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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thendrale Thendrale Nee

From Saavi · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Details
Saavi1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thendralae thendralae nee ennai naadi vaaOh gentle breeze, oh gentle breeze, come seeking me.
Vaazhalaam vaazhalaam vaasalai thedi vaaWe can live, we can live, come searching for the doorstep.
Mayakkum vilainthidum maalaiyilIn the enchanting, intoxicating evening,
Malargal virinthidum cholaiyilIn the garden where flowers bloom,
Male
Thendralae thendralae nee ennai naadi vaaOh gentle breeze, oh gentle breeze, come seeking me.
Vaazhalaam vaazhalaam vaasalai thedi vaaWe can live, we can live, come searching for the doorstep.
Female
Vaanampaadigal polavae gaanam paadiya naatgalaeThe days when we sang songs like skylarks,
Odum megangal polavae odi ponathu kaattrilaeRan away in the wind like drifting clouds.
Male :Pirintha pin koodinaal pesavum thondrumoMale: If we unite after parting, will we feel like speaking?
Paarvaigal yaavumae vaarththaigal aagumoWill all our gazes turn into unspoken words?
Female :Netru vaadiya thamarai meendum pooththidumoFemale: Will yesterday's withered lotus bloom once again?
Female
Thendralae thendralae thenisai paadivaaOh gentle breeze, oh gentle breeze, come and sing sweet music.
Sogangal theerppathun raagangal allavaaIsn't it your melodies that cure sorrows?
Female
Rajamaaligai vaasamum raagamaligai paadalumLiving in a royal palace and singing a melody of ragas,
Kaatchi maariya kaaranam kaala devanin naadagamThe reason the scene changed is the drama of Father Time.
Male :Veroru paadalai saernthathu raagamaeMale: The musical tune has joined another song,
Aayinum en manam vaazhththukkal koorumaeYet, my heart continues to offer its blessings.
Kaanal neeril maangalin thaagam theernthidumoCan a deer's thirst ever be quenched by a mirage?
Male
Thendralae thendralae nee ennai naadi vaaOh gentle breeze, oh gentle breeze, come seeking me.
Vaazhalaam vaazhalaam vaasalai thedi vaaWe can live, we can live, come searching for the doorstep.
Female :Mayakkum vilainthidum maalaiyilFemale: In the enchanting, intoxicating evening,
Malargal virinthidum cholaiyilIn the garden where flowers bloom,
Male
Thendralae thendralae thenisai paadivaaOh gentle breeze, oh gentle breeze, come and sing sweet music.
Female :Sogangal theerppathun raagangal allavaaFemale: Isn't it your melodies that cure sorrows?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Thendralae Thendralae' from the film Saavi (1985) is a bittersweet duet about nostalgia, lost time, and acceptance of fate. The lovers recall their past days when life felt as light and joyful as skylarks singing and clouds floating in the sky. As destiny separates them, they ponder whether reunited lovers can ever recapture their old warmth or if past happiness is merely a mirage. Despite the sadness of divergent paths, the male protagonist gracefully wishes well for his beloved, acknowledging that their life's narrative has been reshaped by the play of time.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification (Uruvagappaduthuthal)

Thendralae thendralae nee ennai naadi vaa

Addressing the gentle breeze ('Thendral') directly as a living companion and calling upon it to seek them and sing melodies.

Simile (Upamai)

Vaanampaadigal polavae gaanam paadiya naatgalae

Comparing the happy past days to singing skylarks and fast-moving clouds.

Metaphor & Rhetorical Question

Kaanal neeril maangalin thaagam theernthidumo

Using a mirage ('kaanal neer') to symbolize false hope and unachievable desires for thirsty deer ('maangal').

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

Mayakkum vilainthidum maalaiyil

Repetition of the second consonant 'y' sound in 'Mayakkum' and 'm' sound in 'Malargal' across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Gangai Amaran for the 1985 thriller film 'Saavi', this track stands out as a melodious composition elevated by lyricist Vaali's evocative words and the classic vocal pairing of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki.

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