Kannirandum Ondrai Ondru
From Amuthavalli · 1959
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. R. Mahalingam
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Amuthavalli1959
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Haa….aaa….aaa… | Haa....aaa....aaa... |
| Hoo oo ooo ooo | Hoo oo ooo ooo |
| Kannirandum ondrai ondru | Can the two eyes look directly at each other? |
| Kaana mudiyumaa | Is it possible to see? |
| Kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam | In the midst of duty, can the joy of love... |
| Naada mudiyumaa | Be sought after? |
| Kannirandum ondrai ondru | Can the two eyes look directly at each other? |
| Kaana mudiyumaa | Is it possible to see? |
| Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam | In the duty taken up, can the joy of love... |
| Naada mudiyumaa | Be sought after? |
| Male | |
| Mugamalarai maraipadhanaalae | Just by hiding the lotus-like face, |
| Manadhu maraiyumaa….aaa…aa | Will the heart also be hidden? |
| Mugamalarai maraipadhanaalae | Just by hiding the lotus-like face, |
| Manadhu maraiyumaa | Will the heart also be hidden? |
| Thanga moga vanna silaiyae | Oh golden, alluring, colorful statue! |
| Unmai saedhi theriyuma | Do you know the real truth? |
| Male | |
| Sugam valarkkum kadhaigal koorum | Telling stories that cultivate pleasure, |
| Unadhu meniyae | Is your tender body. |
| Sugam valarkkum kadhaigal koorum | Telling stories that cultivate pleasure, |
| Unadhu meniyae | Is your tender body. |
| Aanaal sudha saivaa viradhang kondaan | But a pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken, |
| Indha gyaaniyae | By this wise sage. |
| Sudha saivaa viradhang kondaan | A pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken, |
| Indha gyaaniyae | By this wise sage. |
| Male | |
| Kannirandum ondrai ondru | Can the two eyes look directly at each other? |
| Kaana mudiyumaa | Is it possible to see? |
| Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam | In the duty taken up, can the joy of love... |
| Naada mudiyumaa | Be sought after? |
| Male | |
| Vennilaavai manidhan kaigal | Can human hands reach out |
| Nerunga mudiyumaa | To touch the white moon? |
| Ingae veesum ilam thendral thannai | Can the gentle breeze blowing here |
| Pidikka mudiyumaa | Be caught in one's hands? |
| Male | |
| En nilaiyum adhu thaan endraal | If my condition is also like that, |
| Unakku puriyumaa | Will you understand? |
| En nilaiyum adhu thaan endraal | If my condition is also like that, |
| Unakku puriyumaa | Will you understand? |
| Iruvar ingae iruvar aanaal | If two people remain separate as two individuals, |
| Uravu pirakkumaa | Will a bond ever be born? |
| Iruvar ingae iruvar aanaal | If two people remain separate as two individuals, |
| Uravu pirakkumaa | Will a bond ever be born? |
| Male | |
| Kannirandum ondrai ondru | Can the two eyes look directly at each other? |
| Kaana mudiyumaa | Is it possible to see? |
| Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam | In the duty taken up, can the joy of love... |
| Naada mudiyumaa | Be sought after? |
| Thandhai yaaro thaaiyum yaaro aari raarooo | Who is the father and who is the mother? Rock-a-bye baby... |
| Sindhai ellam sondham illai aari raarooo | All thoughts say nothing is truly ours, rock-a-bye baby... |
| Kannae aari raaroo kanne aari raaroo | My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye... |
| Kannae aari raaroo kanne aari raaroo | My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye... |
ஹா....ஆஆ....ஆஅ...
ஹோ...ஓ...ஓ...ஹோ....
கண்ணிரண்டும் ஒன்றை ஒன்று
காண முடியுமா
கொண்ட கடமையிலே காதல் இன்பம்
நாட முடியுமா.....
கண்ணிரண்டும் ஒன்றை ஒன்று
காண முடியுமா
கொண்ட கடமையிலே காதல் இன்பம்
நாட முடியுமா.....
Haa....aaa....aaa...
Hoo oo ooo ooo
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Is it possible to see?
In the midst of duty, can the joy of love...
Be sought after?
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Is it possible to see?
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Be sought after?
முகமலரை மறைப்பதனாலே
மனது மறையுமா ....ஆஅ....
முகமலரை மறைப்பதனாலே
மனது மறையுமா
தங்க மோக வண்ணச் சிலையே உண்மைச்
சேதி தெரியுமா.......
Just by hiding the lotus-like face,
Will the heart also be hidden?
Just by hiding the lotus-like face,
Will the heart also be hidden?
Oh golden, alluring, colorful statue!
Do you know the real truth?
சுகம் வளர்க்கும் கதைகள் கூறும்
உனது மேனியே
சுகம் வளர்க்கும் கதைகள் கூறும்
உனது மேனியே
ஆனால் சுத்த சைவ விரதங் கொண்டான்
இந்த ஞானியே.......
சுத்த சைவ விரதங் கொண்டான்
இந்த ஞானியே.....
Telling stories that cultivate pleasure,
Is your tender body.
Telling stories that cultivate pleasure,
Is your tender body.
But a pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken,
By this wise sage.
A pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken,
By this wise sage.
கண்ணிரண்டும் ஒன்றை ஒன்று
காண முடியுமா
கொண்ட கடமையிலே காதல் இன்பம்
நாட முடியுமா.....
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Is it possible to see?
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Be sought after?
வெண்ணிலாவை மனிதன் கைகள்
நெருங்க முடியுமா
இங்கே வீசும் இளம் தென்றல் தன்னைப்
பிடிக்க முடியுமா
Can human hands reach out
To touch the white moon?
Can the gentle breeze blowing here
Be caught in one's hands?
என் நிலையும் அதுதான் என்றால்
உனக்குப் புரியுமா
என் நிலையும் அதுதான் என்றால்
உனக்குப் புரியுமா
இருவர் இங்கே இருவர் ஆனால்
உறவு பிறக்குமா
இருவர் இங்கே இருவர் ஆனால்
உறவு பிறக்குமா
If my condition is also like that,
Will you understand?
If my condition is also like that,
Will you understand?
If two people remain separate as two individuals,
Will a bond ever be born?
If two people remain separate as two individuals,
Will a bond ever be born?
கண்ணிரண்டும் ஒன்றை ஒன்று
காண முடியுமா
கொண்ட கடமையிலே காதல் இன்பம்
நாட முடியுமா.....
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Is it possible to see?
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Be sought after?
Who is the father and who is the mother? Rock-a-bye baby...
All thoughts say nothing is truly ours, rock-a-bye baby...
My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye...
My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye...
தந்தை யாரோ தாயும் யாரோ ஆரிராரோ
சிந்தை எல்லாம் சொந்தம் இல்லை ஆரிராரோ
கண்ணே ஆரிராரோ கண்ணே ஆரிராரோ '
கண்ணே ஆரிராரோ கண்ணே ஆரிராரோ
Haa….aaa….aaa…
Haa....aaa....aaa...
Hoo oo ooo ooo
Hoo oo ooo ooo
Kannirandum ondrai ondru
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Kaana mudiyumaa
Is it possible to see?
Kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam
In the midst of duty, can the joy of love...
Naada mudiyumaa
Be sought after?
Kannirandum ondrai ondru
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Kaana mudiyumaa
Is it possible to see?
Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Naada mudiyumaa
Be sought after?
Mugamalarai maraipadhanaalae
Just by hiding the lotus-like face,
Manadhu maraiyumaa….aaa…aa
Will the heart also be hidden?
Mugamalarai maraipadhanaalae
Just by hiding the lotus-like face,
Manadhu maraiyumaa
Will the heart also be hidden?
Thanga moga vanna silaiyae
Oh golden, alluring, colorful statue!
Unmai saedhi theriyuma
Do you know the real truth?
Sugam valarkkum kadhaigal koorum
Telling stories that cultivate pleasure,
Unadhu meniyae
Is your tender body.
Sugam valarkkum kadhaigal koorum
Telling stories that cultivate pleasure,
Unadhu meniyae
Is your tender body.
Aanaal sudha saivaa viradhang kondaan
But a pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken,
Indha gyaaniyae
By this wise sage.
Sudha saivaa viradhang kondaan
A pure vegetarian fast has been undertaken,
Indha gyaaniyae
By this wise sage.
Kannirandum ondrai ondru
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Kaana mudiyumaa
Is it possible to see?
Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Naada mudiyumaa
Be sought after?
Vennilaavai manidhan kaigal
Can human hands reach out
Nerunga mudiyumaa
To touch the white moon?
Ingae veesum ilam thendral thannai
Can the gentle breeze blowing here
Pidikka mudiyumaa
Be caught in one's hands?
En nilaiyum adhu thaan endraal
If my condition is also like that,
Unakku puriyumaa
Will you understand?
En nilaiyum adhu thaan endraal
If my condition is also like that,
Unakku puriyumaa
Will you understand?
Iruvar ingae iruvar aanaal
If two people remain separate as two individuals,
Uravu pirakkumaa
Will a bond ever be born?
Iruvar ingae iruvar aanaal
If two people remain separate as two individuals,
Uravu pirakkumaa
Will a bond ever be born?
Kannirandum ondrai ondru
Can the two eyes look directly at each other?
Kaana mudiyumaa
Is it possible to see?
Konda kadamaiyilae kaadhal inbam
In the duty taken up, can the joy of love...
Naada mudiyumaa
Be sought after?
Thandhai yaaro thaaiyum yaaro aari raarooo
Who is the father and who is the mother? Rock-a-bye baby...
Sindhai ellam sondham illai aari raarooo
All thoughts say nothing is truly ours, rock-a-bye baby...
Kannae aari raaroo kanne aari raaroo
My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye...
Kannae aari raaroo kanne aari raaroo
My precious one, rock-a-bye, my precious one, rock-a-bye...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this classic philosophical song from Amuthavalli (1959), the protagonist reflects on the conflict between worldly affection and personal duty. Using the central metaphor that two eyes belonging to the same face can never look directly into each other, Kannadasan illustrates how strict duty and playful romance often exist side-by-side yet cannot merge effortlessly. The song blends romantic teasing with spiritual detachment, as the male protagonist playfully describes himself as a sage who has taken a vow of abstinence while acknowledging the irresistible charm of his beloved.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Kannirandum ondrai ondru kaana mudiyumaa”
Comparing the incompatibility of love and duty to two eyes that belong to the same head yet cannot look into each other.
Rhetorical Questioning (Vinaa Aani)
“Vennilaavai manidhan kaigal nerunga mudiyumaa”
Continuous use of questions ending with '-umaa' to provoke deep philosophical reflection on nature, human reach, and emotions.
Irony / Humor
“Aanaal sudha saivaa viradhang kondaan indha gyaaniyae”
Playful self-deprecation where the protagonist refers to himself as a 'wise sage' who has taken a pure vegetarian/ascetic vow when resisting romantic advances.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Amuthavalli (1959) features music by the iconic duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy and vocals by actor-singer T. R. Mahalingam, known for his resonant voice and high-pitched Carnatic rendition style. Poet Kannadasan used everyday philosophy blended with light banter to turn a movie duet into a timeless reflective track.
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