Ethanai Ethanai
From Thavasi · 2001
- Lyricist
- Kabilan
- Singers
- Shankar Mahadevan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Details
- Thavasi2001
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hoi ethanai ethanai | Hoi, how many, how many |
| Ethanai kanavu | How many dreams |
| Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai | In all those dreams, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai alagu | How much beauty |
| Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai | In all that beauty, you will be there |
| Female | |
| Kaadhil mella | Softly in the ear |
| Kavithai solla | To recite poetry |
| Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai | You will be like Kamban's son |
| Male | |
| Kaalathai vendra | Which conquered time |
| Thirukkuralil athan | In that Thirukkural, as its |
| Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai | Section on love, you will be there |
| Female | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai kanavu | How many dreams |
| Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai | In all those dreams, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai alagu | How much beauty |
| Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai | In all that beauty, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Muththam thanthu | Giving a kiss |
| Thinna sollum | Asking me to feast |
| Moga unavaai nee iruppaai | You will be the food of passion |
| Female | |
| Muththa kuliyal | In a bath of kisses |
| Eerum kaaya | For the wetness to dry |
| Moochu kaatraai nee iruppaai | You will be the soothing breath of air |
| Male | |
| Poollaangulalil | Inside the flute |
| Koodu kattum | Building a nest |
| Poonguyil pola nee iruppaai | Like a cuckoo bird, you will be there |
| Female | |
| Muppathu naalum | All thirty days |
| Muzhu nilavaaga | As a full moon |
| Yenathu vaanil nee iruppaai | In my sky, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Agaththu keerai | In the garden of |
| Thottathu kullae | Agathi greens |
| Vettrilai kodiyaai nee iruppaai | You will be the betel vine |
| Female | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai kanavu | How many dreams |
| Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai | In all those dreams, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai alagu | How much beauty |
| Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai | In all that beauty, you will be there |
| Female | |
| Tholai thottu | Touching the thighs |
| Kaalai orasum | Brushing against the legs |
| Selaiyaaga nee iruppaai | You will be the saree |
| Male | |
| Kannaal ennai | Arresting me |
| Kaithu seiyum | With your eyes |
| Kaadhal thuraiyaai nee iruppaai | You will be the department of love |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal pennin | On the ocean |
| Kadalin meedhu, | Of the loving woman, |
| Kattummaramaai nee iruppaai | You will be the raft |
| Male | |
| Mogam ennum | Of an essay called |
| Kattoorai ondrin | Infatuation, |
| Mudivuraiyaaga nee iruppaai | You will be the concluding line |
| Female | |
| Edutha poovil | From the plucked flower |
| Vaditha thaenai | The extracted honey |
| Kuditha vandaai nee iruppaai | You will be the bee that drank it |
| Male | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai alagu | How much beauty |
| Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai | In all that beauty, you will be there |
| Female | |
| Ethanai ethanai | How many, how many |
| Ethanai kanavu | How many dreams |
| Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai | In all those dreams, you will be there |
| Male | |
| Oh kaadhil mella | Oh, softly in the ear |
| Kavithai solla | To recite poetry |
| Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai | You will be like Kamban's son |
| Female | |
| Kaalathai vendra | Which conquered time |
| Thirukkuralil athan | In that Thirukkural, as its |
| Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai | Section on love, you will be there |
விஷ்லிங் :
........................
Hoi, how many, how many
How many dreams
In all those dreams, you will be there
ஹோய் எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை கனவு
அத்தனை கனவிலும் நீ
இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How much beauty
In all that beauty, you will be there
எத்தனை எத்தனை
எத்தனை அழகு அத்தனை
அழகிலும் நீ இருப்பாய்
Softly in the ear
To recite poetry
You will be like Kamban's son
காதில் மெல்ல
கவிதை சொல்ல கம்பன்
மகனாய் நீ இருப்பாய்
Which conquered time
In that Thirukkural, as its
Section on love, you will be there
காலத்தை வென்ற
திருக்குறளில் அதன்
காமத்து பாலாய் நீ
இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How many dreams
In all those dreams, you will be there
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
கனவு அத்தனை
கனவிலும் நீ
இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How much beauty
In all that beauty, you will be there
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
அழகு அத்தனை
அழகிலும் நீ இருப்பாய்
Giving a kiss
Asking me to feast
You will be the food of passion
முத்தம் தந்து
தின்ன சொல்லும்
மோக உணவாய்
நீ இருப்பாய்
In a bath of kisses
For the wetness to dry
You will be the soothing breath of air
முத்த குளியல்
ஈரம் காய மூச்சு
காற்றாய் நீ
இருப்பாய்
Inside the flute
Building a nest
Like a cuckoo bird, you will be there
புல்லாங்குழலில்
கூடு கட்டும் பூங்குயில்
போல நீ இருப்பாய்
All thirty days
As a full moon
In my sky, you will be there
முப்பது நாளும்
முழு நிலவாக எனது
வானில் நீ இருப்பாய்
In the garden of
Agathi greens
You will be the betel vine
அகத்தி கீரை
தோட்டத்து குள்ளே
வெற்றிலை கொடியாய்
நீ இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How many dreams
In all those dreams, you will be there
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
கனவு அத்தனை
கனவிலும் நீ
இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How much beauty
In all that beauty, you will be there
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
அழகு அத்தனை
அழகிலும் நீ இருப்பாய்
Touching the thighs
Brushing against the legs
You will be the saree
விஷ்லிங் :
......................
Arresting me
With your eyes
You will be the department of love
தோளை தொட்டு
காலை உரசும் சேலையாக
நீ இருப்பாய்
On the ocean
Of the loving woman,
You will be the raft
கண்ணால் என்னை
கைது செய்யும் காதல்
துறையாய் நீ இருப்பாய்
Of an essay called
Infatuation,
You will be the concluding line
காதல் பெண்ணின்
கடலின் மீது கட்டு மரமாய்
நீ இருப்பாய்
From the plucked flower
The extracted honey
You will be the bee that drank it
மோகம் என்னும்
கட்டுரை ஒன்றின்
முடிவுரையாக நீ
இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How much beauty
In all that beauty, you will be there
எடுத்த பூவில்
வடித்த தேனை குடித்த
வண்டாய் நீ இருப்பாய்
How many, how many
How many dreams
In all those dreams, you will be there
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
அழகு அத்தனை
அழகிலும் நீ இருப்பாய்
Oh, softly in the ear
To recite poetry
You will be like Kamban's son
எத்தனை
எத்தனை எத்தனை
கனவு அத்தனை
கனவிலும் நீ இருப்பாய்
Which conquered time
In that Thirukkural, as its
Section on love, you will be there
ஓ காதில் மெல்ல
கவிதை சொல்ல கம்பன்
மகனாய் நீ இருப்பாய்
காலத்தை வென்ற
திருக்குறளில் அதன்
காமத்து பாலாய் நீ
இருப்பாய்
Hoi ethanai ethanai
Hoi, how many, how many
Ethanai kanavu
How many dreams
Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai
In all those dreams, you will be there
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai alagu
How much beauty
Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai
In all that beauty, you will be there
Kaadhil mella
Softly in the ear
Kavithai solla
To recite poetry
Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai
You will be like Kamban's son
Kaalathai vendra
Which conquered time
Thirukkuralil athan
In that Thirukkural, as its
Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai
Section on love, you will be there
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai kanavu
How many dreams
Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai
In all those dreams, you will be there
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai alagu
How much beauty
Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai
In all that beauty, you will be there
Muththam thanthu
Giving a kiss
Thinna sollum
Asking me to feast
Moga unavaai nee iruppaai
You will be the food of passion
Muththa kuliyal
In a bath of kisses
Eerum kaaya
For the wetness to dry
Moochu kaatraai nee iruppaai
You will be the soothing breath of air
Poollaangulalil
Inside the flute
Koodu kattum
Building a nest
Poonguyil pola nee iruppaai
Like a cuckoo bird, you will be there
Muppathu naalum
All thirty days
Muzhu nilavaaga
As a full moon
Yenathu vaanil nee iruppaai
In my sky, you will be there
Agaththu keerai
In the garden of
Thottathu kullae
Agathi greens
Vettrilai kodiyaai nee iruppaai
You will be the betel vine
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai kanavu
How many dreams
Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai
In all those dreams, you will be there
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai alagu
How much beauty
Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai
In all that beauty, you will be there
Tholai thottu
Touching the thighs
Kaalai orasum
Brushing against the legs
Selaiyaaga nee iruppaai
You will be the saree
Kannaal ennai
Arresting me
Kaithu seiyum
With your eyes
Kaadhal thuraiyaai nee iruppaai
You will be the department of love
Kaadhal pennin
On the ocean
Kadalin meedhu,
Of the loving woman,
Kattummaramaai nee iruppaai
You will be the raft
Mogam ennum
Of an essay called
Kattoorai ondrin
Infatuation,
Mudivuraiyaaga nee iruppaai
You will be the concluding line
Edutha poovil
From the plucked flower
Vaditha thaenai
The extracted honey
Kuditha vandaai nee iruppaai
You will be the bee that drank it
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai alagu
How much beauty
Athanai alagilum nee iruppaai
In all that beauty, you will be there
Ethanai ethanai
How many, how many
Ethanai kanavu
How many dreams
Athanai kanavilum nee iruppaai
In all those dreams, you will be there
Oh kaadhil mella
Oh, softly in the ear
Kavithai solla
To recite poetry
Kamban maganaai nee iruppaai
You will be like Kamban's son
Kaalathai vendra
Which conquered time
Thirukkuralil athan
In that Thirukkural, as its
Kaamathu paalaai nee iruppaai
Section on love, you will be there
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
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