Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Jai Hind album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanna En Selai

From Jai Hind · 1994

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Jai Hind
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
3 Jul 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ahahahaa…ahahaa…haa…
Kannaa en saelaikkulla
Katterumbu pugundhirukku edhukku
Kannae nee vellam endru
Katterumbu therinjirukku adhukku
Erumbu seiyyum leelai pol
Kurumbu seiya vandhaayo
Ullae ennamo panna
Kannaa en saelaikkulla
Katterumbu pugundhirukku edhukku
Kannae nee vellam endru
Katterumbu therinjirukku adhukku
Jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Chae..jhumba jhumba jhumbaa
Oh..oh…oh..oh..
Angae thottu ingae thottu
Engae thoda ennam raasa
Male :Aahaa…
Female :Ahaa ahaa
Male :Aae.. hae..
Kannam thottu vannam thottu
Hmmm thoda ennam rosa
Female :Aahaa…
Male :Ahaa ahaa
Female :Aahaa..
Idhu thaevaiyaana kurumbu
Konjam silirthu pona udambu
Vaa.. vaa….aa..aa..aa
Male Chorus :Vaa…vaaa
Female :Vaa.. vaa….aa..aa..aa
Female Chorus :Vaa…vaaa
Kannaa en saelaikkulla
Katterumbu pugundhirukku edhukku
Kannae nee vellam endru
Katterumbu therinjirukku adhukku
Bhoomikkulla ponna vachaan
Ponnukkulla enna vachaan
Female :Hmm hmm
Male :Aahaa…hahaa…
Female :Ohoo…
Aambilaikku meesai vachaan
Pombalaikku enna vachaan
Male :Hmm hmm
Female :Hmm hm hmm hmm
Male :Laala…
Female :Hahaha..
Adhai therinji vilakkam thaaren
Unnai thirudi kudikka poren
Vaa.. vaa….aa..aa..aa
Female Chorus :Vaa…vaaa
Male :Vaa.. vaa….aa..aa..aa
Male Chorus :Vaa…vaaa
Kannaa en saelaikkulla
Katterumbu pugundhirukku edhukku
Kannae nee vellam endru
Katterumbu therinjirukku
Female :Haa..
Male :Adhukku
Erumbu seiyyum leelai pol
Kurumbu seiya vandhaayo
Ullae ennamo panna
Kannaa en saelaikkulla
Katterumbu pugundhirukku ishh haa
Edhukku
Kannae nee vellam endru
Katterumbu therinjirukku mm.im..hmm…
Ahahahahaha… Ahaha… ha…
My darling, inside my saree,
A big black ant has slipped in—why?
Knowing that you are sweet like jaggery, my love,
The black ant figured it out—that's why!
Like the playful tricks an ant plays,
Did you come here to tease me?
Stirring up something sweet and strange inside...
My darling, inside my saree,
A big black ant has slipped in—why?
Knowing that you are sweet like jaggery, my love,
The black ant figured it out—that's why!
Jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Che.. jumba jumba jumba
Oh.. oh… oh.. oh..
Touching there, touching here,
Where do you plan to touch next, my prince?
Male: Aaha…
Female: Aha aha
Male: Hey.. hey..
Touching your cheeks, touching your beauty,
I plan to touch your... hmmm, my rose!
Female: Aaha…
Male: Aha aha
Female: Aaha..
This is just the right kind of mischief,
Making my whole body shiver with thrills.
Come.. come…. aa.. aa.. aa
Male Chorus: Come… come
Female: Come.. come…. aa.. aa.. aa
Female Chorus: Come… come
My darling, inside my saree,
A big black ant has slipped in—why?
Knowing that you are sweet like jaggery, my love,
The black ant figured it out—that's why!
He placed gold deep inside the earth,
What did He place inside a woman?
Female: Mmm mmm
Male: Aaha… haha…
Female: Oho…
He gave a moustache to a man,
What did He give to a woman?
Male: Mmm mmm
Female: Mmm hmm mmm mmm
Male: Lala…
Female: Hahaha..
I've figured it out, let me explain,
I am going to steal you and drink you in!
Come.. come…. aa.. aa.. aa
Female Chorus: Come… come
Male: Come.. come…. aa.. aa.. aa
Male Chorus: Come… come
My darling, inside my saree,
A big black ant has slipped in—why?
Knowing that you are sweet like jaggery, my love,
The black ant figured it out,
Female: Ha..
Male: That's why!
Like the playful tricks an ant plays,
Did you come here to tease me?
Stirring up something sweet and strange inside...
My darling, inside my saree,
A big black ant has slipped in, ish ha...
Why?
Knowing that you are sweet like jaggery, my love,
The black ant figured it out, mmm.. mm.. hmmm…
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kannaa En Saelaikkulla is a playful and sensual folk-pop duet from the 1994 Tamil film Jai Hind. The song revolves around playful flirtation between the lead lovers. The female protagonist metaphorically complains about a biting ant entering her saree, teasing her lover about his mischievous touch. The male protagonist cheekily responds that the ant entered because she is as sweet as jaggery, using the ant as a metaphor for his own romantic impulses and desires.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Kannae nee vellam endru / Katterumbu therinjirukku adhukku

The heroine's sweetness/attractiveness is compared to 'vellam' (jaggery), and the hero's mischievous romantic gestures are metaphorically linked to a 'katterumbu' (biting ant).

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kannaa en saelaikkulla / Katterumbu pugundhirukku edhukku

The second letters of 'Kannaa' and 'Katterumbu' share the same 'n' sound ('nna' / 'tte'), creating rhythmic harmony in Tamil prosody.

Anaphora / Internal Rhyme

Angae thottu ingae thottu

The repetition of 'thottu' in 'Angae thottu ingae thottu' creates a rhythmic, danceable tempo.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Vidyasagar with lyrics by Vairamuthu, this song became an iconic chartbuster in the mid-1990s. Sung by Swarnalatha and Mano, it is remembered for its energetic beat, catchy folk rhythm, and playful vocal renditions.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Jai Hind

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.