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Isaimozhi
Ivan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kannan Nee En

From Ivan · 2002

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Sudha Raghunathan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ivan
Movie release year
2002
Lyrics added on
12 Feb 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Naa….nana naa….
Aah….thadhari naa na
Naa….naa…naa…naaaaaaaaaaa….
Naaaa….aaa…naaa….naa.naaa
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Hmmm mmmm
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Kavimayangum
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Kavimayangum
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Thaalathil serndha
Pudhu jeeva raagamae aeh…
Thaalathil serndha
Pudhu jeeva raagamae aeh…
Thaayana theeyinilae
Uyir nee ena vilangidum
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Sa ni sa ni da ni da ma
Ga ma da ni sa ni da ma
Ga ma da ma ga ri ga sa
Ma ga ri sa ni da ni
Sa ri ga ma da ni ga ri sa
Ma ga ri sa sa ga ri sa
Ma ga ri sa ni
Sa ni sa ni da ni da ma
Ga ma da ni sa ni da ma
Ga ma da ma ga ri ga sa
Ma ga ri sa ni da ni
Sa ri ga ma da ni ga ri sa
Ni da ma ga
Ga ma da ma da ni da ni ri sa
Sa ni ri sa ni da ma
Sa ma ga ri sa
Ri sa ni da ma
Ga ma da ni sa
Ni sa ni da ma
Sa ni da ma ga ri
Ni da ma ga ri
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae…ehhh
Poovinil thondraa
Pudhu thamizh thaenae aeh…
Poovinil thondraa pudhu thamizh thaenae
Pooranam endrae aanadhu en vaazhvae
En isai maedai unakkena thaanae
En piRappin palanae eh…
Un isaiyodu en isai sera
Innisaiyil payanae…
Uyirdhanil meidhanil
Aadivarum paalnilavu pol valarum
Thathakida thakha thajum
Ga ma da ni sa ni da ma
Thi mi tha ri ki thajum
Ma ga ri sa ni da pa
Thimi da ma da ni thakajum
Thakhithajum ma ga ri sa
Ma ga ri sa ni
Tha tharitha thaka thajum
Ga ma da ni sa ni da ma
Thimi tharikithajum
Ma ga ri sa ni thakathimi
Ga ma da ni thakajum
Thakithajum thadhimi thajOnu thimithi
Sa ma ga ri sa ni da ma tharingkinathom
Ni sa ni da ma tharingkinathom
Thimithakitha thatha thakida tharingkinathom
Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam
Kanmalarum vannamae
Kavimayangum
Kannan ….kannan…..kannan
Na... nana na...
Aa... thathari na na...
Na... na... na... na...
Na... aa... na... na... na...
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
Mmm... mmm...
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes,
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes,
Enchanting all of poetry!
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes,
Enchanting all of poetry!
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes,
Blending into the rhythm,
A fresh and living melody...
Blending into the rhythm,
A fresh and living melody...
Within the sacred motherly flame,
You shine as my very life—
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes.
Sa Ni Sa Ni Dha Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Dha Ma Ga Ri Ga Sa
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni Dha Ni
Sa Ri Ga Ma Dha Ni Ga Ri Sa
Ma Ga Ri Sa Sa Ga Ri Sa
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni
Sa Ni Sa Ni Dha Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Dha Ma Ga Ri Ga Sa
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni Dha Ni
Sa Ri Ga Ma Dha Ni Ga Ri Sa
Ni Dha Ma Ga
Ga Ma Dha Ma Dha Ni Dha Ni Ri Sa
Sa Ni Ri Sa Ni Dha Ma
Sa Ma Ga Ri Sa
Ri Sa Ni Dha Ma
Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa
Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Sa Ni Dha Ma Ga Ri
Ni Dha Ma Ga Ri
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes...
Never born from a flower,
O fresh honey of sweet Tamil...
O fresh honey of sweet Tamil, never born from a flower,
My life has become truly complete!
My stage of music exists only for you,
O purpose of my very birth...
When my music joins with yours,
It becomes the true reward of sweet melody...
Within the soul, within the body,
Growing like the radiant, dancing moonlight...
Thathakita thaka thajum
Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Dhi mi tha ri ki thajum
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni Dha Pa
Dhimi tha Ma Dha Ni thakajum
Thakithajum Ma Ga Ri Sa
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni
Tha tharitha thaka thajum
Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma
Dhimi tharikithajum
Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni thakathimi
Ga Ma Dha Ni thakajum
Thakithajum thadhimi thajonu dhimithi
Sa Ma Ga Ri Sa Ni Dha Ma tharinginathom
Ni Sa Ni Dha Ma tharinginathom
Dhimithakitha thatha thakita tharinginathom
Kannan... you are a portrait of musical sound,
A colorful vision blooming before my eyes,
Enchanting all of poetry!
Kannan... Kannan... Kannan...
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from Ivan (2002) is an exquisite classical composition set as an ode to Krishna (Kannan), equating him to the pinnacle of artistic and musical devotion. The singer characterizes Kannan as a living raga merged in rhythmic harmony, a motherly sacred flame, and a unique nectar of Tamil that fills her existence with purpose. She surrenders her entire musical journey to him, describing how blending her music with his creates a divine bliss that expands like moonlight within her body and soul.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kannan… nee en isai naadha oviyam

Directly compares Kannan to a visual painting created out of sound and musical notes ('Isai naadha oviyam').

Simile (Uvamai)

Aadivarum paalnilavu pol valarum

Compares the blossoming feeling in the body and soul to the gradual expansion of milky moonlight ('paalnilavu pol valarum').

Initial Rhyme (Edhugai / Monai)

Poovinil thondraa pudhu thamizh thaenae

Uses matching initial consonant patterns in adjacent lines such as 'Poovinil' and 'Pooranam'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali and rendered by Swarnalatha, this song stands out for incorporating complex Carnatic swara passages (sargam) and rhythmic konnakol patterns seamlessly into a film soundtrack.

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