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Lyrics & meaning

Kangal Neeye

From Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal · 2011

Lyricist
Thamarai
Singer
Sithara
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Details
Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal2011

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kangal neeyaeYou are my eyes
kaatrum neeyaeYou are the air I breathe
Thoonum nee thurumbil neeYou are in the pillar, you are in the tiny dust particle
Female
Vannnam neeyaeYou are the colors
Vaanum neeyaeYou are the endless sky
Oonum nee uyirum neeYou are my flesh, you are my soul
Female
Pala naal kanavaeA dream nurtured for many days
Oru naal nanavaeHas become a reality today
Yekkangal theerthaayaeYou fulfilled all my longings
Female
Enaiyae pizhinthuSqueezing out my very self
Unai naan eduthenI created you
Naan thaan nee verillaiI am indeed you, there is no difference
Female
Mugam vellai thaalYour face is a blank white paper
Adhil muthathaalUpon which, with kisses
Oru venpaavaiA classical poem
Naan seithen kannaeI composed, my darling
Female
Idhazh echilneerWith the holy water
Enum theerthathaalThat is your lip's saliva
Adhil thiruthangalMaking corrections to it
Nee seidhaai kannaeYou perfected it, my darling
Female
Kangal neeyaeYou are my eyes
kaatrum neeyaeYou are the air I breathe
Thoonum nee thurumbil neeYou are in the pillar, you are in the tiny dust particle
Female
Vannnam neeyaeYou are the colors
Vaanum neeyaeYou are the endless sky
Oonum nee uyirum neeYou are my flesh, you are my soul
Female
Intha nimidamAt this moment
Neeyum valarnthuI longed for you to grow up
Ennai thaanga yenginenTo support and lean on you
Female
Adutha kanamaeIn the very next moment
kuzhanthaiyaagaTo remain a little baby
Endrum irukka vendinenForever, I prayed
Female
Thozhil aadum selaiThe saree draped on my shoulder
Thottil thaan paadhi velaiSpends half its time as a cradle
Female
Pala nooruSpeaking in
Mozhigalil pesumHundreds of soft babbling languages
Mudhal medhai neeYou are the ultimate genius
Isaiyaaga pala palaCreating various musical notes
Osai seithidumWith your innocent sounds
Raavanan eedilaa en maganYou are my matchless son like Ravana the maestro
Female
Mmmm…mmmm…mmm…Mmmm...mmmm...mmm...
Female
Ennai thallum munWhen you push me away
Kuzhi kannathilIn your dimpled cheeks
En sorghathaiMy tiny paradise
Naan kanden kandenI saw, I saw
Female
Enai killum munBefore you pinch me
Viral meththaikkulWithin your soft fingers
En mothathaiMy whole world
Naan thanthen kannae…ae….I gave to you, my darling
Female
Ennai vittu erandu ettuIf you move away from me
Thalli ponaal thavikkirenJust two steps, I get restless
Meendum unnai alli eduthuI feel like picking you up again
Karuvil vaikka ninaikkirenAnd tucking you safely back in my womb
Female
Pogum paadhai neelamThe path ahead is long
Kooraiyaai neela vaanamThe vast blue sky is the roof overhead
Female
Suvar meedhuOn the walls
Kirikidum bodhuWhen you scribble
Ravivarman neeYou become a Raja Ravi Varma
Pasi endraalWhen hungry
Thaai idam thedumSearching only for the mother
Maanida marmam neeYou are the eternal mystery of humanity
Naan kollum garvam nee….You are the immense pride I hold
Female
Kadal ainthaaruFive or six oceans
Malai ainooruFive hundred mountains
Ivai thaandi thaanaeCrossing beyond all of them
Petren unnaiI gave birth to you
Female
Udal savvaathuMay your body never weaken
Pini ovvaathuMay no illness ever afflict you
Pala nooraanduFor hundreds of years to come
Nee aalvaai mannaiMay you rule this earth
Female
Kangal neeyaeYou are my eyes
kaatrum neeyaeYou are the air I breathe
Thoonum nee thurumbil neeYou are in the pillar, you are in the tiny dust particle
Female
Vannnam neeyaeYou are the colors
Vaanum neeyaeYou are the endless sky
Oonum nee uyirum neeYou are my flesh, you are my soul

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Kangal Neeyae' is a deeply moving lullaby and ode to maternal love written by Thamarai for the film 'Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal'. The song captures the overwhelming emotional spectrum experienced by a mother looking at her newborn child. She sees her child in everything around her and struggles with the bittersweet conflict of wanting her child to grow up to be strong while simultaneously wishing they could stay a little baby forever. Through poetic imagery, the lyricist paints the child as an artist, a musical genius, and the very center of the mother's universe. The mother expresses a willingness to endure immense pain for her child's wellbeing, showering blessing and long life upon her child, declaring that the child is not separate from her, but an extension of her flesh, soul, and very existence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor & Ubiquitous Allusion

Thoonum nee thurumbil nee

Refers to the omnipresence of the child using the famous Devotional line 'Thoonilum iruppaan thurumbilum iruppaan' (Prahlada's statement about Vishnu), metaphorically attributing god-like omnipresence to the child in the mother's world.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Mugam vellai thaal / Adhil muthathaal / Oru venpaavai / Naan seithen kannae

Compares the innocent baby's face to a clean white sheet of paper and her kisses to writing a 'Venpa' (classical Tamil poetic meter).

Emona / Rhyme (Monai and Ethirai)

Kangal neeyae / kaatrum neeyae

Uses initial rhyming (Monai) and second-letter rhyming (Ethirai) across lines such as 'Kangal' and 'Kaatrum', 'Vannam' and 'Vaanum', 'Oonum' and 'Uyirum'.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navorchi Ani)

Kadal ainthaaru / Malai ainooru / Ivai thaandi thaanae / Petren unnai

Exaggerates the journey of childbirth and motherly sacrifice as crossing five or six oceans and five hundred mountains to deliver the child.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kangal Neeyae' was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar and sung soulfully by Sithara Krishnakumar. Lyricist Thamarai won high critical acclaim for this song, capturing maternal instinct with exceptional poetic clarity. The song remains one of Tamil cinema's finest modern lullabies.

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