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Isaimozhi
Anthasthu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oh Megame Odum Megame

From Anthasthu · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Anthasthu
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
16 Jan 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
En kanmani en kadhali
En radha nee engae nee engae
Oh megamae odum megamae
Oh megamae odum megamae
Engae en radha nee angae sellu
Naan paadum paadal nee kadhil sollu
Aval illaamal ingaethaan naan vaadinaen
Oh megamae odum megamae
Engae en radha nee angae sellu
Naan paadum paadal nee kadhil sollu
Aval illaamal ingaethaan naan vaadinaen
…………..
Idho poomugam idho punnagai
Nilaa naatkalil kanaa kaangirean
Kannaivittu pogaatha vannam allavaa
Nenjaivittu neengaatha ennam allavaa
Thavikkiraen thudikkiraen
Avalai naan azhaikkiraen
Oh megamae odum megamae
Engae en radha nee angae sellu
Naan paadum paadal nee kadhil sollu
Aval illaamal ingaethaan naan vaadinaen
Oh megamae odum megamae
Adho vaanilae alai polavae
Puraa koottamae ulaa pogumae
Ennai vittu ponaalae chinnakkiliyae
Kanneer vittu naan vaada thannanthaniyae
Inaiyillaa paravai naan
Isaiyillaa kavithai naan
Oh megamae odum megamae
Engae en radha nee angae sellu
Naan paadum paadal nee kadhil sollu
Aval illaamal ingaethaan naan vaadinaen
Oh megamae odum megamae
Heehmmm mmm heehmmm…..
My darling, my love,
My Radha, where are you, where are you...?
O cloud, drifting cloud,
O cloud, drifting cloud,
Go wherever my Radha is,
Whisper the song I sing into her ears,
Without her, I am withering away here,
O cloud, drifting cloud,
Go wherever my Radha is,
Whisper the song I sing into her ears,
Without her, I am withering away here,
...
Here is that flower-like face, here is that smile,
I dream of her on moonlit nights,
Isn't she the sight that never leaves my eyes?
Isn't she the thought that never leaves my heart?
I yearn, my heart aches in longing,
I am calling out for her...
O cloud, drifting cloud,
Go wherever my Radha is,
Whisper the song I sing into her ears,
Without her, I am withering away here,
O cloud, drifting cloud...
Look up in the sky, gliding like waves,
A flock of doves flies peacefully along,
My little sweetheart has left me and gone,
Leaving me all alone to weep and fade away,
I am a bird without a mate,
I am a poem without a melody...
O cloud, drifting cloud,
Go wherever my Radha is,
Whisper the song I sing into her ears,
Without her, I am withering away here,
O cloud, drifting cloud...
Hmm... mmm... hmm...
Male
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Chorus
Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song is a poignant expression of grief and romantic yearning, where the lover pines for his lost soulmate, Radha. Drawing inspiration from classical poetic motifs, the protagonist addresses a passing cloud, pleading with it to act as his messenger and carry his song of yearning directly to his beloved's ears. He laments how life has lost all its color and vitality in her absence. Throughout the track, he reflects on her sweet, flower-like face and the cherished memories of moonlit nights, contrasting his present loneliness with the free, paired pigeons soaring together in the sky. He feels completely incomplete without her, metaphorically describing himself as a bird without its mate and a poem without music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification / Cloud Messenger Motif (Meghaduta)

Oh megamae odum megamae / Engae en radha nee angae sellu

The cloud is personified as an envoy or messenger tasked with carrying the protagonist's feelings and songs to his distant lover.

Metaphor

Inaiyillaa paravai naan / Isaiyillaa kavithai naan

The speaker directly compares himself to a mateless bird and a musicless poem to emphasize his profound feeling of incompleteness.

Iyaipu (Rhyming Endings)

Kannaivittu pogaatha vannam allavaa / Nenjaivittu neengaatha ennam allavaa

The lines end with matching phonetic structures ('vannam allavaa' / 'ennam allavaa'), creating a pleasing lyrical rhythm.

Monai (Initial Rhyme)

Thavikkiraen thudikkiraen

Repetition of the initial consonants ('Tha' / 'Thu') enhances the emotional intensity and rhythmic beat.

Did you know?

Trivia

The theme of using a cloud as a love messenger (Meghaduta) is a classic motif derived from Kalidasa's ancient Sanskrit poem 'Meghadūta', which lyricist Vaali skillfully adapts into modern Tamil film lyricism.

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