Deeply conflicted romantic ballad exploring the battle between logic and forbidden emotion.
Song Lyrics
නිරතුරු මම ඔබ ගැනම සිතන්නෙමි
එනමුදු එය වරදක් බව දන්නෙමි
පෙම් නොකරන්නට සිතුවද ඔබ වෙත
සෙනෙහස ලියලයි නොදැනිම හද මැද
මදහස දුන්නද දකින වෙලේ
ඔබ මෙහි එන බව සිතිය නොහේ
කල යුතු කිසිවක් සිතට නොඒ
මගේ සිතිවිලි එකතැනක නොවේ
නිරතුරු මම ඔබ ගැනම සිතන්නෙමි
එනමුදු එය වරදක් බව දන්නෙමි
පෙම් නොකරන්නට සිතුවද ඔබ වෙත
සෙනෙහස ලියලයි නොදැනිම හද මැද
දෙදෙනා සැනසුම ලැබිය යුතුයි
දිවි ඇති තුරු ලග සිටිය යුතුයි
අප එක සෙවනක වෙසිය යුතුයි
නැත නැත අප එක නොවිය යුතුයි
නිරතුරු මම ඔබ ගැනම සිතන්නෙමි
එනමුදු එය වරදක් බව දන්නෙමි
පෙම් නොකරන්නට සිතුවද ඔබ වෙත
සෙනෙහස ලියලයි නොදැනිම හද මැද
Song Information
Song Title: නිරතුරු මම ඔබ (Nirathuru Mama Oba)
Artist: Milton Mallawarachchi
Lyrics: K. D. K. Dharmawardena
Genre: 70s Pop / Golden Oldies
Language: Sinhala
Release Year: 1970s
Song Summary
“Nirathuru Mama Oba” is a classic Milton Mallawarachchi track that delves into the internal turmoil of loving someone against one’s better judgment. The mood is one of restless hesitation and emotional honesty. It portrays a narrator who is fully aware that his feelings are “wrong” or socially complicated, yet he finds himself unable to stop the love that continues to bloom within his heart. The song captures the paralysis that occurs when the mind and heart are in direct opposition.
Song Meaning
The song functions as a raw analysis of human vulnerability and the lack of control over one’s emotions. The lyrics analyze the narrator’s state of confusion; whenever he sees his beloved’s smile, he loses his ability to think clearly or act decisively. Themes of moral conflict are central, specifically in the final verse where the narrator swings between the desire for eternal togetherness and the sharp, painful realization that “no, we must not be one” (natha natha apa eka noviya yuthuyi). It illustrates how love can sprout (liyalayi) effortlessly in the heart even when the intellect tries to suppress it, making it one of the most relatable songs about unrequited or restricted love in Sri Lankan music history.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the central conflict in the song?
The narrator is caught between his constant thoughts of his lover and the intellectual awareness that loving her is a mistake.
Who wrote the lyrics for this song?
The lyrics were penned by K. D. K. Dharmawardena, a legendary lyricist known for his profound and emotionally articulate songwriting.
What does the narrator mean by “Natha natha apa eka noviya yuthuyi”?
It means “No, no, we must not become one,” indicating a moment of self-restraint or the realization that their union is impossible or ethically restricted.
How does the song describe the feeling of love growing?
The lyricist uses the word “Liyalayi,” which refers to the way a plant grows or sprouts new shoots, suggesting that love grows naturally and uncontrollably within the heart.