- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Deva
- Movie release year
- 1995
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Feb 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is an intense expression of love where the protagonist treats his devotion to his beloved as sacred worship. By sending a letter, he feels he is sending his own soul and essence to her. He elevates her to the status of a deity, comparing the dust beneath her feet to holy ash (Thiruneeru) and equating his romantic pleas to sacred temple hymns (Thevaram and Vedas). In the second verse, his love assumes an existential depth. He feels that every breath he draws is given by her, and without her presence, he is like a fish stranded out of water. He looks at nature—the sky, land, and water—and sees her beauty reflected everywhere, pleading with her to accept his love and unite with him like a flowing stream.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Kannae un kaaladi mannai thiruneeru polae”
The lover compares the dirt under his beloved's feet to sacred holy ash ('thiruneeru polae') using the explicit comparison word 'polae'.
Simile (Upamai)
“Neeyillaathu naanae kulir neerillaatha meenae”
The lover compares his state without his beloved to a fish stranded without cool water ('neerillaatha meenae').
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Anbae en aalayam endru un vaasal thedi”
The beloved's doorstep is metaphorically equated to a holy temple ('aalayam').
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Neeyillaathu naanae kulir neerillaatha meenae”
The repetition of the initial 'Ne' sound ('Neeyillaathu' and 'neerillaatha') creates a rhythmic phonetic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
This romantic track is from the 1995 Tamil action-romance film 'Deva', starring Thalapathy Vijay and Swathi. The film's music was composed by Deva, and the lyrics were penned by the legendary poet Vaali. The song is well-remembered for its poetic devotional metaphors applied to romantic longing.
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