Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vanam Engal Ellai

From Kanmaniye Pesu · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chitra
Music director
Raveendran
Details
Kanmaniye Pesu1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………....
Male
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Female :EllaiFemale: Boundary
Male :Oorenna perennaMale: What is hometown, what is name?
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Female :PillaiFemale: Children
Male
Engaeyum engaeyumEverywhere, everywhere
SanthosamHappiness
Female :SanthosamFemale: Happiness
Male :Ullaththil inikkiraMale: Sweetening the heart
UllaasamJoyful celebration
Female :UllaasamFemale: Joyful celebration
Male
Kalloori paravaigal naamWe are college birds
Achchamenna vetkkamennaWhat fear? What shyness?
Michchamenna meedhamennaWhat remains? What is left behind?
Female
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Male :EllaiMale: Boundary
Female :Oorenna perennaFemale: What is hometown, what is name?
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Male :PillaiMale: Children
Female
Engaeyum engaeyumEverywhere, everywhere
SanthosamHappiness
Male :SanthosamMale: Happiness
Female :Ullaththil inikkiraFemale: Sweetening the heart
UllaasamJoyful celebration
Male :UllaasamMale: Joyful celebration
Female
Kalloori paravaigal naamWe are college birds
Achchamenna vetkkamennaWhat fear? What shyness?
Michchamenna meedhamennaWhat remains? What is left behind?
Chorus
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Ellai ellai ellai ellai ellaiBoundary, boundary, boundary, boundary, boundary
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Pillai pillai pillai pillai pillaiChildren, children, children, children, children
Male
Maanguyil polavae ellorum maaralaamEveryone can transform like a cuckoo bird
Female :Maalaiyil solaiyil saneetham paadalaamFemale: In the evening grove, we can sing melodies
Male :Kelunammaa namma kuralaiMale: Listen to our voice, madam
Female :Thoththu pogum keni thavalaFemale: Even a well frog would lose to it
Male
Saareeraththil enna korachchalWhat deficiency is there in vocal tune?
Female :Solla ponaa rompa eraichchalFemale: Honestly speaking, it is very noisy
Male :Paattu padikka kaththu tharanumMale: Someone needs to teach us to sing songs
Female :Velai adhukku oththu varanumFemale: Work schedule must agree with that
Male :Neram ippo nallaa irukkuMale: Time is good right now
Chorus
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Ellai ellai ellai ellai ellaiBoundary, boundary, boundary, boundary, boundary
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Pillai pillai pillai pillai pillaiChildren, children, children, children, children
Chorus
……………....
Female
Maanavan maanavi kalloori naatgalilMale student and female student in college days
Male :Naayagan naayagi kalyaana medaiyilMale: Hero and heroine on the wedding stage
Female :Yaarukkendru yaarai solvathoFemale: Who is meant for whom, how to tell?
Naanam vittu perai solvathoShould one cast away shame and utter the name?
Male
Yaaru nenjam yaarin pakkamoWhose heart leans towards whom?
Sollungammaa enna vekkamoTell us, ladies, why the hesitation?
Female :Kannil irukku kadhal kavithaiFemale: Love poetry resides in the eyes
Male :Alli kondathu entha manathaiMale: Which heart did it captivate?
Female :Yaaraal adhai solla mudiyumFemale: Who can say that?
Male
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Female :EllaiFemale: Boundary
Male :Oorenna perennaMale: What is hometown, what is name?
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Female :PillaiFemale: Children
Male
Engaeyum engaeyumEverywhere, everywhere
SanthosamHappiness
Female :SanthosamFemale: Happiness
Male :Ullaththil inikkiraMale: Sweetening the heart
UllaasamJoyful celebration
Female :UllaasamFemale: Joyful celebration
Male
Kalloori paravaigal naamWe are college birds
Achchamenna vetkkamennaWhat fear? What shyness?
Michchamenna meedhamennaWhat remains? What is left behind?
Chorus
Vaanam engal ellaiThe sky is our boundary
Ellai ellai ellai ellai ellaiBoundary, boundary, boundary, boundary, boundary
Raja veettu pillaiChildren of royal lineage
Pillai pillai pillai pillai pillaiChildren, children, children, children, children

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic song celebrates youth, freedom, and college life. The youth describe themselves as free birds whose boundaries reach as high as the sky itself, unbound by rigid identities, fear, or shyness. Through playful banter, the male and female voices tease each other about singing ability, romance, and future marriage, embracing the joy of the present moment.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kalloori paravaigal naam

Compares young college students directly to free-spirited birds.

Simile (Uvamai)

Maanguyil polavae ellorum maaralaam

Uses 'polavae' (like) to compare everyone's potential singing and transformation to sweet cuckoo birds.

Edhukai (Second letter rhyming)

Achchamenna vetkkamenna / Michchamenna meedhamenna

The second consonant sound 'ch' matches across adjacent words, creating rhythmic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a celebrated duet from the movie 'Kakki Sattai' (1985), composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali, capturing the lively dynamic of youth culture during the 1980s.

Keep listening

More from Kanmaniye Pesu