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Deiveega Raagangal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Paavai Nee Malaigai Paal Nila

From Deiveega Raagangal · 1980

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
Vani Jairam, P. Jayachandran
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Deiveega Raagangal
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
26 Nov 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paavai nee malligai
Paal nilaa punnagai
Maangalil or vagai
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
Maadhamoo kaarthigai
Maiyalil kaarigai
Manmadhan pandigai
Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai
{Andha vaanorum
Kaanadha ezhil menakkai
Thamil thaen oorum
Sol pesum amudhambigai} (2)
Vaanil oor thaaragai
Vandhadhoo kannigai
Poovudal maaligai
Thaevaiyor naazhigai
{Vizhi mai theetta thaedum
Kai adhu thoorigai
Sugam maaraamal koodum
Kai manavaalan kai} (2)
Paavaiyae or vagai
Panbugal naal vagai
Ambugal aivagai
Allavooo en vagai
Paavai nee malligai
Paal nilaa punnagai
Maangalil or vagai
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
{Oru thenpaandi sangathu
Thamizh moovagai
Female :Adhil thaen oora
Nee paadum isai ezhh vagai} (2)
Saelvizhi vel vagai
Sittridai nool vagai
Female :Thangiyae vandha kai
Vaangumoo vaadagai
Paavai nee malligai
Paal nila punnagai
Maangalil or vagai
Mangaiyae ennidam anbu vai
Maadhamoo kaarthigai
Maiyalil kaarigai
Manmadhan pandigai
Maalaiyil kaadhalin othigai
You are a girl like a jasmine flower,
With a smile like milky moonlight,
A rare and graceful deer,
Oh young woman, give your love to me!
It is the cool month of Karthigai,
The young woman is swept in love,
A festival for the god of love,
An evening rehearsal of romance.
Even the gods in the heavens
Have not seen a beauty like this Menaka,
Speaking words rich with Tamil honey,
She is a goddess of sweet nectar!
Has a star from the sky
Come down as a young girl?
Her flower-like body is a palace,
All we need is a fleeting hour.
To paint kohl upon her eyes,
The reaching hand becomes an artist's brush;
The hand that unites in endless pleasure
Is the hand of the bridegroom.
A woman is one of a kind,
Blessed with the four noble virtues,
And the five arrows of the love god
Are striking right at me!
You are a girl like a jasmine flower,
With a smile like milky moonlight,
A rare and graceful deer,
Oh young woman, give your love to me!
In the ancient southern Pandiya Sangam,
Tamil flourishes in three classic forms,
And overflowing with sweet honey,
The music you sing has the seven notes!
Her fish-shaped eyes are sharp as spears,
Her tiny waist is slender as a thread;
Will the comforting hand that embraces me
Ever ask for a price in return?
You are a girl like a jasmine flower,
With a smile like milky moonlight,
A rare and graceful deer,
Oh young woman, give your love to me!
It is the cool month of Karthigai,
The young woman is swept in love,
A festival for the god of love,
An evening rehearsal of romance.
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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).

Keep listening

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