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Lyrics & meaning

Oho Nilarani Ullam

From Chittoor Rani Padmini · 1963

Lyricist
Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Chittoor Rani Padmini1963

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ohoo nila raaniOh moon queen!
Ullamae kavarndhaai neeYou stole my heart.
Ezhil ootragavae ilan kaatragavaeLike a fountain of beauty, like a gentle breeze,
Inbam mootum roopavaaniOh beautiful woman who kindles joy!
Ohoo nilaa raaniOh moon queen!
Ullamae kavarndhaai neeYou stole my heart.
Ezhil ootragavae ilan kaatragavaeLike a fountain of beauty, like a gentle breeze,
Inbam mootum roopavaaniOh beautiful woman who kindles joy!
Male
Neela odaiyil alliyai polaeLike a water lily in a blue stream,
Neendhum penn annamaeOh female swan swimming along!
Neela odaiyil alliyai polaeLike a water lily in a blue stream,
Neendhum penn annamaeOh female swan swimming along!
Unai soozhum ennilaa aa…aa…haa..Surrounding you, endless... aa... aa... haa..
Unai soozhum ennilaa thaaragai ellamAre all the countless stars surrounding you
Thozhi maadhar thaamoYour female friends and companions?
Unai soozhum ennilaa thaaragai ellamAre all the countless stars surrounding you
Thozhi maadhar thaamoYour female friends and companions?
Ulagam yaavumae unnaasaiyaalaeDue to longing for you, the whole world,
Ulagam yaavumae unnaasaiyaalaeDue to longing for you, the whole world,
Ullam suzhandraadudhaeMy mind spins and dances in bliss.
Male
Ohoo nila raaniOh moon queen!
Ullamae kavarndhaai neeYou stole my heart.
Ezhil ootragavae ilan kaatragavaeLike a fountain of beauty, like a gentle breeze,
Inbam mootum roopavaaniOh beautiful woman who kindles joy!
Male
Pudhumai oli vellamaaiLike a flood of novel light,
Haa…aaa…aa…aa…aa…Haa... aaa... aa... aa... aa...
Boologam engumaeAcross the entire earth,
Pozhigindra amudha mazhaiyaeOh rain of nectar showering down!
Haa….aaa….aa….aa….haa…aa…Haa.... aaa.... aa.... aa.... haa... aa...
Pudhumai oli vellamaaiLike a flood of novel light,
Boologam engumaeAcross the entire earth,
Pozhigindra amudha mazhaiyaeOh rain of nectar showering down!
Nee mudhal iravu pen polaeLike a bride on her wedding night,
Mugilendra thiraiyilaeBehind the veil of clouds,
Mugathai maraipadhaenoo yaenooWhy do you hide your face, oh why?
Male
Vaana veedhiyil oorvalam polaeLike a procession in the pathways of the sky,
Vandha penn deivamaeOh divine woman who arrived!
Vaana veedhiyil oorvalam polaeLike a procession in the pathways of the sky,
Vandha penn deivamaeOh divine woman who arrived!
Unai kaanum ennaiyae thannoli ennumCan your cool rays of light reach out and touch
Kaigal theendalaamooMe, who is gazing upon you?
Azhagin jyothiyae unnaal enn nenjilOh light of beauty, because of you, in my heart
Aavaal alai modhudhaeWaves of desire crash continuously!
Male
Ohoo nila raaniOh moon queen!
Ullamae kavarndhaai neeYou stole my heart.
Ezhil ootragavae ilan kaatragavaeLike a fountain of beauty, like a gentle breeze,
Inbam mootum roopavaaniOh beautiful woman who kindles joy!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Ohoo Nila Raani is a poetic, romantic song from the 1963 historical drama Chittoor Rani Padmini. Sung with deep resonance by Seerkazhi Govindarajan under G. Ramanathan's musical direction, the protagonist serenades the full moon as an embodiment of ultimate feminine beauty. He compares the celestial beauty to a queen traversing the night sky, surrounded by stars as her maiden companions. Throughout the track, rich imagery portrays the moon's light as a shower of sweet nectar and a stream of soft breezes. The lyricist Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam masterfully weaves metaphors comparing the moon hiding behind clouds to a bashful bride concealing her face, expressing how her radiant sight creates endless waves of longing and enchantment in his heart.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification (Uruvagam / Manithamayam)

Nee mudhal iravu pen polae / Mugilendra thiraiyilae

The moon is personified as a queen ('Nila raani') and a bashful bride ('Mudhal iravu pen') hiding her face behind a veil of clouds.

Simile (Uvamai)

Neela odaiyil alliyai polae / Neendhum penn annamae

Compares the subject swimmingly graceful to a water lily in a blue stream and a female swan.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Boologam engumae / Pozhigindra amudha mazhaiyae

Moonlight showering over the earth is metaphorically described as a rain of divine nectar ('amudha mazhai').

Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

Neela odaiyil alliyai polae / Neendhum penn annamae

The second consonant 'la' matches across consecutive lines (Neela / Neendhum / Unai / Thozhi).

Did you know?

Trivia

Chittoor Rani Padmini (1963) featured music composed by legendary maestro G. Ramanathan. The film starred Sivaji Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala. Seerkazhi Govindarajan's rendition of 'Ohoo Nila Raani' remains one of the finest classical-pop crossover serenades in early Tamil cinema history.

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