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Pongi Varum Kaveri album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Velli Kolusu Mani

From Pongi Varum Kaveri · 1989

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Arun Mozhi, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Pongi Varum Kaveri
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
21 Mar 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{ Velli kolusu mani
Velaana kannu mani } (2)
{ Solli izhuthadhenna
Thoongaama senjadhenna } (2)
Paadaatha raagam solli
Paatu padichadhenna
Koodaama kooda vechu
Sethadhenna
Velli kolusu mani
Velaana kannu mani
Solli izhuthadhenna
Thoongaama senjadhenna
Thulli kudhikum
Ponni nadhi thaan
Mella mella vandhu anaikum
Manja kulikum vanji manasa
Konji konji aravanaikum
Ponni nadhi polae
Naanum unna pothi pothi
Edukatumaa kannu vazhi
Pesum chinna ponna
Katti katti kodukatumaa
Kaathu kaathu naanum
Poothu poothu ponen
Serndhu paadum podhu
Theril yeralaanen
Un perai solli paadi vecha
Oorudhamma thaenae
Velli kolusu mani
Velaana kannu mani
Solli izhuthadhenna
Thoongaama senjadhenna
Paadaatha raagam solli
Paatu padichadhenna
Koodaama kooda
Vechu sethadhenna
Kanna thorandhen nenjil vizhundha
Ullukulla inba sugam thaan
Ennam muzhudhum pongi vazhiyum
Vaanginadhu nalla varam thaan
Kanna thorakaama moodi kiten
Nenjil vachu adaichu puten
Pootu onna potu pooti puten
Saaviya thaan tholaichu puten
Ulla poyi nee thaan
Paadugindra paatu
Mezhugu polae naanum
Urugi ponen ketu
Kaalamellaam kettida thaan
Kaathuruken paathu
{ Velli kolusu mani
Velaana kannu mani } (2)
Solli izhuthadhenna
Thoongaama senjadhenna
Paadaatha raagam solli
Paatu padichadhenna
Koodaama kooda vechu
Sethadhenna
Velli kolusu mani
Velaana kannu mani
Solli izhuthadhenna
Thoongaama senjadhenna
Little bell on the silver anklet,
precious apple of my eye!
Why did you call out and draw me close?
Why did you keep me awake all night?
Teaching me an unsung tune,
why did you sing this song?
Bringing us together,
why did you unite our hearts?
Little bell on the silver anklet,
precious apple of my eye!
Why did you call out and draw me close?
Why did you keep me awake all night?
Leaping and dancing with joy,
the Ponni (Kaveri) river flows,
gently coming to embrace.
The heart of the girl bathed in turmeric,
it caresses and holds with sweet affection.
Just like that Ponni river,
should I tenderly cradle you
and hold you close? The sweet girl
who speaks through her lovely eyes,
should I wrap you in warm embraces?
Waiting and waiting for you,
I blossomed like a flower.
When we sing together,
I feel like I am riding a festive chariot.
When I sing with your name on my lips,
honey overflows, my sweet!
Little bell on the silver anklet,
precious apple of my eye!
Why did you call out and draw me close?
Why did you keep me awake all night?
Teaching me an unsung tune,
why did you sing this song?
Bringing us close together,
why did you unite our hearts?
I opened my eyes, and you fell into my heart;
deep inside, there is only pure joy.
All my thoughts overflow with happiness;
what I received is truly a blessed boon.
I kept my eyes closed tight,
and locked you safely in my heart.
I put a lock on it and locked it shut,
and then I lost the key!
Going deep inside my soul,
the song that you sing,
has made me melt just like wax
as I listen to your voice.
To keep hearing it all my life,
I am waiting, watching over you.
Little bell on the silver anklet,
precious apple of my eye!
Why did you call out and draw me close?
Why did you keep me awake all night?
Teaching me an unsung tune,
why did you sing this song?
Bringing us together,
why did you unite our hearts?
Little bell on the silver anklet,
precious apple of my eye!
Why did you call out and draw me close?
Why did you keep me awake all night?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Velli kolusu mani is a deeply romantic song from the film Pongi Varum Kaveri (1989), penned by Gangai Amaran. The lyrics express the sweet torment, ecstasy, and total surrender experienced in romantic love. The protagonist describes how the beloved's alluring spear-like eyes and sweet talk have stolen sleep away, filling the heart with an overflowing sense of delight that feels like a divine blessing. Rich in poetic imagery, the song compares love to the gentle, caressing flow of the River Kaveri (Ponni) embracing the land. The speaker poetically describes locking the lover inside the heart and throwing away the key, and melting like wax upon hearing the beloved's voice, expressing a desire to listen to this eternal song of love for a lifetime.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

“Mezhugu polae naanum urugi ponen ketu”

Compares the speaker melting emotionally to wax melting under heat when hearing the lover's song.

Extended Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Pootu onna potu pooti puten saaviya thaan tholaichu puten”

Metaphorically describes securing love inside the heart by locking it up and losing the key.

Reiteration / Anaphora (Adukku Thodar)

“Mella mella vandhu anaikum”

Repetition of words like 'mella mella', 'konji konji', and 'pothi pothi' to emphasize gentleness and affection.

Initial Rhyme (Monai)

“Velli kolusu mani / Velaana kannu mani”

Matching starting sounds in adjacent lines ('Velli' / 'Velaana').

Did you know?

Trivia

Pongi Varum Kaveri (1989) is a rural Tamil drama film. Lyricist Gangai Amaran frequently drew upon traditional folk elements and natural imagery—specifically the River Kaveri (Ponni)—to evoke deep cultural resonance in romantic songs.

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