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Agathiyar album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kannai Pole Mannai Kakkum

From Agathiyar · 1972

Lyricist
Puthuneri Subramnyam
Singers
L. R. Eswari, Chorus
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
Movie name
Agathiyar
Movie release year
1972
Lyrics added on
14 Jun 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa
Engal ponniyammaa
Kaalamellaam vaazha vaikkum kanniyammaa
Engal kanniyammaa
Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa
Engal ponniyammaa
Kaalamellaam vaazha vaikkum kanniyammaa
Engal kanniyammaa
Malaigalilae pirandhadhanaal malai magal aanom
Alaigal veesi varuvadhanaal alai magal aanom
Malaigalilae pirandhadhanaal malai magal aanom
Alaigal veesi varuvadhanaal alai magal aanom
Nilam sezhikka pozhivadhanaal nila magalaanom
Nilam sezhikka pozhivadhanaal nila magalaanom
Kalai manakka seivadhanaal kalai magalaanom
Kalai manakka seivadhanaal kalai magalaanom
Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa
Engal ponniyammaa
Kaalamellaam vaazha vaikkum kanniyammaa
Engal kanniyammaa
Valaindhu tharum naanalaiyae vaazha vaippomae
Vanangaadha thimir marathai vaeraruppomae
Valaindhu tharum naanalaiyae vaazha vaippomae
Vanangaadha thimir marathai vaeraruppomae
Kanindha pulavar kavidhai pola thelindhiruppomae
Kanindha pulavar kavidhai pola thelindhiruppomae
Kaadu kondru naadu kaakka thunindhiruppomae
Kaadu kondru naadu kaakka thunindhiruppomae
Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa
Engal ponniyammaa
Kaalamellaam vaazha vaikkum kanniyammaa
Engal kanniyammaa
Vaegam vandhaal vellamaaga pongi oduvom
Veembu vandhaal ooraiyellaam moozhga cheiguvom
Vaegam vandhaal vellamaaga pongi oduvom
Veembu vandhaal ooraiyellaam moozhga cheiguvom
Mogam vandhaal nalinamaaga kadalai kooduvom
Mogam vandhaal nalinamaaga kadalai kooduvom
Munivar nammai vanangugindra perumai sooduvom
Munivar nammai vanangugindra perumai sooduvom
Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa
Engal ponniyammaa
Kaalamellaam vaazha vaikkum kanniyammaa
Engal kanniyammaa
Mother Ponni, who protects the land like her own eyes,
Our Mother Ponni!
The youthful goddess who sustains life for all time,
Our youthful goddess!
Mother Ponni, who protects the land like her own eyes,
Our Mother Ponni!
The youthful goddess who sustains life for all time,
Our youthful goddess!
Born in the mountains, we became the daughter of the hills,
Surging with waves, we became the daughter of the waves,
Born in the mountains, we became the daughter of the hills,
Surging with waves, we became the daughter of the waves,
Pouring down to make the soil fertile, we became Mother Earth,
Pouring down to make the soil fertile, we became Mother Earth,
Making art and culture blossom, we became the goddess of learning,
Making art and culture blossom, we became the goddess of learning!
Mother Ponni, who protects the land like her own eyes,
Our Mother Ponni!
The youthful goddess who sustains life for all time,
Our youthful goddess!
We let the bending reed live and thrive,
We uproot the stubborn tree that refuses to bow,
We let the bending reed live and thrive,
We uproot the stubborn tree that refuses to bow!
We flow crystal clear like the verses of a wise poet,
We flow crystal clear like the verses of a wise poet,
We are bold and ready to clear wild forests and guard the realm,
We are bold and ready to clear wild forests and guard the realm!
Mother Ponni, who protects the land like her own eyes,
Our Mother Ponni!
The youthful goddess who sustains life for all time,
Our youthful goddess!
When speed rises, we swell and race as a flood,
When stubborn defiance rises, we submerge entire towns,
When speed rises, we swell and race as a flood,
When stubborn defiance rises, we submerge entire towns!
When love awakens, we gracefully unite with the sea,
When love awakens, we gracefully unite with the sea!
We wear the honor of having holy sages bow before us,
We wear the honor of having holy sages bow before us!
Mother Ponni, who protects the land like her own eyes,
Our Mother Ponni!
The youthful goddess who sustains life for all time,
Our youthful goddess!
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from the mythological Tamil film Agathiyar (1972) pays tribute to River Kaveri, fondly addressed as Mother Ponni. The lyrics personify the river as a divine force that nurtures the soil, fosters arts, brings life to agricultural lands, and protects civilization. Kaveri describes her journey from the mountain peaks down to the ocean, identifying herself as the daughter of mountains, waves, earth, and arts.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa”

Compares the river's protective nature over the land to how one protects an eye ('Kannai pola mannai kaakkum').

Simile (Upamai)

“Kanindha pulavar kavidhai pola thelindhiruppomae”

Compares the clarity and purity of the river water to the refined composition of a great poet.

Personification

“Malaigalilae pirandhadhanaal malai magal aanom”

The river speaks in the first-person plural ('aanom', 'vaippomae'), taking on human emotions, moral choices, and divine identity.

Antithesis / Contrast

“Valaindhu tharum naanalaiyae vaazha vaippomae / Vanangaadha thimir marathai vaeraruppomae”

Contrasts the nurturing of gentle, yielding reeds with the destruction of unyielding, arrogant trees.

Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

“Kannai pola mannai kaakkum ponniyammaa”

Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'n' in Kannai and Mannai.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film Agathiyar (1972), directed by A. P. Nagarajan, features music composed by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. This song visually portrays the mythological origin and flow of River Kaveri, highlighting Tamil Nadu's deep cultural and spiritual reverence for its life-giving rivers.

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