- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- R. Govarthanam
- Movie name
- Kadavulin Theerpu
- Movie release year
- 1981
- Lyrics added on
- 1 Mar 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic duet from 'Kadavulin Theerpu' (1981), penned by Kannadasan and set to music by R. Govarthanam, is a tender reflection on love transcending societal barriers like caste and class. The song presents a passionate dialogue between lovers who question social prejudices, asserting that true love is an innate, heavenly decree that requires no validation from rigid social hierarchies. Through beautiful metaphors drawn from nature—such as the moon embracing the night lotus, or sacred kumkum not asking for clan identity—the lyrics emphasize that genuine affection arises from character and inner goodness rather than lineage. The recurring refrain 'enna thavaru' (what is wrong?) serves as a poignant rhetorical questioning of conservative social norms.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Wordplay / Pun (Sledai)
“Maadhulam pazhaththinil irukkum / Maadhin ulam antha pazhamae”
Kannadasan cleverly plays on the phonetic similarity between 'Maadhulam' (pomegranate) and 'Maadhin ulam' (a woman's heart).
Simile (Upamai)
“Siru maniyena un idhazh jolikkum”
Compares the shine of a woman's lips to the glistening red seeds inside a pomegranate fruit.
Rhetorical Question & Refrain
“Ondru kalanthaal enna thavaru”
The repeated phrase 'enna thavaru' (what is wrong?) is used to forcefully question social norms and emphasize the innocence of love.
Second-letter Assonance (Edhukai)
“Kungumamidugindra pothu / Sangamam aagindra velai”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Kungumamidugindra' and 'Sangamam aagindra').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Idhu sorkkaththil ezhuthiya varavu”
Equating human relationships pre-destined by love to entries written in heaven ('sorkkaththil ezhuthiya varavu').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kadavulin Theerpu' (1981) features music by R. Govarthanam, a talented composer who worked closely as a music assistant to veterans like M. S. Viswanathan before composing independently. Lyricist Kannadasan used this song to seamlessly interweave social reform ideas with romantic poetry.
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