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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ulagam Oru Naal Pirandhathu

From Thirumangalyam · 1974

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Jayalalithaa
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Thirumangalyam1974

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Female
Mozhiyae vizhiyaal nadanthathuLanguage expressed itself through eyes
Mozhiyae vizhiyaal nadanthathuLanguage expressed itself through eyes
Adhil azhagum sugamum irunthathuIn that, there was beauty and pleasure
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Female
Megangal sollum sollaiThe words spoken by the clouds
Kettathu illaiyoHave you not heard them?
Megangal sollum sollaiThe words spoken by the clouds
Kettathu illaiyoHave you not heard them?
Anbu vethangal paadidumSinging the scriptures of love
Thendral illaiyoIs there not a gentle breeze?
Kaagamum killaiyum pesavillaiyoDo the crow and the parrot not speak?
Kanmani paarvaiyae baashaithaan illaiyoIsn't the gaze of the beloved a language of its own?
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Female
Kovilil deivam unduThere is a deity in the temple
Vaarthai illaiyaeThere are no spoken words
Kovilil deivam unduThere is a deity in the temple
Vaarththai illaiyaeThere are no spoken words
Mani osaiyai pol oruLike the resonant sound of the temple bell
Baashai illaiyaeIs there no language like that?
Aayiram vaarthaiyil anbu illaiyaeThere is no true love in a thousand spoken words
Annamae deivamae mounamae mullaiyaeOh swan, oh deity, oh silence, oh jasmine flower!
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Female
Paal vanna pachchai kiliMilky-fair green parrot
Muthu nagaiyaePossessor of a pearl-like smile
Thamizh paadalgal thaedidumSought after by timeless Tamil poetry
Vatta vizhiyaeOh round-eyed beauty!
Mogana raagathil thointha mugamaeA face steeped in the serene Mohanam melody
Moovarum devarum unnudan samamaeEven the Trinity and celestial gods are equal to you
Female
Ulagam oru naal piranthathuThe world was born one day
Adhu oomaaiyaagave irunthathuIt existed in total silence
Mozhiyae vizhiyaal nadanthathuLanguage expressed itself through eyes
Athil azhagum sugamum irunthathuIn that, there was beauty and pleasure
Hmm hmm hmm…mmHmm hmm hmm...mm
Hmm hmm mm mm mm hmm mmHmm hmm mm mm mm hmm mm
Hmm hmm mm mm mm hmm mmHmm hmm mm mm mm hmm mm

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Ulagam Oru Naal Piranthathu is a deeply poetic and romantic song from the 1974 Tamil film Thirumangalyam, penned by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan. The central theme of the song is the eloquence of silence and non-verbal communication. It asserts that when the world was newly created, speech did not exist, yet true emotion, beauty, and love flourished purely through the eyes and unspoken understanding. \n\nKannadasan uses rich nature imagery—such as clouds speaking silently, breezes singing scriptures of love, and temple bells communicating without words—to illustrate that spoken words are unnecessary to convey pure love. Comparing the beloved to a silent idol in a temple, a graceful swan, and a serene raga, the song celebrates quiet love as divine, sacred, and superior to thousands of meaningless words.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Kanmani paarvaiyae baashaithaan illaiyo

Comparing the look in the beloved's eyes directly to a complete language of its own without explicit comparison words.

Personification

Anbu vethangal paadidum Thendral illaiyo

Attributing human speech and singing capabilities to natural elements like clouds and breezes.

Visual Imagery (Uvamai / Anugaram)

Paal vanna pachchai kili Muthu nagaiyae

Using vivid color imagery and pearl metaphors ('Paal vanna', 'Muthu nagai') to evoke natural elegance and charm.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Kovilil deivam undu Vaarthai illaiyae

Rhyming of second letters across contiguous lines ('Kovilil' / 'Mani osaiyai' / 'Aayiram').

Did you know?

Trivia

Thirumangalyam (1974) starred Jayalalithaa and Muthuraman in lead roles and was notably Jayalalithaa's 100th film. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan (MSV), and the lyrics were written by Kannadasan, who often infused deep Vedantic philosophy into romantic lyrics.

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