- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- K. J. Yesudas, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Manamara Vaazhthungal
- Movie release year
- 1976
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Nov 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This playful and philosophical duet uses the learning of basic Tamil vowels ('Aa', 'Aavannaa', 'Iinaa', 'Eeyannaa') as a metaphor for the stages of growing up, falling in love, and reaching maturity. The song highlights how childhood innocence evolves into youthful affection and eventual togetherness through mutual understanding. Through simple yet clever imagery—such as combining mother and father into one unit through love, or hitching a bullock to a cart to make it move forward—Kannadasan emphasizes unity and partnership. The lyrics also invoke the exemplary devotion of Thiruvalluvar and his wife Vasugi, presenting love and innocence as forces capable of overcoming life's troubles.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Alphabetical Allegory / Metaphor
“Chinna ponnaa irukkaiyilae aa…nnaa / Ava kanni ponnaa aanavudan aavannaa”
Uses the sequential Tamil vowel sounds (Aa, Aavannaa, Innaa, Eeyannaa) to symbolize human growth stages from childhood to womanhood and romantic maturity.
Analogy (Uvamai)
“Vandi endrum maadu endrum irandum undu / Athai vandiyilae poottiyathaal irandum ondru”
Compares the partnership of a married couple to a bullock hitched to a cart, showing how two separate entities unite to move life forward.
Edhukai and Wordplay (Polyptoton/Alliteration)
“Paavigalin kalagam appaavigalaal vilagum”
Plays on phonetically similar words (Paavai, Appaavi, Paavigalin, Appaavigalaal) to build rhythm and contrast innocence with wrongdoing.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is notable for Lyricist Kannadasan's playful usage of Tamil alphabetic recitation ('Uyir Ezhuthukkal') taught to beginners, cleverly adapting it into a romantic song structure to depict human maturity.
Keep listening
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