- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Kalyaniyin Kanavan
- Movie release year
- 1963
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Sept 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a bitter, self-deprecating expression of remorse and philosophical reflection on misplaced trust and naivety. The protagonist laments how blindly helping treacherous people and judging individuals solely by their outward charm or youth led to betrayal. By comparing backstabbing companions to venomous cobras, scorpions, and hands raised to strike, the speaker reflects on their own folly in assuming that every bright exterior conceals pure intentions. The refrain 'Idhuvum vendumadaa enakku, Innamum vendumadaa' ('I deserve this, and even more!') carries intense self-directed sarcasm. Rather than blaming the betrayers, the protagonist sarcastically scolds themselves for being foolish enough to embrace danger and mistake appearances for truth, framing the heartbreak as a harsh but deserved lesson in human nature.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Koththu paambudan kudiyiruntheane / Kottum theal thanai madiyil vaiththaene”
Treacherous people in the protagonist's life are metaphorically equated to a striking cobra and a stinging scorpion kept dangerously close.
Cultural Idiom / Proverb (Pazhamozhi)
“Veluththathellam paalaendru ninaithirunthaenae”
Uses the famous Tamil proverb 'Veluthathellam paalu' (believing everything that appears white is milk) to express extreme innocence, gullibility, and lack of discernment.
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Uruvam paarththu aasai vaiththaene / Ullam paarkka maranthu vittaenae”
The initial letter 'U' repeats in 'Uruvam' and 'Ullam', creating poetic rhythm.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Uruvam paarththu aasai vaiththaene / Paruvam paarththu pazhgi vitteanae”
The second consonant sound 'ru' rhymes across 'Uruvam' and 'Paruvam'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Idhuvum vendumadaa enakku / Innamum vendumadaa….”
The repetitive line-ending pattern 'vendumadaa' creates a rhythmic cadence emphasizing self-reproach.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan for the 1963 film 'Kalyaniyin Kanavan' (starring Sivaji Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi), this song exemplifies Kannadasan's signature philosophical style. Kannadasan frequently infused his lyrics with personal lessons drawn from his own life experiences of trust, betrayal, and financial hardship, making songs like this deeply resonant with audiences.
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