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En Bommakutty Ammavukku album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanne Navamaniye

From En Bommakutty Ammavukku · 1988

Lyricist
Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
En Bommakutty Ammavukku
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
28 Apr 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Aayiram pichi poovum
Arumbarumbaa poothaalum
Vaasam ulla pichi enakku
Vaaikaadhu yekkaalum
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Onnu rendu pethirundhaa
Dhukkam adhu thonaadhu
Unnai naanum vittadhanaal
Kannu rendum thoongaadhu
Aadaadha oonjalgalai
Aada vaitha vannam mayil
Paadaadha sondhangalai
Paada vaitha chinna kuyil
Engirukku en uyirae
Ennai vittu nee thaniyaa
Vandhu vidu kan maniyae
Enakkum ingu orr thunaiyaa
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Aayiram pichi poovum
Arumbarumbaa poothaalum
Vaasam ulla pichi enakku
Vaaikaadhu yekkaalum
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Thavam irundhu petra kili
Thavikka vittu ponadhu pol
Thunaiyaaga vandha kili
Thaniyaaga poi vidumo
Aadaadha oonjalgalai
Aada vaitha vanna mayil
Paadaadha sondhangalai
Paada vaitha chinna kuyil
Ennai vittu thannan thani
Vaazhndhidumo vaazhndhidumo
En uyirum ennai vittu
Poi vidumo poi vidumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Aayiram pichi poovum
Arumbarumbaa poothaalum
Vaasam ulla pichi enakku
Vaaikaadhu yekkaalum
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Thavamaa thavam irundhu
Thunaiyaaga vandha kili
Thaviyaa thavikka vittu
Thaniyaaga sendradhenna
Ooraarin kannu pada
Oorgolam ponadhammaa
Yaroda kannu pattu
Aathodu ponadhammaa
Kaiyila thaan vechirundhaa
Thavari adhu poguminnu
Madiyila naan vechirundhen
Madiyuminnu nenaikkaliyae
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
Aayiram pichi poovum
Arumbarumbaa poothaalum
Vaasam ulla pichi enakku
Vaaikaadhu yekkaalum
Kannae navamaniyae
Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
Even if a thousand wild jasmines
Bloom into buds one by one,
A fragrant jasmine for me
Will never be destined to stay.
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
If I had given birth to one or two other children,
This grief wouldn't feel so unbearable.
Since I have lost you,
Neither of my eyes can sleep.
Swings that hung motionless,
Were set swaying by this colorful peacock.
Relatives who never sang,
Were made to sing by this little cuckoo.
Where are you now, my very life,
All alone without me?
Come back to me, apple of my eye,
To be my companion here.
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
Even if a thousand wild jasmines
Bloom into buds one by one,
A fragrant jasmine for me
Will never be destined to stay.
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
Just like the parrot I prayed so hard to receive
Left me in agony and went away,
Will this parrot who came as my companion
Also leave and go away all alone?
Swings that hung motionless,
Were set swaying by this colorful peacock.
Relatives who never sang,
Were made to sing by this little cuckoo.
All alone without me,
Will it survive, will it live?
Will my own life too
Slip away from me, slip away?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
Even if a thousand wild jasmines
Bloom into buds one by one,
A fragrant jasmine for me
Will never be destined to stay.
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
After praying with all my soul,
The parrot who came as my companion,
Leaving me in helpless grief,
Why did she go away all alone?
With all the town looking on,
She went in a grand procession.
Whose evil eye fell upon her,
That she was washed away by the river?
Thinking if I held her in my hands,
She might slip away,
I held her close upon my lap,
Never did I think she would perish!
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
Even if a thousand wild jasmines
Bloom into buds one by one,
A fragrant jasmine for me
Will never be destined to stay.
My dear, my precious jewel,
Can my eyes ever sleep without seeing you?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Kannae Navamaniyae' is a deeply emotional lullaby and lamentation expressing the unbearable pain of a grieving parent who has lost their beloved child. The parent compares the child to a rare precious gem, a colorful peacock that brought joy to silent swings, and a sweet cuckoo that gave voice to cold relationships. The song captures the tragic essence of longing, sleep deprived nights, and disbelief at destiny taking away the one soul obtained after immense prayer and penance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Kannae navamaniyae

The child is metaphorically referred to as 'Navamani' (nine precious gems), 'vannam mayil' (colorful peacock), and 'chinna kuyil' (little cuckoo).

Anaphora / Alliteration (Monai)

Thavamaa thavam irundhu / Thunaiyaaga vandha kili

Repetition of initial consonant sounds and words like 'Thavam', 'Thavikka', and 'Thaniyaaga' across consecutive lines creates rhythmic sorrow.

Rhetorical Question

Unna kaanaamal kan urangumo

The speaker asks questions out of despair rather than seeking an answer, heightening the emotional grief.

Did you know?

Trivia

En Bommakutty Ammavukku (1988) was directed by Fazil and is the Tamil remake of his critically acclaimed Malayalam film 'Ennte Sooryaputhrikku' / 'Nokkethadhoovathu Kannum Nattu'. The music and lyrics for this poignant soundtrack were composed by Ilaiyaraaja, depicting intense parental love and loss.

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