- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Sarala
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Iru Thuruvam
- Movie release year
- 1971
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Aug 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This educational and moral song utilizes the Tamil vowels (Uyir Ezhuthukkal) as a poetic structure to impart core ethical values and life lessons to children. Lyricist Kannadasan skillfully weaves foundational concepts like discipline, compassion, charity, integrity, forgiveness, and patriotism into a rhythmic format suitable for learning.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uyir Varukkai (Vowel Rhyme / Alphabetical Alliteration)
“Agaram tamizhukku sigaram / Aakkam sevaikku ookkam”
The lyrics sequentially start line beginnings with Tamil vowels: Agaram (அ), Aakkam (ஆ), Irakkam (இ), Eegai (ஈ), Uyarvai (உ), etc.
Emonai / Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirai)
“Irakkam karunaikku vilakkam / Eegai nallavar vazhakkam”
Rhyming of the second letter across lines (ga-k-ka, ra-k-ka) creating a pleasant musical cadence.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Agaram tamizhukku sigaram / Aakkam sevaikku ookkam”
Matching end sounds across lines like sigaram, ookkam, vilakkam, vazhakkam, ozhukkam, and mathikkum.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is iconic in Tamil culture as an educational rhythm tool featured in the Sivaji Ganesan starrer 'Iru Thuruvam' (1971). Kannadasan created this unique lyric structure inspired by classical Tamil instructional works like Aathichoodi, making moral education accessible through film music.
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