Vaanam Nilavai
From Alli · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Alli1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vaanam nilavai maranthathu | The sky forgot the moon, |
| Maranthathu | Forgot it, |
| Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu | And it was born as a flower on the earth, |
| Piranthathu | Was born, |
| Malarai thottam maranthathu | The garden forgot the flower, |
| Adhu mangai vadivil valarnthathu | And it grew in the form of a maiden, |
| Female | |
| Mangai vadivil valarnthathu | Grew in the form of a maiden, |
| Valarnthathu | Grew, |
| Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu | It saw the form of a king, it saw, |
| Kangal irandum kalanthathu | The two pairs of eyes met, |
| Adhu kaalai paarthu nadanthathu | It walked looking down at his feet, |
| Female | |
| Mangai vadivil valarnthathu | Grew in the form of a maiden, |
| Valarnthathu | Grew, |
| Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu | It saw the form of a king, it saw, |
| Male | |
| Kaalai paarthu nadanthathu | Walked looking down at his feet, |
| Perum karunai mazhaiyai pozhindhathu | It showered a great rain of mercy, |
| Pesum kannai thiranthathu | It opened its speaking eyes, |
| Adhil penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu | In which the entirety of womanhood overflowed, |
| Female | |
| Penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu | The entirety of womanhood overflowed, |
| Adhu pesum vaegam thaninthathu | Its hasty speech calmed down, |
| Menmai udalil niraindhathu | Softness filled the body, |
| Manam megam poale alaindhathu | The mind drifted like a wandering cloud, |
| Male | |
| Vaanam nilavai maranthathu | The sky forgot the moon, |
| Maranthathu | Forgot it, |
| Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu | And it was born as a flower on the earth, |
| Piranthathu | Was born, |
| Male | |
| Megam polae alaindhathu | Drifted like a cloud, |
| Perum vellaamaagi vizhunthathu | And descended as a great deluge, |
| Nadhiyaai ulagil nadanthathu | Flowed across the world like a river, |
| Indha naayagan kadalil kalanthathu | And merged into the ocean of her beloved hero, |
| Female | |
| Naayagan kadalil kalanthathu | Merged into the ocean of her hero, |
| Ini naalum avanae endrathu | Declaring that he is her everything forever, |
| Kaaiyaai irunthu kaninthathu | Maturing from an unripe fruit to sweetness, |
| Uyar kaadhal kadhavum thiranthathu | Opening the doors to sublime love, |
| Male | |
| Vaanam nilavai maranthathu | The sky forgot the moon, |
| Maranthathu | Forgot it, |
| Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu | And it was born as a flower on the earth, |
| Piranthathu | Was born. |
வானம் நிலவை மறந்தது
மறந்தது
அது மலராய் பூமியில் பிறந்தது
பிறந்தது
மலரைத் தோட்டம் மறந்தது
அது மங்கை வடிவில் வளர்ந்தது.....
The sky forgot the moon,
Forgot it,
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Was born,
The garden forgot the flower,
And it grew in the form of a maiden,
மங்கை வடிவில் வளர்ந்தது
வளர்ந்தது
ஒரு மன்னவன் வடிவை கண்டது கண்டது
கண்கள் இரண்டும் கலந்தது
அது காலை பார்த்து நடந்தது.....
Grew in the form of a maiden,
Grew,
It saw the form of a king, it saw,
The two pairs of eyes met,
It walked looking down at his feet,
மங்கை வடிவில் வளர்ந்தது
வளர்ந்தது
ஒரு மன்னவன் வடிவை கண்டது கண்டது
Grew in the form of a maiden,
Grew,
It saw the form of a king, it saw,
காலை பார்த்து நடந்தது
பெரும் கருணை மழையை பொழிந்தது
பேசும் கண்ணை திறந்தது
அதில் பெண்மை முழுதும் வழிந்தது
Walked looking down at his feet,
It showered a great rain of mercy,
It opened its speaking eyes,
In which the entirety of womanhood overflowed,
பெண்மை முழுதும் வழிந்தது
அது பேசும் வேகம் தணிந்தது
மென்மை உடலில் நிறைந்தது
மனம் மேகம் போலே அலைந்தது.....
The entirety of womanhood overflowed,
Its hasty speech calmed down,
Softness filled the body,
The mind drifted like a wandering cloud,
வானம் நிலவை மறந்தது
மறந்தது
அது மலராய் பூமியில் பிறந்தது
பிறந்தது
The sky forgot the moon,
Forgot it,
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Was born,
மேகம் போலே அலைந்தது
பெரும் வெள்ளமாகி விழுந்தது
நதியாய் உலகில் நடந்தது
இந்த நாயகன் கடலில் கலந்தது
Drifted like a cloud,
And descended as a great deluge,
Flowed across the world like a river,
And merged into the ocean of her beloved hero,
நாயகன் கடலில் கலந்தது
இனி நாளும் அவனே என்றது
காயாய் இருந்து கனிந்தது
உயர் காதல் கதவும் திறந்தது.....
Merged into the ocean of her hero,
Declaring that he is her everything forever,
Maturing from an unripe fruit to sweetness,
Opening the doors to sublime love,
வானம் நிலவை மறந்தது
மறந்தது
அது மலராய் பூமியில் பிறந்தது
பிறந்தது
The sky forgot the moon,
Forgot it,
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Was born.
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
The sky forgot the moon,
Maranthathu
Forgot it,
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Piranthathu
Was born,
Malarai thottam maranthathu
The garden forgot the flower,
Adhu mangai vadivil valarnthathu
And it grew in the form of a maiden,
Mangai vadivil valarnthathu
Grew in the form of a maiden,
Valarnthathu
Grew,
Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu
It saw the form of a king, it saw,
Kangal irandum kalanthathu
The two pairs of eyes met,
Adhu kaalai paarthu nadanthathu
It walked looking down at his feet,
Mangai vadivil valarnthathu
Grew in the form of a maiden,
Valarnthathu
Grew,
Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu
It saw the form of a king, it saw,
Kaalai paarthu nadanthathu
Walked looking down at his feet,
Perum karunai mazhaiyai pozhindhathu
It showered a great rain of mercy,
Pesum kannai thiranthathu
It opened its speaking eyes,
Adhil penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu
In which the entirety of womanhood overflowed,
Penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu
The entirety of womanhood overflowed,
Adhu pesum vaegam thaninthathu
Its hasty speech calmed down,
Menmai udalil niraindhathu
Softness filled the body,
Manam megam poale alaindhathu
The mind drifted like a wandering cloud,
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
The sky forgot the moon,
Maranthathu
Forgot it,
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Piranthathu
Was born,
Megam polae alaindhathu
Drifted like a cloud,
Perum vellaamaagi vizhunthathu
And descended as a great deluge,
Nadhiyaai ulagil nadanthathu
Flowed across the world like a river,
Indha naayagan kadalil kalanthathu
And merged into the ocean of her beloved hero,
Naayagan kadalil kalanthathu
Merged into the ocean of her hero,
Ini naalum avanae endrathu
Declaring that he is her everything forever,
Kaaiyaai irunthu kaninthathu
Maturing from an unripe fruit to sweetness,
Uyar kaadhal kadhavum thiranthathu
Opening the doors to sublime love,
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
The sky forgot the moon,
Maranthathu
Forgot it,
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
And it was born as a flower on the earth,
Piranthathu
Was born.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Vaanam Nilavai Maranthathu from the 1964 film Alli, written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan, uses allegorical imagery to describe the spiritual and emotional evolution of a woman in love. The song traces a poetic metamorphosis: a divine celestial moon descends to earth as a flower, matures into a graceful young woman, and upon meeting her beloved king, experiences the gentle awakening of devotion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Epanalepsis / Repetition (Ettukai)
“Maranthathu”
The song frequently repeats the final verb of a line in the immediate following line (e.g., 'Maranthathu', 'Piranthathu', 'Valarnthathu') to build poetic cadence and lyrical rhythm.
Extended Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nadhiyaai ulagil nadanthathu / Indha naayagan kadalil kalanthathu”
Kannadasan traces the path of love using natural transformations: celestial moon to terrestrial flower, flower to maiden, cloud to rain, and river merging into the hero's ocean.
Simile (Upamai)
“Manam megam poale alaindhathu”
Compares the wandering, restless state of a heart filled with romantic longing to a drifting cloud.
Did you know?
Trivia
Penned by Kannadasan for the 1964 movie Alli, this song is renowned for its classic Tamil allegorical style where elemental nature (moon, cloud, river, sea) serves as a metaphor for human romance and emotional transformation.
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