Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Bharathikku Oru Kannamma

From Sankari · 1984

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Rajkumar Bharathi, Vani Jairam
Music director
V. Kumar
Details
Sankari1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Female :Laa la la la laa laa laaFemale: Laa la la la laa laa laa
Male :Bharathikku oru kannammaaMale: Bharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman
Female :Laa la la la laa laa laaFemale: Laa la la la laa laa laa
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman
Paadalukku isai neeyammaaYou are the music to my song
Female :Tha ni ni ri ga ri tha ni ni tha pa maga pamagaFemale: (Swaras) Tha ni ni ri ga ri tha ni ni tha pa maga pamaga
Male
En paadalukku isai neeyammaaYou are the music to my song
Un penmai menmai ammammaOh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
Tham thana na na tham na na naTham thana na na tham na na na
Tham thana na na tham na na naTham thana na na tham na na na
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman
Male
Hae haeHey hey
Female :Sath tha saFemale: (Swaras) Sa tha sa
Male :Hae haeMale: Hey hey
Female :Saga tha paFemale: (Swaras) Sa ga tha pa
Sa ni ni sa sa ri ri maSa ni ni sa sa ri ri ma
Male :Hae haeMale: Hey hey
Female :Tha ni ni sa sa ri ri maFemale: (Swaras) Tha ni ni sa sa ri ri ma
Male
Oodhaappoo nee oodhaappooYou are a purple flower, a purple flower
Vandugal vanthu modhaappooA flower undisturbed by hovering bees
Koiyyaappoo nee koiyyaappooYou are an unplucked flower, an unplucked flower
En kaigalinaal naan koiyaa pooA pristine flower untouched by my hands
Female: La la la la la la la laFemale: La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la laa laa laLa la la la la la la laa laa la
Male
Nee kamban kanda janagiYou are Sita as envisioned by poet Kamban
Ilangovan kanda kannagiYou are Kannagi as envisioned by Ilango Adigal
Kaalamthorum vaazhugindraLiving across eternal time
Kaalidasan naayagiYou are the timeless heroine of Kalidasa
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman
Male
En paadalukku isai neeyammaaYou are the music to my song
Un penmai menmai ammammaOh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
Male
: Malaiththaenae nee malai thaenaeYou are mountain honey, oh mountain honey
Maan inamo ena maththaenaeI was captivated, wondering if you are of a gentle deer's kin
Isaiththaenae hae isai thenaeOh sweet musical honey, hey musical honey
En senthamizhaal unnai isaiththaenaeI sang of your grace using my pure Tamil tongue
Female :La la la la la la laFemale: La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la laLa la la la la la la la
la la la la la la la la laa laa laLa la la la la la la la laa laa la
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman
Male
En paadalukku isai neeyammaaYou are the music to my song
Un penmai menmai ammammaOh, how soft and tender is your womanhood!
Male
Bharathikku oru kannammaaBharathiyar had a Kannamma
Adhaipolae nee oru pennammaaJust like her, you are a wonderful woman

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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

More from Sankari