- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Nee Sirithaal Deepavali
- Movie release year
- 1990
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Jun 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a melancholic romantic expression blending intense love with pain and separation. The protagonist reflects on the ethereal beauty of their partner's smile and presence, which turns sadness into art, making even tears blossom like flowers and unheard ragas resonate in the heart. Through evocative imagery of unplayed instruments and unfulfilled longing, the singer conveys a deep craving for union. In the second stanza, the narrative shifts toward questioning societal judgment and destiny. The singer defends their pure, divine affection, rejecting the idea that their bond is a mistake or a transient mark upon water. The song expresses distress over the beloved suffering punishment or imprisonment, lamenting how pure devotion has been misunderstood as a crime.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai Ani)
“Kanneerum poo pola pookkindradhu”
Compares tears blooming softly to flowers blooming, using the explicit comparison word 'pola'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme / Epistrophe)
“Meettaadha veenaikku viral yengudhu / Paadaadha paattukku kural yengudhu”
Repetition of the ending phrase 'yengudhu' across consecutive lines creates rhythmic symmetry and emphasizes longing.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Anbu ennum noolil”
Directly equates love to a thread ('nool') that holds flowers together into a garland.
Rhetorical Question
“Thanneeril varaigindra neer kolamaa”
Questions whether love is impermanent like a pattern drawn on water, emphasizing its true eternal nature.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1990 Tamil movie 'Nee Sirithaal Deepavali', this song uses classic Tamil poetic tropes—such as pearls, rivers seeking the sea, and veenas—to express romantic yearning and tragic separation.
Keep listening
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