Paavai Nee Malaigai Paal Nila
From Deiveega Raagangal · 1980
- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Singers
- Vani Jairam, P. Jayachandran
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Deiveega Raagangal1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Paavai nee malligai | You, maiden, are a jasmine flower |
| Paal nilaa punnagai | Your smile is like milky moonlight |
| Maangalil or vagai | You are a unique kind among deer |
| Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai | O maiden, bestow your love upon me |
| Female | |
| Maadhamoo kaarthigai | Is the month Kaarthigai? |
| Maiyalil kaarigai | The maiden is immersed in passion |
| Manmadhan pandigai | It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love) |
| Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai | An evening rehearsal of love |
| Male | |
| {Andha vaanorum | {Even the celestial beings |
| Kaanadha ezhil menakkai | Have not seen such a beautiful Menaka |
| Thamil thaen oorum | Dripping Tamil honey |
| Sol pesum amudhambigai} (2) | Is the sweet-speaking Goddess Ambidhai} (2) |
| Male | |
| Vaanil oor thaaragai | A star from the sky |
| Vandhadhoo kannigai | Has it arrived as a young maiden? |
| Poovudal maaligai | A mansion with a flower-soft body |
| Thaevaiyor naazhigai | An auspicious moment is required |
| Female | |
| {Vizhi mai theetta thaedum | {Seeking to apply kohl to the eyes |
| Kai adhu thoorigai | That hand is like a paintbrush |
| Sugam maaraamal koodum | Joining without losing bliss |
| Kai manavaalan kai} (2) | That hand is the groom's hand} (2) |
| Female | |
| Paavaiyae or vagai | O maiden, you are one of a kind |
| Panbugal naal vagai | Exhibiting the four traditional feminine virtues |
| Ambugal aivagai | The five types of Cupid's flower arrows |
| Allavooo en vagai | Isn't mine of a unique kind? |
| Male | |
| Paavai nee malligai | You, maiden, are a jasmine flower |
| Paal nilaa punnagai | Your smile is like milky moonlight |
| Maangalil or vagai | You are a unique kind among deer |
| Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai | O maiden, bestow your love upon me |
| Male | |
| {Oru thenpaandi sangathu | {Of the southern Pandyan Tamil Sangam |
| Thamizh moovagai | The three forms of Tamil |
| Female :Adhil thaen oora | Female: Where honey oozes, |
| Nee paadum isai ezhh vagai} (2) | The seven musical notes you sing} (2) |
| Male | |
| Saelvizhi vel vagai | Fish-like eyes sharp as a spear |
| Sittridai nool vagai | Slender waist thin as a thread |
| Female :Thangiyae vandha kai | Female: The hand that came to reside |
| Vaangumoo vaadagai | Will it demand rent? |
| Male | |
| Paavai nee malligai | You, maiden, are a jasmine flower |
| Paal nila punnagai | Your smile is like milky moonlight |
| Maangalil or vagai | You are a unique kind among deer |
| Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai | O maiden, bestow your love upon me |
| Female | |
| Maadhamoo kaarthigai | Is the month Kaarthigai? |
| Maiyalil kaarigai | The maiden is immersed in passion |
| Manmadhan pandigai | It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love) |
| Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai | An evening rehearsal of love |
பாவை நீ மல்லிகை
பால் நிலா புன்னகை
மான்களில் ஓர் வகை
மங்கையே என்னிடம் அன்பு வை
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Your smile is like milky moonlight
You are a unique kind among deer
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
மாதமோ கார்த்திகை
மையலில் காரிகை
மன்மதன் பண்டிகை
மாலையில் காதலின் ஒத்திகை
Is the month Kaarthigai?
The maiden is immersed in passion
It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love)
An evening rehearsal of love
{அந்த வானோரும்
காணாத எழில் மேனகை
தமிழ் தேன் ஊரும் சொல்
பேசும் அமுதாம்பிகை} (2)
{Even the celestial beings
Have not seen such a beautiful Menaka
Dripping Tamil honey
Is the sweet-speaking Goddess Ambidhai} (2)
வானிலோர் தாரகை
வந்ததோ கன்னிகை
பூவுடல் மாளிகை
தேவையோர் நாழிகை
A star from the sky
Has it arrived as a young maiden?
A mansion with a flower-soft body
An auspicious moment is required
{விழி மை தீட்ட
தேடும் கை அது தூரிகை
சுகம் மாறாமல் கூடும்
கை மணவாளன் கை} (2)
{Seeking to apply kohl to the eyes
That hand is like a paintbrush
Joining without losing bliss
That hand is the groom's hand} (2)
பாவையே ஓர் வகை
பண்புகள் நால்வகை
அம்புகள் ஐவகை
அல்லவோ என் வகை
O maiden, you are one of a kind
Exhibiting the four traditional feminine virtues
The five types of Cupid's flower arrows
Isn't mine of a unique kind?
பாவை நீ மல்லிகை
பால் நிலா புன்னகை
மான்களில் ஓர் வகை
மங்கையே என்னிடம் அன்பு வை
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Your smile is like milky moonlight
You are a unique kind among deer
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
{ஒரு தென்பாண்டி
சங்கத்து தமிழ் மூவகை
அதில் தேன் ஊற
நீ பாடும் இசை ஏழ் வகை} (2)
{Of the southern Pandyan Tamil Sangam
The three forms of Tamil
Female: Where honey oozes,
The seven musical notes you sing} (2)
சேல்விழி வேல்வகை
சிற்றிடை நூல் வகை
தங்கியே வந்த கை
வாங்குமோ வாடகை
Fish-like eyes sharp as a spear
Slender waist thin as a thread
Female: The hand that came to reside
Will it demand rent?
பாவை நீ மல்லிகை
பால் நிலா புன்னகை
மான்களில் ஓர் வகை
மங்கையே என்னிடம் அன்பு வை
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Your smile is like milky moonlight
You are a unique kind among deer
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
மாதமோ கார்த்திகை
மையலில் காரிகை
மன்மதன் பண்டிகை
மாலையில் காதலின் ஒத்திகை
Is the month Kaarthigai?
The maiden is immersed in passion
It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love)
An evening rehearsal of love
Paavai nee malligai
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Paal nilaa punnagai
Your smile is like milky moonlight
Maangalil or vagai
You are a unique kind among deer
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
Maadhamoo kaarthigai
Is the month Kaarthigai?
Maiyalil kaarigai
The maiden is immersed in passion
Manmadhan pandigai
It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love)
Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai
An evening rehearsal of love
{Andha vaanorum
{Even the celestial beings
Kaanadha ezhil menakkai
Have not seen such a beautiful Menaka
Thamil thaen oorum
Dripping Tamil honey
Sol pesum amudhambigai} (2)
Is the sweet-speaking Goddess Ambidhai} (2)
Vaanil oor thaaragai
A star from the sky
Vandhadhoo kannigai
Has it arrived as a young maiden?
Poovudal maaligai
A mansion with a flower-soft body
Thaevaiyor naazhigai
An auspicious moment is required
{Vizhi mai theetta thaedum
{Seeking to apply kohl to the eyes
Kai adhu thoorigai
That hand is like a paintbrush
Sugam maaraamal koodum
Joining without losing bliss
Kai manavaalan kai} (2)
That hand is the groom's hand} (2)
Paavaiyae or vagai
O maiden, you are one of a kind
Panbugal naal vagai
Exhibiting the four traditional feminine virtues
Ambugal aivagai
The five types of Cupid's flower arrows
Allavooo en vagai
Isn't mine of a unique kind?
Paavai nee malligai
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Paal nilaa punnagai
Your smile is like milky moonlight
Maangalil or vagai
You are a unique kind among deer
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
{Oru thenpaandi sangathu
{Of the southern Pandyan Tamil Sangam
Thamizh moovagai
The three forms of Tamil
Female :Adhil thaen oora
Female: Where honey oozes,
Nee paadum isai ezhh vagai} (2)
The seven musical notes you sing} (2)
Saelvizhi vel vagai
Fish-like eyes sharp as a spear
Sittridai nool vagai
Slender waist thin as a thread
Female :Thangiyae vandha kai
Female: The hand that came to reside
Vaangumoo vaadagai
Will it demand rent?
Paavai nee malligai
You, maiden, are a jasmine flower
Paal nila punnagai
Your smile is like milky moonlight
Maangalil or vagai
You are a unique kind among deer
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
O maiden, bestow your love upon me
Maadhamoo kaarthigai
Is the month Kaarthigai?
Maiyalil kaarigai
The maiden is immersed in passion
Manmadhan pandigai
It is the festival of Manmadhan (god of love)
Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai
An evening rehearsal of love
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Paavai Nee Malligai is a romantic Tamil song from the film Deiveega Raagangal (1980), written by the distinguished lyrist Pulamaipithan. The song portrays an intimate, poetic dialogue between lovers exchanging praises and playful romantic banter. The male protagonist compares his beloved's grace and beauty to jasmine, radiant moonlight, a gentle deer, and divine celestial nymphs like Menaka.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Paavai nee malligai / Paal nilaa punnagai”
Extensive use of end-rhyme across lines ending in '-igai' (malligai, punnagai, kaarthigai, kaarigai, pandigai, othigai) creating a rich rhythmic flow.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Paal nilaa punnagai”
Comparing the smile directly to milky moonlight (Paal nilaa punnagai) and the painterly touch of love to a paintbrush (Kai adhu thoorigai).
Enn Alangaramaay (Numerical Wordplay)
“Panbugal naal vagai / Ambugal aivagai”
Skillful integration of numbers (Or vagai, Naal vagai, Aivagai, Moovagai, Ezhh vagai) linking feminine qualities, Cupid's arrows, Tamil literature categories, and musical scales.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics by Pulamaipithan deeply incorporate classical Tamil literary concepts, referencing the Southern Pandyan Sangam, the three categories of Tamil (Iyal, Isai, Nadagam), the seven swaras (Ezhh vagai), and the four classical virtues of women (Naanam, Madam, Acham, Payirppu).
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