- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. Susheela, P. Jayachandran
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Nee Vazha Vendum
- Movie release year
- 1977
- Lyrics added on
- 11 Jan 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Vizhiyo Urangavillai' conveys the painful insomnia and emotional torment of a woman grieving heartbreak and separation. Pining for her beloved, she pleads with her own eyes to fall asleep so she might at least reunite with him in her dreams. She laments how fate or her partner betrayed her trust—offering thorns instead of requested flowers, and fetters instead of bangles. Her heart feels burdened by overwhelming memories that know no boundaries. Written with typical philosophical depth by Kannadasan, the song reflects on human relationships and perception. It highlights the injustice of being shown love (light) only for it to be snatched away. Kannadasan compares romantic ideals to the horizon—where the sky seems to touch the earth—illustrating how deceptive life's promises can be until one sees through the painful illusion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Contrast / Antithesis (Muran)
“Malarsaram kettaen / Mul mudi sootti vaiththaai”
Contrasts gentle flowers ('Malarsaram') with a painful crown of thorns ('Mul mudi') to highlight fate's cruelty.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Vizhiyo urangavillai / Oru kanavo varavumillai / En manathil amaithiyillai”
The repetitive suffix '-illai' creates a melodic and melancholic end-rhyme scheme emphasizing loss and absence.
Simile (Upamai)
“Bhoomiyai vaanam thoduvathu pol”
Compares false hopes and misunderstandings in love to the optical illusion of the horizon where earth meets sky.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Manthukku mattum karai illaiyae”
Metaphorically compares the human mind and its memories to a shoreless ocean that cannot contain its waves.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan for the 1977 film 'Nee Vazha Vendum', this song is revered for Vani Jairam's expressive rendition. Kannadasan's lines comparing the shore of an ocean to the boundary of the human mind ('Kadalukkukkooda karai irukkum...') remain iconic in Tamil film music history as a classic example of philosophical romantic tragedy.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Nee Vazha Vendum
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.