- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Vaa Kanna Vaa
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Mar 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Vaa Kanna Vaa is a joyful devotional folk-style song dedicated to young Lord Krishna, set against the backdrop of vibrant village celebrations in Gokulam. The lyrics affectionately praise Krishna using vivid imagery, comparing him to a green parrot, a golden statue, and a sweet cuckoo singing in the forest of thoughts, illustrating how his praise fills the home every day. The song captures the essence of traditional Tamil folk dance performances such as Kummi (hand-clapping dance) and Kolaattam (stick dance). Women gather in circles, their bangles and pearl necklaces jingling in sync with the rhythm, as they sing praises of Krishna's divine beauty, comparing his face to milk, his eyes to spears, his cheeks to lotuses, and his smile to gold.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Ennmenum cholaiyilae”
'Ennmenum cholaiyilae' compares thoughts ('ennam') to a lush garden/grove ('cholai'), symbolizing how Krishna occupies the garden of the devotee's mind.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Kannanin thirumugam paalaattam”
The suffix '-aattam' (meaning 'like' or 'resembling') is used repeatedly to compare divine qualities: Krishna's face like milk ('paalaattam'), eyes like spears ('velaattam'), cheeks like lotus ('thaamarai poovaattam'), and smile like gold ('ponnaattam').
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Kottungadi kummi kottungadi”
The second consonant sound matches across lines ('Kottungadi' / 'Thattungadi'), creating the bouncy rhythmic beat essential for Tamil Kummi folk music.
Repetition/Anaphora (Adukku Thodar)
“Suththi suththi vanthu aadungadi”
The repetition of 'Suththi suththi' adds rhythmic momentum, portraying the circular movement of the dancers in the Kummi folk dance.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song from the 1982 film 'Vaa Kanna Vaa' starring Sivaji Ganesan and Sujatha features music composed by the iconic M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Vaali. It incorporates traditional Tamil folk forms like 'Kummi' and 'Kolaattam', which are traditionally performed during village festivals and Krishna Janmashtami celebrations.
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