Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Sankari album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Bharathikku Oru Kannamma

From Sankari · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Rajkumar Bharathi, Vani Jairam
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Sankari
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
21 Dec 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Female :Laa la la la laa laa laa
Male :Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
Female :Laa la la la laa laa laa
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
Paadalukku isai neeyammaa
Female :Tha ni ni ri ga ri tha ni ni tha pa maga pamaga
En paadalukku isai neeyammaa
Un penmai menmai ammamma
Tham thana na na tham na na na
Tham thana na na tham na na na
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
Hae hae
Female :Sath tha sa
Male :Hae hae
Female :Saga tha pa
Sa ni ni sa sa ri ri ma
Male :Hae hae
Female :Tha ni ni sa sa ri ri ma
Oodhaappoo nee oodhaappoo
Vandugal vanthu modhaappoo
Koiyyaappoo nee koiyyaappoo
En kaigalinaal naan koiyaa poo
Female: La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la laa laa la
Nee kamban kanda janagi
Ilangovan kanda kannagi
Kaalamthorum vaazhugindra
Kaalidasan naayagi
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
En paadalukku isai neeyammaa
Un penmai menmai ammamma
: Malaiththaenae nee malai thaenae
Maan inamo ena maththaenae
Isaiththaenae hae isai thenae
En senthamizhaal unnai isaiththaenae
Female :La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
la la la la la la la la laa laa la
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
En paadalukku isai neeyammaa
Un penmai menmai ammamma
Bharathikku oru kannammaa
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaa
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
La la la la la la la
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
La la la la la la la
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
You are the melody to the song,
Dha Ni Ni Ri Ga Ri Dha Ni Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Pa Ma Ga
You are the melody to my song,
Oh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
Tham thana na na tham na na na
Tham thana na na tham na na na
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
Hey hey
Sa Dha Sa
Hey hey
Sa Ga Dha Pa
Sa Ni Ni Sa Sa Ri Ri Ma
Hey hey
Dha Ni Ni Sa Sa Ri Ri Ma
You are a purple flower, a purple flower,
A flower that no bees have ever brushed against!
You are an unplucked flower, an unplucked flower,
A flower my own hands have not yet gathered!
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
You are Janaki (Sita) envisioned by Kamban,
You are Kannagi envisioned by Ilango,
Living on through all the ages,
You are the poetic heroine of Kalidasa!
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
You are the melody to my song,
Oh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
You are mountain honey—and I stood in wonder,
Wondering if you were a gentle deer, I was mesmerized!
I made sweet music, oh honey of a melody,
I sang of you through my beautiful Tamil!
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
You are the melody to my song,
Oh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
Bharathi had his beloved Kannamma,
And just like her, you are the woman for me!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic romantic duet composed by V. Kumar and written by Vaali pays rich tribute to classical literature and feminine elegance. The male protagonist compares his beloved to iconic heroines envisioned by grand poets throughout history: Mahakavi Bharathiyar's poetic muse Kannamma, Kamban's divine Sita (Janagi), Ilango Adigal's virtuous Kannagi, and Kalidasa's poetic heroines. He praises her purity, comparing her to untouched mountain honey and delicate unplucked flowers, asserting that she serves as the melody to his poetic verses.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Literary Allusion (இலக்கியக் குறிப்பு)

“Nee kamban kanda janagi / Ilangovan kanda kannagi”

Direct references to epic Tamil and Sanskrit literature and literary muses: Bharathiyar's Kannamma, Kamban's Janagi, Ilango Adigal's Kannagi, and Kalidasa's heroines.

Metaphor (உவமை அணி)

“Malaiththaenae nee malai thaenae / Isaiththaenae hae isai thenae”

Comparing the heroine directly to high mountain honey ('Malaiththaenae'), musical honey ('Isai thenae'), and melody itself ('Paadalukku isai').

Rhyme & End Rhyme (இயைபு தொடை / எதுகை)

“Oodhaappoo nee oodhaappoo / Vandugal vanthu modhaappoo”

Consistent end-rhyming schemes (oodhaappoo, modhaappoo, koiyyaappoo) enhancing the song's rhythmic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

A remarkable piece of musical heritage: singer Rajkumar Bharathy, who rendered the male vocals for this track, is the direct great-grandson of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar. Singing the opening lines referencing 'Bharathikku oru kannammaa' creates a uniquely poetic ancestral connection.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Adeyappa Adeyappa1974
Ungal ViruppamCourtshipDevotion
Vaada Kanna Hari Hari1983
ThambathigalDevotionRomantic Union
Paarkka Paarkka1962
KavithaRomanticRomantic Union
Maanai Pola Odi1957
Pudhu VazhvuCourtshipRomantic
Aadaikatti Vantha Nilavo1959
AmuthavalliBeautyRomantic
Kovai Sevvithazh1961
Rathna ManjariBeautyRomantic

From the same album

More songs from Sankari

View album
Vaai Pesa Theriyatha Kanne1984
SankariMournful
Manjal Veiyil Sevvanathil1984
SankariRomantic
Kunguma Nadhiyil Moozhgi1984
SankariReflective

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.