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Manjal Nila album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Poonthendral Kaatre Vaa

From Manjal Nila · 1982

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
P. Susheela, P. Jayachandran
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Manjal Nila
Movie release year
1982
Lyrics added on
21 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa
Adhil saernthaadum paatae vaa vaa
Nenjam unathu thanjam
Konjum ninaivu manjam
Nenjam unathu thanjam
Konjum ninaivu manjam
Female :Aanantha thaagam thaanindru theera
: Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa
Adhil saernthaadum paatae vaa vaa
Yaenaamal yaengum ilamaikaalam
Engengum thondrum inimaikolam
En nenjin ninaivil pudhiyathor raagam
Endrendrum thodarum manathil thaagam
Male :Poovaaramae enthan ponnaaramae
Naan paada nee vendum anbae…ae…
Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa
Adhil saernthaadum paatae vaa vaa
Kaanaatha nenjam kanavil vaazhum
Kaaveri pola ninaivil aaum
Kannmoodum neram kavithai paadum
Kai serum pothum idhayam koodum
Female :Yaenenpatho ennathaan enbatho
Nee solla vaaraathathaeno…oo….oo…
Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa
Male :Adhil saernthaadum paatae vaa vaa
Female :Heehhmm heehihmm
Nenjam unathu thanjam
Konjum ninaivu manjam
Female :Aanantha thaagam thaanindru theera
Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa
Male :Adhil saernthaadum paatae vaa vaa….
Come, gentle breeze of flowers, come
Come, song that dances along with it, come
My heart is your refuge
A bed made of tender memories
My heart is your refuge
A bed made of tender memories
Female: To quench this joyful thirst today
Come, gentle breeze of flowers, come
Come, song that dances along with it, come
Youthful days yearning without a reason
Everywhere, sweet sights unfold
A brand new melody in my heart's thoughts
A thirst in my soul that will last forever
Male: O garland of flowers, my golden treasure
I need you by my side to sing, my love...
Come, gentle breeze of flowers, come
Come, song that dances along with it, come
A longing heart lives in dreams
Flowing through memories like the river Kaveri
When I close my eyes, it sings poetry
When our hands join, our hearts become one
Female: What is the reason, what could it be?
Why haven't you come to tell me... oh...
Come, gentle breeze of flowers, come
Male: Come, song that dances along with it, come
Female: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm...
My heart is your refuge
A bed made of tender memories
Female: To quench this joyful thirst today
Come, gentle breeze of flowers, come
Male: Come, song that dances along with it, come...
Female
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Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This romantic duet from the film Manjal Nila (1982) captures the deep longing and emotional union between two lovers. They welcome the soothing flower breeze and the melody accompanying it, framing their yearning as an eternal thirst for togetherness. The lyrics express how youthfulness brings unspoken desires and sweet imaginations, comparing lingering memories to the vast flow of the Cauvery river. Through poetic imagery of floral garlands, refuge, and poetry created in stillness, both partners express how incomplete their song of life remains without each other's presence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Etai (Repetition)

Poonthendral kattrae vaa vaa

The phrase 'vaa vaa' is repeated at the end of lines for emphasis and musical rhythm.

Emonical Rhyme / Etukai (Second-letter rhyming)

Nenjam unathu thanjam / Konjum ninaivu manjam

Matching second consonant sounds ('n') in consecutive lines ('Nenjam' / 'Konjum').

Upama (Simile)

Kaaveri pola ninaivil aaum

Compares memories flowing in the mind to the river Cauvery ('Kaaveri pola').

Metaphor / Rupaka

Poovaaramae enthan ponnaaramae

Metaphorically addressing the beloved as a golden floral garland ('ponnaaramae').

Did you know?

Trivia

Manjal Nila is a 1982 Tamil film directed by H. S. Venu. The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, featuring lyrics written primarily by Gangai Amaran. The song highlights Gangai Amaran's signature style of using nature imagery like breeze ('thendral') and rivers ('Kaaveri') to depict romantic emotions.

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