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Themmangu Paattukaaran album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanavilum

From Themmangu Paattukaaran · 1997

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
Bhavatharani
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Themmangu Paattukaaran
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
15 Jan 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kanavilum undhan mugam
Ninaivilum undhan mugam
Varuvadhennavoo..ooo
Kaatrilae yedho ondru
Kalandhidum nenjil ondru
Varuvadhennavoo..ooo
En kaadhal kovil
Vaazhum deivam ingu nee thaan
Varam ondru vendum ena ketkkum
Kodhai naan thaan
En idhayam ingae
Athu unnai thedudhu
Unakaaga thaane
Dhinam ingu vaadudhu
In my dreams, your face,
In my waking thoughts, your face,
Why does it keep coming to me... oh?
Something in the breeze,
Something in my fluttering heart,
Why does this feeling arise... oh?
In the temple of my love,
You are the god who resides here.
Asking you for a boon,
I am that devoted girl.
My heart right here,
It keeps searching for you.
Only for your sake,
It yearns here every single day.
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song captures a woman's deep romantic yearning and devotion toward her lover. She describes how his image constantly fills both her dreams and waking moments, while an indefinable feeling lingers in the air and blends into her heart. Frame by frame, she expresses her profound love by comparing her affection to a temple where her lover is the residing deity and she is the devotee praying for his presence. Her heart continuously searches for him, silently wilting away in separation each day.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Parallelism

Kanavilum undhan mugam / Ninaivilum undhan mugam

The repeating structural frame 'Kanavilum undhan mugam / Ninaivilum undhan mugam' creates rhythmic symmetry emphasizing constant remembrance.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

En kaadhal kovil / Vaazhum deivam ingu nee thaan

Love is metaphorically equated to a temple ('kaadhal kovil') and the lover is elevated to a living deity ('vaazhum deivam').

Personification

En idhayam ingae / Athu unnai thedudhu

The speaker's heart ('idhayam') is personified as an active entity searching for the beloved and pining away daily.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song comes from the 1997 Tamil film 'Themmangu Paattukaaran', featuring lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran, showcasing classic folk-infused romantic lyricism typical of 90s Tamil cinema.

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