- Lyricist
- Kavi Rajagopal
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Movie name
- Mamiyar Mechiya Marumagal
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Oct 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant composition expresses profound grief, unfulfilled longing, and tragic heartbreak. The protagonist compares her patient wait for true love to the traditional Tamil proverb of a parrot waiting for a silk-cotton fruit to ripen, only to end up in despair when it bursts open into inedible cotton fluff. She metaphorically describes her life as a delicate boat made of plantain trunk drifting uncontrollably in a stormy ocean.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile)
“Ilavu kaatha kili pol endhan”
Compares her futile anticipation of love to a parrot waiting for the silk-cotton fruit to ripen ('Ilavu kaatha kili pol').
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Alai modhum kadalil En vaazhai odam”
Metaphorically compares life to a fragile boat ('vaazhai odam') battling a rough sea of troubles ('alai modhum kadalil').
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Kaadhal vaanilae naan parandhen / Puyal kaatralae en siragai izhandhen”
Compares love to the vast sky ('Kaadhal vaan') and sudden tragedy to a wing-destroying storm ('Puyal kaatralae').
Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Kannodu kalandhum nenjodu inaindhum”
The second consonant 'n' aligns rhythmically in 'Kannodu' and 'nenjodu'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The idiom 'Ilavu kaatha kili' is a famous classical Tamil proverb rooted in ancient literature, representing futile expectation. Sung by the iconic Carnatic maestro M. L. Vasanthakumari, this track stands out in 1950s Tamil cinema for blending classical vocal nuances with deeply expressive literary lyrics by Kavi Rajagopal.
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