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En Uyir Kannamma album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Yaarai Keattu

From En Uyir Kannamma · 1988

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
En Uyir Kannamma
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
26 May 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Megam serndhadhu
Yaarai kettu thendral
Poovai serndhadhu
Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai
Yaar thaan solvadho
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Megam serndhadhu
Yaarai kettu thendral
Poovai serndhadhu
Nenjodu thoongi pona
Aasaigal osaigal
Inneram kann vizhithu
Paakkudho thaakkudho
Panjodu theeyai kondu
Pakkam vaithaan devanae
Ondrodu ondraai serndhu
Ondri pogum jeevanae
Meeraadho kaaval aaraadho aaval
Tholodu thol naan serum naal thaan
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Megam serndhadhu
Yaarai kettu thendral
Poovai serndhadhu
Kaiyaalae kaatrai pidikka
Aagumo adangumo
Neiyaalae neruppai anaikka
Kudumaa kulirumaa
Ammaadi aasai vegam
Aanai pottaal ketkumaa
Aan vaadai veesum podhu
Acham naanam paarkkumaa
Un maeni kaaya paai pottu saaya
Pottaanoo sollu kaaman baanam
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Megam serndhadhu
Yaarai kettu thendral
Poovai serndhadhu
Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai
Yaar thaan solvadho
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Megam serndhadhu
Yaarai kettu thendral
Poovai serndhadhu
Whose permission did water ask
to join the clouds?
Whose permission did the breeze ask
to touch the flower?
The good and bad of a shared life,
who can ever tell?
Whose permission did water ask
to join the clouds?
Whose permission did the breeze ask
to touch the flower?
Having fallen asleep within the heart,
the desires and whispers,
waking up at this hour,
are they watching, are they striking?
Bringing fire close to cotton,
God placed them side by side.
Melting into one another,
two lives merge as one.
Won't restraints break? Won't this longing be soothed,
on the day my shoulder joins yours?
Whose permission did water ask
to join the clouds?
Whose permission did the breeze ask
to touch the flower?
Can you catch the wind with your bare hands?
Is it possible? Can it be contained?
Putting out a fire with ghee,
can that work? Will it ever cool down?
Oh my, this rushing surge of desire,
will it listen if you give an order?
When the scent of a man is in the air,
do fear and shyness still matter?
To make your body burn and lie upon the mat,
tell me, did Kama (god of love) shoot his arrow?
Whose permission did water ask
to join the clouds?
Whose permission did the breeze ask
to touch the flower?
The good and bad of a shared life,
who can ever tell?
Whose permission did water ask
to join the clouds?
Whose permission did the breeze ask
to touch the flower?
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song expresses the natural, spontaneous, and uninhibited nature of love and human longing. By comparing human attraction to natural phenomena—such as water merging with clouds or a gentle breeze nestling into a flower—it highlights that love does not seek permission or follow artificial rules; it simply happens as part of natural destiny.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

“Panjodu theeyai kondu pakkam vaithaan devanae”

Compares bringing two lovers together to placing cotton near fire, illustrating the natural and explosive force of attraction.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

“Kaiyaalae kaatrai pidikka / Neiyaalae neruppai anaikka”

The second consonant 'y' ('i') in 'Kaiyaalae' and 'Neiyaalae' matches across lines.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“Aagumo adangumo / Kudumaa kulirumaa”

The lines end with rhyming questioning suffixes ('-mo' and '-maa').

Rhetorical Question

“Aan vaadai veesum podhu acham naanam paarkkumaa”

Asks whether traditional bashfulness and fear can stop the powerful surge of physical and emotional attraction when a lover is near.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Idhazh Mottu Virindhida1962
Bandha PasamLongingAttraction
Naadu Athai Naadu1966
NadodiProudPassionate
Enakkoru Magan1965
Panam PadaithavanProud
Azhagana Vazhai Marathottam1963
Dharmam Thalai KaakkumNatureProud
Veera Thamizhan2018
7 UP Madras GigNatureProud
Thamizh Engal Uyiranathu1964
PoompuharProudPassionate

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