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Alli album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vaanam Nilavai

From Alli · 1964

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Alli
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
24 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
Maranthathu
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
Piranthathu
Malarai thottam maranthathu
Adhu mangai vadivil valarnthathu
Mangai vadivil valarnthathu
Valarnthathu
Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu
Kangal irandum kalanthathu
Adhu kaalai paarthu nadanthathu
Mangai vadivil valarnthathu
Valarnthathu
Oru mannavan vadivai kandathu kandathu
Kaalai paarthu nadanthathu
Perum karunai mazhaiyai pozhindhathu
Pesum kannai thiranthathu
Adhil penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu
Penmai muzhudhum vazhindhathu
Adhu pesum vaegam thaninthathu
Menmai udalil niraindhathu
Manam megam poale alaindhathu
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
Maranthathu
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
Piranthathu
Megam polae alaindhathu
Perum vellaamaagi vizhunthathu
Nadhiyaai ulagil nadanthathu
Indha naayagan kadalil kalanthathu
Naayagan kadalil kalanthathu
Ini naalum avanae endrathu
Kaaiyaai irunthu kaninthathu
Uyar kaadhal kadhavum thiranthathu
Vaanam nilavai maranthathu
Maranthathu
Adhu malaraai boomiyil piranthathu
Piranthathu
The sky forgot the moon
It forgot
It was born on earth as a flower
It was born
The garden forgot the flower
It grew into the form of a woman...
It grew into the form of a woman
It grew
It saw the form of a king, it saw
Their eyes met and mingled
She walked looking down at her feet...
It grew into the form of a woman
It grew
It saw the form of a king, it saw
She walked looking down at her feet
A great rain of kindness showered down
She opened her expressive eyes
In them, all her womanhood overflowed
All her womanhood overflowed
The rush of her words slowed down
Softness filled her whole body
Her heart drifted like a cloud...
The sky forgot the moon
It forgot
It was born on earth as a flower
It was born
It drifted like a cloud
It poured down as a great flood
It flowed as a river through the world
And merged into the ocean of her beloved
Merged into the ocean of her beloved
And said, "Every day is his from now on"
Once unripe, it grew sweet and ripe
And the door to noble love opened...
The sky forgot the moon
It forgot
It was born on earth as a flower
It was born
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

Keep listening

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