Thanga Nilavil
From Thirumanam · 1958
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- A. M. Rajah, Jikki
- Music directors
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, T. G. Lingappa
- Details
- Thirumanam1958
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thanga nilavil kendai irandu | Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Thanga nilavil kendai irandu | Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Male | |
| Thaen pongi thadhumbum | Overflowing with sweet honey, |
| Kovai kanigal | Do the Kovai fruits |
| Punnagai seivathundo | Smile with a gentle grin? |
| Punnagai seivathundo | Smile with a gentle grin? |
| Male | |
| Thanga nilavil kendai irandu | Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Female | |
| Kanni azhagil ennam kalanthaal | When thoughts mingle with a maiden's beauty, |
| Karpanai veedaagum…mmm….mm… | Imagination builds a home... mmm... mm... |
| Karpanai veedaagum… | Imagination builds a home... |
| Kani punnagai seiyum | Where a fruit-like smile makes, |
| Vanna nilavil | In the colorful moon, |
| Kendai vilaiyaadum | The Kendai fish play? |
| Kendai vilaiyaadum | The Kendai fish play? |
| Male | |
| Thanga nilavil kendai irandu | Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Thulli thirivathundo | Leap and wander around? |
| Male | |
| Aa…..aaa….aa…..aaa…. | Aa.....aaa....aa.....aaa.... |
| Female : Oo…..oo…..ooo…. | Female: Oo.....oo.....ooo.... |
| Male | |
| Kaaviya jeevan sirpa vadivil | The soul of epic poetry in a sculpted form, |
| Kalanthu kaanum Azhagey | Oh beauty seen blended together! |
| Female | |
| En sinthai inikka | To sweeten my thoughts, |
| Sevigal kulira | To soothe my ears, |
| Senthamizh paadum anbe | Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil! |
| Senthamizh paadum anbe | Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil! |
| Male | |
| Maalaiyindri oru melamindri | Without a garland, without a drum beat, |
| Thendral manam mudithathu poovai | The breeze married the flower. |
| Female | |
| Sontham yaarumillaatha pothilum | Even though there are no relatives present, |
| Ithu yevvana ulagin thevai | This is the need of the youthful world. |
| Ithu yevvana ulagin thevai | This is the need of the youthful world. |
| Male | |
| Vaana veliyil gyaana rathangal | Chariots of wisdom in the expanse of the sky, |
| Vaavendru azhaikkuthu paaraai | Look, they are calling us to come! |
| Vaavendru azhaikkuthu paaraai | Look, they are calling us to come! |
| Female | |
| Kalai gyaana ulagai boomiyil inge | Here on earth, this world of art and wisdom, |
| Kandidalaam nee vaaraai | Come, let us behold it! |
| Kandidalaam nee vaaraai | Come, let us behold it! |
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Leap and wander around?
Leap and wander around?
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Leap and wander around?
Leap and wander around?
தேன் பொங்கி ததும்பும்
கோவை கனிகள்
புன்னகை செய்வதுண்டோ
புன்னகை செய்வதுண்டோ
Overflowing with sweet honey,
Do the Kovai fruits
Smile with a gentle grin?
Smile with a gentle grin?
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Leap and wander around?
Leap and wander around?
கன்னி அழகில் எண்ணம் கலந்தால்
கற்பனை வீடாகும்....ம்ம்ம்....ம்ம்.....
கற்பனை வீடாகும்
கனி புன்னகை செய்யும்
வண்ண நிலவில்
கெண்டை விளையாடும்
கெண்டை விளையாடும்
When thoughts mingle with a maiden's beauty,
Imagination builds a home... mmm... mm...
Imagination builds a home...
Where a fruit-like smile makes,
In the colorful moon,
The Kendai fish play?
The Kendai fish play?
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Leap and wander around?
Leap and wander around?
ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ....
ஓஒ.....ஓ.....ஓஒ.......
Aa.....aaa....aa.....aaa....
Female: Oo.....oo.....ooo....
காவிய ஜீவன் சிற்ப வடிவில்
கலந்து காணும் அழகே
The soul of epic poetry in a sculpted form,
Oh beauty seen blended together!
என் சிந்தை இனிக்க
செவிகள் குளிர
செந்தமிழ் பாடும் அன்பே
செந்தமிழ் பாடும் அன்பே.....
To sweeten my thoughts,
To soothe my ears,
Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil!
Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil!
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
Without a garland, without a drum beat,
The breeze married the flower.
மாலையின்றி ஒரு மேளமின்றி
தென்றல் மணம் முடித்தது பூவை
Even though there are no relatives present,
This is the need of the youthful world.
This is the need of the youthful world.
சொந்தம் யாருமில்லாத போதிலும்
இது யௌவன உலகின் தேவை
இது யௌவன உலகின் தேவை
Chariots of wisdom in the expanse of the sky,
Look, they are calling us to come!
Look, they are calling us to come!
வான வெளியில் ஞான ரதங்கள்
வாவென்று அழைக்குது பாராய்
வாவென்று அழைக்குது பாராய்
Here on earth, this world of art and wisdom,
Come, let us behold it!
Come, let us behold it!
கலை ஞான உலகை பூமியில் இங்கே
கண்டிடலாம் நீ வாராய்
கண்டிடலாம் நீ வாராய்
தங்க நிலவில் கெண்டை இரண்டு
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
துள்ளித் திரிவதுண்டோ
Thanga nilavil kendai irandu
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thanga nilavil kendai irandu
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thaen pongi thadhumbum
Overflowing with sweet honey,
Kovai kanigal
Do the Kovai fruits
Punnagai seivathundo
Smile with a gentle grin?
Punnagai seivathundo
Smile with a gentle grin?
Thanga nilavil kendai irandu
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Kanni azhagil ennam kalanthaal
When thoughts mingle with a maiden's beauty,
Karpanai veedaagum…mmm….mm…
Imagination builds a home... mmm... mm...
Karpanai veedaagum…
Imagination builds a home...
Kani punnagai seiyum
Where a fruit-like smile makes,
Vanna nilavil
In the colorful moon,
Kendai vilaiyaadum
The Kendai fish play?
Kendai vilaiyaadum
The Kendai fish play?
Thanga nilavil kendai irandu
Do two Kendai fish in a golden moon
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Thulli thirivathundo
Leap and wander around?
Aa…..aaa….aa…..aaa….
Aa.....aaa....aa.....aaa....
Female : Oo…..oo…..ooo….
Female: Oo.....oo.....ooo....
Kaaviya jeevan sirpa vadivil
The soul of epic poetry in a sculpted form,
Kalanthu kaanum Azhagey
Oh beauty seen blended together!
En sinthai inikka
To sweeten my thoughts,
Sevigal kulira
To soothe my ears,
Senthamizh paadum anbe
Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil!
Senthamizh paadum anbe
Oh beloved singing in refined Tamil!
Maalaiyindri oru melamindri
Without a garland, without a drum beat,
Thendral manam mudithathu poovai
The breeze married the flower.
Sontham yaarumillaatha pothilum
Even though there are no relatives present,
Ithu yevvana ulagin thevai
This is the need of the youthful world.
Ithu yevvana ulagin thevai
This is the need of the youthful world.
Vaana veliyil gyaana rathangal
Chariots of wisdom in the expanse of the sky,
Vaavendru azhaikkuthu paaraai
Look, they are calling us to come!
Vaavendru azhaikkuthu paaraai
Look, they are calling us to come!
Kalai gyaana ulagai boomiyil inge
Here on earth, this world of art and wisdom,
Kandidalaam nee vaaraai
Come, let us behold it!
Kandidalaam nee vaaraai
Come, let us behold it!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic romantic duet from 'Thirumanam' (1958) uses vivid classical Tamil poetic imagery to praise the lover's beauty. The maiden's face is metaphorically depicted as a golden moon, her eyes as lively Kendai fish darting across it, and her lips as sweet, ripe Kovai fruits. The song beautifully transitions into a contemplation of youthful love, art, and nature's quiet marriage between the breeze and the flower. It elevates earthly romantic devotion into a transcendent realm of imagination and wisdom. Penned by Poet Kannadasan, the song showcases classic Sangam-inspired metaphors in modern film composition.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamaani / Metaphor
“Thanga nilavil kendai irandu thulli thirivathundo”
Comparing the eyes to Kendai (carp) fish swimming in the face compared to a golden moon.
Uvamaani / Metaphor
“Thaen pongi thadhumbum Kovai kanigal punnagai seivathundo”
Comparing the red lips to sweet overflowing Kovai fruits smiling.
Personification
“Maalaiyindri oru melamindri Thendral manam mudithathu poovai”
Attributing the human act of marriage to nature (breeze marrying the flower without garlands or drums).
Did you know?
Trivia
From the 1958 film Thirumanam starring Gemini Ganesan and Savitri. The music was composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Kannadasan.
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