- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- A. M. Rajah
- Music director
- A. M. Rajah
- Movie name
- Then Nilavu
- Movie release year
- 1961
- Lyrics added on
- 24 May 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Paatu Paadavaa from the 1961 romantic classic Then Nilavu is a playful yet deeply romantic song sung by the male protagonist to woo his beloved against the picturesque backdrop of Kashmir. He affectionately teases her by asking whether he should sing, talk, teach a lesson in love, or fly away with her. He compares her radiant beauty to a bright, milky moon and compares himself to an eager lover who ran across distant paths to find her. As the evening sets in, he questions the need for shyness and hesitance, urging her to express her love rather than waiting silently like parched earth longing for rain from the sky.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Paatu paadavaa Paarthu pesavaa paadam”
Repetition of the 'Pa' sound at the beginning of adjacent words and lines creates a rhythmic, musical quality.
Upamai (Simile)
“Paal nilavai Polae vandha paavai”
The lyricist explicitly compares the heroine to the radiant, soft light of the milky moon using 'Polae'.
Upamai (Simile)
“Innum vaanam paartha Boomi polae vaazhalagumaa”
Longing for love without fulfillment is compared to dry earth helplessly gazing at the sky for rain.
Personification & Metaphor
“Thangamana mangaiyai Polae nadhi anna nadai”
The river flowing across the land is personified as a golden maiden walking with the graceful gate of a swan.
Did you know?
Trivia
Then Nilavu (1961) was directed by C. V. Sridhar and features Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala. The song 'Paatu Paadavaa' was composed and sung by A. M. Rajah, with timeless lyrics written by Kannadasan. It is famous for being one of the earliest Tamil film songs shot extensively on location in Kashmir.
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