Kadhal Ninaive
From En Iniya Pon Nilavae · 2001
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music directors
- Ilayaraja, M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- En Iniya Pon Nilavae2001
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae | Memory of love, a mere dream |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae | Memory of love, a mere dream |
| Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum | Trying to quench thirst in a mirage |
| Pedhai pen ingae | Here is an innocent woman |
| Male | |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae | Memory of love, a mere dream |
| Male | |
| Neeril thondrum alaigalai polae | Like the waves that appear in the water |
| Nenjil nooru ninaivugal aada | A hundred memories dance in the heart |
| Thondrum uravu…..yaavum kanavu… | Relationships that arise... are all a dream... |
| Vaanil thondrum vaanavil pola | Like a rainbow appearing in the sky |
| Vaadai kaatrin vaazhvinai pola | Like the fleeting life of the chill northern wind |
| Aasai nenjam ingae | Here lies a heart filled with desire |
| Male | |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae | Memory of love, a mere dream |
| Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum | Trying to quench thirst in a mirage |
| Pedhai pen ingae | Here is an innocent woman |
| Male | |
| Inainthathae irunthum thanaimaiyil vaazhum | Though once united, now living in solitude |
| Ilamai ninaivo iruttinil vaazhum | Memories of youth dwell in the darkness |
| Yaedho unarvu….yaengum manathu | Some inexplicable feeling... a longing mind |
| Thaniyae thodarum oru vazhi payanam | A one-way journey continuing all alone |
| Thanalil thavikkum manathukku salanam | Restlessness in a heart suffering on hot embers |
| Thondrum nenjam ingae | Here lies a feeling heart |
| Male | |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae | Memory of love, a mere dream |
| Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum | Trying to quench thirst in a mirage |
| Pedhai pen ingae | Here is an innocent woman |
| Male | |
| Kadhal ninaivae kanavae…. | Memory of love, a mere dream.... |
மற்றும் எம். எஸ். விஸ்வநாதன்
Memory of love, a mere dream
Memory of love, a mere dream
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Here is an innocent woman
காதல் நினைவே கனவே
காதல் நினைவே கனவே
கானல் நீரில் தாகம் தீர்க்கும்
பேதை பெண் இங்கே
Memory of love, a mere dream
காதல் நினைவே கனவே.....
Like the waves that appear in the water
A hundred memories dance in the heart
Relationships that arise... are all a dream...
Like a rainbow appearing in the sky
Like the fleeting life of the chill northern wind
Here lies a heart filled with desire
நீரில் தோன்றும் அலைகளைப் போலே
நெஞ்சில் நூறு நினைவுகள் ஆட
தோன்றும் உறவு......யாவும் கனவு......
வானில் தோன்றும் வானவில் போல
வாடைக் காற்றின் வாழ்வினை போல
ஆசை நெஞ்சம் இங்கே...
Memory of love, a mere dream
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Here is an innocent woman
காதல் நினைவே கனவே
கானல் நீரில் தாகம் தீர்க்கும்
பேதை பெண் இங்கே
Though once united, now living in solitude
Memories of youth dwell in the darkness
Some inexplicable feeling... a longing mind
A one-way journey continuing all alone
Restlessness in a heart suffering on hot embers
Here lies a feeling heart
இணைந்தே இருந்தும் தனிமையில் வாழும்
இளமை நினைவோ இருட்டினில் வாழும்
ஏதோ உணர்வு......ஏங்கும் மனது.....
தனியே தொடரும் ஒரு வழி பயணம்
தணலில் தவிக்கும் மனதுக்கு சலனம்
தோன்றும் நெஞ்சம் இங்கே......
Memory of love, a mere dream
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Here is an innocent woman
காதல் நினைவே கனவே
கானல் நீரில் தாகம் தீர்க்கும்
பேதை பெண் இங்கே
Memory of love, a mere dream....
காதல் நினைவே கனவே....
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae
Memory of love, a mere dream
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae
Memory of love, a mere dream
Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Pedhai pen ingae
Here is an innocent woman
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae
Memory of love, a mere dream
Neeril thondrum alaigalai polae
Like the waves that appear in the water
Nenjil nooru ninaivugal aada
A hundred memories dance in the heart
Thondrum uravu…..yaavum kanavu…
Relationships that arise... are all a dream...
Vaanil thondrum vaanavil pola
Like a rainbow appearing in the sky
Vaadai kaatrin vaazhvinai pola
Like the fleeting life of the chill northern wind
Aasai nenjam ingae
Here lies a heart filled with desire
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae
Memory of love, a mere dream
Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Pedhai pen ingae
Here is an innocent woman
Inainthathae irunthum thanaimaiyil vaazhum
Though once united, now living in solitude
Ilamai ninaivo iruttinil vaazhum
Memories of youth dwell in the darkness
Yaedho unarvu….yaengum manathu
Some inexplicable feeling... a longing mind
Thaniyae thodarum oru vazhi payanam
A one-way journey continuing all alone
Thanalil thavikkum manathukku salanam
Restlessness in a heart suffering on hot embers
Thondrum nenjam ingae
Here lies a feeling heart
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae
Memory of love, a mere dream
Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum
Trying to quench thirst in a mirage
Pedhai pen ingae
Here is an innocent woman
Kadhal ninaivae kanavae….
Memory of love, a mere dream....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song portrays the poignant sorrow of a naive woman grieving over lost or illusory love. Love is depicted not as a lasting reality, but as a fleeting dream—comparable to seeking water from a mirage in the desert. The lyrics express the pain of solitude after togetherness, where fond memories of youth remain trapped in darkness. Using vivid imagery of short-lived phenomena like ocean waves, rainbows, and biting winter winds, the song emphasizes the impermanence of relationships and human desire. The heart is described as enduring agony like suffering on hot embers during an isolated, one-way journey of emotional longing.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile)
“Neeril thondrum alaigalai polae”
Compares fleeting memories and relationships to waves in water ('alaigalai polae') and a rainbow in the sky ('vaanavil pola').
Uruvagaimai (Metaphor)
“Kaanal neeril thaagam theerkkum”
Metaphorically compares searching for true love to trying to quench thirst with mirage water ('Kaanal neer').
Eduhai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Inainthathae irunthum thanaimaiyil vaazhum / Ilamai ninaivo iruttinil vaazhum”
Rhyming of the second letter 'raa/da/na' or vowel sound in consecutive lines (e.g., Inainthathae / Ilamai - 'na' sound harmony).
Moonaai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Thaniyae thodarum oru vazhi payanam / Thanalil thavikkum manathukku salanam”
Alliteration of the initial consonants 'Tha' in 'Thaniyae' and 'Thanalil'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The central metaphor 'Kaanal Neer' (mirage) is a classical Tamil poetic device frequently used in Sangam literature to denote deceptive or unachievable desires.
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