Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Radha Radha Nee

From Meendum Kokila · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Meendum Kokila1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Haa…aaa…aaa…aaa….Vocalization / humming
Male :Haa…aaa…aaa…aaa….(Overlap)Male: Vocalization / humming (Overlap)
Female :Haa…aaa…aaa..aaa..aaa..aaa..aaa…aa..Female: Vocalization / humming
Male : Haa aaa aa aa aa aa aaaMale: Vocalization / humming
Haa…aaa..haaa…aaa…aaa…..Vocalization / humming
Male
Raadhaa raadhaa nee engaeRadha, Radha, where are you?
Female :Kannan engae naan angaeFemale: Wherever Kannan is, I am there.
Male
Raadhaa raadhaa nee engaeRadha, Radha, where are you?
Female :Kannan engae naan angaeFemale: Wherever Kannan is, I am there.
Male
En ullam pudhu vellamMy heart is a fresh flood of joy.
Female :Poo vannam un vannamFemale: Flower-like shade, your shade is,
Pon vannamGolden-hued one.
Male
Raadhaa raadhaa nee engaeRadha, Radha, where are you?
Male
Naanalil paai virithuSpreading a mat made of reeds,
Naan adhil palli kondenI lay down to rest there.
Naanalil paai virithuSpreading a mat made of reeds,
Naan adhil palli kondenI lay down to rest there.
Male
Naanoru pakkam yenadi vetkamI am right beside you, why this shyness?
Enna solli vittenWhat wrong did I say?
Ilamai veenaiyil pudhiya raagangalNew ragas playing on the veena of youth,
Bodhaiyil moozhgi vitten…ae….aennnI am immersed in intoxication... oh why...
Female
Kannaa kannaa nee engaeKannaa, Kannaa, where are you?
Male :Raadhaa engae naan angaeMale: Wherever Radha is, I am there.
Female :En ullam pudhu vellamFemale: My heart is a fresh flood of joy.
Male :Poo vannam un vannamMale: Flower-like shade, your shade is,
Pon vannamGolden-hued one.
Female :Kannaa kannaa nee engaeFemale: Kannaa, Kannaa, where are you?
Female
Kaaladi osaiyilaeIn the sound of footsteps,
Yaazhisai kettu vandhenI heard the music of the harp and came.
Kaaladi osaiyilaeIn the sound of footsteps,
Yaazhisai kettu vandhenI heard the music of the harp and came.
Female
Kannan kovilil kannan kaavalilIn Kannan's temple, under Kannan's protection,
Kavidhai paadi vandhenI came singing poetry.
Idaiyin megalai nadanamaadidumWhile the waist girdle ornaments dance,
Yaekkathil odi vandhenI came running in deep yearning.
Male
Raadhaa raadhaa nee engaeRadha, Radha, where are you?
Female :Kannan engae naan angaeFemale: Wherever Kannan is, I am there.
Male
En ullam pudhu vellamMy heart is a fresh flood of joy.
Female :Poo vannam un vannamFemale: Flower-like shade, your shade is,
Pon vannamGolden-hued one.
Male
RaadhaaRadha
Female :KannaaFemale: Kannaa
Both :Nee engae…Both: Where are you...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Radha Radha Nee Engae is a romantic duet from the 1981 Tamil film Meendum Kokila, featuring Kamal Haasan and Sridevi. Set to music by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Kannadasan, the song evokes the divine playfulness and devotion between Lord Krishna and Radha. The lovers search for and call out to one another, expressing that wherever one goes, the other naturally belongs.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ilamai veenaiyil pudhiya raagangal

Compares youth to a veena instrument playing new musical melodies ('Ilamai veenai').

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Naanalil paai virithu / Naan adhil palli konden

Repetition of the initial 'Na' sound across consecutive words creating rhythmic harmony.

Internal Rhyme / Consonance (Edhukai)

Kannan kovilil kannan kaavalil

Matching of second consonants ('nna') across the line structure.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt leaves music and singers unknown, this classic track from Meendum Kokila (1981) was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, written by Kannadasan, and sung by legendary singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki.

Keep listening

More from Meendum Kokila