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Sathyavan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanmani Kanmani Minnidum

From Sathyavan · 1994

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, K. S. Chithra, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Sathyavan
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
14 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Rururu rutthuroo rururu rutthuroo
Rururu rutthuroo roorooroo
Rururu rutthuroo rururu rutthuroo
Rururu rutthuroo roorooroo
Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini
En vizhi poothadhu unnaalae
Ponmani poo mani pon nira penmani
Un madi saerndhadhu thannaalae
Raathiri siru poothiri indru yaethalaamadi
Maeni thaan mani veenai thaan
Idhai meettalaam ini
Vidumo vidumo aasai vaaraadho valaiyosai
Vidumo vidumo aasai vaaraadho valaiyosai
Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini
En vizhi poothadhu unnaalae
Ponmani poo mani pon nira penmani
Un madi saerndhadhu thannaalae ho
Laalilaali laali laalilaali laali laali laali laali laali
Aadaiyil moodi vaitha atchaya paathiram
Naan thodum vaelai ellaam thaen thuli vaarthidum
Thaen thuli naan koduthaal
Theerndhidum aatthiram
Vaegamaai nee eduthaal vaadumae poo charam
Kaaviri odi vandhu kallanai saerndhadhaa
Moganam paadi vandhu maarbinil saaindhadhaa
………………………………
Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini
En vizhi poothadhu unnaalae
Ponmani poo mani pon nira penmani
Un madi saerndhadhu thannaalae
Noolidai nee padikkum noolagam aanadhu
Naal vagai naanam ellaam neengiyae ponadhu
Paarvaigal paai virithu pallavi paadudhu
Vaervaigal dhegam engum vellamaai odudhu
Kaadhalil nee arindha sodhanai aayiram
Sodhanai yaavum ingu saadhanai aagidum
…………………………
Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini
En vizhi poothadhu unnaalae
Ponmani poo mani pon nira penmani
Un madi saerndhadhu thannaalae
Raathiri siru poothiri indru yaethalaamadi
Maeni thaan mani veenai thaan
Idhai meettalaam ini
Vidumo vidumo aasai vaaraadho valaiyosai
Vidumo vidumo aasai vaaraadho valaiyosai
Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini
En vizhi poothadhu unnaalae
Ponmani poo mani pon nira penmani
Un madi saerndhadhu thannaalae ho
Ru ru ru ruthu roo, ru ru ru ruthu roo
Ru ru ru ruthu roo, roo roo roo
Ru ru ru ruthu roo, ru ru ru ruthu roo
Ru ru ru ruthu roo, roo roo roo
My darling, my beloved, like a glowing firefly,
My eyes blossomed with joy because of you.
A golden jewel, a flower-like treasure, a golden-skinned woman,
She came and rested upon your lap on her own.
Tonight, shall we light a little flower wick, my girl?
Your body is a precious veena (stringed instrument),
And now I can begin to pluck its strings.
Will this desire ever leave? Won't the jingling of bangles be heard?
Will this desire ever leave? Won't the jingling of bangles be heard?
My darling, my beloved, like a glowing firefly,
My eyes blossomed with joy because of you.
A golden jewel, a flower-like treasure, a golden-skinned woman,
She came and rested upon your lap on her own, oh!
Laali laali laali, laali laali laali, laali laali laali laali
An inexhaustible vessel of sweet nectar hidden within your dress,
Every time I touch it, it pours drops of honey.
If I offer you those drops of honey,
Will your eager longing finally be satisfied?
If you hurry too much, this delicate string of flowers will wither.
Has the Cauvery river rushed down to reach the stone dam?
Singing a sweet melody, has she rested upon my chest?
...
My darling, my beloved, like a glowing firefly,
My eyes blossomed with joy because of you.
A golden jewel, a flower-like treasure, a golden-skinned woman,
She came and rested upon your lap on her own.
My slender waist has become a library for you to read,
All four kinds of shyness have completely melted away.
Our loving gazes spread a mat and sing the opening melody,
While sweat flows like a flood all over our bodies.
You have endured a thousand tests in love,
Here, every single test will turn into a victory.
...
My darling, my beloved, like a glowing firefly,
My eyes blossomed with joy because of you.
A golden jewel, a flower-like treasure, a golden-skinned woman,
She came and rested upon your lap on her own.
Tonight, shall we light a little flower wick, my girl?
Your body is a precious veena (stringed instrument),
And now I can begin to pluck its strings.
Will this desire ever leave? Won't the jingling of bangles be heard?
Will this desire ever leave? Won't the jingling of bangles be heard?
My darling, my beloved, like a glowing firefly,
My eyes blossomed with joy because of you.
A golden jewel, a flower-like treasure, a golden-skinned woman,
She came and rested upon your lap on her own, oh!
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kanmani Kanmani Minnidum Minmini is an intimate romantic duet from the 1994 Tamil film Sathyavan, featuring poetry penned by master lyricist Vaali. The song portrays two lovers expressing their mutual passion and romantic longing in the night. The lyrics utilize evocative metaphors, comparing the heroine to a glowing firefly, a thread-waisted library of love, and an endless vessel of sweetness (Akshaya Patra). The poetic dialogue subtly balances bashfulness and passionate devotion, celebrating romantic union through traditional imagery of music, nature, and sacred rivers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words in a line for melodic flow.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Maeni thaan mani veenai thaan

Directly equating the heroine's body to a musical instrument ('veena') and her attire/form to an inexhaustible vessel ('atchaya paathiram').

Imagery / Simile

Kanmani kanmani minnidum minmini

Comparing the beloved's radiance to the twinkling light of a firefly ('minmini').

Etugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Kaaviri odi vandhu kallanai saerndhadhaa

Matching second consonants across lines ('Kaaviri' / 'Moganam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Sathyavan (1994) stars Murali and Gautami in the lead roles. Lyricist Vaali is renowned for crafting romantic duets rich in classical Tamil references like 'Atchaya Paathiram' and river allegories like 'Kallanai'.

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