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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Kanam Oru Yugamaga

From Nadodi Thendral · 1992

Lyricist
Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singers
Ilayaraja, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Nadodi Thendral
Movie release year
1992
Lyrics added on
12 Jan 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ahaa…aaa…haaa….
Ahaa…aaa…haaa….
Ahaaa…aaa..aaaa…
Ooo…aaaa..aaaa…aaa..
Oru kanam oru yugamaga
Yen thondra vendumoo
Dhinam dhinam unnai ethir parthu
Manam yenga vendumoo
Oru kanam oru yugamaga
Yen thondra vendumoo
Dhinam dhinam unnai ethir parthu
Manam yenga vendumoo
Thendralum unnai paaduthae
Ven mathi unnai theduthae
Ithu kaadhal ragamae
Puriyatha mogamae
Oru kanam oru yugamaga
Yen thondra vendumoo
Dhinam dhinam unnai ethir parthu
Manam yenga vendumoo
Vaan meethu vinmeengal
Vedigai parkindrathae
Un thoothu vaaramal
Nenjukul verkindrathae
Nenjukul nee potta
Mookuthi minaalgalae
Vanjikul un kaadhal
Ennathin pinnalgalae…
Ohhhh ohhhhhhh
Ithu kaadhal ragamae
Puriyatha mogamae
Oru kanam oru yugamaga
Yen thondra vendumoo
Vaanamum poo thendrallum
Vazhthuthae malar thoovuthae
Ithu kaadhal ragamae
Puriyatha mogamae
Megathil eeram pol
Kannukkul neer yen amma
Boomikul vairam pol
Nenjathil nee thaanamma
Sogangal sollamal odattum
Kaadhal pennae
Sonthagal pogamal koodattum
Oodal pennae
Ohhhh ohhhhhhh
Ithu kaadhal ragamae
Puriyatha mogamae
Oru kanam oru yugamaga
Yen thondra vendumoo
Dhinam dhinam unnai ethir parthu
Manam yenga vendumoo
Vaanamum poo thendrallum
Vazhthuthae malar thoovuthae
Female :Ithu kaadhal ragamae
Puriyatha mogamae
Aha… aa… ha…
Aha… aa… ha…
Aha… aa… aaa…
Oh… aaa… aaa… aa…
Why must a single moment
feel like an eternity?
Why must my heart keep yearning,
waiting for you day after day?
Why must a single moment
feel like an eternity?
Why must my heart keep yearning,
waiting for you day after day?
The gentle breeze sings of you,
and the bright white moon searches for you.
This is the melody of love,
a passion beyond understanding.
Why must a single moment
feel like an eternity?
Why must my heart keep yearning,
waiting for you day after day?
The stars in the sky
watch on like curious onlookers;
with no word arriving from you,
my heart breaks into an anxious sweat.
The sparkle of the nose-stud you wear
flashes like lightning inside my heart;
within this young girl's heart,
thoughts of your love are deeply intertwined…
Oh… oh…
This is the melody of love,
a passion beyond understanding.
Why must a single moment
feel like an eternity?
The sky and the blossom-scented breeze
shower flowers and bless us.
This is the melody of love,
a passion beyond understanding.
Like the moisture gathered in clouds,
why are there tears in your eyes, my dear?
Like a diamond deep within the earth,
you are treasured in my heart.
Let all sorrows run away without a word,
my beloved girl;
let our bonds stay strong and bring us close,
my playfully sulking girl.
Oh… oh…
This is the melody of love,
a passion beyond understanding.
Why must a single moment
feel like an eternity?
Why must my heart keep yearning,
waiting for you day after day?
The sky and the blossom-scented breeze
shower flowers and bless us.
Female: This is the melody of love,
a passion beyond understanding.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Oru Kanam Oru Yugamaga' is a soulful romantic track from the movie 'Nadodi Thendral' (1992) that captures the sweet ache of longing and separation between lovers. The central premise revolves around how a single moment spent away from one's beloved feels as agonizingly long as an entire era (yugam). The lyrics paint nature as an active companion in their romance—the breeze sings, the moon searches, and the stars act as amused spectators to their love story. As the song unfolds, the emotional tone shifts from anxious waiting to comforting reassurance. The lover reassures his beloved that she is as precious as a diamond hidden deep within the earth, urging her to wash away her tears and let their love overcome all sorrows. The track beautifully balances deep passion with poetic metaphors of nature.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

“Oru kanam oru yugamaga / Yen thondra vendumoo”

Compares a single moment (kanam) to an entire epoch/era (yugam) to emphasize the excruciating feeling of waiting in separation.

Personification

“Thendralum unnai paaduthae / Ven mathi unnai theduthae”

Gives human actions to nature: the breeze is described as singing and the moon as searching for the beloved.

Simile (Upamai Ani)

“Megathil eeram pol / Boomikul vairam pol”

Compares tears in the eyes to moisture in a cloud, and the beloved's place in the heart to a diamond buried deep in the earth.

Metaphor

“Nenjukul nee potta / Mookuthi minaalgalae”

Metaphorically describes the memory of the nose-ring/love planted in the heart as flashing lightnings.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Nadodi Thendral' (1992) is a period romantic drama directed by Bharathiraja, starring Karthik and Ranjitha. The soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, who also penned lyrics for songs in this album. The movie features rich rural imagery and classical/folk-fusion orchestrations characteristic of Ilaiyaraaja-Bharathiraja collaborations during the late 80s and early 90s.

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