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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sangeetha Jaathi Mullai

From Kadhal Oviyam · 1982

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kadhal Oviyam1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aaaaaa …aaa…Vocalizing (Aaa...)
Aaaaaa…..aa….aaa..Vocalizing (Aaa...)
Aaa…aaa..Vocalizing (Aaa...)
Aaa….aaa…Vocalizing (Aaa...)
Aa..aa…aaa…aaa..aaa…Vocalizing (Aa...)
Aaa..aaa..aaa…aaVocalizing (Aaa...)
Aaa..aaa…aaa…aa..Vocalizing (Aaa...)
Male
Thannantha nam thaRhythmic solkattu syllables (Thannantha nam tha)
Nam tham nam tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tham nam tha)
Male
Nam tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tha nam tham)
Nam tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tha nam tham)
Nam tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tha nam tham)
Male
Nam tham tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tham tha nam tham)
Nam tham tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tham tha nam tham)
Nam tham tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tham tha nam tham)
Nam tham tha nam thamRhythmic solkattu syllables (Nam tham tha nam tham)
Ennathamae vaa…Come, my musical soul!
Male
Sangeetha jaathimullaiMy musical jasmine flower
KaanavillaiIs nowhere to be found
Kangal vanthum paavaiyindriThough eyes have arrived, without my beloved lady
PaarvaiyillaiThere is no vision
Raagangalindri sangeethamillaiWithout ragas, there is no music
Saavondruthaanaa nam kaadhal ellaiIs death the only ultimate end of our love?
En naathamae vaa aa a a a…Come, my musical soul!
Male
Sangeetha jaathimullaiMy musical jasmine flower
KaanavillaiIs nowhere to be found
Male
Thirumugam vanthuWill her divine face come
PazhagumoAnd get acquainted?
Arimugam seithu vilagumoWill she introduce herself and then depart?
Vizhigalil thuligal vadiyumoWill tear drops flow from the eyes?
Athu suduvathai thaanga mudiyumoCan I bear the burning heat of those tears?
Male
Kanavinil enthanIn my dreams, my
Uyirum uravaagiSoul bonded in love
Vidigayil indruAt dawn today
Azhuthu pirivaagiIs separated in tears
Thanimaiyil enthanIn loneliness, my
Idhayam sarugaagi uthirumoo..ooHeart turns into a dried leaf and falls away
Male
Thiraigal ittaalumEven if curtains are drawn
Marainthu kollaathuIt will not remain hidden
Anaigal ittalumEven if dams are built
Vazhiyil nillaathuIt will not stop on its path
Ponni nathi kanni nathiRiver Ponni, river of youth
Jeeva nathiRiver of life!
Male
Vizhigal azhuthapadiAs eyes weep
Karangal thozhuthapadiAs hands fold in prayer
Siraigalum podipadaAs prison bars shatter
Velivarum orukiliA parrot comes breaking free
Isai enum mazhai varumThe rain called music will arrive
Ini enthan mayil varumNow my peacock will arrive
Male
Nyabaga vethanai meerumoWill the agony of memories cross all limits?
Aadiya paathangalFeet that once danced
Kaathalin vethangalThe painful tribulations of love
Aadidumo paadidumoWill they dance, will they sing?
Aadidumo paadidumo ooo ooWill they dance, will they sing?
Male
Raaja deepamaeO royal lamp!
Enthan vaasalil vaaraaiyooWon't you step into my doorstep?
Kuyilae kuyilaeO cuckoo bird, cuckoo bird!
Kuyilae kuyilaeO cuckoo bird, cuckoo bird!
Unthan raagam nenjilYour melody inside my heart
Nindru aadumDances continuously
Raaja deepamae….ae…..O royal lamp...
Male
Naan thedi vanthaThe one I came searching for
Oru kodai nilavuA gentle summer moon
Aval neethaanae neethaanaeIs it you, is it you?
Mana kannil nindruStanding before my mind's eye
Pala kavithai thanthamagalThe woman who gave birth to many poems
Neethaanae neethaanae neethaanaeIs it you, is it you, is it you?
Male
{Vizhi illai enumbothuWhen I had no sight,
Vazhi koduthaiYou showed me the way
Vizhi vantha pinnaalAfter I gained my sight,
Yen siragodithaai} (2)Why did you break my wings?
Male
Nenjil engum unthan bimbamWhen I had no sight, you showed me the way; after I gained my sight, why did you break my wings?
Nenjil engum unthan bimbamYour image is everywhere in my heart
Sinthum santham unthan sonthamYour image is everywhere in my heart
Thathichellum muthu chirpamThe flowing rhythm belongs to you
Kannukkullae kanneer veppamA dancing pearl sculpture
Innum enna nenjil achamThe heat of tears inside the eyes
Kannil mattum jeevan michamWhat fear still remains in the heart?
Mullai poovil mullum undoLife remains only in the eyes
Kandukondum intha vesham ennaAre there thorns on a jasmine flower?
Raaja dheepameEven after understanding, why this pretense?
Male
Sa sa nisa nisa..O royal lamp
Nisa nisa nisa nisaClassical swara notations (Sa sa nisa nisa..)
Gari sani risa nitha patha ni sariClassical swara notations (Nisa nisa nisa nisa)
Riga ritha satharisa nisari nisariClassical swara notations (Gari sani risa nitha patha ni sari)
Sanithapa thasaniClassical swara notations (Riga ritha satharisa nisari nisari)
Sanithapa mapagathaClassical swara notations (Sanithapa thasani)
Sa nisani nisani nisani thapaClassical swara notations (Sanithapa mapagatha)
Pa mathapa nisa sanithapa mapaClassical swara notations (Sa nisani nisani nisani thapa)
Sariga.. sariga risari gamapaClassical swara notations (Pa mathapa nisa sanithapa mapa)
Gamapa gamapaClassical swara notations (Sariga.. sariga risari gamapa)
Mapatha patha niClassical swara notations (Gamapa gamapa)
Risa nisa.. sani thaniClassical swara notations (Mapatha patha ni)
Patha ni sasa sani thaniClassical swara notations (Risa nisa.. sani thani)
Gari sani sanitha rithapaClassical swara notations (Patha ni sasa sani thani)
Male
Tharikidathom tharikidathomClassical swara notations (Gari sani sanitha rithapa)
Tharikidathom tharikidathomClassical rhythmic jathi (Tharikidathom tharikidathom)
Thakathimithom thakathimithomClassical rhythmic jathi (Tharikidathom tharikidathom)
Thakathimithom thakathimithomClassical rhythmic jathi (Thakathimithom thakathimithom)
Thakathimithom thakathimithomClassical rhythmic jathi (Thakathimithom thakathimithom)
Thakathimithom thakathimithomClassical rhythmic jathi (Thakathimithom thakathimithom)
Male
Magana yaganaClassical rhythmic jathi (Thakathimithom thakathimithom)
Ragana SaganaPoetic prosody gana (Magana yagana)
Yagana raganaPoetic prosody gana (Ragana Sagana)
Sagana thaganaPoetic prosody gana (Yagana ragana)
Ragana saganaPoetic prosody gana (Sagana thagana)
Thagana paganaPoetic prosody gana (Ragana sagana)
Sagana thaganaPoetic prosody gana (Thagana pagana)
Pagana gaganaPoetic prosody gana (Sagana thagana)
Male
Magana yaganaPoetic prosody gana (Pagana gagana)
Ragana SaganaPoetic prosody gana (Magana yagana)
Yagana raganaPoetic prosody gana (Ragana Sagana)
Sagana thaganaPoetic prosody gana (Yagana ragana)
Ragana saganaPoetic prosody gana (Sagana thagana)
Thagana paganaPoetic prosody gana (Ragana sagana)
Sagana thaganaPoetic prosody gana (Thagana pagana)
Pagana gaganaPoetic prosody gana (Sagana thagana)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sangeetha Jaathimullai from Kadhal Oviyam (1982) is an iconic classical composition that conveys the anguish of a musician yearning for his lost beloved. Blind from birth, the protagonist gained his sight only to lose the woman who was his spiritual and artistic muse. He likens her to a delicate jasmine flower and a light that guides his doorstep, lamenting that visual sight is meaningless without the presence of the soulmate who infused life into his songs.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Sangeetha jaathimullai

Compares the beloved to a musical jasmine flower ('Sangeetha jaathimullai') and a royal lamp ('Raaja deepamae').

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)

Saavondruthaanaa nam kaadhal ellai

Asks whether love must end only in death, emphasizing emotional despair.

Paradox / Irony

Vizhi vantha pinnaal yen siragodithaai

Highlights the tragic twist where gaining physical eyesight resulted in losing freedom and emotional vision.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, this song is considered one of the most complex solo classical tracks in Tamil film history (set in Raga Reethigowlai). At the climax of the song, lyricist Vairamuthu incorporated the names of Tamil prosody meters (the eight Tamil metric feet/ganas: Magana, Yagana, Ragana, Sagana, Thagana, Pagana, Gagana), perfectly blending classical music, poetic grammar, and vocal virtuosity.

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