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Lyrics & meaning

Kannanukku Thottil

From Kamatchiyin Karunai · 1978

Lyricist
Na. Kamarasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
Music director
Sankar Ganesh
Movie name
Kamatchiyin Karunai
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
20 Oct 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannanukku thottil kattum
Kann irandil jeevanadhi
Mannan mugam malar thottam
Manadhukullae thaerottam
Unmai nenjin vilaiyattai
Oomai nenjam thaan ariyum
Rathapaasam alai veesi
Thottu thottu vilaiyaadum
Neeyum naanum thuruvam pol
Aana kadhai yaar arivaar
Neeyum naanum thuruvam pol
Aana kadhai yaar arivaar
Thaai maaman paadugiraan
Ivano thaai mugathai thedugiraan
Thaai maaman paadugiraan
Ivano thaai mugathai thedugiraan
Kannanukku thottil kattum
Kann irandil jeevanadhi
Mannan mugam malar thottam
Manadhukullae thaerottam
Vaazhaiyadi vaazhaiyena vandha
Ilam pirai nilavae
Gokulathin poo mugamae
Konji varum kula kodiyae
Annan thangai uravinge
Annai thandha uyir ingae
Annan thangai uravinge
Annai thandha uyir ingae
Kannum kannum piriyaamal
Engal kannan vandhu pirandhaanoo
Kannum kannum piriyaamal
Engal kannan vandhu pirandhaanoo
Kannanukku thottil kattum
Kann irandil jeevanadhi
Mannan mugam malar thottam
Manadhukullae thaerottam
Kannanukku thottil kattum
Kann irandil jeevanadhi
Mannan mugam malar thottam
Manadhukullae thaerottam
Tying a cradle for little Kannan,
A river of life flows in both eyes.
This little prince's face is a garden of flowers,
Inside the heart, a festival chariot rolls.
The quiet stirrings of a true heart,
Only a silent soul can truly understand.
The bond of blood surges like waves,
Touching gently and playing with love.
That you and I grew as far apart as opposite poles,
Who knows how our story came to this?
That you and I grew as far apart as opposite poles,
Who knows how our story came to this?
His maternal uncle sings a lullaby,
While this child searches for his mother's face.
His maternal uncle sings a lullaby,
While this child searches for his mother's face.
Tying a cradle for little Kannan,
A river of life flows in both eyes.
This little prince's face is a garden of flowers,
Inside the heart, a festival chariot rolls.
Born to carry forward our family line,
Oh, young crescent moon!
Oh, blossom-like face of Gokulam,
Oh, sweet little vine of our family!
Here is the bond between brother and sister,
Here is the life brought forth by a mother.
Here is the bond between brother and sister,
Here is the life brought forth by a mother.
So our eyes would never part from each other,
Was our little Kannan born to bring us together?
So our eyes would never part from each other,
Was our little Kannan born to bring us together?
Tying a cradle for little Kannan,
A river of life flows in both eyes.
This little prince's face is a garden of flowers,
Inside the heart, a festival chariot rolls.
Tying a cradle for little Kannan,
A river of life flows in both eyes.
This little prince's face is a garden of flowers,
Inside the heart, a festival chariot rolls.
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Kannanukku Thottil Kattum' from Kamatchiyin Karunai (1978) is a deeply emotional lullaby celebrating family ties, sibling bond, and unconditional love. The lyrics compare the newborn child to Lord Krishna, describing the pure affection (Rathapaasam) overflowing in the eyes of the family members while putting the baby to sleep in a cradle. Lyricist Na. Kamarasan uses poetic metaphors comparing lineage to banana plant shoots ('Vaazhaiyadi vaazhai') and family bonds to an unseverable connection given by the mother. Despite life's challenges or physical distances metaphorically described as opposite poles, the love between brother, sister, and child remains eternal and holy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Kann irandil jeevanadhi / Mannan mugam malar thottam”

Compares the child's eyes to a living river ('jeevanadhi') and the face to a blooming garden ('malar thottam').

Uvamai (Simile)

“Neeyum naanum thuruvam pol”

Uses 'pol' (like) to compare two people to distant geographical/magnetic poles.

Adukku Thodar (Repetition)

“Thottu thottu vilaiyaadum”

The word 'thottu' is repeated for emotional emphasis on tender touch.

Traditional Idiom / Metaphor

“Vaazhaiyadi vaazhaiyena vandha”

'Vaazhaiyadi vaazhai' is a traditional Tamil idiom comparing generational continuation to banana plants where new shoots constantly grow from the root.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kamatchiyin Karunai' (1978) features music composed by the iconic duo Sankar-Ganesh. The lyricist Na. Kamarasan was a pioneer of the 'Pudhu Kavidhai' (New Poetry) movement in modern Tamil literature, known for bringing rich poetic metaphors into mainstream Tamil cinema songs.

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