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Ninaive Oru Sangeetham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pagalile Oru Nilavinai

From Ninaive Oru Sangeetham · 1987

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ninaive Oru Sangeetham
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
9 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
Adhu ulavum enthan manam oru vaanam poongaavanam
Pudhu megam ival thegam adhil mothum dhinam palavitha sugam tharum
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
Serum kaalam thedi thegam sinthu paadum
Devan vanthu sera thevai solla koosum
Tholil ondru kooda sogam mella odum
Melam thaalam poda mogam melum koodum
Angangal unthan sontham inabam sinthum anbusangam
Paadal ondrai paadum neram paavai ennam vaaduthae
Maara vendum kadhal paaram maalai ondru malaradi vizhunthida
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
…………………
Kaattril aadum koondhal kadhal solli aada
Kadhal konda kaaman kaigal vanthu kooda
Thegam endra kovil poojai neram theda
Thaagam mogam paada thaalam raagam paada
Yaedhetho ennam vanthu solli solli ennai killi
Yaettrum inbam kodi kodi yaekkam thannai kaattuthae
Kaattrum ennai koodi koodu kadhal enum kanavugal kalanthida
Pagalilae…ae…ae…ae…yaeh….
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
Adhu ulavum enthan manam oru vaanam poongaavanam
Pudhu megam ival thegam adhil mothum dhinam palavitha sugam tharum
Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
The sky where it wanders is my heart, a garden of flowers.
Her body is a fresh cloud; touching it brings so many pleasures each day.
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
Longing for the time we unite, my body sings a song.
When my beloved comes to join me, I feel shy to speak of my desires.
As we rest in each other's embrace, sorrow will softly fade away.
As the drums beat a rhythm, passion only grows stronger.
Every part of me belongs to you, a union of love spilling with sweet joy.
As a melody plays, this girl's heart softly pines away.
The burden of love must ease when a wedding garland falls at your feet.
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
...
My hair dances in the breeze, whispering of love.
As the hands of the god of love reach out to hold me,
As this temple of a body seeks the sacred hour of worship,
As longing and desire sing to their own tune and beat,
Countless thoughts arise, whispering and teasing me,
Bringing endless joys and revealing my deep longing.
Let the gentle breeze join me too, as dreams of love blend together.
In the daylight...
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
The sky where it wanders is my heart, a garden of flowers.
Her body is a fresh cloud; touching it brings so many pleasures each day.
I saw a moon in the daylight, and it is a dark moon.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Pagalilae Oru Nilavinai Kandaen' is a romantic expression sung by S. Janaki under Ilaiyaraaja's music direction. It uses vivid poetic metaphors, comparing a dark-complexioned beloved to a mysterious 'black moon' visible during the day. The woman expresses her deep romantic yearning, describing her body as a temple awaiting love's worship and her mind as a blossoming garden filled with passion and desire.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Oxymoron / Metaphor

“Pagalilae oru nilavinai kandaen adhu karuppu nilaa”

Describing a moon appearing during the daytime and referring to it as a 'black moon' (Karuppu Nilaa) creates a striking oxymoronic poetic imagery.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

“Pudhu megam ival thegam adhil mothum dhinam palavitha sugam tharum”

Comparing the human body directly to a cloud ('Pudhu megam ival thegam') and a temple ('Thegam endra kovil').

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Kaattril aadum koondhal kadhal solli aada / Kadhal konda kaaman kaigal vanthu kooda”

The second letter consonant 'da' / 'dha' repeats across line starts ('Kaattril' / 'Kadhal').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is renowned for S. Janaki's expressive vocal nuances and Gangai Amaran's evocative lyrics using the unique oxymoron 'Karuppu Nilaa' (Black Moon) to describe dark skin beauty.

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