Kaanal Neera Kanava
From Meendum Parasakthi · 1985
- Lyricist
- Na. Kamarasan
- Singer
- S. Janki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Meendum Parasakthi1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa | Is life a mirage or a dream? |
| Maalai thodukkum neram | At the time of weaving a garland, |
| Malerae sarugaai pogum | The flower itself turns into a dry leaf. |
| Female | |
| Ival vaazhum naalellaam | All the days she lives, |
| Dhinam sogam thaanammaa | Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear. |
| Ival vaazhum naalellaam | All the days she lives, |
| Dhinam sogam thaanammaa | Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear. |
| Female | |
| Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa | Is life a mirage or a dream? |
| Male | |
| …………….. | |
| Female | |
| Chinna kuyilae chellakkiliyae | Little cuckoo, darling parrot, |
| Kannin maniyae kalangaathae | Apple of my eye, do not weep. |
| Enna vithiyao enna kadhaiyo | What fate is this, what story is this? |
| Kangal azhuthae sellum nadhiyo | Are the weeping eyes a flowing river? |
| Female | |
| Oru yaezhai sogamae adhu theyum neramo | The sorrow of a poor woman, is it time for it to wane? |
| Manam vaadum kolamo Idhu devan leelaiyo | Is this wilting pattern of the heart a divine game? |
| Kadalae ilangaatril sogam paadum chitra muththamizhae | Oh ocean, oh beautiful Tamil that sings sorrow in the gentle breeze! |
| Oru poovaagum manam theeyaagim santhana malligaiyae | Oh sandalwood jasmine, whose flower-like heart turns into fire! |
| Female | |
| Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa | Is life a mirage or a dream? |
| Female | |
| Thendralathuvae vantha puyalae | The gentle breeze turned into a storm! |
| Enthan azhagae sumaithaano | Has my beauty become a burden? |
| Anthi pozhuthae manjal nilavae | Oh evening twilight, oh yellow moon! |
| Anthappuramae pagaithaano | Has the inner palace become an enemy? |
| Female | |
| Malarsolai vaaduthae malar vaasam ponathae | The flower garden is wilting, the fragrance of flowers is gone. |
| Karai kaanum pothilae alai mothum odamae | Just as it sees the shore, the boat is struck by waves! |
| Kadalae irul moodum aasai vaanil vanthathu chandhiranae | Oh ocean, the moon has arrived in the sky of desire covered by darkness. |
| Ini naalthorum sugam thaalaatta vidivelliyum vanthidumaa | Will the morning star come to lull us with daily happiness from now on? |
| Female | |
| Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa | Is life a mirage or a dream? |
| Maalai thodukkum neram | At the time of weaving a garland, |
| Malerae sarugaai pogum | The flower itself turns into a dry leaf. |
| Female | |
| Ival vaazhum naalellaam | All the days she lives, |
| Dhinam sogam thaanammaa | Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear. |
| Ival vaazhum naalellaam | All the days she lives, |
| Dhinam sogam thaanammaa | Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear. |
| Female | |
| Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa….. | Is life a mirage or a dream? |
கானல் நீரா கனவா வாழ்வா
மாலை தொடுக்கும் நேரம்
மலரே சருகாய் போகும்
Is life a mirage or a dream?
At the time of weaving a garland,
The flower itself turns into a dry leaf.
இவள் வாழும் நாளெல்லாம்
தினம் சோகம் தானம்மா.....
இவள் வாழும் நாளெல்லாம்
தினம் சோகம் தானம்மா.....
All the days she lives,
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
All the days she lives,
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
கானல் நீரா கனவா வாழ்வா.....
Is life a mirage or a dream?
..............................
சின்னக் குயிலே செல்லக்கிளியே
கண்ணின் மணியே கலங்காதே
என்ன விதியோ என்ன கதையோ
கண்கள் அழுதே செல்லும் நதியோ
Little cuckoo, darling parrot,
Apple of my eye, do not weep.
What fate is this, what story is this?
Are the weeping eyes a flowing river?
ஒரு ஏழைக் சோகமே அது தேயும் நேரமோ
மனம் வாடும் கோலமோ இது தேவன் லீலையோ
கடலே இளங்காற்றில் சோகம் பாடும் சித்திர முத்தமிழே
ஒரு பூவாகும் மனம் தீயாகும் சந்தன மல்லிகையே......
The sorrow of a poor woman, is it time for it to wane?
Is this wilting pattern of the heart a divine game?
Oh ocean, oh beautiful Tamil that sings sorrow in the gentle breeze!
Oh sandalwood jasmine, whose flower-like heart turns into fire!
கானல் நீரா கனவா வாழ்வா
Is life a mirage or a dream?
தென்றலதுவே வந்த புயலே
எந்தன் அழகே சுமைதானோ
அந்தி பொழுதே மஞ்சள் நிலவே
அந்தப்புரமே பகைதானோ
The gentle breeze turned into a storm!
Has my beauty become a burden?
Oh evening twilight, oh yellow moon!
Has the inner palace become an enemy?
மலர்ச்சோலை வாடுதே மலர் வாசம் போனதே
கரை காணும் போதிலே அலை மோதும் ஓடமே
கடலே இருள் மூடும் ஆசை வானில் வந்தது சந்திரனே
இனி நாள்தோறும் சுகம் தாலாட்ட விடிவெள்ளியும் வந்திடுமா
The flower garden is wilting, the fragrance of flowers is gone.
Just as it sees the shore, the boat is struck by waves!
Oh ocean, the moon has arrived in the sky of desire covered by darkness.
Will the morning star come to lull us with daily happiness from now on?
கானல் நீரா கனவா வாழ்வா
மாலை தொடுக்கும் நேரம்
மலரே சருகாய் போகும்
Is life a mirage or a dream?
At the time of weaving a garland,
The flower itself turns into a dry leaf.
இவள் வாழும் நாளெல்லாம்
தினம் சோகம் தானம்மா.....
இவள் வாழும் நாளெல்லாம்
தினம் சோகம் தானம்மா.....
All the days she lives,
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
All the days she lives,
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
கானல் நீரா கனவா வாழ்வா.....
Is life a mirage or a dream?
Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa
Is life a mirage or a dream?
Maalai thodukkum neram
At the time of weaving a garland,
Malerae sarugaai pogum
The flower itself turns into a dry leaf.
Ival vaazhum naalellaam
All the days she lives,
Dhinam sogam thaanammaa
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
Ival vaazhum naalellaam
All the days she lives,
Dhinam sogam thaanammaa
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa
Is life a mirage or a dream?
……………..
Chinna kuyilae chellakkiliyae
Little cuckoo, darling parrot,
Kannin maniyae kalangaathae
Apple of my eye, do not weep.
Enna vithiyao enna kadhaiyo
What fate is this, what story is this?
Kangal azhuthae sellum nadhiyo
Are the weeping eyes a flowing river?
Oru yaezhai sogamae adhu theyum neramo
The sorrow of a poor woman, is it time for it to wane?
Manam vaadum kolamo Idhu devan leelaiyo
Is this wilting pattern of the heart a divine game?
Kadalae ilangaatril sogam paadum chitra muththamizhae
Oh ocean, oh beautiful Tamil that sings sorrow in the gentle breeze!
Oru poovaagum manam theeyaagim santhana malligaiyae
Oh sandalwood jasmine, whose flower-like heart turns into fire!
Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa
Is life a mirage or a dream?
Thendralathuvae vantha puyalae
The gentle breeze turned into a storm!
Enthan azhagae sumaithaano
Has my beauty become a burden?
Anthi pozhuthae manjal nilavae
Oh evening twilight, oh yellow moon!
Anthappuramae pagaithaano
Has the inner palace become an enemy?
Malarsolai vaaduthae malar vaasam ponathae
The flower garden is wilting, the fragrance of flowers is gone.
Karai kaanum pothilae alai mothum odamae
Just as it sees the shore, the boat is struck by waves!
Kadalae irul moodum aasai vaanil vanthathu chandhiranae
Oh ocean, the moon has arrived in the sky of desire covered by darkness.
Ini naalthorum sugam thaalaatta vidivelliyum vanthidumaa
Will the morning star come to lull us with daily happiness from now on?
Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa
Is life a mirage or a dream?
Maalai thodukkum neram
At the time of weaving a garland,
Malerae sarugaai pogum
The flower itself turns into a dry leaf.
Ival vaazhum naalellaam
All the days she lives,
Dhinam sogam thaanammaa
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
Ival vaazhum naalellaam
All the days she lives,
Dhinam sogam thaanammaa
Are filled with daily sorrow, oh dear.
Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa…..
Is life a mirage or a dream?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Kaanaal Neeraa Kanavaa Vaazhvaa' from Meendum Parasakthi (1985) is a deeply emotional lamentation on the harsh realities of fate and tragic destiny. The song meditates on the transient nature of happiness, comparing life to an elusive mirage or a fleeting dream. Through poignant imagery—such as fresh blossoms turning into withered leaves while being woven into a garland, and a boat being battered by waves just as it approaches the shore—the lyrics portray a woman trapped in relentless grief. Despite the overriding melancholy, the song expresses a gentle longing for hope, questioning whether a morning star will ever rise to dispel the darkness. Set to Ilaiyaraaja's soulful melody and delivered with heartfelt pathos by S. Janaki, lyricist Na. Kamarasan employs classic Tamil literary metaphors to contrast innocence and beauty with divine play and suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kaanaal neeraa kanavaa vaazhvaa”
Life is directly compared to a mirage ('Kaanaal neeraa') and a dream ('kanavaa'), illustrating its deceptive and transient nature.
Rhetorical Questions (Vinaa)
“Enna vithiyao enna kadhaiyo”
Repeated rhetorical questions highlight helplessness and philosophical questioning of divine fate.
Hyperbole / Imagery
“Kangal azhuthae sellum nadhiyo”
Describing tears flowing continuously like a river exaggerates grief into striking visual poetry.
Contrast / Juxtaposition
“Thendralathuvae vantha puyalae”
Contrasts gentle, pleasant things ('Thendral' - breeze) with sudden destruction ('Puyal' - storm) to symbolize unpredictable misfortune.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Meendum Parasakthi' (1985) featured a powerful soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja. Lyricist Na. Kamarasan was a prominent figure in the 'Pudhukavithai' (Modern Poetry) movement in Tamil literature, renowned for blending surreal metaphors like flowers turning to fire or dry leaves with traditional emotional depth.
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