Kanni Magal Kannimaigal
From Valathu Kaalai Vaithu Vaa · 1989
- Lyricist
- Muthu Bharathi
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Premi -Sreeni
- Details
- Valathu Kaalai Vaithu Vaa1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…. | Aaa....aaa....aaa....aa.... |
| Male | |
| Kanni magal kannimaigal | What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting? |
| Kavidhai solvadhenna | What poem are they reciting? |
| Kanni magal kannimaigal | What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting? |
| Kavidhai solvadhenna | What poem are they reciting? |
| Male | |
| Ival kaalazhandha nadaiyil | In her step measured by feet, |
| Idai nool alandhadhenna nool alandhadhenna | How did her waist measure like a slender thread? How did it measure like a thread? |
| Kanni magal kannimaigal | What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting? |
| Kavidhai solvadhenna | What poem are they reciting? |
| Male | |
| Paazhaalai thanilaadum | Floating in a sea of milk, |
| Karu naaval kaniyondru | A black jamun fruit, |
| Kannendru per kondathooo | Has it gained the name of an eye? |
| Kovai kaniyendru kiliyendru | Comparing it to a ivy gourd fruit and a parrot, |
| Kannae un mun vandhu | My dear, coming before you, |
| Idhazhodu por kondathooo | Did it wage a battle with your lips? |
| Male | |
| Aalaana pennendru | That she has come of age as a woman, |
| Sollamal solkindra | Without uttering words, it conveys, |
| Mundhaanai azhaikkindradhu | Her loose saree drape beckons... |
| Ival poovaaga ponaaga | As she comes like a flower, like gold, |
| Thaeraaga varum bothu | And like a majestic chariot, |
| Ennullam asaigindrathu | My heart sways within me... |
| Ennullam asaingindrathu | My heart sways within me... |
| Male | |
| Kanni magal kannimaigal | What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting? |
| Kavidhai solvadhenna | What poem are they reciting? |
| Male | |
| Aaa…aaa…..aa… | Aaa...aaa.....aa... |
| Male | |
| Karungkoondhal alai paaya | When her dark tresses wave like ocean tides, |
| adhu kandu kadalora | Seeing that spectacle, near the seashore, |
| Alaiyaavum kanneer vidum | Even the ocean waves shed tears of envy! |
| Alli malar pondra siru paadham | Her small feet, soft as a lily flower, |
| Padhigindra pozhudhingae | When they step right here, |
| Mull kooda poovaagumae | Even sharp thorns transform into soft flowers! |
| Male | |
| Idhamaana isaiyaalae | Through pleasant music, |
| Vasamaana pugazhmaalai | And captivating garlands of praise, |
| Pala kandum niraivillaiyae | Though having seen many, there was no true satisfaction; |
| Indru ival ketka naan paada | Today, as she listens and I sing, |
| Idhayangal inainthaadum | Our hearts join and dance together, |
| Sugam pola sugamillaiyae | There is no joy quite like this joy! |
| Sugam pola sugamillaiyae | There is no joy quite like this joy! |
| Male | |
| Kanni magal kannimaigal | What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting? |
| Kavidhai solvadhenna | What poem are they reciting? |
| Ival kaalazhandha nadaiyil | In her step measured by feet, |
| Idai nool alandhadhenna | How did her waist measure like a thread? |
| Nool alandhadhenna… | How did it measure like a thread... |
| Enna…. | What... |
ஆஅ....ஆஅ....ஆ.....ஆஆ ....
Aaa....aaa....aaa....aa....
கன்னி மகள் கண்ணிமைகள்
கவிதை சொல்வதென்ன
கன்னி மகள் கண்ணிமைகள்
கவிதை சொல்வதென்ன
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
What poem are they reciting?
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
What poem are they reciting?
இவள் காலளந்த நடையில் இடை
நூலந்ததென்ன நூலந்ததென்ன...
கன்னி மகள் கண்ணிமைகள்
கவிதை சொல்வதென்ன
In her step measured by feet,
How did her waist measure like a slender thread? How did it measure like a thread?
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
What poem are they reciting?
பாலாழி தனிலாடும் கரு நாவல் கனியொன்று
கண்ணென்று பேர் கொண்டதோ
கோவை கனியென்று கிளியொன்று கண்ணே
உன் முன் வந்து இதழோடு போர் கொண்டதோ
Floating in a sea of milk,
A black jamun fruit,
Has it gained the name of an eye?
Comparing it to a ivy gourd fruit and a parrot,
My dear, coming before you,
Did it wage a battle with your lips?
ஆளான பெண்ணென்று சொல்லாமல் சொல்கின்ற
முந்தானை அழைக்கின்றது
இவள் பூவாக பொன்னாக தேராக வரும்போது
என்னுள்ளம் அசைகின்றது என்னுள்ளம் அசைகின்றது
கன்னி மகள் கண்ணிமைகள் கவிதை சொல்வதென்ன
That she has come of age as a woman,
Without uttering words, it conveys,
Her loose saree drape beckons...
As she comes like a flower, like gold,
And like a majestic chariot,
My heart sways within me...
My heart sways within me...
ஆஅ....ஆஅ....ஆ....
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
What poem are they reciting?
கருங்கூந்தல் அலை பாய அது கண்டு கடலோர
அலை யாவும் கண்ணீர் விடும்
அல்லி மலர் போன்ற சிறு பாதம்
பதிகின்ற பொழுதங்கே முள் கூட பூவாகுமே
Aaa...aaa.....aa...
இதமான இசையாலே வசமான புகழ்மாலை
பல கண்டும் நிறைவில்லையே
இன்று இவள் கேட்க நான் பாட
இதயங்கள் இணைந்தாடும்
சுகம் போல சுகமில்லையே சுகம் போல சுகமில்லையே
When her dark tresses wave like ocean tides,
Seeing that spectacle, near the seashore,
Even the ocean waves shed tears of envy!
Her small feet, soft as a lily flower,
When they step right here,
Even sharp thorns transform into soft flowers!
கன்னி மகள் கண்ணிமைகள்
கவிதை சொல்வதென்ன
இவள் காலளந்த நடையில் இடை
நூலந்ததென்ன நூலந்ததென்ன...என்ன
Through pleasant music,
And captivating garlands of praise,
Though having seen many, there was no true satisfaction;
Today, as she listens and I sing,
Our hearts join and dance together,
There is no joy quite like this joy!
There is no joy quite like this joy!
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
What poem are they reciting?
In her step measured by feet,
How did her waist measure like a thread?
How did it measure like a thread...
What...
Aaa….aaa….aaa….aa….
Aaa....aaa....aaa....aa....
Kanni magal kannimaigal
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
Kavidhai solvadhenna
What poem are they reciting?
Kanni magal kannimaigal
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
Kavidhai solvadhenna
What poem are they reciting?
Ival kaalazhandha nadaiyil
In her step measured by feet,
Idai nool alandhadhenna nool alandhadhenna
How did her waist measure like a slender thread? How did it measure like a thread?
Kanni magal kannimaigal
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
Kavidhai solvadhenna
What poem are they reciting?
Paazhaalai thanilaadum
Floating in a sea of milk,
Karu naaval kaniyondru
A black jamun fruit,
Kannendru per kondathooo
Has it gained the name of an eye?
Kovai kaniyendru kiliyendru
Comparing it to a ivy gourd fruit and a parrot,
Kannae un mun vandhu
My dear, coming before you,
Idhazhodu por kondathooo
Did it wage a battle with your lips?
Aalaana pennendru
That she has come of age as a woman,
Sollamal solkindra
Without uttering words, it conveys,
Mundhaanai azhaikkindradhu
Her loose saree drape beckons...
Ival poovaaga ponaaga
As she comes like a flower, like gold,
Thaeraaga varum bothu
And like a majestic chariot,
Ennullam asaigindrathu
My heart sways within me...
Ennullam asaingindrathu
My heart sways within me...
Kanni magal kannimaigal
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
Kavidhai solvadhenna
What poem are they reciting?
Aaa…aaa…..aa…
Aaa...aaa.....aa...
Karungkoondhal alai paaya
When her dark tresses wave like ocean tides,
adhu kandu kadalora
Seeing that spectacle, near the seashore,
Alaiyaavum kanneer vidum
Even the ocean waves shed tears of envy!
Alli malar pondra siru paadham
Her small feet, soft as a lily flower,
Padhigindra pozhudhingae
When they step right here,
Mull kooda poovaagumae
Even sharp thorns transform into soft flowers!
Idhamaana isaiyaalae
Through pleasant music,
Vasamaana pugazhmaalai
And captivating garlands of praise,
Pala kandum niraivillaiyae
Though having seen many, there was no true satisfaction;
Indru ival ketka naan paada
Today, as she listens and I sing,
Idhayangal inainthaadum
Our hearts join and dance together,
Sugam pola sugamillaiyae
There is no joy quite like this joy!
Sugam pola sugamillaiyae
There is no joy quite like this joy!
Kanni magal kannimaigal
What poem are the maiden's eyelids reciting?
Kavidhai solvadhenna
What poem are they reciting?
Ival kaalazhandha nadaiyil
In her step measured by feet,
Idai nool alandhadhenna
How did her waist measure like a thread?
Nool alandhadhenna…
How did it measure like a thread...
Enna….
What...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic track showcases the singer admiring the profound beauty and grace of his beloved maiden. Through rich poetic imagery, he marvels at her expressive eyes, her slender waist, her flowing dark hair that puts ocean waves to shame, and her delicate feet that turn thorns into soft blossoms.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Paazhaalai thanilaadum Karu naaval kaniyondru Kannendru per kondathooo”
Compares the dark iris surrounded by the white sclera of her eye to a black jamun fruit floating in a sea of milk.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Alli malar pondra siru paadham Padhigindra pozhudhingae Mull kooda poovaagumae”
Exaggerates the softness and grace of her lily-like feet by stating that even sharp thorns turn into flowers when she treads upon them.
Personification (Tharpranandhi)
“Karungkoondhal alai paaya adhu kandu kadalora Alaiyaavum kanneer vidum”
Attributes human emotion to the ocean waves, claiming they weep out of jealousy when seeing her long, dark, wave-like hair.
Alliteration (Moonaai / Etukai)
“Kanni magal kannimaigal Kavidhai solvadhenna”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('K') in words like Kanni, kannimaigal, and Kavidhai.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track 'Kanni magal kannimaigal' features in the 1989 Tamil film 'Valathu Kaalai Vaithu Vaa', composed by the music director duo Premi-Sreeni. Rendered soulfully by K. J. Yesudas, the song highlights lyricist Muthu Bharathi's deep classical Tamil poetic metaphors.
Keep listening
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