Kannana Kannae
From Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae | Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower! |
| Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae | Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go! |
| Naan paarkum un paarvai un kannilae | The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes, |
| En jenmam un anbilae | My life finds its purpose in your boundless love. |
| Madimel nilavae vidiyum poluthae | Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn! |
| Male | |
| Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae | Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower! |
| Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae | Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go! |
| Chorus | |
| ………………………………. | [Music] |
| Male | |
| Aaa….aa….aa….aa….aaa…laa laa laa laaa | Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aaa...laa laa laa laaa |
| Male | |
| Thaaiyaarai yaar endru kaanathavan | As one who never knew who his mother was, |
| Thaalaattu paatondrum kelathavan | As one who never heard a sweet lullaby sung, |
| Nee indri sondhangal illadhavan | As one who has no kin in this world without you, |
| Nee annai nee pillai endraanavan | He became both a mother and a child to you. |
| Male | |
| Unadhu sondham unadhu bandham | Your companionship and your endearing bond, |
| Enadhu vaazhvin vasantha kaalam | Are the spring season of joy in my life. |
| Nee endhan devaalayam | You are my holy temple. |
| Kalai maan vizhiyae mazhalai mozhiyae | Oh artful deer-eyed child with tender speech! |
| Chorus | |
| ……………………………….. | [Music] |
| Male | |
| Ennalum kaayadha gangai nadhi | Like the perennial Ganges that never dries up, |
| En maarbil saaindhaadum thangai ival | This tender younger sister rests upon my chest. |
| Nee pogum pallaakku en thozhilae | My shoulders are the palanquin carrying your path, |
| Nee thaanae kaar kaalam en vaanilae | You alone are the soothing monsoon in my sky. |
| Male | |
| Malarin meedhum nadakkum bothum | Even when walking across soft flower petals, |
| Unadhu paadham sivanthu pogum | Your delicate feet turn crimson red. |
| En nenjam thaangathu amma | My heart cannot bear to see you in discomfort, my dear! |
| Sirithaal sirippen azhuthaal thudippen | If you smile, I smile; if you weep, my soul aches. |
| Male | |
| Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae | Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower! |
| Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae | Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go! |
| Naan paarkum un paarvai un kannilae | The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes, |
| En jenmam un anbilae | My life finds its purpose in your boundless love. |
| Madimel nilavae vidiyum poluthae | Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn! |
| Male | |
| Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae | Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower! |
| Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae | Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go! |
...............................
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes,
My life finds its purpose in your boundless love.
Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn!
கண்ணான கண்ணே என் பொன் மாலையே
கை வீசி போகின்ற பூஞ்சோலையே
நான் பார்க்கும் என் பார்வை உன் கண்ணிலே
என் ஜென்மம் உன் அன்பிலே
மடிமேல் நிலவே விடியும் பொழுதே
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
கண்ணான கண்ணே என் பொன் மாலையே
கை வீசி போகின்ற பூஞ்சோலையே
[Music]
......................................
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aaa...laa laa laa laaa
ஆஅ.....ஆ....ஆ....ஆ....ஆஅ....லா லா லா லா
As one who never knew who his mother was,
As one who never heard a sweet lullaby sung,
As one who has no kin in this world without you,
He became both a mother and a child to you.
தாயாரை யார் என்று காணாதவன்
தாலாட்டு பாட்டொன்றும் கேளாதவன்
நீ இன்றி சொந்தங்கள் இல்லாதவன்
நீ அன்னை நீ பிள்ளை என்றானவன்
Your companionship and your endearing bond,
Are the spring season of joy in my life.
You are my holy temple.
Oh artful deer-eyed child with tender speech!
உனது சொந்தம் உனது பந்தம்
எனது வாழ்வின் வசந்த காலம்
நீ எந்தன் தேவாலயம்
கலைமான் விழியே மழலை மொழியே
[Music]
................................
Like the perennial Ganges that never dries up,
This tender younger sister rests upon my chest.
My shoulders are the palanquin carrying your path,
You alone are the soothing monsoon in my sky.
எந்நாளும் காயாத கங்கை நதி
என் மார்பில் சாய்ந்தாடும் தங்கை இவள்
நீ போகும் பல்லாக்கு என் தோளிலே
நீதானே கார்காலம் என் வானிலே
Even when walking across soft flower petals,
Your delicate feet turn crimson red.
My heart cannot bear to see you in discomfort, my dear!
If you smile, I smile; if you weep, my soul aches.
மலரின் மீதும் நடக்கும் போதும்
உனது பந்தம் சிவந்து போகும்
என் நெஞ்சம் தாங்காது அம்மா
சிரித்தாள் சிரிப்பேன் அழுதால் துடிப்பேன்
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes,
My life finds its purpose in your boundless love.
Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn!
கண்ணான கண்ணே என் பொன் மாலையே
கை வீசி போகின்ற பூஞ்சோலையே
நான் பார்க்கும் என் பார்வை உன் கண்ணிலே
என் ஜென்மம் உன் அன்பிலே
மடிமேல் நிலவே விடியும் பொழுதே
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
கண்ணான கண்ணே என் பொன் மாலையே
கை வீசி போகின்ற பூஞ்சோலையே
Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
Naan paarkum un paarvai un kannilae
The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes,
En jenmam un anbilae
My life finds its purpose in your boundless love.
Madimel nilavae vidiyum poluthae
Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn!
Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
……………………………….
[Music]
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….aaa…laa laa laa laaa
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....aaa...laa laa laa laaa
Thaaiyaarai yaar endru kaanathavan
As one who never knew who his mother was,
Thaalaattu paatondrum kelathavan
As one who never heard a sweet lullaby sung,
Nee indri sondhangal illadhavan
As one who has no kin in this world without you,
Nee annai nee pillai endraanavan
He became both a mother and a child to you.
Unadhu sondham unadhu bandham
Your companionship and your endearing bond,
Enadhu vaazhvin vasantha kaalam
Are the spring season of joy in my life.
Nee endhan devaalayam
You are my holy temple.
Kalai maan vizhiyae mazhalai mozhiyae
Oh artful deer-eyed child with tender speech!
………………………………..
[Music]
Ennalum kaayadha gangai nadhi
Like the perennial Ganges that never dries up,
En maarbil saaindhaadum thangai ival
This tender younger sister rests upon my chest.
Nee pogum pallaakku en thozhilae
My shoulders are the palanquin carrying your path,
Nee thaanae kaar kaalam en vaanilae
You alone are the soothing monsoon in my sky.
Malarin meedhum nadakkum bothum
Even when walking across soft flower petals,
Unadhu paadham sivanthu pogum
Your delicate feet turn crimson red.
En nenjam thaangathu amma
My heart cannot bear to see you in discomfort, my dear!
Sirithaal sirippen azhuthaal thudippen
If you smile, I smile; if you weep, my soul aches.
Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
Naan paarkum un paarvai un kannilae
The vision I gaze upon rests within your eyes,
En jenmam un anbilae
My life finds its purpose in your boundless love.
Madimel nilavae vidiyum poluthae
Oh moon upon my lap, oh break of a new dawn!
Kannana kannae en pon maalaiyae
Oh precious eye of mine, my golden evening flower!
Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae
Oh walking flower garden waving your hands as you go!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deeply emotional portrait of brotherly love, where a brother pours out his affection for his younger sister. Having grown up orphaned and deprived of a mother's lullaby or tender affection, he sees his sister as his mother, child, temple, and entire world. He views her as a blessed presence that brought spring into his once-barren life. The lyrics express intense protectiveness and empathy—the brother feels her pain as his own and considers it his life's duty to shelter her. Vaali's evocative verses emphasize how familial devotion can heal past grief, turning a lonely life into a sacred sanctuary through pure, unconditional love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Madimel nilavae vidiyum poluthae”
Compares the sister to a moon on the lap ('Madimel nilavae') and a temple ('Nee endhan devaalayam') to highlight her purity and divinity.
Visual Imagery (Katchi Bimbam)
“Kai veesi pogindra poonjolaiyae”
Paints a vivid picture of a little girl strolling cheerfully like a moving flower garden waving her hands.
Anaaphora / Parallelism
“Sirithaal sirippen azhuthaal thudippen”
Uses parallel structures 'Nee annai nee pillai' and 'Sirithaal sirippen azhuthaal thudippen' to emphasize complete emotional synchronization.
Hyperbole (Uvavazhakku)
“Malarin meedhum nadakkum bothum / Unadhu paadham sivanthu pogum”
Exaggerates the sister's extreme delicacy by claiming her feet turn red even when treading upon soft flower petals.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by poet Vaali, this song is a classic example of Tamil cinema's rich tradition of sibling affection (Pasam) songs. The imagery of a brother acting as both a mother and child to an orphaned sibling is a recurring emotional motif in 1980s Tamil family dramas.
Keep listening
More from Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil
Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil
Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil
Kaalamellaam Un Madiyil