Skip to content

IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Ethanai Ethanai

From Thavasi · 2001

Lyricist: Kabilan
Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, S. Janaki
Music director: Vidyasagar
Movie name: Thavasi
Movie release year: 2001
Lyrics added on: 24 May 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Hoi ethanai ethanai

Ethanai kanavu

Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai alagu

Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai

Kaadhil mella

Kavithai solla

Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai

Kaalathai vendra

Thirukkuralil athan

Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai kanavu

Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai alagu

Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai

Muththam thanthu

Thinna sollum

Moga unavaai nee iruppaai

Muththa kuliyal

Eerum kaaya

Moochu kaatraai nee iruppaai

Poollaangulalil

Koodu kattum

Poonguyil pola nee iruppaai

Muppathu naalum

Muzhu nilavaaga

Yenathu vaanil nee iruppaai

Agaththu keerai

Thottathu kullae

Vettrilai kodiyaai nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai kanavu

Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai alagu

Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai

Tholai thottu

Kaalai orasum

Selaiyaaga nee iruppaai

Kannaal ennai

Kaithu seiyum

Kaadhal thuraiyaai nee iruppaai

Kaadhal pennin

Kadalin meedhu,

Kattummaramaai nee iruppaai

Mogam ennum

Kattoorai ondrin

Mudivuraiyaaga nee iruppaai

Edutha poovil

Vaditha thaenai

Kuditha vandaai nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai alagu

Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai

Ethanai ethanai

Ethanai kanavu

Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai

Oh kaadhil mella

Kavithai solla

Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai

Kaalathai vendra

Thirukkuralil athan

Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai

Oh, so many, so many!

So many dreams,

and you will be there in every single dream.

So many, so many!

So many forms of beauty,

and you will be in all of them.

Whispering softly in my ear,

reciting verses of poetry,

you will be like Kamban’s poet son.

In the timeless

Thirukkural (ancient Tamil classic),

you will be the Book of Love.

So many, so many!

So many dreams,

and you will be there in every single dream.

So many, so many!

So many forms of beauty,

and you will be in all of them.

Offering sweet kisses

and asking me to feast on them,

you will be the food of desire.

After a shower of kisses,

to dry the dampness away,

you will be the warm breath of air.

Deep inside a bamboo flute,

making a little nest,

you will be like a sweet cuckoo.

On all thirty days of the month,

shining as a full moon,

you will glow in my sky.

In a garden of agathi greens,

climbing up for support,

you will be the clinging betel vine.

So many, so many!

So many dreams,

and you will be there in every single dream.

So many, so many!

So many forms of beauty,

and you will be in all of them.

Touching my thighs

and brushing against my feet,

you will be the saree wrapped around me.

Capturing me with your eyes

and arresting me,

you will be the police force of love.

Across the ocean

of this loving girl,

you will be the floating raft.

In an essay written

about longing and desire,

you will be the final conclusion.

From the plucked flower,

filtering the sweet nectar,

you will be the bee that drank it all.

So many, so many!

So many forms of beauty,

and you will be in all of them.

So many, so many!

So many dreams,

and you will be there in every single dream.

Oh, whispering softly in my ear,

reciting verses of poetry,

you will be like Kamban’s poet son.

In the timeless

Thirukkural (ancient Tamil classic),

you will be the Book of Love.

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Ethanai Ethanai is a poetic Tamil love duet celebrating deep affection, romantic daydreaming, and intimacy. The narrator describes how the beloved pervades every single dream and manifests across all forms of beauty. The lyrics express devotion through rich metaphors drawn from Tamil classical literature (such as Kamban's son Ambikapathy and the 'Kaamathupaal' section of Thirukkural) as well as vivid imagery of nature, touch, and togetherness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora (Repetition / Sol Nokka Monai)

“Ethanai ethanai / Ethanai kanavu”

The repetition of 'Ethanai ethanai' at the beginning of the chorus creates a rhythmic, poetic emphasis on the boundless nature of dreams and beauty.

Literary Allusion & Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Thirukkuralil athan / Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai”

Reference to Kamban's son (Ambikapathy, famous in Tamil lore for his romantic poetry) and comparing the lover to 'Kaamathupaal', the chapter on love in the classic text Thirukkural.

Simile (Uvamai)

“Poollaangulalil / Koodu kattum / Poonguyil pola nee iruppaai”

Comparing the presence of the beloved to a cuckoo bird making a nest inside a flute.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Ethanai Ethanai' features in the 2001 Tamil action-drama film 'Thavasi', starring Vijayakanth and Soundarya. The music was composed by Vidyasagar, with lyrics penned by Kabilan, and sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Sujatha Mohan.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Rathiye En Rathiye2011

Aayiram VilakkuDevotionPassionate

Poopola Theepola2003

VaseegaraAttractionBeauty

Telephone Manipol1996

IndianAttractionBeauty

Oodha Oodha Oodha Poo1999

Minsara KannaDevotionLonging

Azhagu Nee Nadandal Nadai Azhagu1995

BatshaBeautyRomantic Union

Tajmahal Ondru1999

Kannodu KanbathellamAttractionLonging

From the same album

More songs from Thavasi

Desingu Raja Thaan2001

ThavasiCelebratory

Yelai Imayamalai2001

ThavasiCelebratory

Panjangam Paakadhe2001

Thanthana Thanthana2001

ThavasiRomantic

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.