Ilam Vayadhu
From Kai Pidithaval · 1978
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. Janaki, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Kai Pidithaval1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ilam vayathu vanthaal | When youth arrives, |
| Ellaa kadhaiyum varum | All kinds of stories unfold. |
| Antha nadagaththil naalu varum | In that drama of life, many turns come. |
| Female | |
| Sippiyilae muththu varum | A pearl forms within an oyster, |
| Vaazhaiyilae kandru varum | A sapling sprouts from a banana tree, |
| Kadavulathu padaippilae kadhalukku neram varum | In God's creation, the time for love will inevitably come. |
| Evar manathil yaar varuvaaro…oo…. | Who knows who will enter whose heart? |
| Female | |
| Ilam vayathu vanthaal | When youth arrives, |
| Ellaa kadhaiyum varum | All kinds of stories unfold. |
| Antha nadagaththil naalu varum | In that drama of life, many turns come. |
| Female | |
| Kamanukku radhi irunthaal | Lord Kama had his beloved Rati, |
| Ramanukku oruththi vanthaal | Lord Rama had his one devoted wife, |
| Mamanukko pillai illai | My maternal uncle has no son, |
| Maappillaithaan yaaradiyo….yo…. | So who on earth will be the bridegroom, my friend? |
| Female | |
| Thaamaraikkor vennilavu | A white moon for a lotus, |
| Thaai vazhiyil sonthamilai | No close relatives on the mother's side, |
| Kaaman vidum kanai vizhunthaal | Yet if Kama's arrow strikes, |
| Mamanukku panjamilai | Uncle will have no shortage of suitors! |
| Un kadhaiyai solladiyo | Tell me your story, my dear friend, |
| Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo | What indeed is your story? |
| Female | |
| Ilam vayathu vanthaal | When youth arrives, |
| Ellaa kadhaiyum varum | All kinds of stories unfold. |
| Antha nadagaththil naalu varum | In that drama of life, many turns come. |
| Female | |
| Oodalendru koodalendru | Feigned lovers' tiffs and romantic unions, |
| Ooril pala kadhaikal undu | There are many tales told in the town about them. |
| Oodalathai naanarivaen | I know what lovers' tiffs are, |
| Koodalendraal ennadiyo | But what is romantic union, my dear? |
| Female | |
| Isaiyudan suthi koodum | When pitch merges in harmony with music, |
| Illaraaththil sugam koodum | Pleasure increases in wedded bliss. |
| Idhuvaraiyil naanarivaen | I know only up to this point, |
| Edhuvaraiyin nee arivaai | How much do you know? |
| Un kadhaiyai solladiyo | Tell me your story, my dear friend, |
| Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo | What indeed is your story? |
| Female | |
| Pon mazhaiyin thuli vizhunthaal | If drops of golden rain fall, |
| Bhoomiyellaam nanainthu vidum | The entire earth gets soaked. |
| Aasai enum mazhai vizhunthu | When the rain called desire falls, |
| Anbu manam nanaiyuthadi | The loving heart gets thoroughly drenched. |
| Female | |
| Nanaivathellaam kaaivathundu | Whatever gets wet will dry up in time, |
| Kaaivathellaam nanaivathundu | Whatever dries up will get wet again. |
| Ninaippathu pola nadappatharkku | For things to happen according to one's wish, |
| Neram varum kaalam varum | The right time and season will arrive. |
| Un kadhaiyai solladiyo | Tell me your story, my dear friend, |
| Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo | What indeed is your story? |
| Female | |
| Ilam vayathu vanthaal | When youth arrives, |
| Ellaak kadhaiyum varum | All kinds of stories unfold. |
| Antha nadakaththil naalu varum | In that drama of life, many turns come. |
இளம் வயது வந்தால்
எல்லாக் கதையும் வரும்
அந்த நாடகத்தில் நாலு வரும்
When youth arrives,
All kinds of stories unfold.
In that drama of life, many turns come.
சிப்பியிலே முத்து வரும்
வாழையிலே கன்று வரும்
கடவுளது படைப்பிலே காதலுக்கு நேரம் வரும்
எவர் மனதில் யார் வருவாரோ.....ஓ....
A pearl forms within an oyster,
A sapling sprouts from a banana tree,
In God's creation, the time for love will inevitably come.
Who knows who will enter whose heart?
இளம் வயது வந்தால்
எல்லாக் கதையும் வரும்
அந்த நாடகத்தில் நாலு வரும்
When youth arrives,
All kinds of stories unfold.
In that drama of life, many turns come.
காமனுக்கு ரதி இருந்தாள்
ராமனுக்கு ஒருத்தி வந்தாள்
மாமனுக்கோ பிள்ளை இல்லை
மாப்பிள்ளைதான் யாரடியோ...யோ....
Lord Kama had his beloved Rati,
Lord Rama had his one devoted wife,
My maternal uncle has no son,
So who on earth will be the bridegroom, my friend?
தாமரைக்கோர் வெண்ணிலவு
தாய் வழியில் சொந்தமில்லை
காமன் விடும் கணை விழுந்தால்
மாமனுக்குப் பஞ்சமில்லை
உன் கதையை சொல்லடியோ
உன் கதைதான் என்னடியோ
A white moon for a lotus,
No close relatives on the mother's side,
Yet if Kama's arrow strikes,
Uncle will have no shortage of suitors!
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
What indeed is your story?
இளம் வயது வந்தால்
எல்லாக் கதையும் வரும்
அந்த நாடகத்தில் நாலு வரும்
When youth arrives,
All kinds of stories unfold.
In that drama of life, many turns come.
ஊடலென்றும் கூடலென்றும்
ஊரில் பல கதைகள் உண்டு
ஊடலத்தை நானறிவேன்
கூடலென்றால் என்னடியோ
Feigned lovers' tiffs and romantic unions,
There are many tales told in the town about them.
I know what lovers' tiffs are,
But what is romantic union, my dear?
இசையுடன் சுதி கூடும்
இல்லறத்தில் சுகம் கூடும்
இதுவரையில் நானறிவேன்
எதுவரையில் நீ அறிவாய்
உன் கதையை சொல்லடியோ
உன் கதைதான் என்னடியோ (இளம்)
When pitch merges in harmony with music,
Pleasure increases in wedded bliss.
I know only up to this point,
How much do you know?
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
What indeed is your story?
பொன் மழையின் துளி விழுந்தால்
பூமியெல்லாம் நனைந்து விடும்
ஆசை எனும் மழை விழுந்து
அன்பு மனம் நனையுதடி
If drops of golden rain fall,
The entire earth gets soaked.
When the rain called desire falls,
The loving heart gets thoroughly drenched.
நனைவதெல்லாம் காய்வதுண்டு
காய்வதெல்லாம் நனைவதுண்டு
நினைப்பது போல நடப்பதற்கு
நேரம் வரும் காலம் வரும்
உன் கதையை சொல்லடியோ
உன் கதைதான் என்னடியோ
Whatever gets wet will dry up in time,
Whatever dries up will get wet again.
For things to happen according to one's wish,
The right time and season will arrive.
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
What indeed is your story?
இளம் வயது வந்தால்
எல்லாக் கதையும் வரும்
அந்த நாடகத்தில் நாலு வரும்
When youth arrives,
All kinds of stories unfold.
In that drama of life, many turns come.
Ilam vayathu vanthaal
When youth arrives,
Ellaa kadhaiyum varum
All kinds of stories unfold.
Antha nadagaththil naalu varum
In that drama of life, many turns come.
Sippiyilae muththu varum
A pearl forms within an oyster,
Vaazhaiyilae kandru varum
A sapling sprouts from a banana tree,
Kadavulathu padaippilae kadhalukku neram varum
In God's creation, the time for love will inevitably come.
Evar manathil yaar varuvaaro…oo….
Who knows who will enter whose heart?
Ilam vayathu vanthaal
When youth arrives,
Ellaa kadhaiyum varum
All kinds of stories unfold.
Antha nadagaththil naalu varum
In that drama of life, many turns come.
Kamanukku radhi irunthaal
Lord Kama had his beloved Rati,
Ramanukku oruththi vanthaal
Lord Rama had his one devoted wife,
Mamanukko pillai illai
My maternal uncle has no son,
Maappillaithaan yaaradiyo….yo….
So who on earth will be the bridegroom, my friend?
Thaamaraikkor vennilavu
A white moon for a lotus,
Thaai vazhiyil sonthamilai
No close relatives on the mother's side,
Kaaman vidum kanai vizhunthaal
Yet if Kama's arrow strikes,
Mamanukku panjamilai
Uncle will have no shortage of suitors!
Un kadhaiyai solladiyo
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo
What indeed is your story?
Ilam vayathu vanthaal
When youth arrives,
Ellaa kadhaiyum varum
All kinds of stories unfold.
Antha nadagaththil naalu varum
In that drama of life, many turns come.
Oodalendru koodalendru
Feigned lovers' tiffs and romantic unions,
Ooril pala kadhaikal undu
There are many tales told in the town about them.
Oodalathai naanarivaen
I know what lovers' tiffs are,
Koodalendraal ennadiyo
But what is romantic union, my dear?
Isaiyudan suthi koodum
When pitch merges in harmony with music,
Illaraaththil sugam koodum
Pleasure increases in wedded bliss.
Idhuvaraiyil naanarivaen
I know only up to this point,
Edhuvaraiyin nee arivaai
How much do you know?
Un kadhaiyai solladiyo
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo
What indeed is your story?
Pon mazhaiyin thuli vizhunthaal
If drops of golden rain fall,
Bhoomiyellaam nanainthu vidum
The entire earth gets soaked.
Aasai enum mazhai vizhunthu
When the rain called desire falls,
Anbu manam nanaiyuthadi
The loving heart gets thoroughly drenched.
Nanaivathellaam kaaivathundu
Whatever gets wet will dry up in time,
Kaaivathellaam nanaivathundu
Whatever dries up will get wet again.
Ninaippathu pola nadappatharkku
For things to happen according to one's wish,
Neram varum kaalam varum
The right time and season will arrive.
Un kadhaiyai solladiyo
Tell me your story, my dear friend,
Un kadhaithaan ennadiyo
What indeed is your story?
Ilam vayathu vanthaal
When youth arrives,
Ellaak kadhaiyum varum
All kinds of stories unfold.
Antha nadakaththil naalu varum
In that drama of life, many turns come.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful and philosophical duet from the 1978 movie 'Kai Pidithaval' explores the blossoming of youth, love, and life's natural progression through a conversational banter between female friends. The song uses nature metaphors—pearls in oysters, shoots on banana plants, rain soaking the earth—to describe the inevitability of love and maturity when youth arrives. Lyricist Kannadasan skillfully blends innocent curiosity about courtship and marriage with deep insights about life's cyclical nature, emphasizing that everything happens in its own sweet time as destined by divine rhythm.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Kamanukku radhi irunthaal / Ramanukku oruththi vanthaal / Mamanukko pillai illai”
The second consonant 'ma' rhymes across consecutive lines 'Kamanukku', 'Ramanukku', and 'Mamanukko'.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Aasai enum mazhai vizhunthu / Anbu manam nanaiyuthadi”
Describing desire as rain ('Aasai enum mazhai') that drenches the heart in love.
Antithesis / Oxymoron (Maranpattamai)
“Nanaivathellaam kaaivathundu / Kaaivathellaam nanaivathundu”
Juxtaposing opposite concepts of wetting and drying to show the alternating cycles of life and emotion.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kai Pidithaval' (1978) featured this graceful duet performed by two legendary playback singers of South Indian cinema, P. Susheela and S. Janaki, set to music by the veteran composer duo Shankar-Ganesh and written by Kaviarasu Kannadasan.
Keep listening
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