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Isaimozhi
Kanni Penn album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pournami Nilavil

From Kanni Penn · 1969

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Kanni Penn
Movie release year
1969
Lyrics added on
18 Nov 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pournami nilavil pani vizhum iravil
Kadar karai manalil iruppomaa
Maunathin mozhiyil
Mayakkathin nilaiyil
Kadhai kadhaiyaaga padippomaa
Pournami nilavil pani vizhum iravil
Pournami nilavil pani vizhum iravil
Kadar karai manalil iruppomaa
Maunathin mozhiyil
Mayakkathin nilaiyil
Maunathin mozhiyil
Mayakkathin nilaiyil
Kadhai kadhaiyaaga padippomaa
Kamban thamizho paattinilae
Sanga thamizho madhuraiyilae
Kamban thamizho paattinilae
Sanga thamizho madhuraiyilae
Pillai thamizho mazhalaiylae
Nee paesum thamizho vizhigalilae
Nenjam muzhudhum
Kavidhai yezhudhu
Konjum isaiyai pazhagum pozhudhu
Thullum ilamai paruvam namadhu
Thottu thazhuvum sugamo pudhidhu
Kan paarvaiyae un pudhu paadalo
Pon veenaiyae un poo maeniyo
Pournami nilavil pani vizhum iravil
Kadar karai manalil iruppomaa
Maunathin mozhiyil
Mayakkathin nilaiyil
Kadhai kadhaiyaaga padippomaa
Pillai paruvam thaai madiyil
Pesum paruvam thamizh madiyil
Pillai paruvam thaai madiyil
Pesum paruvam thamizh madiyil
Kanni paruvam en vadivil
Kaalam muzhudhum un madiyil
Panneer mazhai thaan
Vizhi mel pozhiya
Thanneer alai pol kuzhal thaan neliya
Thannan thanimai
Thanal pol kodhikka
Thanjam pugundhaal unnai thaan anaikka
Pon oviyam en mana maedaiyil
Sol oviyam un oru jaadaiyil
Under the full moon, on a dewy night,
shall we sit on the beach sand?
In the language of silence,
lost in a daze of love,
shall we read endless stories?
Under the full moon, on a dewy night,
Under the full moon, on a dewy night,
shall we sit on the beach sand?
In the language of silence,
lost in a daze of love,
In the language of silence,
lost in a daze of love,
shall we read endless stories?
Kamban's Tamil is in his poetry,
Sangam (ancient literary) Tamil is in Madurai,
Kamban's Tamil is in his poetry,
Sangam (ancient literary) Tamil is in Madurai,
Pillai Tamil (poetry of childhood) is in a baby's babble,
but the Tamil you speak is in your eyes.
Across my whole heart,
write a poem,
as you teach sweet, tender music.
Our youthful age is full of life,
and the sweet joy of touching and holding you is brand new.
Is the look in your eyes a new song?
Is your flower-like body a golden veena (traditional stringed instrument)?
Under the full moon, on a dewy night,
shall we sit on the beach sand?
In the language of silence,
lost in a daze of love,
shall we read endless stories?
Childhood is spent in a mother's lap,
the speaking years in the lap of Tamil.
Childhood is spent in a mother's lap,
the speaking years in the lap of Tamil.
Youth has taken form as me,
to stay forever in your lap.
As a shower of rosewater
falls over the eyes,
and hair ripples like waves of water,
while complete loneliness
burns like glowing embers,
she has taken refuge to hold you tight.
A golden painting on the stage of my heart,
drawn in words by a single gesture of yours.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Pournami Nilavil from Kanni Penn (1969) is a classic Tamil romantic duet set against the serene backdrop of a moonlit beach. The lovers express their deep affection and desire through poetically evocative imagery, using silence and glances as their primary language under the cool night dew.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Kamban thamizho paattinilae / Sanga thamizho madhuraiyilae / Pillai thamizho mazhalaiylae”

The lines end with matching phonetic suffixes (-ilae), creating a poetic rhythm throughout the verse.

Edugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

“Panneer mazhai thaan / Thanneer alai pol kuzhal thaan neliya”

The second letter 'nn' (ண்ண) rhymes across consecutive lines, enhancing the song's musicality.

Simile (Upama / Uvamai)

“Thanneer alai pol kuzhal thaan neliya”

The wavy hair is directly compared to water waves using the comparative marker 'pol'.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Pon veenaiyae un poo maeniyo”

The woman's soft body is metaphorically described as a golden veena.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kanni Penn (1969) features Jaishankar and Vanisri in the lead roles. The film's musical score was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and this iconic duet was rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela with lyricist Vaali using Tamil literary references like Kamban and Sangam Tamil.

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