- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- V. S. Narasimhan
- Movie name
- Pudhiavan
- Movie release year
- 1984
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Feb 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'En Koyil Ingae' from the 1984 film Pudhiavan is a deeply emotional song of longing and despair written by Vairamuthu. The protagonist describes his heart or surroundings as an empty temple, searching for his beloved whom he reveres as a goddess. Having braved hardships (metaphorically crossing a desert) in the hope of finding happiness and love, he returns only to encounter solitude, grief, and a lack of support. He questions whether true love exists only in fictional stories or if real life inevitably turns affection into falsehood. As his sorrow deepens, he feels his inner paradise turning into a bed of thorns, leaving his eyes tearless and his soul slowly fading away from his weary body.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“En koyil ingae / Pen dheivam engae”
Compares the beloved to a female deity (Pen dheivam) and his abode/heart to a temple (En koyil).
Contrast (Muran)
“En solai ondru poo pookkum endru / Paalaivanam ondrai thaandi vandhen”
Contrasts a lush, blooming garden (solai poo pookkum) with a desolate desert (paalaivanam) to represent hope versus hardships.
Epiphora / Rhyme (Iyaibu Thodai)
“Varaverkavae ingu nee illaiyae / Thalai saaikkavae oru thol illaiyae / En vedhanai solla vaaiyillaiyae”
Repetition of the line-ending suffix 'illaiyae' creating a mournful rhyming rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Pudhiavan (1984) featured music composed by V. S. Narasimhan, a prominent classical violinist and composer known for his sophisticated orchestration in Tamil cinema.
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