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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thendral Vanthu Theendumbothu

From Avatharam · 1995

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Ilayaraja, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Avatharam
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
27 Aug 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………………..
…………………………………
Thendral vanthu
Theendum pothu
Enna vannamo manasula
Thingal vanthu
Kaayum pothu
Enna vannamo nenapula
Vanthu vanthu poguthamma
Ennamellam vannam amma
Ennagalukku yethapadi
Vannamellam maarumamma
Unmaiyamma ullatha naanum sonnen
Ponnamma chinna kanne
Thendral vanthu
Theendum pothu
Enna vannamo manasula
Thingal vanthu
Kaayum pothu
Enna vannamo nenapula
………………………………..
Evarum sollaamalae
Pookkalum vaasam veesuthu
Uravum illaamalea
Iru manam yetho pesuthu
Evarum sollaamalae
Kuyil ellaam thaena paaduthu
Ethuvum illaamalae
Manasellaam inippaa inikkuthu
Oda neeroda
Intha ulagam athu pola
Odam athu odum
Intha kaalam athu pola
Nilaiyaa nillaathu
Ninaivil varum nirangalae
Thendral vanthu
Theendum pothu
Enna vannamo manasula
……………………………….
Eeram vizhunthaalae
Nilathilae ellaam thulirkuthu
Nesam poranthaalae
Udambellaam yeno silirkuthu
Aalam vizhuthaaga
Aasaigal oonjal aadudhu
Alaiyum ala polae
Azhagellaam kolam poduthu
Kuyilae kuyilinamae
Antha isaiya koovuthamma
Kiliyae kiliyinamae
Atha kathaiyai pesuthamma
Kathaiya vidukathaiyaai
Aavathillaiyae anbu thaan
Thendral vanthu
Theendum pothu
Enna vannamo manasula
Male :Thingal vanthu
Kaayum pothu
Enna vannamo nenapula
Vanthu vanthu poguthamma
Ennamellam vannam amma
Male :Ennagalukku yethapadi
Vannamellam maarumamma
Female :Unmaiyilae ullatha
Enna enna
Vannangal enna enna
Thendral vanthu
Theendum pothu
Enna vannamo manasula
Thingal vanthu
Kaayum pothu
Enna vannamo nenapula
...
...
When the gentle breeze comes
and touches me,
what colors fill my heart?
When the moon comes
and shines its light,
what colors rise in my thoughts?
They keep coming and going,
every single thought is a color!
Matching every thought,
the colors keep changing!
It's the truth, I only said what was in my heart,
my precious one, my sweet darling!
When the gentle breeze comes
and touches me,
what colors fill my heart?
When the moon comes
and shines its light,
what colors rise in my thoughts?
...
Without anyone telling them to,
flowers spread their sweet fragrance.
Even without naming any bond,
two hearts are speaking to each other.
Without anyone teaching them,
cuckoos sing as sweet as honey.
Without any reason at all,
the whole heart overflows with sweetness.
A stream of water flows,
and this world is just like that.
A little boat drifts along,
and time is just like that.
They never stay still,
just like the colors that rise in memory!
When the gentle breeze comes
and touches me,
what colors fill my heart?
...
As soon as moisture touches the ground,
everything sprouts across the earth.
As soon as love is born,
why does a shiver run through the whole body?
Like the hanging roots of a banyan tree,
desires swing back and forth.
Like the rolling waves,
all this beauty draws lovely patterns.
The flock of cuckoos
calls out with that sweet melody!
The flock of parrots
chatters about that story!
A story never turns into a riddle
when it is filled with true love!
When the gentle breeze comes
and touches me,
what colors fill my heart?
Male: When the moon comes
and shines its light,
what colors rise in my thoughts?
They keep coming and going,
every single thought is a color!
Male: Matching every thought,
the colors keep changing!
Female: What is truly inside—
what are they,
what are all these colors?
When the gentle breeze comes
and touches me,
what colors fill my heart?
When the moon comes
and shines its light,
what colors rise in my thoughts?
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic song 'Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu' from Avatharam meditates on how nature and human emotions are intricately linked. The gentle breeze and moonlight serve as quiet triggers that evoke a kaleidoscope of shifting feelings and memories inside the human mind. The lyrics portray how nature creates magic effortlessly—flowers fragrance the air without prompt, birds sing sweetly, and affection naturally stirs goosebumps and deep desires. Through poetic similes comparing life to a flowing stream and time to a sailing boat, the song emphasizes the transience of moments and feelings. Love is described as an enduring, non-riddling truth that breathes life into everything, changing internal 'colors' as seamlessly as nature transitions through its seasons.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)

“Thendral vanthu / Theendum pothu”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds within a line or across adjacent lines.

Ethirayi (Second-Letter Rhyme)

“Thendral vanthu / Thingal vanthu”

Matching second consonants across lines, creating natural rhythm in Tamil poetry.

Upamai (Simile)

“Oda neeroda / Intha ulagam athu pola”

Comparing the passage of world and time to flowing streams and moving boats using 'pola'.

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Ennamellam vannam amma”

Directly identifying thoughts with colors without explicit comparison words.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed and sung by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja alongside S. Janaki for Nassar's directorial debut 'Avatharam' (1995), starring Nassar and Revathi. The song is composed in the classical ragam Punnagavarali, masterfully blending folk melodic structures with rich orchestral arrangements.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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