- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Panathottam
- Movie release year
- 1963
- Lyrics added on
- 5 Oct 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'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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