- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. Rajeswara Rao
- Movie name
- Mathar Kula Manickam
- Movie release year
- 1956
- Lyrics added on
- 21 May 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This philosophical song from the 1956 film 'Mathar Kula Manickam' addresses humanity on the impermanence of mortal life and the futility of human ego. The lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass uses evocative metaphors, characterizing the human body as a transient bag of air and human existence as a puppet show controlled by an invisible divine Puppeteer (the Creator). Life is depicted as an unpredictable journey where unexpected twists render pride and grand plans meaningless.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Idhu kaatradaitha paiyadaa”
Compares the perishable human body directly to an air-filled bag ('kaatradaitha pai').
Allegory / Extended Metaphor
“Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu”
Frames human life and cosmic destiny as a stringed puppet show ('Bommalaattam').
Simile / Metaphor
“Aattu mandhaiyada namm koottam”
Compares society to a herd of sheep ('Aattu mandhai') vulnerable to sudden chaos ('Nari').
Metaphor
“Maraiyum vaanavilladaa manidhaa”
Compares fleeting human life to a disappearing rainbow ('Maraiyum vaanavill').
Anaphora / Initial Rhyme (Mona)
“Madhiyae izhandhidaathae / Manoradham solladhae / Madhimayangiyae thullaadhae”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds ('Ma') across consecutive lines for rhythmic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Mathar Kula Manickam' (1956) was a bilingual shot simultaneously in Telugu as 'Charana Daasi'. Music director S. Rajeswara Rao composed timeless melodies for this film, and T. M. Soundararajan's deep, resonant vocal delivery elevated this philosophical track into an enduring classic in Tamil cinema history.
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