Orunaal Iravil Kann
From Panathottam · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Panathottam1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
| Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai | I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him |
| Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai | I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
| Female | |
| Thiru naal thedi thozhiyar koodi sendraar thirumbavillai | Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned |
| Thiru naal thedi thozhiyar koodi sendraar thirumbavillai | Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned |
| Thinaiyum panaiyaai valarndhe | Even a tiny millet seed grew as vast as a palmyra tree |
| Iruvizhigal arumbavillai | Yet my two eyes failed to blossom into sleep |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
| Female | |
| Iravil ulavum thirudan avan endraar | They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night |
| Iravil ulavum thirudan avan endraar | They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night |
| Thirudaadhu oru naalum kaadhal illaiyendren | I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing |
| Thirudaadhu oru naalum kaadhal illaiyendren | I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing |
| Enaye avanpaal koduthen | I willingly surrendered my entire self to him |
| En iraivan thirudavillai iraivan thirudavillai | My Lord did not steal; my God did not steal |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
| Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai | I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him |
| Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai | One night, sleep eluded my eyes |
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை
வருவான் கண்ணன் என நினைத்தேன் மறக்கவில்லை
வருவான் கண்ணன் என நினைத்தேன் மறக்கவில்லை
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை....
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
திருநாள் தேடி தோழியர் கூடி சென்றார் திரும்பவில்லை
திருநாள் தேடி தோழியர் கூடி சென்றார் திரும்பவில்லை
தினையும் பனையாய் வளர்ந்தே
இரு விழிகள் அரும்பவில்லை
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை....
Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned
Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned
Even a tiny millet seed grew as vast as a palmyra tree
Yet my two eyes failed to blossom into sleep
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
இரவில் உலவும் திருடன் அவன் என்றார்
இரவில் உலவும் திருடன் அவன் என்றார்
திருடாது ஒரு நாளும் காதல் இல்லையென்றேன்
திருடாது ஒரு நாளும் காதல் இல்லையென்றேன்
எனையே அவன் பால் கொடுத்தேன்
என் இறைவன் திருடவில்லை இறைவன் திருடவில்லை
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை
வருவான் கண்ணன் என நினைத்தேன் மறக்கவில்லை
ஒரு நாள் இரவு கண் உறக்கம் பிடிக்கவில்லை....
They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night
They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night
I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing
I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing
I willingly surrendered my entire self to him
My Lord did not steal; my God did not steal
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Thiru naal thedi thozhiyar koodi sendraar thirumbavillai
Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned
Thiru naal thedi thozhiyar koodi sendraar thirumbavillai
Searching for the auspicious day, my friends gathered and left, yet haven't returned
Thinaiyum panaiyaai valarndhe
Even a tiny millet seed grew as vast as a palmyra tree
Iruvizhigal arumbavillai
Yet my two eyes failed to blossom into sleep
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Iravil ulavum thirudan avan endraar
They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night
Iravil ulavum thirudan avan endraar
They claimed that he is a thief prowling in the night
Thirudaadhu oru naalum kaadhal illaiyendren
I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing
Thirudaadhu oru naalum kaadhal illaiyendren
I answered that love never exists without a bit of stealing
Enaye avanpaal koduthen
I willingly surrendered my entire self to him
En iraivan thirudavillai iraivan thirudavillai
My Lord did not steal; my God did not steal
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai
I thought my beloved Kannan would arrive; I could not forget him
Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai
One night, sleep eluded my eyes
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Oru Naal Iravu' is a soulful melody depicting the agony and sweet anticipation of a maiden spending a sleepless night waiting for her beloved, whom she equates to Lord Krishna ('Kannan'). As night lingers, time seems to stretch endlessly—a tiny moment feels as huge as a palm tree, magnifying her intense longing and solitude while her companions are away.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Oru naal iravu kann urakkam pidikkavillai / Varuvaan kannan ena ninaithaen marakkavillai”
The lines consistently end with the suffix '-avillai' ('pidikkavillai', 'marakkavillai', 'thirumbavillai', 'arumbavillai'), creating a rhythmic and melancholic cadence.
Muran (Contrast / Hyperbole)
“Thinaiyum panaiyaai valarndhe”
Kannadasan contrasts 'Thinai' (a tiny millet seed) with 'Panai' (a towering palmyra tree) to visually depict how a short duration of waiting feels agonizingly stretched out in love.
Metaphor (Thirudan / Thief)
“Iravil ulavum thirudan avan endraar / Thirudaadhu oru naalum kaadhal illaiyendren”
The hero is metaphorically referred to as a 'thief' who steals hearts under the cover of night, which the heroine playfully defends as the essence of true love.
Did you know?
Trivia
Panathottam (1963), starring M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi, features iconic compositions by the legendary Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy duo. P. Susheela's velvet vocal rendition coupled with Kannadasan's use of classic Tamil metaphors (like 'Thinai' and 'Panai') made 'Oru Naal Iravu' one of the finest late-night solo yearning tracks in golden-era Tamil cinema.
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