Thendrale
From Kadhal Desam · 1996
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Unnikrishnan, Mano, Dominique Cerejo
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Kadhal Desam1996
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Hmmm…mmm…hmmm…mmmm | Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals) |
| {Thendralae thendralae | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, |
| Mella nee veesu | Blow gently, |
| Poovudan mella nee peesu} (2) | Speak gently with the flower. |
| Male | |
| Karaiyin madiyil | In the lap of the shore, |
| Nadhiyum thoongum | Even the river sleeps, |
| Kavalai marandhu thoongu | Forget your worries and sleep. |
| Iravin madiyil ulagam thoongum | In the lap of the night, the world sleeps, |
| Iniya kanavil thoongu | Sleep in a sweet dream. |
| Male | |
| Thendralae thendralae | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, |
| Mella nee veesu | Blow gently, |
| Poovudan mella nee peesu | Speak gently with the flower. |
| Female | |
| Ooo….eeehhhh..aaa……. | Vocalizing (Ooo… eeeh… aaa…) |
| Ehhhhh..oooo….ohhhhh…. | Vocalizing (Ehhhh… oooo… ohhhhh…) |
| Male | |
| Kaadhal endraal kavalaiya | Is love synonymous with sorrow? |
| Kannil neerin thivalaiya | Is it just a droplet of tears in the eyes? |
| Noi aanen uyirum nee aanen | I became the ailment, and you became my life. |
| Iravil kaayum muzhu nila | The full moon that shines in the night, |
| Enakku mattum sudum nila | Is a moon that burns only for me. |
| Vaaraiyo enai nee seraiyo | Will you not come and join me? |
| Male | |
| Thoonga vaikkum nilavae | O moon that puts everyone to sleep, |
| Thookam indri neeyae vaadinaiyo | Did you wither away sleeplessly yourself? |
| Male | |
| Thendralae thendralae | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, |
| Mella nee veesu | Blow gently, |
| Poovudan mella nee peesu | Speak gently with the flower. |
| Female | |
| …………………………… | Instrumental pause |
| Male | |
| Maalai vaanil kadhirum saiyum | In the evening sky, even the sun sets, |
| Madiyil saaindhu thoongada | Sleep leaning on my lap, dear. |
| Boomi yaavum thoongum podhu | When the whole world sleeps, |
| Poovai neeyum thoongada | You too sleep, my flower-like one. |
| Male | |
| Malarin kaadhal panikku theriyum | The flower's love is known to the dew, |
| En manadhin kaadhal theriyumaa | But is the love in my heart known to you? |
| Solla varthai kodi dhan | Though there are millions of words to say, |
| Unnai neril kandaal mounam en | Why is there silence when I see you in person? |
| Male | |
| Thoonga vaikka paadinen naan | I sang to put you to sleep, |
| Thookamindri vaadinen | Yet I withered away without sleep. |
| Male | |
| {Thendralae thendralae | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, |
| Mella nee veesu | Blow gently, |
| Poovudan mella nee peesu} (2) | Speak gently with the flower. |
| Male | |
| Hmmm…mmm…hmmm…mmmm | Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals) |
ம்ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்.......ம்ம்ம்ம்
ம்ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்.......ம்ம்ம்ம்....
Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals)
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Blow gently,
Speak gently with the flower.
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
In the lap of the shore,
Even the river sleeps,
Forget your worries and sleep.
In the lap of the night, the world sleeps,
Sleep in a sweet dream.
கரையின் மடியில் நதியும் தூங்கும்
கவலை மறந்து தூங்கு
இரவின் மடியில் உலகம் தூங்கும்
இனிய கனவில் தூங்கு
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Blow gently,
Speak gently with the flower.
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
Vocalizing (Ooo… eeeh… aaa…)
Vocalizing (Ehhhh… oooo… ohhhhh…)
.................................................
Is love synonymous with sorrow?
Is it just a droplet of tears in the eyes?
I became the ailment, and you became my life.
The full moon that shines in the night,
Is a moon that burns only for me.
Will you not come and join me?
காதல் என்றால் கவலையா
கண்ணில் நீரின் திவலையா
நோயானேன் உயிரும் நீ யானேன்
இரவில் காயும் முழு நிலா
எனக்கு மட்டும் சுடும் நிலா
வாராயோ எனை நீ சேராயோ
O moon that puts everyone to sleep,
Did you wither away sleeplessly yourself?
தூங்க வைக்கும் நிலவே
தூக்கமின்றி......
நீயே வாடினாயோ
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Blow gently,
Speak gently with the flower.
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
Instrumental pause
.................................................
In the evening sky, even the sun sets,
Sleep leaning on my lap, dear.
When the whole world sleeps,
You too sleep, my flower-like one.
மாலை வானில் கதிரும் சாயும்
மடியில் சாய்ந்து தூங்கடா
பூமி யாவும் தூங்கும் போது
பூவை நீயும் தூங்கடா
The flower's love is known to the dew,
But is the love in my heart known to you?
Though there are millions of words to say,
Why is there silence when I see you in person?
மலரின் காதல் பனிக்கு தெரியும்
என் மனதின் காதல் தெரியுமா
சொல்ல வார்த்தை கோடி தான்
உனை நேரில் கண்டால் மௌனம் ஏன்
I sang to put you to sleep,
Yet I withered away without sleep.
தூங்க வைக்க பாடினேன்
நான் தூக்கமின்றி வாடினேன்
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Blow gently,
Speak gently with the flower.
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
தென்றலே தென்றலே மெல்ல நீ வீசு
பூவுடன் மெல்ல நீ பேசு
Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals)
ம்ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்.......ம்ம்ம்ம்
ம்ம்ம்ம்......ம்ம்ம்ம்.......
Hmmm…mmm…hmmm…mmmm
Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals)
{Thendralae thendralae
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Mella nee veesu
Blow gently,
Poovudan mella nee peesu} (2)
Speak gently with the flower.
Karaiyin madiyil
In the lap of the shore,
Nadhiyum thoongum
Even the river sleeps,
Kavalai marandhu thoongu
Forget your worries and sleep.
Iravin madiyil ulagam thoongum
In the lap of the night, the world sleeps,
Iniya kanavil thoongu
Sleep in a sweet dream.
Thendralae thendralae
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Mella nee veesu
Blow gently,
Poovudan mella nee peesu
Speak gently with the flower.
Ooo….eeehhhh..aaa…….
Vocalizing (Ooo… eeeh… aaa…)
Ehhhhh..oooo….ohhhhh….
Vocalizing (Ehhhh… oooo… ohhhhh…)
Kaadhal endraal kavalaiya
Is love synonymous with sorrow?
Kannil neerin thivalaiya
Is it just a droplet of tears in the eyes?
Noi aanen uyirum nee aanen
I became the ailment, and you became my life.
Iravil kaayum muzhu nila
The full moon that shines in the night,
Enakku mattum sudum nila
Is a moon that burns only for me.
Vaaraiyo enai nee seraiyo
Will you not come and join me?
Thoonga vaikkum nilavae
O moon that puts everyone to sleep,
Thookam indri neeyae vaadinaiyo
Did you wither away sleeplessly yourself?
Thendralae thendralae
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Mella nee veesu
Blow gently,
Poovudan mella nee peesu
Speak gently with the flower.
……………………………
Instrumental pause
Maalai vaanil kadhirum saiyum
In the evening sky, even the sun sets,
Madiyil saaindhu thoongada
Sleep leaning on my lap, dear.
Boomi yaavum thoongum podhu
When the whole world sleeps,
Poovai neeyum thoongada
You too sleep, my flower-like one.
Malarin kaadhal panikku theriyum
The flower's love is known to the dew,
En manadhin kaadhal theriyumaa
But is the love in my heart known to you?
Solla varthai kodi dhan
Though there are millions of words to say,
Unnai neril kandaal mounam en
Why is there silence when I see you in person?
Thoonga vaikka paadinen naan
I sang to put you to sleep,
Thookamindri vaadinen
Yet I withered away without sleep.
{Thendralae thendralae
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze,
Mella nee veesu
Blow gently,
Poovudan mella nee peesu} (2)
Speak gently with the flower.
Hmmm…mmm…hmmm…mmmm
Hmmm… mmm… hmmm… mmmm (Humming vocals)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Thendralae Thendralae is a soulful lullaby from Kadhal Desam that blends comfort, deep affection, and unexpressed sorrow. The speaker uses soft imagery from nature—such as the river resting on the shore, the breeze whispering to flowers, and the world sleeping under the night sky—to soothe a troubled beloved into a peaceful slumber.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Poovudan mella nee peesu”
The breeze is given human attributes, gently whispering and conversing with a flower.
Oxymoron / Metaphor
“Enakku mattum sudum nila”
The cool full moon is metaphorically depicted as a burning entity ('sudum nila') to represent the burning agony of unfulfilled love.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Thoonga vaikka paadinen naan / Thookamindri vaadinen”
The second letter harmony ('oo') between 'Thoonga' and 'Thookam' creates a soft, repetitive lullaby rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A.R. Rahman for the 1996 hit movie 'Kadhal Desam' (directed by Kathir), this song features soothing vocals by P. Unnikrishnan and Mano. Lyricist Vaali crafted the lines as a comforting lullaby that simultaneously carries underlying themes of silent love and emotional sacrifice.
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