Kanna Karumai Nira Kanna
From Naanum Oru Penn · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Naanum Oru Penn1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kannaa..aaa… | O Krishna... |
| Karumai nira kannaa | Dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Unnai maruppaarillai | No one rejects you, |
| Kandu veruppaarillai | No one hates you upon seeing you, |
| Ennai kandaalum porupparillai | Yet no one can tolerate seeing me. |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Unnai maruppaarillai | No one rejects you, |
| Kandu veruppaarillai | No one hates you upon seeing you, |
| Ennai kandaalum porupparillai | Yet no one can tolerate seeing me. |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Female | |
| {Manamparkka maruppor mun | Before those who refuse to look at the heart, |
| Padaithai kannaa | You created me, O Krishna. |
| Niram parthu veruppor mun | Before those who hate after looking at skin color, |
| Koduthai kannaa} (2) | You placed me, O Krishna. |
| Female | |
| Inam parthu enai serkka | To match me with someone of my kind, |
| Marandhai kannaa… | You forgot, O Krishna... |
| Inam parthu enai serkka | To match me with someone of my kind, |
| Marandhai kannaa… | You forgot, O Krishna... |
| Nalla idam parthu silaiyaaga | Finding a good place for yourself, |
| Amarndhai kannaa…. | You sat quietly like a statue, O Krishna... |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Female | |
| {Ponnaana manam ondru | A heart of pure gold, |
| Thandhai kannaa.. | You gave me, O Krishna... |
| Adhil poo pondra ninaivondru | In it, a flower-like delicate memory, |
| Vaithai kannaa…} (2) | You placed, O Krishna... |
| Female | |
| Kann parkka mudiyaamal | Without letting anyone's eyes see it, |
| Maraithai kannaa.. | You hid it, O Krishna... |
| Kann parkka mudiyaamal | Without letting anyone's eyes see it, |
| Maraithai kannaa.. | You hid it, O Krishna... |
| Endha kadan theerkka | To repay what past debt, |
| Ennai nee padaithai kannaa | Did you create me, O Krishna? |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae | There is no eye that has not seen you. |
| Unnai maruppaarillai | No one rejects you, |
| Kandu veruppaarillai | No one hates you upon seeing you, |
| Ennai kandaalum porupparillai | Yet no one can tolerate seeing me. |
| Female | |
| Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa | O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna, |
| Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae…. | There is no eye that has not seen you... |
கண்ணா......
கருமை நிற கண்ணா
உன்னை காணாத
கண்ணில்லையே
O Krishna...
Dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
உன்னை மறுப்பாரில்லை
கண்டு வெறுப்பாரில்லை
என்னை கண்டாலும்
பொறுப்பாரில்லை
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
No one rejects you,
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
உன்னை மறுப்பாரில்லை
கண்டு வெறுப்பாரில்லை
என்னை கண்டாலும்
பொறுப்பாரில்லை
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
No one rejects you,
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
{ மனம்பார்க்க
மறுப்போர் முன் படைத்தாய்
கண்ணா நிறம் பார்த்து
வெறுப்போர் முன்
கொடுத்தாய் கண்ணா } (2)
Before those who refuse to look at the heart,
You created me, O Krishna.
Before those who hate after looking at skin color,
You placed me, O Krishna.
இனம் பார்த்து
என்னை சேர்க்க மறந்தாய்
கண்ணா இனம் பார்த்து
என்னை சேர்க்க மறந்தாய்
கண்ணா நல்ல இடம் பார்த்து
சிலையாக அமர்ந்தாய் கண்ணா
To match me with someone of my kind,
You forgot, O Krishna...
To match me with someone of my kind,
You forgot, O Krishna...
Finding a good place for yourself,
You sat quietly like a statue, O Krishna...
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
{ பொன்னான
மனம் ஒன்று தந்தாய்
கண்ணா அதில் பூ
போன்ற நினைவொன்று
வைத்தாய் கண்ணா } (2)
A heart of pure gold,
You gave me, O Krishna...
In it, a flower-like delicate memory,
You placed, O Krishna...
கண் பார்க்க
முடியாமல் மறைத்தாய்
கண்ணா கண் பார்க்க
முடியாமல் மறைத்தாய்
கண்ணா எந்த கடன் தீர்க்க
என்னை நீ படைத்தாய்
கண்ணா
Without letting anyone's eyes see it,
You hid it, O Krishna...
Without letting anyone's eyes see it,
You hid it, O Krishna...
To repay what past debt,
Did you create me, O Krishna?
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
உன்னை மறுப்பாரில்லை
கண்டு வெறுப்பாரில்லை
என்னை கண்டாலும்
பொறுப்பாரில்லை
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you.
No one rejects you,
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
கண்ணா...கருமை
நிற கண்ணா உன்னை
காணாத கண்ணில்லையே
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
There is no eye that has not seen you...
Kannaa..aaa…
O Krishna...
Karumai nira kannaa
Dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
Unnai maruppaarillai
No one rejects you,
Kandu veruppaarillai
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Ennai kandaalum porupparillai
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
Unnai maruppaarillai
No one rejects you,
Kandu veruppaarillai
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Ennai kandaalum porupparillai
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
{Manamparkka maruppor mun
Before those who refuse to look at the heart,
Padaithai kannaa
You created me, O Krishna.
Niram parthu veruppor mun
Before those who hate after looking at skin color,
Koduthai kannaa} (2)
You placed me, O Krishna.
Inam parthu enai serkka
To match me with someone of my kind,
Marandhai kannaa…
You forgot, O Krishna...
Inam parthu enai serkka
To match me with someone of my kind,
Marandhai kannaa…
You forgot, O Krishna...
Nalla idam parthu silaiyaaga
Finding a good place for yourself,
Amarndhai kannaa….
You sat quietly like a statue, O Krishna...
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
{Ponnaana manam ondru
A heart of pure gold,
Thandhai kannaa..
You gave me, O Krishna...
Adhil poo pondra ninaivondru
In it, a flower-like delicate memory,
Vaithai kannaa…} (2)
You placed, O Krishna...
Kann parkka mudiyaamal
Without letting anyone's eyes see it,
Maraithai kannaa..
You hid it, O Krishna...
Kann parkka mudiyaamal
Without letting anyone's eyes see it,
Maraithai kannaa..
You hid it, O Krishna...
Endha kadan theerkka
To repay what past debt,
Ennai nee padaithai kannaa
Did you create me, O Krishna?
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae
There is no eye that has not seen you.
Unnai maruppaarillai
No one rejects you,
Kandu veruppaarillai
No one hates you upon seeing you,
Ennai kandaalum porupparillai
Yet no one can tolerate seeing me.
Kannaa..karumai nira kannaa
O Krishna, dark-complexioned Krishna,
Unnai kaanadha kannillaiyae….
There is no eye that has not seen you...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this emotional song from Naanum Oru Penn (1963), the protagonist expresses her deep anguish over colorism and societal rejection. She addresses Lord Krishna, noting the hypocrisy of human nature: Krishna is dark-complexioned yet universally revered, beloved, and worshipped, whereas a dark-complexioned woman is ostracized and judged solely by her skin color.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethirmai (Irony / Contrast)
“Unnai maruppaarillai... Ennai kandaalum porupparillai”
Contrasts society's unconditional love for dark-complexioned Krishna with its cruel rejection of a dark-complexioned woman.
Upamai (Simile)
“Adhil poo pondra ninaivondru”
Compares soft, vulnerable human feelings and memories to a delicate flower using 'pondra' (like).
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Ponnaana manam ondru”
Metaphorically describes a pure, loving, and innocent heart as golden ('ponnaana manam').
Iyaibu (Rhyme / Anaphora)
“Padaithai kannaa ... Koduthai kannaa”
Repetition of 'kannaa' at the end of successive lines creates a rhythmic refrain filled with devotion and emotional plea.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from Naanum Oru Penn (1963), directed by U. R. Swamy and starring Vijayakumari and S. S. Rajendran. The music was composed by R. Sudarsanam, sung soulfully by P. Susheela, with iconic lyricist Kannadasan penning the powerful lyrics tackling color bias.
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