En Kaveriye
From Enga Ooru Mappillai · 1989
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Ilayaraja, K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Enga Ooru Mappillai1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| En kaaviriyae…ae…. | Oh my Kaaveri... |
| Kanneer edharkku | Why these tears? |
| En kaaviriyae kanneer edharkku | Oh my Kaaveri, why these tears? |
| Dheivamae un nenjam | Oh divine one, your heart |
| Vaadi vida koodaadhu | Should not wither away. |
| Vaadinaal en nenjam | If it withers, how can my heart |
| Thaangum nilai thaan yedhu | Find the strength to endure? |
| Male | |
| En kaaviriyae…ae…. | Oh my Kaaveri... |
| Kanneer edharkku | Why these tears? |
| Female | |
| Theeyinaal sutta pun | A burn caused by fire |
| Seekkiram aaralaam | May heal quickly. |
| Naavilae suttadhaal vandha | But the scar caused by harsh words from the tongue, |
| Vadu aarumaa | Will it ever heal? |
| Oorilae nam kadhaigal thaan | In this town, our story |
| Avarkku dhinam pozhudhu | Is merely daily entertainment |
| Pokku thaan | And pastime for them. |
| Anbu oru noi thaanae | Is love a disease itself? |
| Marundhu nal anbu thaan | The remedy is true love alone. |
| Inbam adhan saei thaanae | Joy is its offspring, |
| Ingu adhu thaan illaiyae | Yet that is what is missing here. |
| Male | |
| Kanmani kaathiru | Wait, my darling. |
| Kanavugal ninaivugal | Dreams and memories |
| Kanindhidum kalangaadhae | Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart. |
| Female | |
| Un kaaladiyae | At your feet, |
| Endrum enakku | Forever for me, |
| Male | |
| Thaaliyai kovilaai | As sacred marriage thread and as a temple, |
| Paarthaval neeyadi | You are the one who looked upon me. |
| Velviyae vaazhkkaiyaai | You made your life a sacred sacrifice, |
| Kondaval thaanadi | Oh my dear woman. |
| Un vizhiyil neer endraal | If there are tears in your eyes, |
| Enadhu nenjilae udhiramae | It feels like blood in my heart. |
| Oor ennai midhithaal kooda | Even if the town tramples upon me, |
| Boomiyaai thaanguven | I will endure it patiently like the Earth. |
| Nee ennai purindhaal podhum | If you understand me, that is enough, |
| Ulagaiyae vaanguven | I will win the entire world for you. |
| Kanmani kaathiru | Wait, my darling. |
| Kanavugal ninaivugal | Dreams and memories |
| Kanindhidum kalangaadhae | Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart. |
| Male | |
| En kaaviriyae…ae…. | Oh my Kaaveri... |
| Kanneer edharkku | Why these tears? |
| Dheivamae un nenjam | Oh divine one, your heart |
| Vaadi vida koodaadhu | Should not wither away. |
| Vaadinaal en nenjam | If it withers, how can my heart |
| Thaangum nilai thaan yedhu | Find the strength to endure? |
| Male | |
| En kaaviriyae…ae…. | Oh my Kaaveri... |
| Kanneer edharkku | Why these tears? |
| En kaaviriyae…ae…. | Oh my Kaaveri... |
| Kanneer edharkku | Why these tears? |
என் காவிரியே......
கண்ணீர் எதற்கு
Oh my Kaaveri...
Why these tears?
Oh my Kaaveri, why these tears?
Oh divine one, your heart
Should not wither away.
If it withers, how can my heart
Find the strength to endure?
என் காவிரியே......
கண்ணீர் எதற்கு
தெய்வமே உன் நெஞ்சம்
வாடி விடக் கூடாது
வாடினால் என் நெஞ்சம்
தாங்கும் நிலைதான் ஏது
Oh my Kaaveri...
Why these tears?
என் காவிரியே......
கண்ணீர் எதற்கு
A burn caused by fire
May heal quickly.
But the scar caused by harsh words from the tongue,
Will it ever heal?
In this town, our story
Is merely daily entertainment
And pastime for them.
Is love a disease itself?
The remedy is true love alone.
Joy is its offspring,
Yet that is what is missing here.
தீயினால் சுட்ட புண்
சீக்கிரம் ஆறலாம்
நாவிலே சுட்டதால்
வந்த வடு ஆறுமா
Wait, my darling.
Dreams and memories
Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart.
ஊரிலே நம் கதைகள் தான்
அவர்க்கு தினம்
பொழுது போக்குத்தான்
At your feet,
Forever for me,
அன்பு ஒரு நோய் தானே
மருந்து நல் அன்பு தான்
இன்பம் அதன் சேய் தானே
இங்கு அது தான் இல்லையே
As sacred marriage thread and as a temple,
You are the one who looked upon me.
You made your life a sacred sacrifice,
Oh my dear woman.
If there are tears in your eyes,
It feels like blood in my heart.
Even if the town tramples upon me,
I will endure it patiently like the Earth.
If you understand me, that is enough,
I will win the entire world for you.
Wait, my darling.
Dreams and memories
Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart.
கண்மணி காத்திரு
கனவுகள் நினைவுகள்
கனிந்திடும் கலங்காதே
Oh my Kaaveri...
Why these tears?
Oh divine one, your heart
Should not wither away.
If it withers, how can my heart
Find the strength to endure?
உன் காலடியே......
என்றும் எனக்கு
Oh my Kaaveri...
Why these tears?
Oh my Kaaveri...
Why these tears?
தாலியை கோவிலாய்
பார்த்தவள் நீ....யடி
வேள்வியே வாழ்க்கையாய்
கொண்டவள் தா...னடி
உன் விழியில் நீர் என்றால்
எனது நெஞ்சிலே உதிரமே
ஊர் என்னை மிதித்தால் கூட
பூமியாய் தாங்குவேன்
நீ என்னை புரிந்தால் போதும்
உலகையே வாங்குவேன்
கண்மணி காத்திரு
கனவுகள் நினைவுகள்
கனிந்திடும் கலங்காதே
என் காவிரியே......
கண்ணீர் எதற்கு
தெய்வமே உன் நெஞ்சம்
வாடி விடக் கூடாது
வாடினால் என் நெஞ்சம்
தாங்கும் நிலைதான் ஏது
{என் காவிரியே......
கண்ணீர் எதற்கு} (2)
En kaaviriyae…ae….
Oh my Kaaveri...
Kanneer edharkku
Why these tears?
En kaaviriyae kanneer edharkku
Oh my Kaaveri, why these tears?
Dheivamae un nenjam
Oh divine one, your heart
Vaadi vida koodaadhu
Should not wither away.
Vaadinaal en nenjam
If it withers, how can my heart
Thaangum nilai thaan yedhu
Find the strength to endure?
En kaaviriyae…ae….
Oh my Kaaveri...
Kanneer edharkku
Why these tears?
Theeyinaal sutta pun
A burn caused by fire
Seekkiram aaralaam
May heal quickly.
Naavilae suttadhaal vandha
But the scar caused by harsh words from the tongue,
Vadu aarumaa
Will it ever heal?
Oorilae nam kadhaigal thaan
In this town, our story
Avarkku dhinam pozhudhu
Is merely daily entertainment
Pokku thaan
And pastime for them.
Anbu oru noi thaanae
Is love a disease itself?
Marundhu nal anbu thaan
The remedy is true love alone.
Inbam adhan saei thaanae
Joy is its offspring,
Ingu adhu thaan illaiyae
Yet that is what is missing here.
Kanmani kaathiru
Wait, my darling.
Kanavugal ninaivugal
Dreams and memories
Kanindhidum kalangaadhae
Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart.
Un kaaladiyae
At your feet,
Endrum enakku
Forever for me,
Thaaliyai kovilaai
As sacred marriage thread and as a temple,
Paarthaval neeyadi
You are the one who looked upon me.
Velviyae vaazhkkaiyaai
You made your life a sacred sacrifice,
Kondaval thaanadi
Oh my dear woman.
Un vizhiyil neer endraal
If there are tears in your eyes,
Enadhu nenjilae udhiramae
It feels like blood in my heart.
Oor ennai midhithaal kooda
Even if the town tramples upon me,
Boomiyaai thaanguven
I will endure it patiently like the Earth.
Nee ennai purindhaal podhum
If you understand me, that is enough,
Ulagaiyae vaanguven
I will win the entire world for you.
Kanmani kaathiru
Wait, my darling.
Kanavugal ninaivugal
Dreams and memories
Kanindhidum kalangaadhae
Will ripen into reality, do not lose heart.
En kaaviriyae…ae….
Oh my Kaaveri...
Kanneer edharkku
Why these tears?
Dheivamae un nenjam
Oh divine one, your heart
Vaadi vida koodaadhu
Should not wither away.
Vaadinaal en nenjam
If it withers, how can my heart
Thaangum nilai thaan yedhu
Find the strength to endure?
En kaaviriyae…ae….
Oh my Kaaveri...
Kanneer edharkku
Why these tears?
En kaaviriyae…ae….
Oh my Kaaveri...
Kanneer edharkku
Why these tears?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In 'En Kaaviriyae Kanneer Edharkku' from the 1989 film Enga Ooru Mappillai, the protagonist tenderly comforts his beloved who is distressed by town gossip and harsh words. Addressing her affectionately as 'Kaavari' (the holy river) and 'Dheivamae' (divine goddess), he acknowledges how deeply hurtful malicious talk can be, drawing upon classical Tamil wisdom regarding the wounds of the tongue. He begs her not to let her heart wither, as his own strength depends entirely on her well-being.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Intertextuality / Classical Allusion (Thirukkural Reference)
“Theeyinaal sutta pun Seekkiram aaralaam Naavilae suttadhaal vandha Vadu aarumaa”
Lines 10-13 directly adapt Thirukkural 129 ('Theeyinaal sutta pun ullaarum aaraadhe naavinaal sutta vadu'), contrasting physical fire burns with the lasting scars caused by harsh words.
Metaphor
“En kaaviriyae... Dheivamae un nenjam”
The male lead addresses his beloved as Kaavari (river Kaaveri) and Dheivam (goddess) to signify her purity, grace, and sacred importance in his life.
Simile / Personification
“Oor ennai midhithaal kooda Boomiyaai thaanguven”
The hero compares his capacity for patience and tolerance to mother Earth ('Boomiyaai thaanguven') when enduring public humiliation.
Monai / Initial Alliteration
“Kanmani kaathiru Kanavugal ninaivugal Kanindhidum kalangaadhae”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across consecutive lines ('Kanmani', 'Kanavugal', 'Kanindhidum', 'Kalangaadhae') creates a rhythmic, soothing musicality.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track features music composed by maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Gangai Amaran. The stanza quoting the Thirukkural concept of tongue burns versus fire burns is one of the most famous modern poetic references to ancient Sangam/Thirukkural literature in Tamil cinema.
Keep listening
More from Enga Ooru Mappillai
Enga Ooru Mappillai
Enga Ooru Mappillai
Enga Ooru Mappillai
Enga Ooru Mappillai