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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Paadinal Oru Paattu

From Oru Thaai Makkal · 1971

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Oru Thaai Makkal1971

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Paadinaal oru paattuShe sang a song
Paal nilaavinil naettruIn the milky moonlight yesterday
Odinen adhai kettuHearing that, I ran
Thaedinen valai pottuI searched, spreading a net
Poonguyil aval yaaroWho is that flower-cuckoo?
Pon mayil aval peroIs her name golden peacock?
Poonguyil aval yaaroWho is that flower-cuckoo?
Pon mayil aval peroIs her name golden peacock?
Male
Paadinaal oru paattuShe sang a song
Male
Paal nilaavinil naettruIn the milky moonlight yesterday
Male
Odinen adhai kettuHearing that, I ran
Male
Thaedinen valai pottuI searched, spreading a net
Male
Nalla thamizh isai amudhena varugaiyilWhen good Tamil music came like nectar
Nenjam angae sendradhuMy heart went towards it
Male
Mella mayangiya iru vizhi malargalaiOver the two flower-like eyes that gently fainted
Thendral sondham kondadhuThe gentle breeze claimed ownership
Male
Velli radhamena urugiya paniyinilIn the dew melted like a silver chariot
Penmai dheivam nindradhuThe divine goddess of womanhood stood
Male
Ullam muzhuvadhumAll over the heart
Pudhuvidha kavidhaigal alli alli thandhadhuIt poured new kinds of poetry generously
Male
Alaiyillaadha neeroIs it water without waves?
Male
Neerillaadha aaroIs it a river without water?
Male
Aarilladha ooroIs it a town without a river?
Male
Avalillaadha naanoIs it me without her?
Male
Mana koyil vaazha vandhaIs she the divine woman
Dheiveega pen enbadhoWho came to dwell in the temple of the mind?
Male
Enakkaaga yengugindraAre those red-lily eyes
Sevvalli kan enbadhoYearning for me?
Male
Paadinaal oru paattuShe sang a song
Male
Paal nilaavinil naettruIn the milky moonlight yesterday
Male
Odinen adhai kettuHearing that, I ran
Male
Thaedinen valai pottuI searched, spreading a net
Male
Paruvam konda paavaiA maiden who has come of age
Male
Pani padarndha paarvaiA mist-covered glance
Male
Varavu solla thondrumIt feels like welcoming her arrival
Male
Uravu kolla vendumI must form a relationship
Male
Malar maalai yaarukkendruFor whom is the flower garland meant?
Pen paavai kan thaedumoDo the maiden's eyes search?
Male
Edhir paarkkum ezhai nenjamWill this poor expectant heart
Ennodu ondraagumoBecome one with mine?
Male
Paadinaal oru paattuShe sang a song
Male
Paal nilaavinil naettruIn the milky moonlight yesterday
Male
Odinen adhai kettuHearing that, I ran
Male
Thaedinen valai pottuI searched, spreading a net

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Paadinaal Oru Paattu is a classic Tamil romantic track celebrating the captivating power of music and love. The protagonist hears a heavenly voice singing sweet Tamil music in the moonlight and is instantly spellbound. Desperate to find the singer, he compares her beauty to a divine presence, a golden peacock, and a flower-cuckoo, painting vivid poetic imagery of her flower-like eyes and charming demeanor. In a deeply poetic sequence, he contemplates his own existence without her, drawing parallels to a wave-less sea or a river-less town. His heart longs to unite with hers as he hopes their fates will intertwine into a lifelong bond.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Paadinaal oru paattu / Paal nilaavinil naettru / Odinen adhai kettu / Thaedinen valai pottu

The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming words like 'paattu', 'naettru', 'kettu', and 'pottu' to build a melodious verse cadence.

Uwamai (Simile)

Nalla thamizh isai amudhena varugaiyil

Compares the sweetness of Tamil music directly to divine nectar ('amudhu') using the comparative suffix '-ena'.

Anaphora & Conceptual Gradation

Alaiyillaadha neero / Neerillaadha aaro / Aarilladha ooro / Avalillaadha naano

Uses repeating 'illaadha' (without) structures in successive lines to show cascading incompleteness, culminating in his own existence being meaningless without her.

Urugavam (Metaphor)

Mana koyil vaazha vandha / Dheiveega pen enbadho

Metaphorically elevates the human mind to a sacred shrine ('mana koyil') where the beloved dwells like a deity.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1971 M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) film 'Oru Thaai Makkal', this song was composed by legendary duo M. S. Viswanathan and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan, with lyrics by Vaali.

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