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Kavithai Paadum Alaigal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unnai Kanaamal

From Kavithai Paadum Alaigal · 1990

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
K. S. Chithra, Arun Mozhi
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kavithai Paadum Alaigal
Movie release year
1990
Lyrics added on
18 Jan 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaa…aahaa
Male :Haha haaa aaaa aaa
Female :Hahahaa aaa aaa
Male :Haa aahaa aa haa
Female :Haa aahaa aa haa
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Poonguyilae painthamizhae
En uyirae nee thaan
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Kambanin pillai naan
Kaaviyam paada vandhen
Kaaviri karai ellaam
Kaaladi thaedi nindren
Kavinjanai thaedi
Kavidhai ketka vandhen
Vaanamum boomi engum
Paadidum paadal ketkum
Jeevanil jeevan serum
Aayiram aandu kaalam
Ini ennaalum pirivedhu
Anbae ae… ae… ae…
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Poonguyilae painthamizhae
En uyirae nee thaan
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Aayiram kaalam thaan
Vaazhvadhu kaadhal geetham
Kannanin paadalil
Ketpadhu kaadhal vaedham
Pirivinai yedhu
Inaindhu paadum podhu
Kaaviyam pondra kaadhal
Boomiyai vendru aalum
Kaalangal pona podhum
Vaanathai pola vaazhum
Idhu maaraadhu maraiyaadhu
Anbae ae… ae… ae…
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Poonguyilae painthamizhae
En uyirae nee thaan
Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Male :Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu
Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu
Aa... aaha
Male: Haha haa aaa aa
Female: Hahahaa aa aa
Male: Ha aaha aa ha
Female: Ha aaha aa ha
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
O sweet cuckoo, my sweet Tamil,
you are my very life!
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
I am the child of Kamban (the legendary Tamil poet),
I came to sing an epic poem.
All along the banks of the river Kaveri,
I stood searching for your footprints.
Searching for the poet,
I came to listen to your poetry.
Across the sky and all over the earth,
the song being sung will be heard.
Soul will unite with soul,
for a thousand years to come.
From now on, how could we ever be parted?
My love...
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
O sweet cuckoo, my sweet Tamil,
you are my very life!
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
Through thousands of ages,
it is the song of love that lives on.
In the song of Lord Krishna,
what we hear is the sacred scripture of love.
How could there ever be any parting
when we sing together as one?
A love as grand as an epic
will conquer and rule the earth.
Even as time passes away,
it will endure like the boundless sky.
This will never change, it will never fade.
My love...
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
O sweet cuckoo, my sweet Tamil,
you are my very life!
How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
Male: How can I exist without seeing you?
Is there a single day I do not think of you?
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Unnai Kaanaamal Naan Yedhu is a melodious romantic song from the 1990 film Kavithai Paadum Alaigal, with lyrics by Gangai Amaran. The song expresses deep, eternal love, equating the beloved to life itself and comparing affection to classical Tamil poetry and music. The lovers declare that their existence has no meaning without each other and that their bond is as enduring as the sky.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Monai (Initial Rhyme)

“Unnai kaanaamal naan yedhu / Unnai ennaadha naal yedhu”

Repetition of initial words in consecutive refrain lines, creating a hypnotic and lyrical cadence.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Poonguyilae painthamizhae”

Directly addressing the beloved as a singing bird (Poonguyil) and sweet Tamil language (Painthamizh).

Simile (Upamai)

“Vaanathai pola vaazhum”

Comparing the eternal life of true love to the vast, unchanging sky using 'pola' (like).

Alliteration (Consonance)

“Kambanin pillai naan / Kaaviyam paada vandhen / Kaaviri karai ellaam”

Rhythmic repetition of the 'Ka' sound across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kavithai Paadum Alaigal (1990) features lyrics written by Gangai Amaran, who frequently infused classical Tamil literary references like poet Kambar and the Kaveri river into romantic tracks to give them a poetic, evergreen feel.

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