Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannanin Tholil Intha

From Nenjamellam Neeye · 1983

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Nenjamellam Neeye1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kannanin tholil intha radhaiThis Radha on Krishna's shoulder,
Mella saaigiraalGently leans.
Kangalil koyil konda devanFor the Lord who has enshrined Himself in her eyes,
Solla paaduvaalShe sings to express her devotion.
Female
Manathilae poojaigalWith prayers in her heart,
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..
Manathilae poojaigalWith prayers in her heart,
Pushba aarathanaigal seivaalaeShe offers floral worship.
Female
Kannanin tholil intha radhaiThis Radha on Krishna's shoulder,
Mella saaigiraalGently leans.
Kangalil koyil konda devanFor the Lord who has enshrined Himself in her eyes,
Solla paaduvaalShe sings to express her devotion.
Female
MmmmmheemmMmmmmheemm
Antha raaman srinaamam naavil vaazhum paasuramThe holy name of Lord Rama is a sacred hymn living on her tongue.
Antha raaman srinaamam naavil vaazhum paasuramThe holy name of Lord Rama is a sacred hymn living on her tongue.
Intha seedhaiyin padal kettaalIf one listens to this Sita's song,
Intha seedhaiyin padal kettaalIf one listens to this Sita's song,
Gangai neerum pongidaatho….aa….aa….aa…..aaa…Won't even the waters of the sacred Ganges overflow? Aa...aa...aa...aaa...
Antha raaman srinaamam naavil vaazhum paasuramThe holy name of Lord Rama is a sacred hymn living on her tongue.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic song expresses deep romantic love by drawing parallels to epic mythological devotion. The female protagonist is portrayed as Radha leaning on her Krishna, performing silent, floral worship within her heart for the deity who resides in her eyes. In the second movement, she is compared to Sita whose pure singing of Lord Rama's name carries so much emotional power that it could cause the sacred river Ganges to swell and overflow with devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Kannanin tholil intha radhai

Compares the protagonist and her lover to divine mythological couples (Radha-Krishna and Sita-Rama) to elevate human love to a sacred plane.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

Gangai neerum pongidaatho

An exaggeration stating that the devotion in Sita's song is powerful enough to make the river Ganges overflow.

Alliteration (Monai)

Kannanin tholil intha radhai / Kangalil koyil konda devan

Repetition of the initial consonant sounds ('K' in Kannanin and Kangalil) across stanza lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1983 Tamil film 'Nenjamellam Neeye' starring Mohan, Radha, and Poornima Bhagyaraj, this song was composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics written by Vairamuthu and sung beautifully by S. Janaki.

Keep listening

More from Nenjamellam Neeye