Yaarai Keattu
From En Uyir Kannamma · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- En Uyir Kannamma1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Yaarai kettu neer thaan | Asking whose permission did the water |
| Megam serndhadhu | Join the cloud? |
| Yaarai kettu thendral | Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze |
| Poovai serndhadhu | Join the flower? |
| Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai | Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting? |
| Yaar thaan solvadho | Who can really say? |
| Female | |
| Yaarai kettu neer thaan | Asking whose permission did the water |
| Megam serndhadhu | Join the cloud? |
| Yaarai kettu thendral | Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze |
| Poovai serndhadhu | Join the flower? |
| Female | |
| Nenjodu thoongi pona | The desires that slept deep within the heart, |
| Aasaigal osaigal | The desires and the sounds, |
| Inneram kann vizhithu | Are they waking up at this very moment, |
| Paakkudho thaakkudho | Are they watching, or are they attacking? |
| Female | |
| Panjodu theeyai kondu | Placing fire right next to cotton, |
| Pakkam vaithaan devanae | God placed them side by side. |
| Ondrodu ondraai serndhu | Merging one into another, |
| Ondri pogum jeevanae | Oh life that becomes unified as one! |
| Meeraadho kaaval aaraadho aaval | Will protection not be breached? Will passion not subside? |
| Tholodu thol naan serum naal thaan | On the day I join you shoulder to shoulder! |
| Female | |
| Yaarai kettu neer thaan | Asking whose permission did the water |
| Megam serndhadhu | Join the cloud? |
| Yaarai kettu thendral | Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze |
| Poovai serndhadhu | Join the flower? |
| Female | |
| Kaiyaalae kaatrai pidikka | Trying to catch the wind with bare hands— |
| Aagumo adangumo | Is it possible? Will it be contained? |
| Neiyaalae neruppai anaikka | Trying to extinguish a fire with ghee— |
| Kudumaa kulirumaa | Is it possible? Will it cool down? |
| Female | |
| Ammaadi aasai vegam | Oh my, the sheer speed of desire, |
| Aanai pottaal ketkumaa | Will it listen if an order is given? |
| Aan vaadai veesum podhu | When the fragrance of a man wafts over, |
| Acham naanam paarkkumaa | Will fear and shyness stand in the way? |
| Un maeni kaaya paai pottu saaya | To warm your body as you lie on a mat, |
| Pottaanoo sollu kaaman baanam | Tell me, did Kamadeva shoot his arrow? |
| Female | |
| Yaarai kettu neer thaan | Asking whose permission did the water |
| Megam serndhadhu | Join the cloud? |
| Yaarai kettu thendral | Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze |
| Poovai serndhadhu | Join the flower? |
| Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai | Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting? |
| Yaar thaan solvadho | Who can really say? |
| Female | |
| Yaarai kettu neer thaan | Asking whose permission did the water |
| Megam serndhadhu | Join the cloud? |
| Yaarai kettu thendral | Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze |
| Poovai serndhadhu | Join the flower? |
யாரைக் கேட்டு நீர்தான்
மேகம் சேர்ந்தது
யாரைக் கேட்டு தென்றல்
பூவைச் சேர்ந்தது
சேரும் வாழ்வின் நன்மை தீமை
யார்தான் சொல்வதோ
Asking whose permission did the water
Join the cloud?
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Join the flower?
Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting?
Who can really say?
யாரைக் கேட்டு நீர்தான்
மேகம் சேர்ந்தது
யாரைக் கேட்டு தென்றல்
பூவைச் சேர்ந்தது
Asking whose permission did the water
Join the cloud?
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Join the flower?
நெஞ்சோடு தூங்கிப்போன
ஆசைகள் ஓசைகள்
இந்நேரம் கண் விழித்து
பாக்குதோ பாக்குதோ
The desires that slept deep within the heart,
The desires and the sounds,
Are they waking up at this very moment,
Are they watching, or are they attacking?
பஞ்சோடு தீயைக் கொண்டு
பக்கம் வைத்தான் தேவனே
ஒன்றோடு ஒன்றாய்ச் சேர்ந்து
ஒன்றிப் போகும் ஜீவனே
மீறாதோ காவல் ஆறாதோ ஆவல்
தோளோடு தோள் நான் சேரும் நாள்தான்
Placing fire right next to cotton,
God placed them side by side.
Merging one into another,
Oh life that becomes unified as one!
Will protection not be breached? Will passion not subside?
On the day I join you shoulder to shoulder!
யாரைக் கேட்டு நீர்தான்
மேகம் சேர்ந்தது
யாரைக் கேட்டு தென்றல்
பூவைச் சேர்ந்தது
Asking whose permission did the water
Join the cloud?
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Join the flower?
கையாலே காற்றைப் பிடிக்க
ஆகுமோ அடங்குமோ
நெய்யாலே நெருப்பை அணைக்கக்
கூடுமா குளிருமா
Trying to catch the wind with bare hands—
Is it possible? Will it be contained?
Trying to extinguish a fire with ghee—
Is it possible? Will it cool down?
அம்மாடி ஆசை வேகம்
அணை போட்டால் கேட்குமா
ஆண் வாடை வீசும் போது
அச்சம் நாணம் பார்க்குமா
உன் மேனி காய
பாய் போட்டு சாய
போட்டானோ சொல்லு காமன் பாணம்
Oh my, the sheer speed of desire,
Will it listen if an order is given?
When the fragrance of a man wafts over,
Will fear and shyness stand in the way?
To warm your body as you lie on a mat,
Tell me, did Kamadeva shoot his arrow?
யாரைக் கேட்டு நீர்தான்
மேகம் சேர்ந்தது
யாரைக் கேட்டு தென்றல்
பூவைச் சேர்ந்தது
சேரும் வாழ்வின் நன்மை தீமை
யார்தான் சொல்வதோ
Asking whose permission did the water
Join the cloud?
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Join the flower?
Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting?
Who can really say?
யாரைக் கேட்டு நீர்தான்
மேகம் சேர்ந்தது
யாரைக் கேட்டு தென்றல்
பூவைச் சேர்ந்தது
Asking whose permission did the water
Join the cloud?
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Join the flower?
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Asking whose permission did the water
Megam serndhadhu
Join the cloud?
Yaarai kettu thendral
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Poovai serndhadhu
Join the flower?
Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai
Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting?
Yaar thaan solvadho
Who can really say?
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Asking whose permission did the water
Megam serndhadhu
Join the cloud?
Yaarai kettu thendral
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Poovai serndhadhu
Join the flower?
Nenjodu thoongi pona
The desires that slept deep within the heart,
Aasaigal osaigal
The desires and the sounds,
Inneram kann vizhithu
Are they waking up at this very moment,
Paakkudho thaakkudho
Are they watching, or are they attacking?
Panjodu theeyai kondu
Placing fire right next to cotton,
Pakkam vaithaan devanae
God placed them side by side.
Ondrodu ondraai serndhu
Merging one into another,
Ondri pogum jeevanae
Oh life that becomes unified as one!
Meeraadho kaaval aaraadho aaval
Will protection not be breached? Will passion not subside?
Tholodu thol naan serum naal thaan
On the day I join you shoulder to shoulder!
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Asking whose permission did the water
Megam serndhadhu
Join the cloud?
Yaarai kettu thendral
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Poovai serndhadhu
Join the flower?
Kaiyaalae kaatrai pidikka
Trying to catch the wind with bare hands—
Aagumo adangumo
Is it possible? Will it be contained?
Neiyaalae neruppai anaikka
Trying to extinguish a fire with ghee—
Kudumaa kulirumaa
Is it possible? Will it cool down?
Ammaadi aasai vegam
Oh my, the sheer speed of desire,
Aanai pottaal ketkumaa
Will it listen if an order is given?
Aan vaadai veesum podhu
When the fragrance of a man wafts over,
Acham naanam paarkkumaa
Will fear and shyness stand in the way?
Un maeni kaaya paai pottu saaya
To warm your body as you lie on a mat,
Pottaanoo sollu kaaman baanam
Tell me, did Kamadeva shoot his arrow?
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Asking whose permission did the water
Megam serndhadhu
Join the cloud?
Yaarai kettu thendral
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Poovai serndhadhu
Join the flower?
Serum vaazhvin nanmai theemai
Who can tell what good or evil comes from lives uniting?
Yaar thaan solvadho
Who can really say?
Yaarai kettu neer thaan
Asking whose permission did the water
Megam serndhadhu
Join the cloud?
Yaarai kettu thendral
Asking whose permission did the gentle breeze
Poovai serndhadhu
Join the flower?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the composer and singers were listed as unknown in the prompt context, the music for 'En Uyir Kannamma' (1988) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Vaali. The film was directed by Sivachandran and starred Prabhu and Radhika in lead roles.
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