Vinnukku Meladai
From Naanal · 1965
- Lyricist
- Suratha
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Naanal1965
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam | The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud. |
| Veenaikku mel aadai narambugalin koottam | The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings. |
| Female :Kannukku mel aadai kakkum iru imaigal | Female: The upper garment for the eye is the pair of protecting eyelids. |
| Kanavukku mel aadai thodarndhu varum thookkam | The upper garment for dreams is the deep sleep that follows. |
| Male | |
| Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam | The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud. |
| Female | |
| Mannukku mel aadai | The garment over the earth... |
| Male :Mmmm.. mannukku mel aadai ra ra ra | Male: Mmmm.. the garment over the earth, ra ra ra... |
| Mannukku mel aadai marathin nizhal aagum | The garment over the earth is the shade of the trees. |
| Female :Haiyae | Female: Oh my! |
| Mannukku mel aadai vanna mai iruttu | The garment over the earth is the dark black night. |
| Manadhirkku mel aadai | The garment over the mind... |
| Male :Valarndhu varum ninaivu | Male: Is the growing memory. |
| Male | |
| Pathukku mel aadai | The garment over ten... |
| Female :Pathukku mel aadai… aa…aa…aa… | Female: The garment over ten… aa…aa…aa… |
| Male :Ahaa | Male: Aha! |
| Female :Aa..aa..aa..aa | Female: Aa..aa..aa..aa |
| Male :Niruthu..raagam paadatha | Male: Stop.. do not sing ragas! |
| Bathilai sollu | Tell me the answer! |
| Female :Pathukku mel aadai | Female: The garment over ten... |
| Male :Theriyalaiya | Male: Don't you know? |
| Mmm sollattumaa | Mmm, shall I tell you? |
| Pathukku melaadai pathinondraeyaagum | The number after ten is eleven! |
| Pakkathil nee irundhaal | If you are by my side, |
| Pala kadhai uruvaagum | Many romantic stories will unfold. |
| Male | |
| Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam | The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud. |
| Veenaikku mel aadai narambugalin koottam | The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings. |
| Female | |
| Kaalathin adaiyaalam paruvangalaeyaagum | The mark of time is the changing of seasons. |
| Kaadhalargal nadathuvadhu kann serdhal aagum | What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes. |
| Kaadhalargal nadathuvadhu kann serdhal aagum | What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes. |
| Male :Idhu varaiyil pudhu ulagam | Male: Until now, a new world, |
| Naam kandathillai | We have never seen before. |
| Edhu varaiyil sendraalum | No matter how far we travel, |
| Ellai idharkkillai | There is no boundary to this love. |
விண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை பருவ மழை மேகம்
வீணைக்கு மேலாடை நரம்புகளின் கூட்டம்
கண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை காக்கும் இரு இமைகள்
கனவுக்கு மேலாடை தொடர்ந்து வரும் தூக்கம்
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings.
Female: The upper garment for the eye is the pair of protecting eyelids.
The upper garment for dreams is the deep sleep that follows.
விண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை பருவ மழை மேகம்
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
மண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை
ம் ம் ம் ..மண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை ரா ரா ரா
மண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை மரத்தின் நிழலாகும்
ஹையே
மண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை வண்ண மையிருட்டு
மனதிற்கு மேலாடை
வளர்ந்து வரும் நினைவு
The garment over the earth...
Male: Mmmm.. the garment over the earth, ra ra ra...
The garment over the earth is the shade of the trees.
Female: Oh my!
The garment over the earth is the dark black night.
The garment over the mind...
Male: Is the growing memory.
பத்துக்கு மேலாடை
பத்துக்கு மேலாடை..ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
ஆஹா
ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
நிறுத்து..ராகம் பாடாதே..
பதிலைச் சொல்லு
பத்துக்கு மேலாடை
தெரியலையா?
ம் சொல்லட்டுமா?
பத்துக்கு மேலாடை பதினொன்றேயாகும்
பக்கத்தில் நீ இருந்தால்
பல கதை உருவாகும்
The garment over ten...
Female: The garment over ten… aa…aa…aa…
Male: Aha!
Female: Aa..aa..aa..aa
Male: Stop.. do not sing ragas!
Tell me the answer!
Female: The garment over ten...
Male: Don't you know?
Mmm, shall I tell you?
The number after ten is eleven!
If you are by my side,
Many romantic stories will unfold.
விண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை பருவ மழை மேகம்
வீணைக்கு மேலாடை நரம்புகளின் கூட்டம்
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings.
காலத்தின் அடையாளம் பருவங்களேயாகும்
காதலர்கள் நடத்துவது கண் சேர்தல் ஆகும்
காதலர்கள் நடத்துவது கண் சேர்தல் ஆகும்
இது வரையில் புது உலகம்
நாம் கண்டதுமில்லை
எது வரையில் சென்றாலும்
எல்லை இதற்கில்லை
The mark of time is the changing of seasons.
What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes.
What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes.
Male: Until now, a new world,
We have never seen before.
No matter how far we travel,
There is no boundary to this love.
விண்ணுக்கு மேலாடை பருவ மழை மேகம்
வீணைக்கு மேலாடை நரம்புகளின் கூட்டம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்
Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
Veenaikku mel aadai narambugalin koottam
The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings.
Female :Kannukku mel aadai kakkum iru imaigal
Female: The upper garment for the eye is the pair of protecting eyelids.
Kanavukku mel aadai thodarndhu varum thookkam
The upper garment for dreams is the deep sleep that follows.
Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
Mannukku mel aadai
The garment over the earth...
Male :Mmmm.. mannukku mel aadai ra ra ra
Male: Mmmm.. the garment over the earth, ra ra ra...
Mannukku mel aadai marathin nizhal aagum
The garment over the earth is the shade of the trees.
Female :Haiyae
Female: Oh my!
Mannukku mel aadai vanna mai iruttu
The garment over the earth is the dark black night.
Manadhirkku mel aadai
The garment over the mind...
Male :Valarndhu varum ninaivu
Male: Is the growing memory.
Pathukku mel aadai
The garment over ten...
Female :Pathukku mel aadai… aa…aa…aa…
Female: The garment over ten… aa…aa…aa…
Male :Ahaa
Male: Aha!
Female :Aa..aa..aa..aa
Female: Aa..aa..aa..aa
Male :Niruthu..raagam paadatha
Male: Stop.. do not sing ragas!
Bathilai sollu
Tell me the answer!
Female :Pathukku mel aadai
Female: The garment over ten...
Male :Theriyalaiya
Male: Don't you know?
Mmm sollattumaa
Mmm, shall I tell you?
Pathukku melaadai pathinondraeyaagum
The number after ten is eleven!
Pakkathil nee irundhaal
If you are by my side,
Pala kadhai uruvaagum
Many romantic stories will unfold.
Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam
The upper garment for the sky is the seasonal monsoon cloud.
Veenaikku mel aadai narambugalin koottam
The upper garment for the veena is its cluster of strings.
Kaalathin adaiyaalam paruvangalaeyaagum
The mark of time is the changing of seasons.
Kaadhalargal nadathuvadhu kann serdhal aagum
What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes.
Kaadhalargal nadathuvadhu kann serdhal aagum
What lovers exchange is the joining of eyes.
Male :Idhu varaiyil pudhu ulagam
Male: Until now, a new world,
Naam kandathillai
We have never seen before.
Edhu varaiyil sendraalum
No matter how far we travel,
Ellai idharkkillai
There is no boundary to this love.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Vinnukku Melaadai' is a classic riddle-style romantic duet from the 1965 movie 'Naanal', written by the legendary poet Suratha and composed by V. Kumar. The song centers around a playful game of riddles between two lovers exploring what covers or completes various natural elements and concepts: rain clouds cover the sky, strings adorn the veena, eyelids protect the eyes, sleep cradles dreams, and memories cover the mind. As their banter progresses, the male lover turns the riddle into witty wordplay ('Pathukku mel aadai'—playing on 'aadai' meaning cover and 'pathukku mel' meaning 'after ten', revealing the answer to be eleven). The song beautifully illustrates Suratha's signature metaphoric craft, blending romantic intimacy with lighthearted intellectual sparring.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vinnukku melaadai paruva mazhai megam”
Comparing natural coverings to garments (melaadai), such as clouds being the sky's clothing and eyelids being the eye's protection.
Pun / Wordplay (Siledai)
“Pathukku melaadai pathinondraeyaagum”
Play on 'Pathukku mel aadai', using 'aadai' (garment) phonetically and conceptually to hint at the number coming after ten ('pathukku mel' = eleven).
Alliteration (Monai)
“Kaalathin adaiyaalam paruvangalaeyaagum”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'Kaalathin' and 'Kaadhalargal'.
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhukai)
“Veenaikku mel aadai narambugalin koottam”
Rhyming of the second letter 'n' in 'Vinnukku' and 'Veenaikku'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyricist Suratha was fondly titled 'Uvamaikavignar' (The Poet of Metaphors) due to his unique style of using vivid poetic metaphors in almost every line, as perfectly exemplified in this song. 'Naanal' was directed by K. Balachander and featured music by V. Kumar.
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