Ninnukkori Varnam
From Agni Natchathiram · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Agni Natchathiram1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori… varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come. |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum | To play it, you must come seeking me. |
| Oru kili thanithirukka | A parrot remains all alone, |
| Unakkena thavamirukka | Performing penance for your sake, |
| Iru vizhi sivanthirukka | Her two eyes turned red with longing, |
| Ithazh mattum veluthirukka | While only her lips have turned pale. |
| Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum | Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day, |
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come, |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum | To play it, you must come seeking me. |
| Female | |
| Unnaithaan chinna penn etho ketka | The young girl asks for you alone, |
| Ullukkul angangae ekkam thaakka | As yearning strikes deep within her body. |
| Mottuthaan mellathaan poo pol pookka | Like a bud blooming softly into a flower, |
| Thottuppaar kattippaar dhegam verkka | Touch and see, embrace and feel the body sweat. |
| Poojaikaaga vaaduthu dhevan unnai theduthu | Withering for worship, seeking you as her deity, |
| Aasai nenjam enguthu aattam pottu toonguthu | The yearning heart aches, dances, and goes to sleep. |
| Unnodu naan… oyaamal thaen aatrilae | Together with you endlessly in a river of honey, |
| Neeraada ninaikkayil.. | When I think of taking a dip... |
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori… varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come. |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum | To play it, you must come seeking me. |
| Oru kili thanithirukka | A parrot remains all alone, |
| Unakkena thavamirukka | Performing penance for your sake, |
| Iru vizhi sivanthirukka | Her two eyes turned red with longing, |
| Ithazh mattum veluthirukka | While only her lips have turned pale. |
| Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum | Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day, |
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come, |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum | To play it, you must come seeking me. |
| Female | |
| Pennalla veenai naan neethaan meettu | I am not just a woman, but a veena; strum me! |
| Enenna raagangal neethaan kaattu | Show me what kind of melodies you can play. |
| Indralla netralla kaalam thorum | Not just today, not yesterday, but across time, |
| Unnodu pinnodum kaadhal nenjam | My loving heart follows and entwines with you. |
| Vannappaavai moganam | The reason this colorful, enchanting maiden |
| Vaadippoana kaaranam | Has withered away, |
| Kanni thogai meniyil | Is the youth that strikes like lightning |
| Minnal paayichum vaalibam | Across her youthful, peacock-like body. |
| Un nyabagam neengaamal en nenjilae | Unfading memories of you in my heart |
| Theeyaaga kothikuthu | Are boiling like fire! |
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori… varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come. |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum | To play it, you must come seeking me. |
| Oru kili thanithirukka | A parrot remains all alone, |
| Unakkena thavamirukka | Performing penance for your sake, |
| Iru vizhi sivanthirukka | Her two eyes turned red with longing, |
| Ithazh mattum veluthirukka | While only her lips have turned pale. |
| Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum | Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day, |
| Female | |
| Ninnukkori varnam varanam | Desiring you, the song must come, |
| Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum….. | To play it, you must come seeking me... |
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும் ஒரு கிளி
தனித்திருக்க உனக்கெனத்
தவமிருக்க இரு விழி சிவந்திருக்க
இதழ் மட்டும் வெளுத்திருக்க
அழகிய ரகுவரனே அனுதினமும்
Desiring you, the song must come.
To play it, you must come seeking me.
A parrot remains all alone,
Performing penance for your sake,
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
While only her lips have turned pale.
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும்
Desiring you, the song must come,
To play it, you must come seeking me.
உன்னைத்தான்
சின்னப்பெண் ஏதோ கேட்க
உள்ளுக்குள் அங்கங்கே
ஏக்கம் தாக்க மொட்டுத்தான்
மெல்லத்தான் பூப்போல் பூக்க
தொட்டுப்பார் கட்டிப்பார் தேகம்
வேர்க்க பூஜைக்காக வாடுது
தேவன் உன்னைத் தேடுது
ஆசை நெஞ்சம் ஏங்குது ஆட்டம்
போட்டுத் தூங்குது உன்னோடு
நான் ஓயாமல் தேனாற்றிலே
நீராட நினைக்கையில்
The young girl asks for you alone,
As yearning strikes deep within her body.
Like a bud blooming softly into a flower,
Touch and see, embrace and feel the body sweat.
Withering for worship, seeking you as her deity,
The yearning heart aches, dances, and goes to sleep.
Together with you endlessly in a river of honey,
When I think of taking a dip...
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும் ஒரு கிளி
தனித்திருக்க உனக்கெனத்
தவமிருக்க இரு விழி சிவந்திருக்க
இதழ் மட்டும் வெளுத்திருக்க
அழகிய ரகுவரனே அனுதினமும்
Desiring you, the song must come.
To play it, you must come seeking me.
A parrot remains all alone,
Performing penance for your sake,
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
While only her lips have turned pale.
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும்
Desiring you, the song must come,
To play it, you must come seeking me.
பெண்ணல்ல வீணை
நான் நீதான் மீட்டு என்னென்ன
ராகங்கள் நீதான் காட்டு இன்றல்ல
நேற்றல்ல காலம்தோறும்
உன்னோடு பின்னோடும் காதல்
நெஞ்சம் வண்ணப்பாவை மோகனம்
வாடிப்போன காரணம் கன்னித்தோகை
மேனியில் மின்னல் பாய்ச்சும் வாலிபம்
உன் ஞாபகம் நீங்காமல் என் நெஞ்சிலே
தீயாக கொதிக்குது
I am not just a woman, but a veena; strum me!
Show me what kind of melodies you can play.
Not just today, not yesterday, but across time,
My loving heart follows and entwines with you.
The reason this colorful, enchanting maiden
Has withered away,
Is the youth that strikes like lightning
Across her youthful, peacock-like body.
Unfading memories of you in my heart
Are boiling like fire!
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும் ஒரு கிளி
தனித்திருக்க உனக்கெனத்
தவமிருக்க இரு விழி சிவந்திருக்க
இதழ் மட்டும் வெளுத்திருக்க
அழகிய ரகுவரனே அனுதினமும்
Desiring you, the song must come.
To play it, you must come seeking me.
A parrot remains all alone,
Performing penance for your sake,
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
While only her lips have turned pale.
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
நின்னுக்கோரி வர்ணம்
வர்ணம் இசைத்திட என்னைத்தேடி
வரணும் வரணும்
Desiring you, the song must come,
To play it, you must come seeking me...
Ninnukkori… varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come.
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum
To play it, you must come seeking me.
Oru kili thanithirukka
A parrot remains all alone,
Unakkena thavamirukka
Performing penance for your sake,
Iru vizhi sivanthirukka
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
Ithazh mattum veluthirukka
While only her lips have turned pale.
Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
Ninnukkori varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come,
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum
To play it, you must come seeking me.
Unnaithaan chinna penn etho ketka
The young girl asks for you alone,
Ullukkul angangae ekkam thaakka
As yearning strikes deep within her body.
Mottuthaan mellathaan poo pol pookka
Like a bud blooming softly into a flower,
Thottuppaar kattippaar dhegam verkka
Touch and see, embrace and feel the body sweat.
Poojaikaaga vaaduthu dhevan unnai theduthu
Withering for worship, seeking you as her deity,
Aasai nenjam enguthu aattam pottu toonguthu
The yearning heart aches, dances, and goes to sleep.
Unnodu naan… oyaamal thaen aatrilae
Together with you endlessly in a river of honey,
Neeraada ninaikkayil..
When I think of taking a dip...
Ninnukkori… varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come.
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum
To play it, you must come seeking me.
Oru kili thanithirukka
A parrot remains all alone,
Unakkena thavamirukka
Performing penance for your sake,
Iru vizhi sivanthirukka
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
Ithazh mattum veluthirukka
While only her lips have turned pale.
Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
Ninnukkori varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come,
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum
To play it, you must come seeking me.
Pennalla veenai naan neethaan meettu
I am not just a woman, but a veena; strum me!
Enenna raagangal neethaan kaattu
Show me what kind of melodies you can play.
Indralla netralla kaalam thorum
Not just today, not yesterday, but across time,
Unnodu pinnodum kaadhal nenjam
My loving heart follows and entwines with you.
Vannappaavai moganam
The reason this colorful, enchanting maiden
Vaadippoana kaaranam
Has withered away,
Kanni thogai meniyil
Is the youth that strikes like lightning
Minnal paayichum vaalibam
Across her youthful, peacock-like body.
Un nyabagam neengaamal en nenjilae
Unfading memories of you in my heart
Theeyaaga kothikuthu
Are boiling like fire!
Ninnukkori… varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come.
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum
To play it, you must come seeking me.
Oru kili thanithirukka
A parrot remains all alone,
Unakkena thavamirukka
Performing penance for your sake,
Iru vizhi sivanthirukka
Her two eyes turned red with longing,
Ithazh mattum veluthirukka
While only her lips have turned pale.
Azhagiya raguvaranae anuthinamum
Oh handsome Raghuvara, every single day,
Ninnukkori varnam varanam
Desiring you, the song must come,
Isaithida ennai thedi varanum varanum…..
To play it, you must come seeking me...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Ninnukkori' is a sensual and evocative track from Mani Ratnam's 1988 classic Agni Natchathiram, featuring lyrics by Vaali and music by Ilaiyaraaja. The song captures a woman's intense romantic passion and agonizing desire for her beloved, whom she addresses poetically as 'Raghuvaran'. Expressed through rich classical music motifs, she compares herself to a musical instrument waiting to be played and describes the physical and emotional toll of her longing. The song beautifully blends classical Carnatic aesthetics with modern romantic expressions, building a hypnotic mood of yearning and passion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pennalla veenai naan neethaan meettu”
The singer metaphorically compares herself to a Veena (a string instrument) waiting to be strummed and played by her lover.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Mottuthaan mellathaan poo pol pookka”
The gradual unfolding of romantic feelings is compared explicitly to a bud softly blossoming into a flower using 'poo pol'.
End Rhyme (Iyaipu)
“thanithirukka / thavamirukka / sivanthirukka / veluthirukka”
The consecutive lines end with the matching suffix '-irukka', creating a rhythmic, melodic flow.
Hyperbole (Ushuyarvu Navorchi)
“Theeyaaga kothikuthu”
Her memories boiling like fire in her heart hyperbolically illustrates the intense heat of passion and separation.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song borrows its iconic opening words 'Ninnukkori' from the classic Carnatic Varnam in Mohanam ragam composed by Sonti Venkatasubbayya. Musically composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung by K. S. Chithra, the track is renowned for its innovative fusion of electronic synth-pop beats with classical Carnatic ragas, setting a new benchmark for Tamil cinema music in the late 1980s.
Keep listening
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