Athan Ennathan
From Paava Mannippu · 1961
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Paava Mannippu1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| { Athan | { Cousin |
| Ennathan avar | Whatever he is to me, |
| Ennai thaan | To me, indeed, |
| Eppadi solvenadi } (2) | How can I tell you, my friend? } (2) |
| Female | |
| Avar | He, |
| Kaiyai thaan kondu | Taking my hands, |
| Mellathaan vanthu | Coming softly, |
| Kannai thaan | And covering my eyes, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Athan | Cousin, |
| Ennathan avar | Whatever he is to me, |
| Ennai thaan | To me, indeed, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| { Yen athan | { 'Why, cousin?' |
| Ennai paar athan | 'Look at me, cousin,' |
| Kellathan endru sollithaan } (2) | 'Listen to me,' so saying } (2) |
| Female | |
| Sendra | As she walked away, |
| Pennai thaan kandu | Seeing the girl, |
| Thudithaan azhaithaan | He yearned and called out, |
| Pidithaan anaithaan | He held her and embraced her, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Athan | Cousin, |
| Ennathan avar | Whatever he is to me, |
| Ennai thaan | To me, indeed, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| { Mottuthaan | { 'Like a flower bud,' |
| Kanni chittuthaan | 'Like a youthful little bird,' |
| Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan } (2) | 'Like a pearl, her body is soft as silk' } (2) |
| Female | |
| Endru | Saying so, |
| Thottuthaan kaiyil | He touched her, and in his hands, |
| Inaithaan valaithaan | Joined her, pulled her close, |
| Pidithaan anaithaan | He held her and embraced her, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Athan | Cousin, |
| Ennathan avar | Whatever he is to me, |
| Ennai thaan | To me, indeed, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Avar | He, |
| Kaiyai thaan kondu | Taking my hands, |
| Mellathaan vanthu | Coming softly, |
| Kannai thaan | And covering my eyes, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Athan | Cousin, |
| Ennathan avar | Whatever he is to me, |
| Ennai thaan | To me, indeed, |
| Eppadi solvenadi | How can I tell you, my friend? |
{ அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி } (2)
{ Cousin
Whatever he is to me,
To me, indeed,
How can I tell you, my friend? } (2)
அவர் கையை
தான் கொண்டு
மெல்லத்தான் வந்து
கண்ணை தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி
He,
Taking my hands,
Coming softly,
And covering my eyes,
How can I tell you, my friend?
அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
Cousin,
Whatever he is to me,
To me, indeed,
How can I tell you, my friend?
{ ஏன் அத்தான்
என்னை பார் அத்தான்
கேள் அத்தான் என்று
சொல்லித்தான் } (2)
{ 'Why, cousin?'
'Look at me, cousin,'
'Listen to me,' so saying } (2)
சென்ற பெண்ணை
தான் கண்டு துடித்தான்
அழைத்தான் பிடித்தான்
அணைத்தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி
As she walked away,
Seeing the girl,
He yearned and called out,
He held her and embraced her,
How can I tell you, my friend?
அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
Cousin,
Whatever he is to me,
To me, indeed,
How can I tell you, my friend?
{ மொட்டுத்தான்
கன்னி சிட்டுத்தான்
முத்துத்தான் உடல்
பட்டுத்தான் } (2)
{ 'Like a flower bud,'
'Like a youthful little bird,'
'Like a pearl, her body is soft as silk' } (2)
என்று தொட்டுத்தான்
கையில் இணைத்தான்
வளைத்தான் பிடித்தான்
அணைத்தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி
Saying so,
He touched her, and in his hands,
Joined her, pulled her close,
He held her and embraced her,
How can I tell you, my friend?
அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
Cousin,
Whatever he is to me,
To me, indeed,
How can I tell you, my friend?
அவர் கையை
தான் கொண்டு
மெல்லத்தான் வந்து
கண்ணை தான் எப்படி
சொல்வேனடி
He,
Taking my hands,
Coming softly,
And covering my eyes,
How can I tell you, my friend?
அத்தான்
என்னத்தான் அவர்
என்னை தான்
எப்படி சொல்வேனடி
Cousin,
Whatever he is to me,
To me, indeed,
How can I tell you, my friend?
{ Athan
{ Cousin
Ennathan avar
Whatever he is to me,
Ennai thaan
To me, indeed,
Eppadi solvenadi } (2)
How can I tell you, my friend? } (2)
Avar
He,
Kaiyai thaan kondu
Taking my hands,
Mellathaan vanthu
Coming softly,
Kannai thaan
And covering my eyes,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Athan
Cousin,
Ennathan avar
Whatever he is to me,
Ennai thaan
To me, indeed,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
{ Yen athan
{ 'Why, cousin?'
Ennai paar athan
'Look at me, cousin,'
Kellathan endru sollithaan } (2)
'Listen to me,' so saying } (2)
Sendra
As she walked away,
Pennai thaan kandu
Seeing the girl,
Thudithaan azhaithaan
He yearned and called out,
Pidithaan anaithaan
He held her and embraced her,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Athan
Cousin,
Ennathan avar
Whatever he is to me,
Ennai thaan
To me, indeed,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
{ Mottuthaan
{ 'Like a flower bud,'
Kanni chittuthaan
'Like a youthful little bird,'
Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan } (2)
'Like a pearl, her body is soft as silk' } (2)
Endru
Saying so,
Thottuthaan kaiyil
He touched her, and in his hands,
Inaithaan valaithaan
Joined her, pulled her close,
Pidithaan anaithaan
He held her and embraced her,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Athan
Cousin,
Ennathan avar
Whatever he is to me,
Ennai thaan
To me, indeed,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Avar
He,
Kaiyai thaan kondu
Taking my hands,
Mellathaan vanthu
Coming softly,
Kannai thaan
And covering my eyes,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Athan
Cousin,
Ennathan avar
Whatever he is to me,
Ennai thaan
To me, indeed,
Eppadi solvenadi
How can I tell you, my friend?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Athaan Ennathan Avar' from Paava Mannippu (1961) is a classic Tamil romantic track expressed from the perspective of a young bride sharing the bashful joy of her intimate moments with her female companion. She shyly narrates how her husband playfully approached her from behind, softly covered her eyes, called out affectionately when she walked away, and praised her beauty before gently embracing her. Kannadasan's lyrics evoke the traditional emotion of 'Naanam' (female bashfulness) combined with youthful romance, capturing a bride overwhelmed with happiness and lost for words to describe her beloved's affection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Eybu (End Rhyme / Suffix Rhyme)
“Mottuthaan Kanni chittuthaan Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan”
Extensive use of the emphatic suffix '-thaan' (Mottuthaan, chittuthaan, muthuthaan, pattuthaan) creates a rhythmic, musical bounce.
Uwamai (Metaphor / Simile)
“Mottuthaan Kanni chittuthaan Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan”
The lover compares the woman to a flower bud (mottu), a young bird (chittu), a pearl (muthu), and delicate silk (pattu).
Adukku Thodaru (Rhythmic Verbal Pairs)
“Inaithaan valaithaan Pidithaan anaithaan”
Pairs of fast-paced verbs like 'Inaithaan valaithaan' and 'Pidithaan anaithaan' build dramatic momentum illustrating the lover's playful actions.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy with iconic rendition by P. Susheela, this song from Paava Mannippu (1961) remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous portrayals of feminine shyness (Naanam). The film featured stars Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Devika, and Savitri.
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