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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Kaaviriya Kaaviriya

From Desam · 2002

Lyricist: Vaali
Singer: Madhushree
Music director: A. R. Rahman
Movie name: Desam
Movie release year: 2002
Lyrics added on: 16 Aug 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Kaaviriya kaaviriya

Manathukkul paayariya

Poompunalaai pugunthathinaal

Kann vazhiyaa hoi

Kan viralaal kan viralaal

Penn uyirai meetturiya

Poo mudikkum mogathilae

Nee variya hoi

Naanaa unnai ninaithen

Nedunaal vilagi irunthen

Thanaai ennai izhanthen

Thadukki unn mel vizhunthen

Mayilin iragaal manathai

Neevuriyaa oh

Nee variyaa hoi

Kaaviriya kaaviriya

Manathukkul paayariya

Poompunalaai pugunthathinaal

Kann vazhiyaa hoi

Tharara rarara ra raa..aa..(2)

Un perai entha naalilum

Ullathil ezhuthavillaiyae

Enai oru vaarthai thaan

Ketkaamalae hoi

En jeevan unnai chernthathoo

Ennullae enna naernthathoo

Udhattinil naalellaam un paadalae

Kaadhal varum

Thedhi kizhamai edhuvena

Evarkkum calendar kattaathae..

Adhuvaaga vervida

Anbai nee neer vidu

Poo poovaai pookkum vannam

Perinbam undaachoo

Pennpaavai unathaachoo

Kaaviriya kaaviriya

Manathukkul paayariya

Poompunalaai pugunthathinaal

Kann vazhiyaa hoi

Ohoo..oo..ooo….oooo

Vaanam mudhal murai

Mazhai vaarkkum nilam ena

Nenjil oru seethanam kaaranam

Nee thaan nanbanae

Yaarai mudhal murai

Viral meettum sugam ena

Nenjil oru vaaganam kaaranam

Nee thaan anbanae

Mangai alla malligai poovithu

Unai andri veru kaigal thodalaama

Mazhai konthal yen valarthen

Poo mudikka naan valarthen

Maalaiyittu poo mudikkum

Mana naal thaan varumaa

Mana naal thaan varumaa

Kaaviriya kaaviriya

Manathukkul paayariya

Poompunalaai pugunthathinaal

Kann vazhiyaa hoi

Are you the Kaveri? Are you the Kaveri?

Are you flowing inside my heart,

entering like a stream of flowers

through my eyes? Hoy!

With the fingers of your eyes, with the fingers of your eyes,

are you strumming this woman's soul?

With a longing to crown my hair with flowers,

will you come? Hoy!

Did I ever think of you before?

I stayed away from you for so long.

Yet I lost myself on my own,

and stumbled, falling in love with you.

With a peacock feather,

are you gently stroking my heart? Oh...

Will you come? Hoy!

Are you the Kaveri? Are you the Kaveri?

Are you flowing inside my heart,

entering like a stream of flowers

through my eyes? Hoy!

Tarara rarara ra raa..aa..

Not even on a single day

did I write your name in my heart.

Without asking me

even a single word, hoy!

did my soul unite with yours?

What has happened within me?

On my lips, all day long, is only your song.

When love arrives,

which date or day of the week it will be,

no calendar can show anyone.

For it to take root on its own,

shower your love on it like water.

As it blossoms into beautiful flowers,

has supreme joy been born?

Has this girl become completely yours?

Are you the Kaveri? Are you the Kaveri?

Are you flowing inside my heart,

entering like a stream of flowers

through my eyes? Hoy!

Oho.. oh.. ooo.... oooo

Like the earth when the sky

pours rain for the very first time,

my heart received a precious gift, and the reason

is you alone, my friend.

Like the sweet joy when fingers

strum the strings of a lute for the first time,

a melody stirs in my heart, and the reason

is you alone, my beloved.

This is not just a woman, but a jasmine flower;

can any hands other than yours ever touch it?

Why did I grow this thick cascade of hair?

I grew it so you could adorn it with flowers.

When we exchange garlands and you crown my hair,

will that wedding day finally come?

Will that wedding day finally come?

Are you the Kaveri? Are you the Kaveri?

Are you flowing inside my heart,

entering like a stream of flowers

through my eyes? Hoy!

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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kaaviriya is a soulful romantic song portraying the sudden awakening of love in a young woman's heart. She compares her emotions to the river Cauvery, flowing silently into her thoughts through her eyes. Surprised by how effortlessly she fell in love without planning, she reflects on the spontaneous nature of love, which follows no calendar or set rules but blooms when nurtured with affection. In the latter half, she speaks of her purity and beauty, metaphorically referring to herself as a delicate jasmine flower waiting only for her beloved's touch. Longing for their ultimate union, she eagerly anticipates the sacred wedding day when he will adorn her hair with flowers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

“Poompunalaai pugunthathinaal”

Compares love entering the heart to a fresh stream flowing with flowers (Poompunal).

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Mangai alla malligai poovithu”

Directly compares the young woman to a delicate jasmine flower that shouldn't be touched by anyone else.

Simile (Uvamai)

“Vaanam mudhal murai mazhai vaarkkum nilam ena”

Compares love's arrival to the sky showering rain on the dry earth for the very first time.

Ethirai & Monai (Rhyme & Alliteration)

“Naanaa unnai ninaithen / Nedunaal vilagi irunthen”

Use of matching initial sounds and rhythmic cadence across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song is from the movie 'Desam' (2002), which is the Tamil dubbed soundtrack of Ashutosh Gowariker's critically acclaimed Hindi film 'Swades'. Composed by A.R. Rahman, the original Hindi song is 'Saanwariya Saanwariya' (sung by Alka Yagnik with lyrics by Javed Akhtar). Lyricist Vaali adapted the lyrics in Tamil, beautifully capturing the Indian cultural essence and pastoral metaphors.

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