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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unnoduthaan Kanaavile Sad

From Kondattam · 1998

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singers
Maragathamani, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Maragathamani
Details
Kondattam1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidappenMy consciousness lies swooning
Female
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidappenMy consciousness lies swooning
Male
Nee indri naanaaAm I myself without you?
Neer indri meenaaIs a fish alive without water?
Uyirum urugudhu vaa…aaa…My soul melts away, come...
Oru veesaatha kaatruHere is a wind that does not blow
Arangaeraadha paattu idhoHere is a song that has not premiered
Male
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidandhenMy consciousness lay swooning
Chorus
Haa..aaa…aaa…Ah... ah... ah...
Haa….aaa….aaa……….Ah... ah... ah...
Male
Kelvi andru vidai veru indruThe question was then, but the answer is different today
Kannil kanneer ulaaA procession of tears in the eyes
Female :Poovilum neeFemale: You are softer than a flower
Sudum thee enbathaalYet because you are a burning fire
Engae sendraai nilaaWhere did you go, oh moon?
Male
Manadhil veesum puyalaiEnjoying the storm blowing in the mind
Rasiththu vaazhum mazhalaiLike an innocent child living through it
Female :Enadhu kaadhal kobamFemale: My romantic anger
Thiriyai maatrum deebamIs like a lamp that changes its wick
Male :Adi naanae seidhen paavamMale: Oh, I committed a sin myself
Female
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidappenMy consciousness lies swooning
Nee indri vaazhvenI shall live without you
Un ninaivaalae theivenYet I will erode away by your memories
Irandu manam enadhu…uuMy heart is split into two...
Oru veesaatha kaatruA wind that does not blow
Arangaeraadha paattu idhoHere is a song that has not premiered
Female
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidappenMy consciousness lies swooning
Chorus
Haa..aaa…aaa…Ah... ah... ah...
Haa….aaa….aaa……….Ah... ah... ah...
Female
Sogam ennum sudum megathukkulInside the hot cloud named sorrow
Orae nilaa idhooHere is the lonely moon
Male :Vaedhanaiyai vizhaa nadathumMale: Celebrating pain like a festival
Endhan nenjam adhoLook at my heart doing that over there
Female
Marakka thaanae paarthenI tried to forget you
Ninaivai meendum korthenYet I wove memories back together
Male :Malarnthum vaazhum poovaeMale: Oh flower that lives even after blooming
Madindhu vaazhgindraaiyaeAre you living while slowly dying?
Female :Idhu naanae yetriya theeyaeFemale: This is the fire ignited by myself
Male
Unnodu thaan kanaavilaeOnly with you in dreams
Ninaivu mayangi kidandhenMy consciousness lay swooning
Female :Nee indri vaazhvenFemale: I shall live without you
Un ninaivaalae theivenYet I will erode away by your memories
Irandu manam enadhu…uuMy heart is split into two...
Male :Oru veesaatha kaatruMale: A wind that does not blow
Arangaeraadha paattuA song that has not premiered
Female :Idho……………………Female: Here it is...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Unnodu Thaan Kanaavilae is a melancholic romantic duet expressing intense longing, emotional distress, and grief caused by separation. The protagonists reflect on their deep soul connection and describe how living apart leaves them feeling as helpless as a fish out of water or an unperformed song waiting for an audience. They grapple with the regret of self-inflicted wounds and broken expectations while acknowledging that memories of each other continue to linger. Rich in poetic metaphors of hot clouds, unblown winds, burning fires, and fading flowers, the song explores the paradox of trying to forget someone while simultaneously clinging to their memory. Despite the pain and split state of their hearts, their love remains eternal and unshakeable.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Analogy / Metaphor (உவமை / உருவகம்)

Nee indri naanaa / Neer indri meenaa

Compares living without the beloved to a fish living without water.

Metaphor (உருவகம்)

Sogam ennum sudum megathukkul

Describes sorrow as a burning or scorching cloud ('sudum megam').

Imagery / Symbolism (முரண் உவமை)

Oru veesaatha kaatru / Arangaeraadha paattu idho

Uses contrasting images of wind that doesn't blow and a song that never premiered to represent unexpressed love and stifled emotions.

Rhyme / Monai & Edhugai (மோனை / எதுகை)

Marakka thaanae paarthen / Ninaivai meendum korthen

Consonance and rhythmic internal rhyming with 'Marakka' and 'Ninaivai' along with matching end rhymes.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kondattam (1998) is a Tamil family drama film directed by K. S. Ravikumar starring Arjun and Kausalya. The music for the film was composed by the renowned maestro Maragathamani (M. M. Keeravani), featuring soulful orchestration and emotionally rich vocal performances.

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