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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannan Mananilaiyai

From Ezhai Padum Padu · 1950

Lyricist
V. A. Gopalakrishnan
Singer
M. L. Vasanthakumari
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Movie name
Ezhai Padum Padu
Movie release year
1950
Lyrics added on
4 Aug 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kandu vara vaenumadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kandu vara vaenumadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Ennam uraiththuvidil
Aaa…..aa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Ennam uraiththuvidil thangamae thangam
Ennam uraiththuvidil thangamae thangam
Pinnar Yaedheninum seivamadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kandu vara vaenumadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Soram izhaiththu idaiyar pengaludanae
Soram izhaiththu idaiyar pengaludanae
Avan soozhchchi thiramai pala kaattuvathellam
Soram izhaiththu idaiyar pengaludanae
Avan soozhchchi thiramai pala kaattuvathellam
Veera marak kulaththu maatharidaththae….ae….
Veera marak kulaththu maatharidaththae….ae….
Vaendiyathillai endru solli vidadee
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kandu vara vaenumadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Pennendru bhoomi thanil piranthu vittaal
Migap peelai irukkuthadi thangamae
Pennendru bhoomi thanil piranthu vittaal
Migap peelai irukkuthadi thangamae
Pannondru vaeing kuzhalil oodhi vanthittaan
Pannondru vaeing kuzhalil oodhi vanthittaan
Athai patri marakuthillai panjai ullamae
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kandu vara vaenumadi thangamae thangam
Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
you must go and find out, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
you must go and find out, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend.
If he reveals what is in his heart,
Ah... ah... ah... aahh... ah...
If he reveals his thoughts, my dear friend,
If he reveals his thoughts, my dear friend,
we can decide what to do next, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
you must go and find out, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend.
Flirting and playing tricks on the cowherd girls,
Flirting and playing tricks on the cowherd girls,
and showing off all his clever schemes—
Flirting and playing tricks on the cowherd girls,
and showing off all his clever schemes—
with the proud women of a warrior clan...
with the proud women of a warrior clan...
tell him they will never work here!
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
you must go and find out, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend.
If one is born a woman in this world,
there is so much sorrow to bear, my dear friend!
If one is born a woman in this world,
there is so much sorrow to bear, my dear friend!
He came playing a melody on his bamboo flute,
He came playing a melody on his bamboo flute,
and this poor, helpless heart cannot forget it.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend,
you must go and find out, my dear friend.
Kannan's state of mind, my dear friend.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a classic poetic expression of love, conflict, and devotion addressed to a confidante (referred to affectionately as 'Thangam' or precious gold). The heroine asks her friend to go to Lord Krishna and discern his true feelings and state of mind towards her. She urges her friend to tell Krishna that his flirtatious tricks, which might work on cowherd girls, will not work on women of proud, courageous heritage. At the same time, the heroine confesses her vulnerability. She laments the emotional plight of being a woman on earth, acknowledging that despite her pride, her soft heart ('panjai ullam') remains completely captivated by the enchanting music played on Krishna's bamboo flute, unable to forget him.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Thozhi ViLi / Endearment Refrain

“Kannan mana nilaiyai thangamae thangam”

The term 'Thangamae thangam' (precious gold) is used consistently as a refrain addressed to a close female friend who acts as a messenger.

Metaphor

“Athai patri marakuthillai panjai ullamae”

'Panjai ullam' (cotton-like fragile heart) metaphorically compares the delicate, vulnerable nature of the heroine's heart to soft cotton.

Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

“Kannan mana nilaiyai... / Kandu vara vaenumadi...”

In Tamil prosody, Edhugai is the repetition of the second consonant sound across lines (e.g., Ka-n-nan / Ka-n-du).

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song is adapted from Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's famous poetry collection 'Kannan Pattu'. The film 'Ezhai Padum Padu' (1950) was a landmark Tamil film adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel 'Les Misérables'.

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