Senthoora Kolam
From Durgadevi · 1977
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Durgadevi1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Devi……devi…. | Goddess... goddess... |
| Senthoora kolam en singaara dheepam | The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp. |
| Thirukoyil deivam naan unakkaaga vaazhven | The deity of the holy temple, I shall live only for you. |
| Kadhal idhu kalangalin leelai | Love is the divine play of time. |
| Devi vanthu sootti vaiththa maalai devi | The garland adorned by the Goddess herself, oh Goddess. |
| Female | |
| Aaa….aa…aaa….aaa…. | Aaa... aa... aaa... aaa... |
| Vaanorgal paattu en kaathaara kettu | Listening to the celestial song to my heart's content, |
| Kannaara unai kandaen | I saw you to my eyes' full delight. |
| Kannaara kandu kaantharvam endru | Seeing you fully and realizing it as a divine gandharva union, |
| Pennaaga uru kondaen | I took form as a woman. |
| Female | |
| Yogam naan seitha yaagam | Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed. |
| Yogam naan seitha yaagam | Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed. |
| Idhu aanmaavin isaiyalllavaa | Is this not the music of the soul? |
| Sontham pantham seivatham deva | Creating relationships and bonds, oh Lord. |
| Male | |
| Aagaaya gangai neeraadum pothu | While bathing in the heavenly Ganges, |
| Azhagaana mugam kandaen | I beheld a beautiful face. |
| Aagaaya thendral thaalaattum pothu | When the heavenly breeze lulls us to sleep, |
| Anbe un gunam kandaen | My beloved, I discovered your noble virtue. |
| Male | |
| Raagam anantha ragam | A melody, a melody of blissful joy. |
| Idhu aanmaavin isaiyallavaa | Is this not the music of the soul? |
| Aanmai penmai mangalam devi | Masculinity and femininity in an auspicious union, oh Goddess. |
| Female | |
| Yaehezhu jenmam naan vantha pothum | Even across seven times seven future births, |
| Unakkaaga naan vaazhvaen | I will live only for you. |
| Male :Enthentha mannil naan vantha pothum | Male: In whichever land or realm I am born, |
| Unai thedi naan kaanben | I will search for you and find you. |
| Female | |
| Maarum kaalangalthorum | Through all changing eras, |
| Male :Maarum kaalangalthorum | Male: Through all changing eras, |
| Female :Idhu aanmaavin isaiyallavaa | Female: Is this not the music of the soul? |
| Male :Jeevan | Male: Soul, |
| Female :Thegam | Female: Body, |
| Both :Sangamam…. | Both: Confluence... |
| Female | |
| Deva…. | Oh Lord... |
| Senthoora kolam en singaara dheepam | The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp. |
| Male :Thirukkoyil deivam | Male: The deity of the sacred temple, |
| Naan unakkaga vaazhven | I shall live for you. |
| Female :Kadhal idhu kalangalin leelai | Female: Love is the divine play of time. |
| Male :Devi vanthu sootti vaiththa maalai | Male: The garland adorned by the Goddess herself, |
| Female :Deva | Female: Oh Lord. |
தேவி......தேவி....
செந்தூரக் கோலம் என் சிங்கார தீபம்
திருகோயில் தெய்வம் நான் உனக்காக வாழ்வேன்
காதல் இது காலங்களின் லீலை
தேவி வந்து சூட்டி வைத்த மாலை தேவி......
Goddess... goddess...
The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp.
The deity of the holy temple, I shall live only for you.
Love is the divine play of time.
The garland adorned by the Goddess herself, oh Goddess.
ஆஆ....ஆ....ஆஆ......ஆஆ....
வானோர்கள் பாட்டு என் காதாரக் கேட்டு
கண்ணார உனைக் கண்டேன்
கண்ணாரக் கண்டு காந்தர்வம் என்று
பெண்ணாக உருக் கொண்டேன்
Aaa... aa... aaa... aaa...
Listening to the celestial song to my heart's content,
I saw you to my eyes' full delight.
Seeing you fully and realizing it as a divine gandharva union,
I took form as a woman.
யோகம் நான் செய்த யாகம்
யோகம் நான் செய்த யாகம்
இது ஆன்மாவின் இசையல்லவா
சொந்தம் பந்தம் தெய்வதம் தேவா....
Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed.
Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed.
Is this not the music of the soul?
Creating relationships and bonds, oh Lord.
ஆகாய கங்கை நீராடும் போது
அழகான முகம் கண்டேன்
ஆகாயத் தென்றல் தாலாட்டும் போது
அன்பே உன் குணம் கண்டேன்
While bathing in the heavenly Ganges,
I beheld a beautiful face.
When the heavenly breeze lulls us to sleep,
My beloved, I discovered your noble virtue.
ராகம் ஆனந்த ராகம்
இது ஆன்மாவின் இசையல்லவா
ஆண்மை பெண்மை மங்கலம் தேவி......
A melody, a melody of blissful joy.
Is this not the music of the soul?
Masculinity and femininity in an auspicious union, oh Goddess.
ஏழேழு ஜென்மம் நான் வந்த போதும்
உனக்காக நான் வாழ்வேன்
எந்தெந்த மண்ணில் நான் வந்த போதும்
உனைத் தேடி நான் காண்பேன்
Even across seven times seven future births,
I will live only for you.
Male: In whichever land or realm I am born,
I will search for you and find you.
மாறும் காலங்கள்தோறும்
மாறும் காலங்கள்தோறும் –
இது ஆன்மாவின் இசையல்லவா
ஜீவன்
தேகம்
இருவர் :
சங்கமம்...
Through all changing eras,
Male: Through all changing eras,
Female: Is this not the music of the soul?
Male: Soul,
Female: Body,
Both: Confluence...
தேவா......
செந்தூரக் கோலம் என் சிங்கார தீபம்
திருக்கோயில் தெய்வம்
நான் உனக்காக வாழ்வேன்
காதல் இது காலங்களின் லீலை
தேவி வந்து சூட்டி வைத்த மாலை
தேவா.......
Oh Lord...
The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp.
Male: The deity of the sacred temple,
I shall live for you.
Female: Love is the divine play of time.
Male: The garland adorned by the Goddess herself,
Female: Oh Lord.
Devi……devi….
Goddess... goddess...
Senthoora kolam en singaara dheepam
The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp.
Thirukoyil deivam naan unakkaaga vaazhven
The deity of the holy temple, I shall live only for you.
Kadhal idhu kalangalin leelai
Love is the divine play of time.
Devi vanthu sootti vaiththa maalai devi
The garland adorned by the Goddess herself, oh Goddess.
Aaa….aa…aaa….aaa….
Aaa... aa... aaa... aaa...
Vaanorgal paattu en kaathaara kettu
Listening to the celestial song to my heart's content,
Kannaara unai kandaen
I saw you to my eyes' full delight.
Kannaara kandu kaantharvam endru
Seeing you fully and realizing it as a divine gandharva union,
Pennaaga uru kondaen
I took form as a woman.
Yogam naan seitha yaagam
Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed.
Yogam naan seitha yaagam
Good fortune is the sacred ritual I performed.
Idhu aanmaavin isaiyalllavaa
Is this not the music of the soul?
Sontham pantham seivatham deva
Creating relationships and bonds, oh Lord.
Aagaaya gangai neeraadum pothu
While bathing in the heavenly Ganges,
Azhagaana mugam kandaen
I beheld a beautiful face.
Aagaaya thendral thaalaattum pothu
When the heavenly breeze lulls us to sleep,
Anbe un gunam kandaen
My beloved, I discovered your noble virtue.
Raagam anantha ragam
A melody, a melody of blissful joy.
Idhu aanmaavin isaiyallavaa
Is this not the music of the soul?
Aanmai penmai mangalam devi
Masculinity and femininity in an auspicious union, oh Goddess.
Yaehezhu jenmam naan vantha pothum
Even across seven times seven future births,
Unakkaaga naan vaazhvaen
I will live only for you.
Male :Enthentha mannil naan vantha pothum
Male: In whichever land or realm I am born,
Unai thedi naan kaanben
I will search for you and find you.
Maarum kaalangalthorum
Through all changing eras,
Male :Maarum kaalangalthorum
Male: Through all changing eras,
Female :Idhu aanmaavin isaiyallavaa
Female: Is this not the music of the soul?
Male :Jeevan
Male: Soul,
Female :Thegam
Female: Body,
Both :Sangamam….
Both: Confluence...
Deva….
Oh Lord...
Senthoora kolam en singaara dheepam
The vermillion design, my beautiful decorative lamp.
Male :Thirukkoyil deivam
Male: The deity of the sacred temple,
Naan unakkaga vaazhven
I shall live for you.
Female :Kadhal idhu kalangalin leelai
Female: Love is the divine play of time.
Male :Devi vanthu sootti vaiththa maalai
Male: The garland adorned by the Goddess herself,
Female :Deva
Female: Oh Lord.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Senthoora Kolam from the 1977 Tamil film Durgadevi is a devotional and transcendent love duet composed by Ilaiyaraaja and written by Kannadasan. The song expresses a deep, spiritual romance where the lovers view their connection not merely as earthly affection, but as a divine symphony of the soul (Aanmaavin Isai). They liken each other to sacred temple deities and heavenly sights, declaring that their love transcends temporal limits and will endure across multiple lifetimes.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Senthoora kolam en singaara dheepam”
Compares love to soul music ('aanmaavin isai') and the beloved to a decorative lamp ('singaara dheepam').
Edukai (Second letter rhyming)
“Vaanorgal paattu en kaathaara kettu / Kannaara unai kandaen”
The second letters of 'Kaathaara' and 'Kannaara' rhyme, creating a harmonious phonetic rhythm characteristic of classical Tamil poetry.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Yaehezhu jenmam naan vantha pothum”
Refers to the traditional Tamil motif of love enduring through 'Yaehezhu jenmam' (seven times seven births).
Did you know?
Trivia
This track showcases an early masterpiece collaboration between Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and lyricist Kannadasan. Set in a classical ragam framework, the song highlights P. Jayachandran's silky vocals alongside S. Janaki's expressive rendition, making it one of the classic romantic melodies of late 1970s Tamil cinema.
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