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Isaimozhi
Saadhanai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oh Vaanambaadi

From Saadhanai · 1986

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
S. Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Saadhanai
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
31 Jan 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa…
Aaa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
Kaana yenginen naalum vaadinen
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
Bogamae en yogamae
En kaadhal raagamae
Geedhamae en vaedhamae
En jeeva naadhamae
Paavai undhan paadhamae
Paarijaadhamae
Paadhai engum poovanam
Thaadhu thoovumae
Mannil sorgam vandhadhae
Maarbil saaindhu kondadhae
Sindhaadha muthukkal
Sevvaayil sindha kanden
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
Aaa….aaa….aaa…
Aaaa….aaa….aaa…..
Aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aa….
Mannavan kan moodinaal
En vaanil raathiri
Mangaiyae un paarvai thaan
En vaanil vaigarai
Inbam ennum vaedhanai
Indru paarkkiren
Naanum konjam sodhanai
Pottu paarkkiren
Kaattru vandhu theendumo
Karppu enna aagumo
Poongaattrum theendaamal
Nee ennai katti kolvaai
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
Kaana yenginen naalum vaadinen
O vaanambaadi unnai naadi
Engum thaedi
Nenjil soodi inbam kodi
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
I longed to see you and withered away each day!
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
My sweetest pleasure, my blessed fortune,
the melody of my love!
My song, my sacred verse,
the living rhythm of my soul!
My darling, your
feet are tender like parijata flowers,
and all along the path,
flower gardens shower their pollen!
Heaven has arrived on earth,
and leaned gently upon my chest.
Pearls that never scatter,
I saw shining from your red lips!
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
If my king closes his eyes,
night falls upon my sky.
My girl, your sweet gaze
is the dawn in my sky.
The sweet ache of pleasure,
I experience today!
Let me also put you
to a little test!
Will the breeze and the beetle touch you?
What will happen to your purity?
Without letting even the breeze touch me,
wrap me tightly in your arms!
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
I longed to see you and withered away each day!
Oh skylark, seeking you,
searching everywhere,
holding you in my heart brings endless joy!
Chorus
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

O Vaanambaadi is a romantic duet expressing the deep passion, devotion, and joy shared between two lovers. The speaker addresses the beloved as a skylark ('vaanambaadi'), describing how searching for them and holding them in their heart brings unmatched happiness. The song uses vivid poetic images, comparing the lover's presence to heaven coming down to earth and their gaze to the break of dawn. The lyrics explore intimacy, playful romance, and spiritual devotion in love. The lovers treat each other as their divine melody, scripture, and ultimate destiny, capturing the sweet agony and ecstasy of romance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Mangaiyae un paarvai thaan / En vaanil vaigarai

The beloved's gaze is directly compared to the dawn ('vaigarai') breaking in the sky of the speaker's life.

End Rhyme (Iyaibu)

Bogamae en yogamae / En kaadhal raagamae / Geedhamae en vaedhamae

The deliberate use of matching ending sounds (-mae) creates a rhythmic, musical quality across consecutive lines.

Imagery (Visual Imagery)

Sindhaadha muthukkal / Sevvaayil sindha kanden

The poetic imagery compares teeth or a smile spilling from red lips to unscattered pearls falling.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'O Vaanambaadi' from the 1986 movie Saadhanai was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics written by the veteran Tamil poet Pulamaipithan. Saadhanai starred Sivaji Ganesan, Prabhu, K. R. Vijaya, and Nalini.

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