Kanavu Palan: dream meanings in Tamil tradition
Kanavu palan is the Tamil tradition of reading meanings into dreams. These pages follow two old printed books, the Kanavu Nool (Chennai, 1880; reprinted 1899) and the Kana Nool (Madura Tamil Sangam, 1903), in our own words; the two books do not always agree, and none of it is a prediction.
Source: Kanavu Nool (Chennai 1880, 1899) and Kana Nool (Madurai 1903), with verse and page numbers, in our own words
These are traditional beliefs from two old printed books, not predictions. The books sometimes give harsher readings than these, and we do not reproduce them. "Not favourable" here means only that tradition reads a minor setback.
- Good by traditionThe book reads wealth, well-being, a flourishing family or fame.
- MixedThe books give both a good and a not-favourable reading for the same scene.
- Not favourableTradition reads a minor setback, nothing more.
- The books differThe two books say opposite things.
The dreams people ask about most
The dreams in the books, in Tamil alphabetical order (55)
Only dreams that are in the old books are here, and we have not added any that are not. Beside each is the book, verse and page it comes from.
அ
- Jewellery Receiving it reads as fame and wealth; having it snatched away is not favourable 1903 v.18, p.5 · 1903 v.24, p.6 · 1880 v.31, p.8 · 1903 v.27, p.7
- Sweet cakes and snacks Sharing them in a drizzle reads well; eating appam on a bed reads as wealth 1880 v.31, p.8 · 1903 v.27, p.7
- Crying, laughing, dancing "Crying is good" is not in the book; the Kanavu Nool reads these as not favourable 1880 v.17, p.6
- Swan, peacock, crane, parrot Seeing them reads well 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.5, p.3 · 1903 v.7, p.4
ஆ
- Weapons, a sword A journey, and well-being 1880 v.14, p.5 · 1903 v.17, p.5
- River See →
இ
- Seeing a dead body Great wealth; the books have no line on a dead relative appearing 1903 v.8, p.4
எ
- Smearing oil or ghee on the body Seeing ghee is good; smearing oil or ghee on oneself is not favourable in both books 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.12, p.5 · 1903 v.14, p.5
- Riding a buffalo, donkey or camel The two books agree 1880 v.12, p.5 · 1903 v.15, p.5
- Ants Ants crawling over the body reads as comfort and well-being 1880 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.22, p.6
க
- The sea and a ship voyage Reaching the shore reads as well-being and wealth 1880 v.14, p.5 · 1903 v.16, p.5
- Gods and temples Seeing, climbing and a god speaking all read well 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.4, p.3 · 1880 v.5, p.3 · 1903 v.4, p.3 · 1903 v.21, p.6
- Rope Ringing land with a rope reads as ruling that land (Kana Nool); a rope round a town is not favourable (Kanavu Nool). They are different scenes 1880 v.12, p.5 · 1903 v.20, p.6
- Black cobra Seeing one is not favourable 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.19, p.6
- Vulture, jackal, pig Seeing them is not favourable 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.12, p.5 · 1880 v.19, p.6
- Black things The Kana Nool's rule: all of them except an elephant, horse, god or cow are not favourable 1903 v.23, p.6
- Crow Seeing one is not favourable; nothing on one entering the house 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.9, p.4 · 1880 v.19, p.6
- A well Pleasant to see 1880 v.1, p.2
- Umbrella and sandals A journey, and well-being 1880 v.14, p.5 · 1903 v.17, p.5
- Horse Seeing one reads as wealth and well-being 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1903 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.23, p.6
- Monkey Seeing and being bitten are not favourable 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.9, p.4 · 1880 v.27, p.7
- A child, a father Seeing them is good, and a few dreams carry the reading of children being born to you. A dream of a birth is not a separate scene in the books 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1903 v.5, p.3 · 1903 v.7, p.4
- A tower, flag, sun or hill falling Seeing them fall is not favourable 1880 v.6, p.3 · 1880 v.16, p.6
- Kovil See →
ச
- God See →
- A person in red clothes and a red garland The two books agree 1880 v.7, p.4 · 1903 v.11, p.4
- The sun and the moon Seeing them reads as wealth; holding them in the hand, by night or by day, as rulership 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1880 v.21, p.7 · 1903 v.9, p.4
- Mud Stepping into mud eases troubles (Kana Nool); being stuck in it is not favourable (Kanavu Nool) 1880 v.6, p.3 · 1903 v.26, p.6
த
- Water, rain and rivers Mostly good, but the books vary here 1880 v.8, p.4 · 1880 v.14, p.5 · 1880 v.26, p.7 · 1880 v.29, p.8 · 1903 v.16, p.5 · 1903 v.24, p.6 · 1903 v.26, p.6 · 1903 v.29, p.7
- Climbing a leafy tree Climbing a tamarind, mango or fig reads as well-being 1880 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.3, p.3
- One's own wedding Many assume it is good; the Kanavu Nool reads it as not favourable 1880 v.28, p.7
- Fire and lamps A burning fire is wealth (Kana Nool); one's own house on fire means a life that prospers, but flames closing in are not favourable (Kanavu Nool) 1880 v.6, p.3 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1880 v.24, p.7 · 1880 v.26, p.7 · 1903 v.21, p.6
- Fire catching See →
- Travelling south The Kanavu Nool treats a journey south as not favourable 1880 v.11, p.5 · 1880 v.13, p.5 · 1880 v.15, p.6
- Coconut, jaggery, mango, turmeric Receiving them reads as plenty 1880 v.25, p.7
- Chariot, palanquin, vehicle Riding reads as wealth 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.5, p.3 · 1903 v.8, p.4
- Scorpion, leech Stinging or settling on the body reads as a growing family and wealth 1880 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.5, p.3
ந
- Dog Seeing and being bitten are not favourable; nothing on being chased 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.9, p.4 · 1880 v.27, p.7
- A full pot, a conch Seeing them reads as plenty and fame 1880 v.25, p.7 · 1880 v.26, p.7
- Water See →
- Paddy and salt The Kanavu Nool reads them well; the Kana Nool v.18 line can be read either way, so we leave it out 1880 v.14, p.5
ப
- Cow and bull Seeing them reads as wealth and a flourishing family 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1903 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.4, p.3 · 1903 v.23, p.6
- A cow or bull falling Seeing them fall is not favourable 1880 v.30, p.8
- Cotton, buttermilk, sacred ash The Kanavu Nool reads them well in one verse and not in another; the Kana Nool as not favourable 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.29, p.8 · 1903 v.22, p.6
- Teeth Teeth falling is not favourable; the Kana Nool line is unclear 1880 v.6, p.3 · 1903 v.10, p.4
- Jackfruit, millet, varagu, sesame The Kanavu Nool reads them as not favourable; the Kana Nool (v.25) as contentment 1880 v.10, p.4 · 1903 v.25, p.6
- Snake: a white one, or a bite A bite on the right shoulder reads well in both books 1880 v.3, p.3 · 1880 v.23, p.7 · 1903 v.5, p.3
- Milk, curd, ghee Receiving them reads as well-being and contentment 1880 v.14, p.5 · 1903 v.18, p.5
- Begging Not favourable 1903 v.27, p.7
- Corpse See →
- Pumpkin, bottle gourd, bitter gourd The two books agree 1880 v.10, p.4 · 1903 v.27, p.7
- Ghosts and demons Seeing them is not favourable 1880 v.2, p.2 · 1880 v.9, p.4 · 1880 v.19, p.6
- Gold, silver, gems Seeing them reads as wealth 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1903 v.3, p.3
ம
- A person in yellow clothes Kanavu Nool: great wealth; Kana Nool: not favourable 1880 v.4, p.3 · 1903 v.11, p.4
- An elephant in rut Seeing one is not favourable 1880 v.2, p.2
- Climbing a wall or tree and falling Climbing is good; climbing and falling is not favourable 1880 v.4, p.3 · 1880 v.7, p.4 · 1903 v.28, p.7
- Touching or smearing filth An unpleasant scene, yet both books read it well 1880 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.4, p.3
- Flowers, lotus, trees Pleasant to see 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.26, p.7
- Hills and groves Seeing and climbing them read well 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1903 v.4, p.3 · 1903 v.6, p.3
- Rain See →
- Cow, bull, buffalo See →
ய
- Elephant Seeing and riding read well 1880 v.1, p.2 · 1880 v.5, p.3 · 1880 v.20, p.6 · 1903 v.3, p.3 · 1903 v.4, p.3 · 1903 v.23, p.6
வ
- White things, white clothes All white things except cotton, buttermilk, bone, ash and rice bring contentment (Kana Nool) 1880 v.24, p.7 · 1903 v.22, p.6
When a dream comes true, by the watch of the night
Both books divide the night into watches (yamam) and say when a dream comes true according to the watch it was seen in. A watch is about three hours of the night; that figure is not in the books, it is our explanation.
| Time of night | Kanavu Nool, 1880 | Kana Nool, 1903 |
|---|---|---|
| First watch | In 12 months | In a year |
| Second watch | In 6 months | In the 8th month |
| Third watch | In 3 months | In 3 months The two agree |
| Last watch | In a month and a half | In 10 days |
| Dawn | In 7 days | No separate line |
1880 v.32, p.8 · 1903 v.2, p.3
Both give the same shape: the later in the night, the sooner it comes. They agree only on the third watch. This is what the books say, not a promise.
And daytime dreams? Kanavu Nool v.21, 23 and 30 name dreams seen by day, and neither book sets daytime dreams aside. 'Daytime dreams do not come true' is not in these books.
Which books are these from?
The readings here were written from the pages of two old printed books. One is the Kanavu Nool published in Chennai in 1880 and checked by Thiruvenkadu Arumugaswamigal; the 1899 reprint carries the same 32 verses in the same order, so we treat the two as one book. The other is the Kana Nool published by the Madura Tamil Sangam in 1903 and edited by R. Raghavaiyangar, whose preface credits its 30 verses to Ponnavan. It is a different, older text, not a variant of the first. Both books tie these rules of dreams to Vyazhan (Brihaspati), the teacher of the gods.
- 1880Kanavu Nool, Chennai, 1880 (1899 reprint)
- 1899Kanavu Nool, Chennai, Sri Padmanabha Vilasa Press, 1899 (the same verses)
- 1903Kana Nool, ed. R. Raghavaiyangar, Madurai Tamil Sangam, 1903
All three are public-domain scans, free to view on archive.org.
The two books do not always agree; where they differ we show both. We have left out lines about caste, skin colour and sex, the harshest results, and words that cannot be read on the page. A cat, a crocodile, keys, money, an exam and a mobile phone are in neither book, and we give no reading for a dream the books do not mention.
Frequently asked
Do dreams come true?
It is a traditional belief, and there is no scientific evidence that dreams foretell anything. The old books even contradict one another: for water, fire, yellow clothes, jackfruit and sesame the 1880 and the 1903 books give different readings. Read it for interest and heritage, and do not base decisions on it.
Does a dream at dawn come true?
Both books say the later in the night a dream is seen, the sooner it comes true. The 1880 Kanavu Nool says a dream at dawn comes true in 7 days (v.32); the 1903 Kana Nool says one in the last watch of the night, in 10 days (v.2). Both say a first-watch dream is slow, 12 months or a year, and they differ in between. This is what the books say, not a guarantee.
Do daytime dreams come true?
The popular belief that "daytime dreams do not come true" is not in these books. The 1880 Kanavu Nool counts dreams seen by day in three places: v.21 "by night or by day", v.23 "in a daytime dream", v.30 "day or night". The 1903 Kana Nool has no general rule on this.
What should I do after a bad dream?
Nothing needs doing; there is no evidence that dreams foretell anything. The old books themselves mention some customs: the closing list of the 1880 book names worshipping the arasu tree, a gift of one's choice, a bath in the Ganga, touching and bowing to a cow, and listening to the Mahabharata, and the last verse of the 1903 book names reciting its thirty verses. These are customs only; we do not say they change anything, and we sell nothing. If troubling dreams keep returning or you are not sleeping well, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor.
Where can I read the Tamil dream book as a PDF?
All three printings read here are in the public domain and free to view on archive.org: the Kanavu Nool of 1880, the Kanavu Nool of 1899 and the Kana Nool of 1903. They are images of the printed pages, not typed text. The links are in the "Which books are these from?" section of this page.
What if a dead relative appears in my dream?
Neither old book gives a reading for this. There is one line about seeing a dead body (Kana Nool v.8), which we give on its own page. Dreaming of someone you have lost is a natural thing.
Why do dream meanings differ from site to site?
First, the old books themselves differ. Second, many lists add readings for modern scenes such as phones and buses, which no book supports. Here there is only what the books say, with the book, verse and page for each.
