Skip to content

IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Vetta Veli Pottalile

From Nalla Naal · 1984

Lyricist: Vaali
Singer: S. Janaki
Music director: Ilayaraja
Movie name: Nalla Naal
Movie release year: 1984
Lyrics added on: 5 Oct 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Aaa…..aaaa….

Aaa….aaa…..

Vetta veli pottalilae

Natta nadu raavinilae

Thottavana thedugiraa

Pottu vecha poonguyilae

Ponavana kaanaliyae

Ponnu manam aaraliyae

Ponavana kaanaliyae

Ponnu manam aaraliyae

Vetta veli pottalilae

Natta nadu raavinilae

Raavinilae raavinilae

Nesamellaam kadhaiyaa pochae

Nenappellaam sumaiyaa aachae

Vaaduren vadhanguren

Vaadaiyae nee thaan poi chollu

Nesamellaam kadhaiyaa pochae

Nenappellaam sumaiyaa aachae

Vaaduren vadhanguren

Vaadaiyae nee thaan poi chollu

Vaarennu sonna machaan

Vana vaasam panna vachaan

Thaan sonna pechai ellaam

Thanniyilae ezhudhi vechaan

Thaviyaaga thavichen ingae naan…aaaa

Vetta veli pottalilae

Natta nadu raavinilae

Ponavana kaanaliyae

Oorellaam orangum pozhuthu

Oruthi naan irukken azhuthu

Maruguren uruguren

Megamae nee thaan poi chollu

Oorellaam orangum pozhuthu

Oruthi naan irukken azhuthu

Maruguren uruguren

Megamae nee thaan poi chollu

Aathodu naanal konjum

Kaathodu pookkal konjum

Yaarodu naanthaan konja

Adangaatha kanneer minjaa

Velukaadha kizhakkaa inage naan ..aaa

Vetta veli pottalilae

Natta nadu raavinilae

Thottavana thedugiraa

Pottu vecha poonguyilae

Ponavana kaanaliyae

Ponnu manam aaraliyae

Ponavana kaanaliyae

Ponnu manam aaraliyae

Aaraliyae aaraliyae

Aaah... aaaa...

Aaah... aaah...

In the open barren field,

In the dead of night,

She searches for the man who held her close,

This sweet songbird wearing a bindi.

The man who left is nowhere to be found,

And this girl's heart finds no peace.

The man who left is nowhere to be found,

And this girl's heart finds no peace.

In the open barren field,

In the dead of night,

In the night, in the deep night...

All our love has turned into a thing of the past,

All my memories have become a heavy burden.

I wither and I wilt away,

O chilly northern breeze, at least tell me a comforting lie!

All our love has turned into a thing of the past,

All my memories have become a heavy burden.

I wither and I wilt away,

O chilly northern breeze, at least tell me a comforting lie!

The man who promised he would return

Has abandoned me to live like an exile in the wild.

Every word of promise he once gave,

He wrote away on water.

I am trapped here, restless and aching in pain... aaah...

In the open barren field,

In the dead of night,

The man who left is nowhere to be found.

While the whole town is fast asleep,

I sit here all alone and weep.

I fret in sorrow and melt in grief,

O passing cloud, at least tell me a comforting lie!

While the whole town is fast asleep,

I sit here all alone and weep.

I fret in sorrow and melt in grief,

O passing cloud, at least tell me a comforting lie!

The river reeds whisper love to the water,

The blooming flowers playfully caress the breeze.

With whom can I ever share such love,

When all that remains are unstoppable tears?

I wait here like an eastern sky that never dawns... aaah...

In the open barren field,

In the dead of night,

She searches for the man who held her close,

This sweet songbird wearing a bindi.

The man who left is nowhere to be found,

And this girl's heart finds no peace.

The man who left is nowhere to be found,

And this girl's heart finds no peace.

Finds no peace, finds no peace...

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant folk-style song from the movie Nalla Naal expresses the intense agony of a young woman yearning for her absent lover in the middle of a desolate open field at midnight. She mourns how his promises vanished like writing on water, leaving her trapped in emotional solitude while the rest of the world sleeps peacefully. She implores natural elements like the cold wind (Vaadai) and passing clouds (Megam) to act as messengers to convey her unbearable anguish and waiting heart to her beloved.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

“Vetta veli pottalilae / Natta nadu raavinilae”

In lines 3 and 4, the second letters ('tt') rhyme between 'Vetta' and 'Natta', establishing rhythmic harmony typical of Tamil folk poetry.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Thanniyilae ezhudhi vechaan”

In line 25, 'Thanniyilae ezhudhi vechaan' compares broken promises to writing on water, symbolizing fleeting and untrustworthy commitments.

Personification / Apostrophe

“Vaadaiyae nee thaan poi chollu / Megamae nee thaan poi chollu”

Addressing natural elements like the wind ('Vaadaiyae') and clouds ('Megamae') as messengers to carry her sorrows.

Imagery

“Aathodu naanal konjum / Kaathodu pookkal konjum”

Contrasting romantic imagery in nature ('Aathodu naanal konjum', 'Kaathodu pookkal konjum') with her solitary, tearful state.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Nalla Naal' (1984) featured music by Ilaiyaraaja and starred Vijayakanth and Thiagarajan. Vaali's lyrics capture authentic rural folk metaphors and raw emotion, drawing on Sangam poetry traditions where nature acts as a messenger (Thoodhu) for longing lovers.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Poonakkanni Julee1980

SoolamGriefOpen Field

K-13GriefMelancholic

Quantam Paaichal2024

Rocket DriverMelancholicIntrospective

Therke Veesum1995

KolangalLongingNature

Kadhal DesamLongingGrief

Thanimayile2013

Ivan VeramathiriLongingSeparation

From the same album

More songs from Nalla Naal

Nalla Naalai1984

Nalla NaalHopeful

Oththaiyela Penkuthirai1984

Nalla NaalPlayful

Podu Thanthanatham1984

Nalla NaalCelebratory

Yamma Yamma Nee1984

Nalla NaalCelebratory

Oor Ellam Pakkum1984

Nalla NaalPlayful

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.