Kamban Shelly
From Rangeela · 1995
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Rangeela1995
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| ………………………………… | In the style of Kamban and Shelley |
| Male | |
| Kambhan shelly | All the poetry |
| Kavidhai muzhudhum | I will sing and show you |
| Paadi kaatuven | Like Kalidasa with his thumb |
| Kattai viralil kaali daasan | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | Only with you |
| Male | |
| Unnodu mattum | Why have I become mute? |
| Oomai aanadhenna | Seeing you, why did my speech |
| En baashai unnai kandu | Depart from me? |
| Pirindhadhenna | In the style of Kamban and Shelley |
| Male | |
| Kambhan shelly | All the poetry |
| Kavidhai muzhudhum | I will sing and show you |
| Paadi kaatuven | Like Kalidasa with his thumb |
| Kattai viralil kaali daasan | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | Only with you |
| Male | |
| Unnodu mattum | Why have I become mute? |
| Oomai aanadhenna | Seeing you, why did my speech |
| En baashai unnai kandu | Depart from me? |
| Pirindhadhenna | Like railway tracks |
| Male | |
| Thandavaalam pol | We stand side by side |
| Serndhu nirkkirom | To touch each other now |
| Thottu kollavae ippodhu | There is no opportunity |
| Vaaipu illaiyae | Love letters |
| Male | |
| Kaadhal kadidhangal | I wrote a hundred |
| Nooru eluthinen | To post them, within my heart |
| Anjal seiyavae nenjodu | Fear is like a thorn |
| Achcham mullaiyae | Before my flowers |
| Male | |
| En pookal | Wither away |
| Vaaadi pogum mun | My heart is wilting away |
| En nenjam vaadi pogiren | Like a warrior who lost his sword |
| Naan vaazh izhantha | I am becoming helpless |
| Veeran aagiren | In the style of Kamban and Shelley |
| Male | |
| Kambhan shelly | All the poetry |
| Kavidhai muzhudhum | I will sing and show you |
| Paadi kaatuven | Like Kalidasa with his thumb |
| Kattai viralil kaali daasan | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | Only with you |
| Male | |
| Unnodu mattum | Why have I become mute? |
| Oomai aanadhenna | Seeing you, why did my speech |
| En baashai unnai kandu | Depart from me? |
| Pirindhadhenna | In the style of Kamban and Shelley |
| Male | |
| Kambhan shelly | All the poetry |
| Kavidhai muzhudhum | I will sing and show you |
| Paadi kaatuven | Like Kalidasa with his thumb |
| Kattai viralil kaali daasan | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | ... |
| Chorus | |
| …………………………. | In one eye you placed the sky |
| Male | |
| Oru kannil vaanam vaithaai | In the other eye you placed the earth |
| Maru kannil boomi vaithaai | Beyond both, where can I go? |
| Erandaiyum thaandi engu poga | You stole my eyes |
| Male | |
| Vizhigalai thirudi kondaai | You stole my words |
| Mozhigalai thirudi kondaai | There are millions of thoughts, what can I say? |
| Ennangal kodi enna solvadhu | Their roots within the earth |
| Male | |
| Mannodu thangal vergalai | Trees may cover and conceal |
| Marangal moodi kollalaam | Can love within the heart be concealed? |
| Nenjodu kaadhal moodumaa | In the style of Kamban and Shelley |
| Male | |
| Kambhan shelly | All the poetry |
| Kavidhai muzhudhum | I will sing and show you |
| Paadi kaatuven | Like Kalidasa with his thumb |
| Kattai viralil kaali daasan | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | I will show, I will show, I will show |
| Kaatuven kaatuven kaatuven | Hey hey hey hey |
| Hey hey hey hey | I will write and show you |
| Ezhudhi kaatuven | I will show, I will show, I will show |
| Kaatuven kaatuven kaatuven | Hey hey hey hey |
| Hey hey hey hey | |
கம்பன் ஷெல்லி
கவிதை முழுதும்
பாடிக் காட்டுவேன்
கட்டை விரலில் காளி தாசன்
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
உன்னோடு மட்டும்
ஊமை ஆனதென்ன
என் பாஷை உன்னைக் கண்டு
பிரிந்ததென்ன
All the poetry
I will sing and show you
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
I will write and show you
Only with you
கம்பன் ஷெல்லி
கவிதை முழுதும்
பாடிக் காட்டுவேன்
கட்டை விரலில் காளி தாசன்
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
Why have I become mute?
Seeing you, why did my speech
Depart from me?
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
உன்னோடு மட்டும்
ஊமை ஆனதென்ன
என் பாஷை உன்னைக் கண்டு
பிரிந்ததென்ன
All the poetry
I will sing and show you
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
I will write and show you
Only with you
தண்டவாளம் போல்
சேர்ந்து நிற்கிறோம்
தொட்டுக் கொள்ளவே
இப்போது வாய்ப்பு இல்லையே
Why have I become mute?
Seeing you, why did my speech
Depart from me?
Like railway tracks
காதல் கடிதங்கள்
நூறு எழுதினேன்
அஞ்சல் செய்யவே
நெஞ்சோடு அச்சம் முல்லையே
We stand side by side
To touch each other now
There is no opportunity
Love letters
என் பூக்கள் வாடிப் போகும் முன்
என் நெஞ்சம் வாடிப் போகிறேன்
நான் வாள் இழந்த வீரன் ஆகிறேன்
I wrote a hundred
To post them, within my heart
Fear is like a thorn
Before my flowers
கம்பன் ஷெல்லி
கவிதை முழுதும்
பாடிக் காட்டுவேன்
கட்டை விரலில் காளி தாசன்
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
Wither away
My heart is wilting away
Like a warrior who lost his sword
I am becoming helpless
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
உன்னோடு மட்டும்
ஊமை ஆனதென்ன
என் பாஷை உன்னைக் கண்டு
பிரிந்ததென்ன
All the poetry
I will sing and show you
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
I will write and show you
Only with you
கம்பன் ஷெல்லி
கவிதை முழுதும்
பாடிக் காட்டுவேன்
கட்டை விரலில் காளி தாசன்
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
Why have I become mute?
Seeing you, why did my speech
Depart from me?
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
............................
All the poetry
I will sing and show you
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
I will write and show you
...
ஒரு கண்ணில்
வானம் வைத்தாய்
மறு கண்ணில் பூமி வைத்தாய்
இரண்டையும் தாண்டி எங்கு போக
In one eye you placed the sky
விழிகளைத் திருடிக்
கொண்டாய்
மொழிகளை திருடிக் கொண்டாய்
எண்ணங்கள் கோடி என்ன சொல்வது
In the other eye you placed the earth
Beyond both, where can I go?
You stole my eyes
மண்ணோடு தங்கள் வேர்களை
மரங்கள் மூடிக் கொள்ளலாம்
நெஞ்சோடு காதல் மூடுமா
You stole my words
There are millions of thoughts, what can I say?
Their roots within the earth
கம்பன் ஷெல்லி
கவிதை முழுதும்
பாடிக் காட்டுவேன்
கட்டை விரலில் காளி தாசன்
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
Trees may cover and conceal
Can love within the heart be concealed?
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
காட்டுவேன் காட்டுவேன்
காட்டுவேன் ஹே ஹே ஹே ஹே
எழுதிக் காட்டுவேன்
காட்டுவேன் காட்டுவேன்
காட்டுவேன் ஹே ஹே ஹே ஹே
All the poetry
I will sing and show you
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
I will write and show you
I will show, I will show, I will show
Hey hey hey hey
I will write and show you
I will show, I will show, I will show
Hey hey hey hey
…………………………………
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
Kambhan shelly
All the poetry
Kavidhai muzhudhum
I will sing and show you
Paadi kaatuven
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
Kattai viralil kaali daasan
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
Only with you
Unnodu mattum
Why have I become mute?
Oomai aanadhenna
Seeing you, why did my speech
En baashai unnai kandu
Depart from me?
Pirindhadhenna
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
Kambhan shelly
All the poetry
Kavidhai muzhudhum
I will sing and show you
Paadi kaatuven
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
Kattai viralil kaali daasan
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
Only with you
Unnodu mattum
Why have I become mute?
Oomai aanadhenna
Seeing you, why did my speech
En baashai unnai kandu
Depart from me?
Pirindhadhenna
Like railway tracks
Thandavaalam pol
We stand side by side
Serndhu nirkkirom
To touch each other now
Thottu kollavae ippodhu
There is no opportunity
Vaaipu illaiyae
Love letters
Kaadhal kadidhangal
I wrote a hundred
Nooru eluthinen
To post them, within my heart
Anjal seiyavae nenjodu
Fear is like a thorn
Achcham mullaiyae
Before my flowers
En pookal
Wither away
Vaaadi pogum mun
My heart is wilting away
En nenjam vaadi pogiren
Like a warrior who lost his sword
Naan vaazh izhantha
I am becoming helpless
Veeran aagiren
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
Kambhan shelly
All the poetry
Kavidhai muzhudhum
I will sing and show you
Paadi kaatuven
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
Kattai viralil kaali daasan
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
Only with you
Unnodu mattum
Why have I become mute?
Oomai aanadhenna
Seeing you, why did my speech
En baashai unnai kandu
Depart from me?
Pirindhadhenna
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
Kambhan shelly
All the poetry
Kavidhai muzhudhum
I will sing and show you
Paadi kaatuven
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
Kattai viralil kaali daasan
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
...
………………………….
In one eye you placed the sky
Oru kannil vaanam vaithaai
In the other eye you placed the earth
Maru kannil boomi vaithaai
Beyond both, where can I go?
Erandaiyum thaandi engu poga
You stole my eyes
Vizhigalai thirudi kondaai
You stole my words
Mozhigalai thirudi kondaai
There are millions of thoughts, what can I say?
Ennangal kodi enna solvadhu
Their roots within the earth
Mannodu thangal vergalai
Trees may cover and conceal
Marangal moodi kollalaam
Can love within the heart be concealed?
Nenjodu kaadhal moodumaa
In the style of Kamban and Shelley
Kambhan shelly
All the poetry
Kavidhai muzhudhum
I will sing and show you
Paadi kaatuven
Like Kalidasa with his thumb
Kattai viralil kaali daasan
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
I will show, I will show, I will show
Kaatuven kaatuven kaatuven
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
I will write and show you
Ezhudhi kaatuven
I will show, I will show, I will show
Kaatuven kaatuven kaatuven
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Kambhan Shelly' expresses the overwhelming depth of love and the paradoxical speechlessness it brings. The protagonist boasts of having the literary talent of great poets like Kamban, Shelley, and Kalidasa, capable of expressing grand emotions in verse. Yet, when standing before the beloved, all eloquent words vanish, leaving them completely speechless and struck by awe. The lyrics vividly portray the hesitation, longing, and poetic agony of being so close yet unable to express love directly.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allusion (Koil / Sahitya)
“Kambhan shelly / Kattai viralil kaali daasan”
References classical literary giants—the ancient Tamil poet Kamban, the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the legendary Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.
Simile (Uvamaani)
“Thandavaalam pol / Serndhu nirkkirom”
Compares the lovers standing side-by-side without touching to parallel railway tracks (Thandavaalam), depicting eternal closeness yet painful distance.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Achcham mullaiyae”
Metaphorically describes fear as a thorn within the heart preventing the dispatch of love letters.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Oru kannil vaanam vaithaai / Maru kannil boomi vaithaai”
Exaggerates the eyes holding the sky and earth, and having millions of unspoken thoughts.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is the Tamil dubbed version of 'Kya Karoon Kya Na Karoon' from Ram Gopal Varma's Bollywood blockbuster Rangeela (1995). Composed by A.R. Rahman with Tamil lyrics by Vairamuthu, the song smartly replaces Hindi cultural tropes with classical poet references suitable for Tamil audiences.
Keep listening
More from Rangeela
Rangeela
Rangeela
Rangeela
Rangeela
Rangeela