Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Raagam

From Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren · 1992

Lyricist
Piraisoodan
Singers
K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren
Movie release year
1992
Lyrics added on
7 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru raagam tharaatha veenai
Nalla kadhal sollatha penmai
Intha mannil yaenadi
Badhil kooru kanmani
Intha mannil yaenadi
Badhil kooru kanmani
Azhagaana kaigal meettum velai
Raagam vanthaadum veenai
Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai
Nadhiyin vegam paruva mogam
Kadalai saera maarippogum
Naalum kadhal raagam paadum paadum
: Idhazhil podum idhazhin kaayam
Idhazhilaarum inimaiyaagum
Thegam theendum neram yogam yogam
Unnai vaazhththi
Paadum paadal udhaya raagamo
Male :Namma vaazhththum
Namathu uzhagam udhayamaagumo
Pudhu kanavu kaalam therinthathae
Male :Nenjinil inbamum
Konjuthu kenjuthu
Raagam vanthaadum veenai
Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai
Intha mannil thevaiyae
Ezhil konjum poovaiyae
Azhagaana kaigal meettum velai
Raagam tharaatha veenai
Nalla kadhal sollatha penmai
Aa….aa….aa….aaa….aa….
Aa….aa….aa….aaa….aa….
Aa….aa….aa….aaa….aa….
Ilamai kaattil inimai koottil
Irukkum thaenai edukkumpothu
Kaalam neram thevai illai illai
Malaiyin oram malarntha poovai
Parikkum veeram irukkumpothu
Kaaval thaandum poovai mullai mullai
Maanum meenum
Saernthu maayam seivathaenadi
Female :Paanam podum
Kaaman neram koodaththaanaiyaa
Ada manadhil saaral adiththathaa
Female :Karpanai arputham ennamo pannuthu
Raagam vanthaadum veenai
Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai
Intha mannil thevaiyae
Ezhil konjum poovaiyae
Azhagaana kaigal meettum velai
Raagam vanthaadum veenai
Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai
Female :Puthu raagam vanthaadum veenai
Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai
A veena that yields no melody,
A womanhood that speaks no true love,
Why are they on this earth?
Give me an answer, my precious one.
Why are they on this earth?
Give me an answer, my precious one.
When beautiful hands pluck its strings,
The veena dances with melody.
Womanhood celebrates true love.
A river's rush and youthful desire,
Calm down once they join the sea.
Every day, it sings and sings a melody of love.
The wound left by lips upon lips,
Heals with lips and turns so sweet.
The moment bodies touch is sheer bliss.
As I bless you,
Is this song I sing a melody of dawn?
As it blesses us,
Will a new world of our own arise?
A time of new dreams has appeared.
And joy within the heart
Caresses and softly pleads.
The veena dances with melody.
Womanhood celebrates true love.
They are truly needed on this earth,
O lovely, charming girl!
When beautiful hands pluck its strings,
A veena that yields no melody,
A womanhood that speaks no true love...
Aa... aa... aa... aaaa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aaaa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aaaa... aa...
In the forest of youth, inside the hive of sweetness,
When gathering the honey within,
There is no need for time or hour, none at all.
When there is the courage to pluck
The flower blossoming on the mountainside,
The jasmine maiden crosses every boundary.
Like a deer and a fish,
Why do your eyes cast such magic?
Shooting his arrows of love,
Has the hour of Kama (the god of love) not arrived?
Did a gentle shower fall upon your heart?
A wondrous fantasy is doing something strange to me!
The veena dances with melody.
Womanhood celebrates true love.
They are truly needed on this earth,
O lovely, charming girl!
When beautiful hands pluck its strings,
The veena dances with melody.
Womanhood celebrates true love.
A veena dancing to a new melody,
Womanhood celebrating true love.
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Oru Raagam Tharaatha Veenai' is a romantic duet from the 1992 Tamil film 'Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren'. It metaphorically compares a woman's unawakened heart to an unplayed Veena (an Indian classical stringed instrument). Without the gentle touch of true love, both remain silent and unfulfilled. However, when touched by tender affection, the instrument plays celestial melodies, just as a woman's heart blossoms to celebrate true love. As the duet progresses between the lovers, they exchange poetic imagery comparing their passion to rivers joining the ocean, honey gathered in the forest of youth, and wild blossoms plucked on mountain slopes. The song encapsulates the excitement, anticipation, and emotional awakening experienced in romantic love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Raagam vanthaadum veenai / Nalla kadhal kondaadum penmai”

Compares a woman's heart and beauty directly to a Veena, suggesting that under the right touch of love, her soul produces beautiful music.

Simile & Imagery (Upamai)

“Nadhiyin vegam paruva mogam / Kadalai saera maarippogum”

Uses the imagery of a rushing river merging into the ocean to describe how youthful passion surges forward to find its ultimate destination in love.

Ethugai (Second Letter Assonance)

“Ilamai kaattil inimai koottil”

The second consonant 'la/na' sound produces a pleasing rhythm in 'Ilamai' and 'inimai', as well as matching structure in 'kaattil' and 'koottil'.

Monai (First Letter Alliteration)

“Maanum meenum / Saernthu maayam seivathaenadi”

Repetition of the 'Ma' sound ('Maanum', 'meenum', 'maayam') creates musical alliteration in the line.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren' (1992) is a Tamil romantic drama film directed by Sridev, starring Parthiban, Suman Ranganathan, and Mohini. The film features a popular soundtrack composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Piraisoodan. This song in particular features vocals by legendary playback singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Mounamalla Mayakkam1984
AzhaguDesireRomantic
Thulirvidum Kalam1981
Oomai UllangalRomantic UnionRomantic
Poothu Nikkudhu1982
Echchil IravugalDesireCourtship
Medhuva Medhuva2008
Pirivom SanthipomDesireLonging
Paruvam Otti Pazhagumpothu1965
Panam Tharum ParisuDesireBeauty
Poonthendral Kaatre Vaa1982
Manjal NilaLongingRomantic Union

From the same album

More songs from Unnai Vaazhthi Paadugiren

View album
Unnai Vaazhtha Vanthaen1992
Unnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenDevotional
Oru Maalai Chandiran1992
Unnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenMelancholic
Kurukka Nikuthu1992
Unnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenPlayful
Oh Oh Oh Kaalai Kuyilgal1992
Unnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenTender
Ippodhum Nippen1992
Unnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenCelebratory

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.