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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaanam Illamal Megam

From Rusi · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Details
Rusi1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Azhagiya pennaeO beautiful girl,
Neeyor adhisaya nilavoAre you a miraculous moon?
Theyaamal neeyirukkaWhile you remain without waning,
Dhinamum unai paarththu naanallavoIs it not I who wanes daily watching you?
Theigiren….mmm….thaeigiren….mm….theigiraenI am waning... mmm... waning... mm... waning.
Male
Vaanam illaamal megam illaamalWithout a sky, without clouds,
Ulavum nilavenna neeyoAre you the wandering moon?
Neenthum un meni yaenthumAm I the golden sky that holds
Pon vaanam naanoYour floating, swimming form?
Female
Un kadhal kondaadumAre all the poems that celebrate
Kavithai ellaamae thaenoYour love sweet like honey?
En aasai ennangalAre all my desirable thoughts
Yaavum unnodu thaanoBound only with you?
Male
Vaanam illaamal megam illaamalWithout a sky, without clouds,
Ulavum nilavenna neeyoAre you the wandering moon?
Neenthum un meni yaenthumAm I the golden sky that holds
Pon vaanam naanoYour floating, swimming form?
Male
Kaamadevan keerthanamDid the song of Kamadeva
Kaadhil kettathoEcho in the ears?
Kaadhil ketta velaiyilAt the moment it was heard in the ears,
Kadhal pooththathoDid love blossom?
Female
Un ilakkiyam ezhuthidum yaeduThe page on which your literature is written
En idhazhgal aaga vendumShould become my lips.
En ennangal urangidum kooduThe nest where my thoughts sleep
En idhayam aaga vendumShould become my heart.
Male
En paadalgal suranthidum keniThe spring from which my songs flow
Paavaiyum thirumeniIs this maiden's sacred body.
Female
Vaanam illaamal megam illaamalWithout a sky, without clouds,
Ulavum nilavenna naanoAm I the wandering moon?
Neenthum un meni yaenthumAre you the golden sky that holds
Pon vaanam neeyo…My floating, swimming form?
Female
Kaattril aadum poonthalir poovai soodavaaShall I adorn you with tender flower buds swaying in the breeze?
Poovai soodum poovai naan maalai soodavoShould I, the maiden wearing flowers, wear the wedding garland?
Male
Oru thalaivanum thalaiviyum koodaAs the hero and heroine come together,
Kai thazhuvi thazhuvi kondu aadaEmbracing hands and dancing,
Nam ninaivugal nadhiyena odaAs our memories flow like a river,
Naam nerungi nerungi inbam thedaAs we draw closer and closer seeking bliss,
Female
Nam uravugal kaninthidum kaalamThe time when our bond matures
Maalaigal manakkolamBrings evening garlands and wedding splendour.
Male
Vaanam illaamal megam illaamalWithout a sky, without clouds,
Ulavum nilavenna neeyoAre you the wandering moon?
Neenthum un meni yaenthumAm I the golden sky that holds
Pon vaanam naanoYour floating, swimming form?
Female
Un kadhal kondaadumAre all the poems that celebrate
Kavithai ellaamae thaenoYour love sweet like honey?
En aasai ennangalAre all my desirable thoughts
Yaavum unnodu thaanoBound only with you?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Vaanam Illaamal Megam Illaamal from the 1984 Tamil film Rusi is a soulful romantic duet lyricized by Vaali and composed by Gangai Amaran. The lovers engage in a poetic dialogue where they compare one another to celestial elements—the moon and the sky. The hero envisions his beloved as an unwanning moon floating freely without needing clouds or sky, while seeing himself as the golden expanse holding her within his arms.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ulavum nilavenna neeyo / Pon vaanam naano

Comparing the heroine directly to a moon roaming without sky ('Ulavum nilavenna neeyo') and the hero to the golden sky ('Pon vaanam naano').

Simile (Uwamai)

Nam ninaivugal nadhiyena oda

Comparing memories flowing smoothly to the continuous movement of a river ('nadhiyena oda').

Alliteration (Monaai)

Kaamadevan keerthanam / Kaadhil kettatho

Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'K' in 'Kaamadevan', 'keerthanam', 'Kaadhil', and 'ketta'.

Repetition (Sol Pinvaru Nilaiyani)

Kai thazhuvi thazhuvi kondu aada / Naam nerungi nerungi inbam theda

Emphasis through consecutive repetition of words like 'thazhuvi thazhuvi' and 'nerungi nerungi' to heighten emotional depth and intimacy.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Gangai Amaran for the 1984 film Rusi (directed by P. Kalaimani), this track features the playback vocal chemistry between Malaysia Vasudevan and S. P. Sailaja. Vaali's lyricism uses traditional Tamil celestial metaphors adapted to modern film music rhythms.

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