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Sangamam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Varaha Nadhikarai

From Sangamam · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Sangamam
Movie release year
1999
Lyrics added on
9 Jan 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oohhh..oohhhhhhhahhhhhh….aahhhhh..
Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum
Kaanaadha un uruvam kannukkulla inikkum
{Varaaga nadhikkarai oram orae oru paarvai paarthen
Puraavae nillunu sonnen kanaavaai odi maranja} (2)
: {Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum
Kaanaadha un uruvam kannukkulla inikkum} (2)
Kannu dhakku dhakku dhakkungudhu…oaoaoa
Ullam dhikku dhikku dhikkungudhu…oaoaoa
Nenju jallu jallu jallungudhu…oaoaoa
Sollu sollu sollu sollungudhu
Varaaga nadhikkarai oram orae oru paarvai paarthen
Puraavae nillunu sonnen kanaavaai odi maranja…ahhhh
Panjavarnakkili nee parandha pinnaalum anju varnam nenjil irukku
Panjavarnakkili nee parandha pinnaalum anju varnam nenjil irukku
Parandhuvandhu…mmmmm…virundhu kodu…mmmmm
Manasukkulla chadugudu chadugudu
Mayakkuthukku marundhonnu kudu kudu
Oaoaoa kaaverikaraiyil maramaai irundhaal verukku yogamadi
En kai rendum dhaavani aanaal kaadhal pazhukkumadi
Kannu dhakku dhakku dhakkungudhu…oaoaoa
Ullam dhikku dhikku dhikkungudhu…oaoaoa
Nenju jallu jallu jallungudhu…oaoaoa
Sollu sollu sollu sollungudhu
Varaaga nadhikkarai oram orae oru paarvai paarthen
Puraavae nillunu sonnen kanaavaai odi maranja…ahhhh
Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum
Kaanaadha un uruvam kannukkulla inikkum
Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum
Kaanaadha un uruvam kannukkulla inikkum
Nee enna kadandhu pogayilae un nizhala pidichukitten
Nee enna kadandhu pogayilae un nizhala pidichukitten
Nizhalukkulla…mmmmm…kudi irukken…mmmmm
Odambavittu usir mattum thalli nikka
Kizhinja nenja edhakkondu naanum thaikka
Oaoaoa otha vizhippaarvai ooduruva paarthu thaappaa therichiduchu
Thaappaa therichiduchu
Ehhh..kannu dhakku dhakku dhakkungudhu…oaoaoa
Ullam dhikku dhikku dhikkungudhu…oaoaoa
Nenju jallu jallu jallungudhu…oaoaoa
Sollu sollu sollu sollungudhu
{Varaaga nadhikkarai oram orae oru paarvai paarthen
Puraavae nillunu sonnen kanaavaai odi maranja..} (2)
{Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum
Kaanaadha un uruvam kannukkulla inikkum} (2)
Male :Thaanaa thandhanaana thaananaana (4)
Ooh... ooh... aah... aah...
Everything my eyes see hurts me, my darling,
But your form, though unseen, is sweet inside my eyes.
By the banks of the Varaha river, I caught a single glance of you;
I called out, "Dove, please stop!" but you vanished like a dream.
Everything my eyes see hurts me, my darling,
But your form, though unseen, is sweet inside my eyes.
My eyes are fluttering nervously... oh oh oh...
My heart is pounding with thrill... oh oh oh...
A sudden shiver runs through my chest... oh oh oh...
It keeps urging me to speak up, to say it out loud!
By the banks of the Varaha river, I caught a single glance of you;
I called out, "Dove, please stop!" but you vanished like a dream... aah!
Five-coloured parrot, even after you flew away, all five colours remain in my heart.
Five-coloured parrot, even after you flew away, all five colours remain in my heart.
Fly back to me... mmm... and treat me to your presence... mmm...
Inside my heart, a frantic game of tag is playing out;
Give me a cure, give it to me, for this dizzy longing!
Oh oh oh, if I were a tree on the Cauvery riverbank, my roots would be blessed;
If my two hands became your scarf (dhavani), our love would ripen into bloom!
My eyes are fluttering nervously... oh oh oh...
My heart is pounding with thrill... oh oh oh...
A sudden shiver runs through my chest... oh oh oh...
It keeps urging me to speak up, to say it out loud!
By the banks of the Varaha river, I caught a single glance of you;
I called out, "Dove, please stop!" but you vanished like a dream... aah!
Everything my eyes see hurts me, my darling,
But your form, though unseen, is sweet inside my eyes.
Everything my eyes see hurts me, my darling,
But your form, though unseen, is sweet inside my eyes.
As you walked past me, I caught hold of your shadow;
As you walked past me, I caught hold of your shadow;
Inside that shadow... mmm... I have made my home... mmm...
When my soul stands detached and apart from my body,
With what can I ever mend my torn heart?
Oh oh oh, a single piercing look from your eyes saw right through me, and the latch on my heart burst open!
The latch burst wide open!
Hey... my eyes are fluttering nervously... oh oh oh...
My heart is pounding with thrill... oh oh oh...
A sudden shiver runs through my chest... oh oh oh...
It keeps urging me to speak up, to say it out loud!
By the banks of the Varaha river, I caught a single glance of you;
I called out, "Dove, please stop!" but you vanished like a dream.
Everything my eyes see hurts me, my darling,
But your form, though unseen, is sweet inside my eyes.
Chorus: Thaana thanthananaa thaanananaa
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Varaaga Nadhikkarai Oram from the film Sangamam (1999) expresses the deep longing and heartache born from love at first sight. The protagonist reminisces about catching a fleeting glimpse of his beloved on the banks of the Varaha River, after which she vanished like a dream. Post that encounter, all other worldly visual sights irritate his eyes, while her unseen form sweetens his internal vision. Through vivid imagery—comparing her to a five-colored parrot, describing the inner turmoil as a game of kabaddi, and imagining catching her shadow—the song captures the intense visceral reaction to sudden love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia / Irattai Klavi (இரட்டைக் கிளவி)

Kannu dhakku dhakku dhakkungudhu…oaoaoa

Use of sound words like 'dhakku dhakku', 'dhikku dhikku', and 'jallu jallu' to rhythmically represent bodily sensations of excitement and anxiety.

Metaphor / Uruvagam (உருவகம்)

Panjavarnakkili nee parandha pinnaalum anju varnam nenjil irukku

Comparing the beloved to a 'Panjavarnakkili' (five-colored parrot) whose vibrant colors remain imprinted on his heart even after her departure.

Hyperbole / Uyarvu Navirchi (உயர்வு நவிற்சி)

Nee enna kadandhu pogayilae un nizhala pidichukitten / Nizhalukkulla... kudi irukken

An exaggerated expression of devotion where the lover claims to physically catch her shadow and reside inside it.

Monai / Initial Rhyme (மோனை)

Kannil varum kaatchiyellaam kanmaniyae uruthum

Repetition of the 'Ka' initial consonant sound across words ('Kannil', 'kaatchiyellaam', 'kanmaniyae') creating melodic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Sangamam (1999) featured a soundtrack composed by A. R. Rahman, which earned him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director. Sung by Unni Menon and Sujatha Mohan, the song blends folk rhythms with Carnatic nuances, reflecting the movie's central theme of classical versus folk dance traditions.

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