Is that you?!

Is that you, who said so?
Tell, tell my beloved

Is that fine with you?
Why, why my beloved?
Why, why my beloved?

In another hands,
Who, Who, ME?!

Did you forget me?
Why, why my beloved?

Isn’t that you,
The one who gave
The sacred garland,
and the Vermilion?*

Isn’t that you,
Who thought of
The bride-to-be
as the Goddess?

Isn’t that you,
Who had linked
My heart into yours?

Isn’t that you,
Who also said that,
You would be there
For me, till the end?

Today,
Is that you, who said so?
Tell, tell my beloved

Can the garland,
That is adorned by the God,
Can fall in the streets?

Even if it falls on the streets,
Can it be touched by another?

Isn’t that true,
That this flower can bloom
Only once in the Ivy?

Isn’t that true,
That this relationship can grow
Only once in the heart?

சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே
சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே
சம்மதம் தானா
ஏன் ஏன் ஏன் என் உயிரே
ஏன் ஏன் ஏன் என் உயிரே
சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே

இன்னொரு கைகளிலே
யார் யார் யார் நானா
எனை மறந்தாயோ
ஏன் ஏன் ஏன் என் உயிரே
சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே

மங்கள மாலை குங்குமம் யாவும்
தந்ததெல்லாம் நீ தானே
மணமகளை திருமகளாய்
நினைத்ததெல்லாம் நீ தானே
என் மனதில் உன் மனதை
இணைத்ததும் நீ தானே
இறுதி வரை துணை இருப்பேன்
என்றதும் நீ தானே
இன்று சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே

தெய்வத்தின் மார்பில் சூடிய மாலை
தெருவினிலே விழலாமா
தெருவினிலே விழுந்தாலும்
வேறோர் கை தொடலாமா
ஒரு கொடியில் ஒரு முறை தான்
மலரும் மலரல்லவா
ஒரு மனதில் ஒரு முறை தான்
வளரும் உறவல்லவா
சொன்னது நீ தானா
சொல் சொல் சொல் என் உயிரே

sonnadhu needhaanaa sol sol sol ennuyire
sammadham thaanaa aen aen aen ennuyire
aen aen aen ennuyire

innoru kaigalilae yaar yaar naanaa
enai marandhaayaa aen aen aen en uyire

mangala maalai kungumam yaavum thandhadhellaam needhaane
manamagalaith thirumagalaai ninaithadhellaam needhaane
en manadhil un manadhai inaithadhum needhaane
irudhi varaith thunaiyiruppen enradhum needhaane
indru sonnadhu needhaanaa sol sol sol ennuyire

dheivathin maarbil soodiya maalai theruvinile vizhalaamaa
theruvinile vizhundhaalam veroar kai thodalaamaa
oru kodiyil oru muraidhaan malarum malarallavaa
oru manadhil oru muraidhaan valarum uravallavaa

Vermilion and the Garland are given as a symbol of accepting the girl as wife.

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This song is from the film Nenjil Or Aalayam. The original soundtrack album was composed by the musical legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, while the lyrics for the songs were written by Kaviarasu Kannadasan. And this song is sung by P.Susheela

This song is one of the most popular classics, well known even today. And has many accolades with its fame. Please do click on the links, as I am not going to bore you with all those stats and details available out there.

The emotion in the lyrics, song, rhythm, voice, face… Oh my.. Can I ever get enough words to describe the soulfulness of this song?! There is a beauty to monochrome, but it is enhanced by the films of the (g)olden days. I can’t point my finger to one single element and say it as the best of others, for everything scores equally for me in this song.

Now on to the context.. Hope you people have guessed that, this is by the heroine to the hero. The speciality of the context is, the husband asks the wife’s ex-lover to marry her, in  case he dies of his cancer. And she sings this song to her husband. So all the deep emotions and the quivering lips, portray the love she has for her husband and shows the great lengths crossed over from the ex-lover.

Moving on to the poetry, the words are repeated in such a way, that you might think that, she struggles to find words, for she is still revelling in the shock, that he could say such a thing at all.. She first questions is that really him who said that and the words are less coherent and broken with repetitions.. Then she talks of how much love he has showered on her and how much she was appreciated as the bride.. Then questions the future..

And in the picturization, she actually breaks off the song in the middle and the dramatic effect it adds to the situation is simply amazing.. The song easily moves a person to tears, for the combination is so beautifully synchronised and the simplicity adds a a touch of reality and makes it easy to connect..

Do let me know if this song strikes a chord in you?