Kannamavin Kadal

Kannamavin Kadal
By
Mahakavi Bharathiar

Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

Ragam Desh
Talam Aadhi

1.Kattru veliyidai Kannamma –Ninthan,
Kadhalai yenni kalikkindren-Amu
THattinai otha idazhgalum-Nila
Voori thathumbum vizhigalum –Pathu
Mathu ponnotha nin meniyum –indha,
Vaiyathil yanulla mattilum-Yenai,
Vethu ninaivindri thethiye –Ingor,
Vinnavanaaga puriyume-Indha

2.Nee yenathu uyir kannamma-Yendha,
Neramum ninthanai pothuven-thuyar,
Poyina, poyina thunbangal ninaip-,
Ponnenna konda pozhuthile-Uyir,
THeeyinile valar jothiye, yenthan,
Chinthanaye yenthan chithame-Indha

English translation

1.In the open air space of this world, my Kannamma*,
I enter in to rapture thinking of your love,
Your cheeks which are like the spring of nectar,
Your moon light drenched eyes that blink,
Your body which is of the purest gold,
Would make me think of nothing else,
As long as I live in this world,
And make me a heavenly being,
Even as I live in this world here, Kannamma.

2,You are my entire soul, my Kannamma,
And I would praise you always and at all times,
For sorrow vanished, vanished the pain filled life,
As soon as I thought that you were gold,
And when I repeated your name darling,
My mouth was drenched with nectar,
Oh flame which grows in the fire of my life,
On my mind, Oh my thought,
In this open air space of the world, Kannamma
I enter in to rapture thinking of your love.

*sweet heart/darling mine. It would read better if “darling “replaces “Kannamma. But the nostalgia it evokes in a reader from Tamil Nadu would be lost. Most people believe that the poet is singing to Lord Krishna (Kannan) and imagine him as his sweet heart.