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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Thamarai Mottu

From Nenjamellam Neeye · 1983

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Nenjamellam Neeye1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Chorus
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Chorus
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Male
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Chorus
Mmmm….mm….mm….Mmmm….mm….mm….
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoi hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoi hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoi hoinaa hoinaa hoiHoi hoinaa hoinaa hoi
Female
Oru maalai naera kaaththuAn evening breeze
Machchaan mugam paathuLooking at my lover's face
Puthu kattalai ittathu aananthamaaDid it issue a new command in pure joy?
Oru maalai naera kaaththuAn evening breeze
Machchaan mugam paathuLooking at my lover's face
Puthu kattalai ittathu aananthamaaDid it issue a new command in pure joy?
Male
Poovaachchu pinjaachchu kaayaachchammaIt flowered, became a tender fruit, and ripened into fruit
Ini ennoda aasaikku neeyaachammaNow you have become the answer to my desires
Female :Ini kaalamillai naeramillaiFemale: There is no time or delay left anymore
Alli kollaiyaaGather me and plunder me
Male
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Female
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Male
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Chorus
Hoiiiiiiiiiii…….Hoiiiiiiiiiii…….
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoi hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoi hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa hoinaaHoinaa hoinaa hoinaa hoinaa
Hoi hoinaa hoinaa hoiHoi hoinaa hoinaa hoi
Male
Pudhu manjanira malliyappoo solaiA grove of fresh yellow-hued jasmine flowers
Ilam nenjachai killinaalIf it pinches this young heart
ThaangaathammaIt cannot bear it
Pudhu manjanira malliyappoo solaiA grove of fresh yellow-hued jasmine flowers
Ilam nenjachai killinaalIf it pinches this young heart
ThaangaathammaIt cannot bear it
Female
Thoonagama naalthorumSleeplessly every single day
Kandaen kanaaI dreamt dreams
Pennai thaangaamal vaangaamalWithout holding or receiving this girl
Naal poguthaeThe days are passing away
Male :Adi yaarumilla vaadi pullaMale: Hey girl, there's no one around, come girl
Thoppu pakkamaTowards the side of the grove
Male
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?
Female
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Thottathilae thookkamillaeThere is no sleep in the garden
Tholilae idhuvarai saerkkavillaeHaven't embraced onto the shoulders till now
Male
Oru thaamarai mottuA lotus bud
Vanthu enna thottuCame and touched me
Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthuGiving new thirst and giving passion
Paadaatho mettu adhu joraana chittuWon't it sing a tune, that splendid little bird?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Oru Thaamarai Mottu from the 1983 Tamil movie Nenjamellam Neeye is a romantic duet expressing the flowering passion and intimate longing between two lovers. Using nature as a metaphor—comparing touch and desire to a lotus bud, jasmine groves, and singing birds—the song illustrates the youthful eagerness and sleepless anticipation of the couple as they yearn to unite. Throughout the song, the lovers exchange playful banter against scenic natural backdrops like evening breezes and secluded groves. The lyrical progression transitions from sweet anticipation to an earnest plea for intimacy, capturing both the innocence and intense romantic fervor of rural romance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Oru thaamarai mottu

Comparing the gentle, awakening touch of love and passion to the delicate unfolding of a lotus bud.

Personification

Oru maalai naera kaaththu... Puthu kattalai ittathu

Attributing human agency to the evening breeze, describing it as issuing commands to the lovers.

Monai (First-letter Alliteration)

Pudhu thaagam thanthu mogam thanthu

Repetition of the 'th' sound across 'thaagam' and 'thanthu' creates a rhythmic beat.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Poovaachchu pinjaachchu kaayaachchamma

The matching ending sound '-aachchu' across successive words creates an internal end rhyme.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by prolific lyricist Gangai Amaran for the 1983 film 'Nenjamellam Neeye', the song employs classic rural romantic motifs such as 'Machchaan' (affectionate term for lover) and secluded groves ('Thoppu'). Gangai Amaran's lyrics seamlessly blend traditional Tamil agricultural metaphors of growth—from flower ('poo') to tender fruit ('pinju') and ripe fruit ('kaai')—to depict the natural maturation of love.

Keep listening

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