- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- R. Parthasarathy
- Movie name
- Kalyana Oorvalam
- Movie release year
- 1970
- Lyrics added on
- 8 Aug 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant philosophical song written by Kannadasan features a grief-stricken protagonist confronting God about the harsh realities of life, poverty, and social corruption. The speaker questions why God created human beings without ensuring they have basic sustenance, pointing out that in a world driven solely by money, hard work and education often go unrewarded. The lyrics also express cynicism about justice and virtue, noting that righteousness has long died out, and highlighting the tragic contrast between the small span of a hungry stomach and the rope used to end one's life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question
“Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha / Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha Short Description: Direct, confrontational questions posed to God to highlight human existential plight and poverty.”
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme / Contrast)
“Oru jaan vayirallavaa / Oru muzham kayirallavaa Short Description: Parallel structure contrasting 'jaan vayiru' (span of a stomach) with 'muzham kayiru' (cubit of rope), illustrating hunger versus suicide.”
Metaphor / Personification
“Tharmam enbathu endro orunaal / Tharkolai purinthathappaa Short Description: Personification of 'Dharma' (righteousness) as having committed suicide long ago due to rampant dishonesty in the world.”
Did you know?
Trivia
Kannadasan was famous for using popular folk idioms like 'Oru jaan vayiru' (one-span stomach) and 'Oru muzham kayiru' (one-cubit rope) to turn everyday Tamil proverbs into deeply philosophical lyricism questioning divinity and societal inequality.
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