Kannadi Nenjan
From Vanjagar Ulagam · 2018
- Lyricist
- Madhan Karky
- Singer
- Santhosh Narayanan
- Music director
- Sam C. S
- Details
- Vanjagar Ulagam2018
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naano kannadi nenjan | I am one with a glass heart, |
| Kallae ennai yeno rasikkiraai | Oh stone, why do you admire me? |
| Naano katroodhum paiyaai | I am like a bag drifting in the wind, |
| Mullae ennil yeno vasikkirai | Oh thorn, why do you dwell within me? |
| Chorus | |
| ……………………………… | |
| Male | |
| Irulo irulaai karaigindren ingae | I am dissolving here into deep darkness, |
| Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai | Oh light, oh light, do not kill me. |
| Aravam ethuvum vara vendam pinnae | Let no sound come behind me, |
| Ozhiyae ozhiyae | Oh light, oh light, |
| Pothum pothum pothum pothum pothum | Enough, enough, enough, enough, enough. |
| Male | |
| Thalaiyin mugamum | The face shown by the head, |
| Manadhin mugamum | And the face of the heart, |
| Orupol irukka koodathae | Should never be identical. |
| Male | |
| Mugamum izhanthen | I lost my face, |
| Manadhum izhanthen | I lost my heart, |
| Vizhiyaal edai nee podathae | Do not weigh or judge me with your eyes. |
| Male | |
| Nee oru dhinam | You, one day, |
| Oru ganam eriyumae | Will burn for a single moment; |
| En thalaiyilae irunthu paar | Look from inside my head, |
| Puriyumae | And you will understand. |
| Naan pizhai ena thavar ena | Am I a mistake or a flaw |
| Thiruntha | To be reformed? |
| Nee naduvana thalaivana | Are you a mediator, a leader, |
| Iraivana madaiyana | A god, or a fool? |
| Male | |
| Virumbum ethuvum | In a world where nothing one desires |
| Kidaikkaa ulagil | Is ever obtained, |
| Kidaikkum ethaiyum yetrenae | I accepted whatever was offered. |
| Thirumbum vazhiyum | When the path to return |
| Azhiyum pozhuthil | Is destroyed, |
| Viriyum paathai yetrenae | I accepted the path that unfolded ahead. |
| Male | |
| Naan mirugamai thirigiren | I wander around like a wild beast, |
| Unakku yen vidaigalai alikkiren | Why do I give you answers? |
| Etharkku nee kelvigal adukkinai | Why do you keep stacking questions? |
| Enakku nee naduvana thalaivana | To me, are you a mediator, a leader, |
| Iraivana madaiyana | A god, or a fool? |
| Male | |
| Irulo irulaai karaigindren ingae | I am dissolving here into deep darkness, |
| Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai | Oh light, oh light, do not kill me. |
| Aravam ethuvum vara vendam pinnae | Let no sound come behind me, |
| Ozhiyae ozhiyae | Oh light, oh light, |
| Pothum pothum pothum | Enough, enough, enough, |
| Pothum pothum pothum… | Enough, enough, enough... |
I am one with a glass heart,
Oh stone, why do you admire me?
I am like a bag drifting in the wind,
Oh thorn, why do you dwell within me?
I am dissolving here into deep darkness,
Oh light, oh light, do not kill me.
Let no sound come behind me,
Oh light, oh light,
Enough, enough, enough, enough, enough.
The face shown by the head,
And the face of the heart,
Should never be identical.
I lost my face,
I lost my heart,
Do not weigh or judge me with your eyes.
You, one day,
Will burn for a single moment;
Look from inside my head,
And you will understand.
Am I a mistake or a flaw
To be reformed?
Are you a mediator, a leader,
A god, or a fool?
In a world where nothing one desires
Is ever obtained,
I accepted whatever was offered.
When the path to return
Is destroyed,
I accepted the path that unfolded ahead.
I wander around like a wild beast,
Why do I give you answers?
Why do you keep stacking questions?
To me, are you a mediator, a leader,
A god, or a fool?
I am dissolving here into deep darkness,
Oh light, oh light, do not kill me.
Let no sound come behind me,
Oh light, oh light,
Enough, enough, enough,
Enough, enough, enough...
Naano kannadi nenjan
I am one with a glass heart,
Kallae ennai yeno rasikkiraai
Oh stone, why do you admire me?
Naano katroodhum paiyaai
I am like a bag drifting in the wind,
Mullae ennil yeno vasikkirai
Oh thorn, why do you dwell within me?
………………………………
Irulo irulaai karaigindren ingae
I am dissolving here into deep darkness,
Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai
Oh light, oh light, do not kill me.
Aravam ethuvum vara vendam pinnae
Let no sound come behind me,
Ozhiyae ozhiyae
Oh light, oh light,
Pothum pothum pothum pothum pothum
Enough, enough, enough, enough, enough.
Thalaiyin mugamum
The face shown by the head,
Manadhin mugamum
And the face of the heart,
Orupol irukka koodathae
Should never be identical.
Mugamum izhanthen
I lost my face,
Manadhum izhanthen
I lost my heart,
Vizhiyaal edai nee podathae
Do not weigh or judge me with your eyes.
Nee oru dhinam
You, one day,
Oru ganam eriyumae
Will burn for a single moment;
En thalaiyilae irunthu paar
Look from inside my head,
Puriyumae
And you will understand.
Naan pizhai ena thavar ena
Am I a mistake or a flaw
Thiruntha
To be reformed?
Nee naduvana thalaivana
Are you a mediator, a leader,
Iraivana madaiyana
A god, or a fool?
Virumbum ethuvum
In a world where nothing one desires
Kidaikkaa ulagil
Is ever obtained,
Kidaikkum ethaiyum yetrenae
I accepted whatever was offered.
Thirumbum vazhiyum
When the path to return
Azhiyum pozhuthil
Is destroyed,
Viriyum paathai yetrenae
I accepted the path that unfolded ahead.
Naan mirugamai thirigiren
I wander around like a wild beast,
Unakku yen vidaigalai alikkiren
Why do I give you answers?
Etharkku nee kelvigal adukkinai
Why do you keep stacking questions?
Enakku nee naduvana thalaivana
To me, are you a mediator, a leader,
Iraivana madaiyana
A god, or a fool?
Irulo irulaai karaigindren ingae
I am dissolving here into deep darkness,
Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai
Oh light, oh light, do not kill me.
Aravam ethuvum vara vendam pinnae
Let no sound come behind me,
Ozhiyae ozhiyae
Oh light, oh light,
Pothum pothum pothum
Enough, enough, enough,
Pothum pothum pothum…
Enough, enough, enough...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song delves into existential anguish, psychological dark space, and moral ambiguity. The protagonist portrays themselves as fragile and lost—comparing their heart to glass and their body to a leaf or bag caught in the wind—while seeking refuge in darkness and pleading for intrusive 'light' or judgment to stay away. The lyricist explores the dissonance between external presentation and internal reality, asserting that one's outer mask and inner self can rarely be identical. Throughout the track, the speaker challenges those who attempt to judge or reform them, questioning whether the observer holds any real authority or wisdom. Faced with a world that denies desires and destroys retreat paths, the narrator accepts their transformation into a animalistic, survivalist state. Ultimately, it is a haunting soliloquy of self-acceptance, guilt, and defiance against societal morality.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)
“Naano kannadi nenjan / Naano katroodhum paiyaai”
Comparing the fragile human heart to glass ('Kannadi nenjan') and a helpless drifting life to a windblown bag ('Katroodhum pai').
Apostrophe / Direct Address
“Kallae ennai yeno rasikkiraai / Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai”
Directly addressing abstract or non-human entities like stone ('Kallae'), thorn ('Mullae'), and light ('Ozhiyae') to express inner conflict.
Contrast / Antithesis (Muran)
“Irulo irulaai karaigindren ingae / Ozhiyae ozhiyae kollathae ennai”
Juxtaposing darkness ('Irulo') with light ('Ozhiyae') to show the character's comfort in shadows and fear of illumination/exposure.
Repetition / Anaphora (Edukku / Anupirasam)
“Pothum pothum pothum pothum pothum”
Repeated emphasis of 'Pothum' (Enough) and 'Ozhiyae' to heighten the emotional intensity and plea for relief.
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa)
“Nee naduvana thalaivana / Iraivana madaiyana”
Questioning the moral status of the listener ('Are you a mediator, leader, god, or fool?'), challenging external judgment.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 2018 Tamil neo-noir crime thriller film 'Vanjagar Ulagam', this track features music composed by Sam C.S. with lyrics penned by Madhan Karky. The lyrics uniquely capture the dark, gritty, and psychological mood of the film's underworld setting.
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