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Lyrics & meaning

Oru Jigu Jigu Rayileri

From Sahadevan Mahadevan · 1988

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Sahadevan Mahadevan1988

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Oru jigu jigu rayilaeriBoarding a chugging train,
Naadha jeevan ondru poguthuA soul of music travels along.
Manam sadugudu vilaiyaadiThe heart plays a game of kabaddi,
Oodal poodhumena paaduthuSinging that love's lovers' tiff is enough now.
Male
Ivan manam…..His heart...
Thanimaiyil thavippathai paarththuSeeing it suffer in solitude,
Oru tharam thirumuga tharisanam kaattuShow a glimpse of your sacred face once!
Vaa vaa nilaa nilaaCome, come, moon, moon!
Female
Nee thottaalum kaippaataalumEven if you touch or hold hands,
Idam thara povathillaiI will not yield space to you.
Male :Pon vandukkum poochendukkumMale: Between the golden beetle and the flower bouquet,
Idaiveli thevai illaiNo distance or gap is needed.
Female
Adadaa anbu vegam aaraathoAha, won't the speed of love cool down?
Male :Alaiyil intha odam aadaathoMale: Won't this boat rock on the waves?
Female
Iniyum thaalaathu odhingidu odhingiduUnable to bear it anymore, step aside, step aside!
Male :Evarum kaanaamal ilamaiyai virunthiduMale: Serve youth as a feast without anyone seeing!
Female :Mudhalil achchaaram koduththidu koduththiduFemale: First give me a token advance!
Male :Unakku naanthaanae poruththidu poruththiduMale: Am I not the one for you? Just wait, just wait!
Female :Naanam intha neram ingu vaaraathoFemale: Won't shyness come at this hour?
Female
Oru jigu jigu rayilaeriBoarding a chugging train,
Kadhal jodi ondru poguthuA romantic couple travels along.
Manam sadugudu vilaiyaadiThe heart plays a game of kabaddi,
Oodal podhumena kooduthuUniting, saying enough of lovers' tiffs.
Male
Ivan manam…..His heart...
Thanimaiyil thavippathai paarththuSeeing it suffer in solitude,
Oru tharam thirumuga tharisanam kaattuShow a glimpse of your sacred face once!
Vaa vaa nilaa nilaaCome, come, moon, moon!
Male
Neeyillaathu naan mann meedhuWithout you, on this earth,
Uyir kondu vaazhvathillaiI will not live with life in me.
Female :Nee engengu naan anganguFemale: Wherever you are, I will be there;
Thani vazhi povathillaiI won't go on a separate path.
Male
Pirivu endra vaarththai koodathuThe word 'separation' should not exist.
Female :Ninaivu nenjai neengi oodaathuFemale: Your memory won't leave my heart and run away.
Male
Ilamai ponaalum idhu oru thodarkadhaiEven if youth fades, this is a never-ending story.
Female :Iravu aanaalum idhu oru valarpiraiFemale: Even if night falls, this is a waxing moon.
Male :Ulagil yaezhaaga piravigal varum varaiMale: Until seven rebirths occur in this world,
Female :Uravu maaraamal amainthidum manavaraiFemale: The marital bond will remain fixed without changing.
Male :Sontham intha pantham endrum maaraathuMale: This relationship, this bond will never change!
Male
Oru jigu jigu rayilaeriBoarding a chugging train,
Kadhal jodi ondru poguthuA romantic couple travels along.
Manam sadugudu vilaiyaadiThe heart plays a game of kabaddi,
Oodal podhumena kooduthuUniting, saying enough of lovers' tiffs.
Male
Ivan manam…..His heart...
Thanimaiyil thavippathai paarththuSeeing it suffer in solitude,
Female :Oru tharam thirumuga tharisanam kaattuFemale: Show a glimpse of your sacred face once!
Male :Vaa vaa nilaa nilaaMale: Come, come, moon, moon!
Male
Oru jigu jigu rayilaeriBoarding a chugging train,
Kadhal jodi ondru poguthuA romantic couple travels along.
Female :Manam sadugudu vilaiyaadiFemale: The heart plays a game of kabaddi,
Oodal podhumena kooduthuUniting, saying enough of lovers' tiffs.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Oru Jigu Jigu Rayilaeri' from the 1988 Tamil film 'Sahadevan Mahadevan' is a joyful, romantic duet that metaphorically compares the journey of love to a train ride. Initially depicting the hero's yearning and sweet plea to his beloved (whom he addresses as the moon), the song evolves into a witty and endearing dialogue between the couple. As they exchange playful banter regarding intimacy, shyness, and sweet lovers' quarrels ('oodal'), their bond deepens into a profound pledge of eternal love. They vow to stay united through life's changing phases and across seven births, affirming that their affection will remain as steady and bright as a waxing moon.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia (Iraichal Sorkkal / Olippu)

Oru jigu jigu rayilaeri

'Jigu jigu' mimics the rhythmic chugging sound of a steam train engine.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Pon vandukkum poochendukkum

Compares the male lover to a golden beetle (vandhu) and the female to a bouquet of flowers (poochendu).

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vaa vaa nilaa nilaa

Addresses the beloved poetically as the 'Nilaa' (moon).

Iyaipu (Rhyming Ends)

Mudhalil achchaaram koduththidu koduththidu / Unakku naanthaanae poruththidu poruththidu

The repetitive rhyming verbs 'koduththidu' and 'poruththidu' create a playful rhythmic cadence at the end of the lines.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Nee engengu naan angangu

The nasal 'ng' and structural symmetry in 'engengu' and 'angangu' generate a pleasing musical rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Sahadevan Mahadevan' (1988) is a classic Tamil comedy starring Mohan and S. V. Shekhar, directed by Rama Narayanan. The music for this film was composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, with lyrics penned by Vaali. Vaali masterfully combined everyday colloquial expressions like train sounds ('jigu jigu') with classic poetic metaphors of Tamil literature.

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