Kanni Tamizho Kamban Kaviyo
From Abhirami · 1992
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Abhirami1992
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo | Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban? |
| Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo | Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot? |
| Azhagae konjum menagai | She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace, |
| Vizhigal thantha thaaragai | She is a shining star gifted by her eyes. |
| Male | |
| Mannil vantha rambai aval | She is Rambha who descended upon the earth, |
| Mangai antha gangai magal | That young maiden is the divine daughter of Ganga. |
| Devathai oorvasiyo…..oo……oo… | Is she the celestial nymph Urvasi? Oo... oo... |
| Poovo penn pon vannamo | Is she a flower, or a maiden of golden hue? |
| Male | |
| Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo | Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban? |
| Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo | Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot? |
| Azhagae konjum menagai | She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace, |
| Vizhigal thantha thaaragai | She is a shining star gifted by her eyes. |
| Male | |
| Paal pola mugam sael pola vizhi | A face like milk, eyes like swift carp fish, |
| Nool pola idai bhoompaadham varai | A waist like a fine thread down to her flower-like feet, |
| Padaippinil aval oru adhisayamae | She is a true wonder of creation! |
| Male | |
| Manmathanum kann mayangum | Even Manmatha, the god of love, would be spellbound. |
| Ponnizhaiththa minnal saram | A string of lightning woven with gold, |
| Kann imaikkul en uyirai | Within the blink of an eye, my very life force |
| Katti vaiththa thanga ratham | Is tied up by this golden chariot. |
| Male | |
| Karpanaiyil ulla sugam | The joy found in imagination |
| Arputhangal seiyyum nidham | Performs daily miracles, |
| Adhu oru ragasiyamae | That is a sweet secret! |
| Oo….oo….en edhirkaalamae | Oo... oo... my future! |
| Male | |
| Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo | Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban? |
| Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo | Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot? |
| Azhagae konjum menagai | She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace, |
| Vizhigal thantha thaaragai | She is a shining star gifted by her eyes. |
| Male | |
| Vaan megam adhu thaen thoovi vara | As the rain clouds shower sweet honey down, |
| Poonth devathaikku naan maalaiyida | As I place a garland around this celestial angel, |
| Mathimuga rathi aval thalai kunivaal | She, the moon-faced Rathi, will bow her head in shyness. |
| Male | |
| Velli malar panjanaiyil | Upon a bed of silver flowers, |
| Mella mella kaiyanaiththu | Softly embracing her in my arms, |
| Mullaiyithazh muththangalil | From her jasmine-petal kisses, |
| Ullirukkum thaen eduththu | Extracting the inner honey, |
| Male | |
| Alli allai pangu vaiththu | Generously sharing it with her, |
| Angam engum ponga vaiththu | Making ecstasy overflow across every limb, |
| Ilamaiyai rasiththuduvaen aa…aa… | I will savor youth to the fullest, aa... aa... |
| En ananthamae | Oh my absolute bliss! |
| Male | |
| Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo | Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban? |
| Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo | Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot? |
| Azhagae konjum menagai | She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace, |
| Vizhigal thantha thaaragai | She is a shining star gifted by her eyes. |
கன்னித் தமிழோ கம்பன் கவியோ
மின்னல் சரமோ புது மேக ரதமோ
அழகே கொஞ்சும் மேனகை
விழிகள் தந்த தாரகை
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
மண்ணில் வந்த ரம்பை அவள்
மங்கை அந்த கங்கை மகள்
தேவதை ஊர்வசியோ...ஓ...ஓ....
பூவோ பெண் பொன் வண்ணமோ
She is Rambha who descended upon the earth,
That young maiden is the divine daughter of Ganga.
Is she the celestial nymph Urvasi? Oo... oo...
Is she a flower, or a maiden of golden hue?
கன்னித் தமிழோ கம்பன் கவியோ
மின்னல் சரமோ புது மேக ரதமோ
அழகே கொஞ்சும் மேனகை
விழிகள் தந்த தாரகை
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
பால் போல முகம் சேல் போல விழி
நூல் போல இடை பூம்பாதம் வரை
படைப்பினில் அவள் ஒரு அதிசயமே
A face like milk, eyes like swift carp fish,
A waist like a fine thread down to her flower-like feet,
She is a true wonder of creation!
மன்மதனும் கண் மயங்கும்
பொன்னிழைத்த மின்னல் சரம்
கண் இமைக்குள் என் உயிரை
கட்டி வைத்த தங்க ரதம்
Even Manmatha, the god of love, would be spellbound.
A string of lightning woven with gold,
Within the blink of an eye, my very life force
Is tied up by this golden chariot.
கற்பனையில் உள்ள சுகம்
அற்புதங்கள் செய்யும் நிதம்
அது ஒரு ரகசியமே
ஓ......ஓ என் எதிர்காலமே
The joy found in imagination
Performs daily miracles,
That is a sweet secret!
Oo... oo... my future!
கன்னித் தமிழோ கம்பன் கவியோ
மின்னல் சரமோ புது மேக ரதமோ
அழகே கொஞ்சும் மேனகை
விழிகள் தந்த தாரகை
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
வான் மேகம் அது தேன் தூவி வர
பூந்தேவதைக்கு நான் மாலையிட
மதிமுக ரதி அவள் தலை குனிவாள்
As the rain clouds shower sweet honey down,
As I place a garland around this celestial angel,
She, the moon-faced Rathi, will bow her head in shyness.
வெள்ளி மலர் பஞ்சணையில்
மெல்ல மெல்ல கையணைத்து
முல்லையிதழ் முத்தங்களில்
உள்ளிருக்கும் தேன் எடுத்து
Upon a bed of silver flowers,
Softly embracing her in my arms,
From her jasmine-petal kisses,
Extracting the inner honey,
அள்ளி அள்ளி பங்கு வைத்து
அங்கம் எங்கும் பொங்க வைத்து
இளமையை ரசித்துடுவேன் ஆ.....ஆ....
என் ஆனந்தமே
Generously sharing it with her,
Making ecstasy overflow across every limb,
I will savor youth to the fullest, aa... aa...
Oh my absolute bliss!
கன்னித் தமிழோ கம்பன் கவியோ
மின்னல் சரமோ புது மேக ரதமோ
அழகே கொஞ்சும் மேனகை
விழிகள் தந்த தாரகை
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
Azhagae konjum menagai
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
Vizhigal thantha thaaragai
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
Mannil vantha rambai aval
She is Rambha who descended upon the earth,
Mangai antha gangai magal
That young maiden is the divine daughter of Ganga.
Devathai oorvasiyo…..oo……oo…
Is she the celestial nymph Urvasi? Oo... oo...
Poovo penn pon vannamo
Is she a flower, or a maiden of golden hue?
Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
Azhagae konjum menagai
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
Vizhigal thantha thaaragai
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
Paal pola mugam sael pola vizhi
A face like milk, eyes like swift carp fish,
Nool pola idai bhoompaadham varai
A waist like a fine thread down to her flower-like feet,
Padaippinil aval oru adhisayamae
She is a true wonder of creation!
Manmathanum kann mayangum
Even Manmatha, the god of love, would be spellbound.
Ponnizhaiththa minnal saram
A string of lightning woven with gold,
Kann imaikkul en uyirai
Within the blink of an eye, my very life force
Katti vaiththa thanga ratham
Is tied up by this golden chariot.
Karpanaiyil ulla sugam
The joy found in imagination
Arputhangal seiyyum nidham
Performs daily miracles,
Adhu oru ragasiyamae
That is a sweet secret!
Oo….oo….en edhirkaalamae
Oo... oo... my future!
Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
Azhagae konjum menagai
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
Vizhigal thantha thaaragai
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
Vaan megam adhu thaen thoovi vara
As the rain clouds shower sweet honey down,
Poonth devathaikku naan maalaiyida
As I place a garland around this celestial angel,
Mathimuga rathi aval thalai kunivaal
She, the moon-faced Rathi, will bow her head in shyness.
Velli malar panjanaiyil
Upon a bed of silver flowers,
Mella mella kaiyanaiththu
Softly embracing her in my arms,
Mullaiyithazh muththangalil
From her jasmine-petal kisses,
Ullirukkum thaen eduththu
Extracting the inner honey,
Alli allai pangu vaiththu
Generously sharing it with her,
Angam engum ponga vaiththu
Making ecstasy overflow across every limb,
Ilamaiyai rasiththuduvaen aa…aa…
I will savor youth to the fullest, aa... aa...
En ananthamae
Oh my absolute bliss!
Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo
Is she pristine Tamil or the poetry of Kamban?
Minnal saramo pudhu mega radhamo
Is she a garland of lightning or a new cloud chariot?
Azhagae konjum menagai
She is Menaka, whose beauty lisps with grace,
Vizhigal thantha thaaragai
She is a shining star gifted by her eyes.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Kanni Thamizho Kamban Kaviyo is a romantic track from the 1992 film Abhirami, composed by Deva, sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, and written by Vairamuthu. The song captures a lover praising the beauty of his beloved by drawing rich metaphors from classical Tamil literature, divine nymphs of mythology (Menaka, Rambha, Urvasi, Rathi), and stunning natural phenomena like lightning and rain clouds. The lyricist intricately describes her features—a milk-like complexion, fish-shaped eyes, and a slender waist—as an embodiment of art and elegance. The second half shifts toward romantic anticipation, where the protagonist envisions a blissful marital future filled with intimacy, joy, and emotional fulfillment.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kanni thamizho kamban kaviyo”
Directly equating the heroine's grace to pristine Tamil language (Kanni Thamizh) and the poetry of Kamban (Kamban Kavi).
Simile (Upamai)
“Paal pola mugam sael pola vizhi”
Comparing her face to milk (paal pola) and her eyes to carp fish (sael pola) using explicit comparative markers.
Alliteration & Rhyme (Moni & Edhugai)
“Mannil vantha rambai aval / Mangai antha gangai magal”
Consonance and rhyming rhythm across adjacent lines, enhancing the melodious flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed during Deva's rise to prominence in Tamil cinema in the early 1990s, this song highlights Vairamuthu's signature literary romanticism. By connecting feminine beauty to classical Tamil literary heritage (Kamban), the song became a favorite radio track for its poetically rich lyricism and expressive vocal performance by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.
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