidden |
| Muthukkal pol aasai | Desires like pearls |
| Moodivaitha nenjukkullae | Inside the heart kept concealed |
| Alaikkadal osai… | Is the sound of a stormy ocean... |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Suram pirithu ketten | I separated the musical notes and listened |
| Sangeedha vannam enna | What is the hue of the music? |
| Female | |
| Parandhen thirinden | I flew and wandered around |
| Un aasaiyil oh… | In the longing for you, oh... |
| Karaindhen uraindhen | I dissolved and froze |
| Un kaadhalil oh… | In your love, oh... |
| Female | |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Un nenjin vannam enna | What is the true color of your heart? |
| Niram pirithu paarthen | I separated the colors and looked |
| Paarthen paarthen…. | I looked, I looked.... |
....................
Lalala laa laa laalaa
Lalala laa laa laalaa
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
சுரம் பிரித்து கேட்டேன்
சங்கீத வண்ணம் என்ன
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the musical notes and listened
What is the hue of the music?
பறந்தேன் திரிந்தேன்
உன் ஆசையில் ஓ....
கரைந்தேன் உறைந்தேன்
உன் காதலில் ஓ....
I flew and wandered around
In the longing for you, oh...
I dissolved and froze
In your love, oh...
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்.....
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the colors and looked
எந்த மேகம் எந்த ஊரில்
இன்று சென்று பொழியும்
முன்னாலே முன்னாலே யார் சொல்லுவார்
எந்த கல்லில் என்ன சிற்பம்
யார் வடிக்க கூடும்
முன்னாலே முன்னாலே யார் சொல்லுவார்
Which cloud in which town
Will go and pour rain today?
Who can tell beforehand, who can tell?
What sculpture lies inside which stone
And who will carve it out?
Who can tell beforehand, who can tell?
காலமே படைத்தது
காலமே மறைத்தது
நாளைகள் என்பது
நாளைதான் உள்ளது
Time created it
Time concealed it
That which is called tomorrow
Lies only in the future
காலமகள் சுட்டுவிரல்
எந்த திசை காட்டும்
அங்குதான் மேகமும்
மழை நீர் ஊற்றும்.....ம்ம்ம்
The index finger of Mother Time
Whichever direction it points to
Only there will the clouds
Pour down their rainwater... mmm
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
சுரம் பிரித்து கேட்டேன்
சங்கீத வண்ணம் என்ன
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the musical notes and listened
What is the hue of the music?
பறந்தேன் திரிந்தேன்
உன் ஆசையில் ஓ....
கரைந்தேன் உறைந்தேன்
உன் காதலில் ஓ....
I flew and wandered around
In the longing for you, oh...
I dissolved and froze
In your love, oh...
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the colors and looked
ஓவியத்தில் எந்த கோடு
எங்கு சேர கூடும்
எல்லாமே எல்லாமே நம் கையிலே
வாழ்க்கை என்னும் சாலை ஒன்று
எங்கு யாரை சேர்க்கும்
எல்லாமே எல்லாமே யார் கையிலே
Which stroke in a painting
Where might it connect?
Is everything, everything in our hands?
This single road called life
Where will it bring whom together?
In whose hands is everything, everything?
வசந்தத்தின் சோலைகள்
வழியிலே தோன்றலாம்
காலமும் காதலும்
தோழமை ஆகலாம்
Groves of spring season
May appear along the way
Time and love
Can become companions
முத்து சிப்பி மூடிவைக்கும்
முத்துக்கள் போல் ஆசை
மூடிவைத்த நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே
அலைகடல் ஓசை…
Just as a pearl oyster shell keeps hidden
Desires like pearls
Inside the heart kept concealed
Is the sound of a stormy ocean...
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
சுரம் பிரித்து கேட்டேன்
சங்கீத வண்ணம் என்ன
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the musical notes and listened
What is the hue of the music?
பறந்தேன் திரிந்தேன்
உன் ஆசையில் ஓ....
கரைந்தேன் உறைந்தேன்
உன் காதலில் ஓ....
I flew and wandered around
In the longing for you, oh...
I dissolved and froze
In your love, oh...
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
உன் நெஞ்சின் வண்ணம் என்ன
நிறம் பிரித்து பார்த்தேன்
பார்த்தேன் பார்த்தேன்....
I separated the colors and looked
What is the true color of your heart?
I separated the colors and looked
I looked, I looked....
Lalala laa laa laalaa
Lalala laa laa laalaa
Lalala laa laa laalaa
Lalala laa laa laalaa
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Suram pirithu ketten
I separated the musical notes and listened
Sangeedha vannam enna
What is the hue of the music?
Parandhen thirinden
I flew and wandered around
Un aasaiyil oh…
In the longing for you, oh...
Karaindhen uraindhen
I dissolved and froze
Un kaadhalil oh…
In your love, oh...
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Endha megam endha ooril
Which cloud in which town
Indru sendru pozhiyum
Will go and pour rain today?
Munnaalae munnaale yaar solluvaar
Who can tell beforehand, who can tell?
Endha kallil enna sirppam
What sculpture lies inside which stone
Yaar vadikka koodum
And who will carve it out?
Munnaalae munnaale yaar solluvaar
Who can tell beforehand, who can tell?
Kaalamae padaiththadhu
Time created it
Kaalamae maraiththadhu
Time concealed it
Naalaigal enbadhu
That which is called tomorrow
Naalaidhaan ulladhu
Lies only in the future
Kaalamagal suttuviral
The index finger of Mother Time
Endha dhisai kaattum
Whichever direction it points to
Angudhaan megamum
Only there will the clouds
Mazhai neer ootrum…mmm
Pour down their rainwater... mmm
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Suram pirithu ketten
I separated the musical notes and listened
Sangeedha vannam enna
What is the hue of the music?
Parandhen thirinden
I flew and wandered around
Un aasaiyil oh…
In the longing for you, oh...
Karaindhen uraindhen
I dissolved and froze
Un kaadhalil oh…
In your love, oh...
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Oviyathil endha kodu
Which stroke in a painting
Engu sera koodum
Where might it connect?
Ellaamae ellaamae nam kaiyilae
Is everything, everything in our hands?
Vaazhkai ennum saalai ondru
This single road called life
Engu yaarai serkkum
Where will it bring whom together?
Ellaamae ellaamae yaar kaiyilae
In whose hands is everything, everything?
Vasandhaththin solaigal
Groves of spring season
Vazhiyilae thondralaam
May appear along the way
Kaalamum kaadhalum
Time and love
Thozhamai aagalaam
Can become companions
Muthu chippi moodivaikkum
Just as a pearl oyster shell keeps hidden
Muthukkal pol aasai
Desires like pearls
Moodivaitha nenjukkullae
Inside the heart kept concealed
Alaikkadal osai…
Is the sound of a stormy ocean...
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Suram pirithu ketten
I separated the musical notes and listened
Sangeedha vannam enna
What is the hue of the music?
Parandhen thirinden
I flew and wandered around
Un aasaiyil oh…
In the longing for you, oh...
Karaindhen uraindhen
I dissolved and froze
Un kaadhalil oh…
In your love, oh...
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Un nenjin vannam enna
What is the true color of your heart?
Niram pirithu paarthen
I separated the colors and looked
Paarthen paarthen….
I looked, I looked....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Niram Pirithu Paarthen from the movie Time (1999) is a reflective and romantic song exploring the mystery of love, fate, and time. The protagonist poetically speaks of analyzing colors and musical notes to decipher the true feelings and emotional hue inside the lover's heart. The song highlights how human destiny remains unpredictable—no one knows in advance which cloud will shower rain, which stone contains a master sculpture, or where life's winding path will bring two souls together.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Niram pirithu paarthen / Suram pirithu ketten”
The second consonant 'ra' matches across consecutive lines (Niram / Suram), creating classic Tamil poetic rhythm.
Personification
“Kaalamagal suttuviral Endha dhisai kaattum”
Time is personified as 'Kaalamagal' (Mother Time) who points her index finger to direct destiny.
Metaphor
“Vaazhkai ennum saalai ondru”
Life is directly compared to an unpredictable single road ('saalai').
Simile
“Muthukkal pol aasai”
Deep-seated desires hidden in the heart are compared to pearls hidden in an oyster using the comparative word 'pol' (like).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Niram Pirithu Paarthen' is composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for the 1999 Tamil movie Time starring Prabhu Deva and Simran. The lyrics were written by Pazhani Bharathi, and the song was rendered by singers Unni Menon and Sujatha Mohan.
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