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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Thamarai Kannangal

From Ethir Neechal (1968 Film) · 1968

Lyricist: Vaali
Singers: P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela
Music director: V. Kumar
Details: Ethir Neechal (1968 Film)1968

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics	↻ English translation
Female
{ Aaa aaa	{ Ah ah
Male
Mmm mmm } (3)	Mmm mmm } (3)
Male
{ Thamarai	{ Lotus-like
Kannangal then	Cheeks are like honey-filled
Malar kinnangal } (2)	Flower cups } (2)
Male
Ethanai vannangal	So many vibrant colors!
Muthamaai sinthumpothu	When spilled out as kisses,
Pongidum ennangal	Thoughts overflow with joy.
Female
{ Maalaiyil	{ In the evening
Santhithen maiyalil	I met my beloved, and in infatuation
Sinthithen } (2)	I poured out my heart } (2)
Female
Mangai	As a young maiden,
Naan kannithen	I tasted the nectar of love,
Kaadhalan theendumpothu	And when my lover touched me,
{ Kaigalai mannithen } (2)	{ I forgave his bold hands } (2)
Maalaiyil santhithen	I met him in the evening.
Male
{ Kothu malar	{ Is this a divine picture
Kuzhal paatham	Of flowery tresses reaching down to her feet,
Alanthidum sithiramo	Measuring grace?
Female
Aaa aaaa	Ah ah
Male
Muthu nagai	Or is it a ruby-red lips
Tharum melliya	Offering a soft,
Sevvidhazh rathinamo	Pearl-like smile?
Female
Aaa aaa } (2)	Ah ah } (2)
Female
Thuyil	During the peaceful hours
Konda velaiyilae	Of quiet slumber,
Kulir kanda meniyilae	When the body feels a cool chill,
Thunai vanthu serumbothu	And one's companion arrives to embrace,
Sollavo inbangal	Can those blissed feelings ever be described?
Female
Maalaiyil	In the evening
Santhithen maiyalil	I met my beloved, and in infatuation
Sinthithen	I poured out my heart.
Female
Mangai	As a young maiden,
Naan kannithen	I tasted the nectar of love,
Kaadhalan theendumpothu	And when my lover touched me,
Kaigalai mannithen	I forgave his bold hands.
Female
{ Aalilai	{ Like Lord Krishna reclining
Meloru kannanaipol	Upon a banyan leaf,
Ivan vanthavano noolidai	Did he arrive, while her slender thread-like waist
Meloru naadagam aadida nindravano } (2)	Stood poised to perform a romantic drama? } (2)
Male
Sumai	Like a heavy, sweet honey-laden fruit
Konda poonkodiyin	On a delicate flowering vine,
Suvai konda then kaniyai	When draped in beautiful garments,
Udai kondu moodumbothu	Can your breathtaking beauty ever sleep?
Urangumo unnazhagu	Lotus-like
Male
Thamarai	Cheeks are like honey-filled
Kannangal then	Flower cups
Malar kinnangal	So many vibrant colors!
Male
Ethanai vannangal	When spilled out as kisses,
Muthamaai sinthumpothu	Thoughts overflow with joy.
Pongidum ennangal	Ah, in the evening
Female
Aaa maalaiyil	I met my beloved, and in infatuation
Santhithen maiyalil	I poured out my heart.
Sinthithen	As a young maiden,
Female
Mangai	I tasted the nectar of love,
Naan kannithen	And when my lover touched me,
Kaadhalan theendumpothu	I forgave his bold hands.
Kaigalai mannithen

Tamil lyrics

English translation

{ ஆஆ ஆஆ

{ Ah ah

ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்ம் } (3)

Mmm mmm } (3)

{ தாமரை

கன்னங்கள் தேன்

மலர் கிண்ணங்கள் } (2)

{ Lotus-like

Cheeks are like honey-filled

Flower cups } (2)

எத்தனை வண்ணங்கள்

முத்தமாய் சிந்தும்போது

பொங்கிடும் எண்ணங்கள்

So many vibrant colors!

When spilled out as kisses,

Thoughts overflow with joy.

{ மாலையில்

சந்தித்தேன் மையலில்

சிந்தித்தேன் } (2)

{ In the evening

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

I poured out my heart } (2)

மங்கை நான்

கன்னித்தேன் காதலன்

தீண்டும்போது

கைகளை மன்னித்தேன்

கைகளை மன்னித்தேன்

மாலையில் சந்தித்தேன்

As a young maiden,

I tasted the nectar of love,

And when my lover touched me,

{ I forgave his bold hands } (2)

I met him in the evening.

{ கொத்து மலர்

குழல் பாதம் அளந்திடும்

சித்திரமோ

{ Is this a divine picture

Of flowery tresses reaching down to her feet,

Measuring grace?

ஆஆ ஆஆ…

Ah ah

முத்து நகை

தரும் மெல்லிய

செவ்விதழ் ரத்தினமோ

Or is it a ruby-red lips

Offering a soft,

Pearl-like smile?

ஆஆ ஆஆ…} (2)

Ah ah } (2)

துயில் கொண்ட

வேளையிலே குளிர் கண்ட

மேனியிலே துணை வந்து

சேரும்போது சொல்லவோ

இன்பங்கள்

During the peaceful hours

Of quiet slumber,

When the body feels a cool chill,

And one's companion arrives to embrace,

Can those blissed feelings ever be described?

மாலையில்

சந்தித்தேன் மையலில்

சிந்தித்தேன் மங்கை நான்

கன்னித்தேன் காதலன்

தீண்டும்போது கைகளை

மன்னித்தேன்

In the evening

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

I poured out my heart.

{ ஆலிலை

மேலொரு கண்ணனைப்போல்

இவன் வந்தவனோ நூலிடை

மேலொரு நாடகம் ஆடிட

நின்றவனோ } (2)

As a young maiden,

I tasted the nectar of love,

And when my lover touched me,

I forgave his bold hands.

சுமை கொண்ட

பூங்கொடியின் சுவை

கொண்ட தேன் கனியை

உடை கொண்டு மூடும்போது

உறங்குமோ உன்னழகு

{ Like Lord Krishna reclining

Upon a banyan leaf,

Did he arrive, while her slender thread-like waist

Stood poised to perform a romantic drama? } (2)

தாமரை

கன்னங்கள் தேன்

மலர் கிண்ணங்கள்

Like a heavy, sweet honey-laden fruit

On a delicate flowering vine,

When draped in beautiful garments,

Can your breathtaking beauty ever sleep?

Lotus-like

எத்தனை வண்ணங்கள்

முத்தமாய் சிந்தும்போது

பொங்கிடும் எண்ணங்கள்

Cheeks are like honey-filled

Flower cups

So many vibrant colors!

ஆஆ மாலையில்

சந்தித்தேன் மையலில்

சிந்தித்தேன்

When spilled out as kisses,

Thoughts overflow with joy.

Ah, in the evening

மங்கை நான்

கன்னித்தேன் காதலன்

தீண்டும்போது

கைகளை மன்னித்தேன்

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

I poured out my heart.

As a young maiden,

I tasted the nectar of love,

And when my lover touched me,

I forgave his bold hands.

Female

{ Aaa aaa

{ Ah ah

Male

Mmm mmm } (3)

Mmm mmm } (3)

Male

{ Thamarai

{ Lotus-like

Kannangal then

Cheeks are like honey-filled

Malar kinnangal } (2)

Flower cups } (2)

Male

Ethanai vannangal

So many vibrant colors!

Muthamaai sinthumpothu

When spilled out as kisses,

Pongidum ennangal

Thoughts overflow with joy.

Female

{ Maalaiyil

{ In the evening

Santhithen maiyalil

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

Sinthithen } (2)

I poured out my heart } (2)

Female

Mangai

As a young maiden,

Naan kannithen

I tasted the nectar of love,

Kaadhalan theendumpothu

And when my lover touched me,

{ Kaigalai mannithen } (2)

{ I forgave his bold hands } (2)

Maalaiyil santhithen

I met him in the evening.

Male

{ Kothu malar

{ Is this a divine picture

Kuzhal paatham

Of flowery tresses reaching down to her feet,

Alanthidum sithiramo

Measuring grace?

Female

Aaa aaaa

Ah ah

Male

Muthu nagai

Or is it a ruby-red lips

Tharum melliya

Offering a soft,

Sevvidhazh rathinamo

Pearl-like smile?

Female

Aaa aaa } (2)

Ah ah } (2)

Female

Thuyil

During the peaceful hours

Konda velaiyilae

Of quiet slumber,

Kulir kanda meniyilae

When the body feels a cool chill,

Thunai vanthu serumbothu

And one's companion arrives to embrace,

Sollavo inbangal

Can those blissed feelings ever be described?

Female

Maalaiyil

In the evening

Santhithen maiyalil

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

Sinthithen

I poured out my heart.

Female

Mangai

As a young maiden,

Naan kannithen

I tasted the nectar of love,

Kaadhalan theendumpothu

And when my lover touched me,

Kaigalai mannithen

I forgave his bold hands.

Female

{ Aalilai

{ Like Lord Krishna reclining

Meloru kannanaipol

Upon a banyan leaf,

Ivan vanthavano noolidai

Did he arrive, while her slender thread-like waist

Meloru naadagam aadida nindravano } (2)

Stood poised to perform a romantic drama? } (2)

Male

Sumai

Like a heavy, sweet honey-laden fruit

Konda poonkodiyin

On a delicate flowering vine,

Suvai konda then kaniyai

When draped in beautiful garments,

Udai kondu moodumbothu

Can your breathtaking beauty ever sleep?

Urangumo unnazhagu

Lotus-like

Male

Thamarai

Cheeks are like honey-filled

Kannangal then

Flower cups

Malar kinnangal

So many vibrant colors!

Male

Ethanai vannangal

When spilled out as kisses,

Muthamaai sinthumpothu

Thoughts overflow with joy.

Pongidum ennangal

Ah, in the evening

Female

Aaa maalaiyil

I met my beloved, and in infatuation

Santhithen maiyalil

I poured out my heart.

Sinthithen

As a young maiden,

Female

Mangai

I tasted the nectar of love,

Naan kannithen

And when my lover touched me,

Kaadhalan theendumpothu

I forgave his bold hands.

Kaigalai mannithen

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Thamarai Kannangal' is a deeply romantic track from the 1968 Tamil classic film 'Ethir Neechal'. Set against an intimate backdrop, the song captures the tender conversation and romantic ecstasy shared between two lovers. Through lush imagery of lotus petals, honeyed cups, and radiant rubies, lyricist Vaali expresses the intoxicating warmth of romantic touch, forgiveness, and emotional surrender in the quiet hours of the evening.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Thamarai Kannangal then Malar kinnangal”

Compares soft cheeks to lotus flowers and honey-filled flower vessels ('Thamarai Kannangal then Malar kinnangal').

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Santhithen maiyalil / Sinthithen / Naan kannithen / Kaigalai mannithen”

Rhyming of the second consonant across lines: 'Santhithen', 'Sinthithen', 'Kannithen', and 'Mannithen'.

Anupirasam (Alliteration / Monai)

“Kothu malar Kuzhal paatham”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'k' in 'Kothu malar / Kuzhal paatham'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Vaali, 'Thamarai Kannangal' remains one of the iconic duets rendered by P. B. Sreenivas and P. Susheela. The song features Nagesh and Jayanthi in the landmark comedy-drama 'Ethir Neechal', directed by K. Balachander.

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