- Lyricist
- Thirikudarasappa Kavirayar
- Singers
- Minmini, Sunandha, Kalyani Menon
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- Kadhalan
- Movie release year
- 1994
- Lyrics added on
- 18 Sept 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic verse, adapted from Thirukudarasappa Kavirayar's 'Kutrala Kuravanji', depicts a graceful woman named Vasantha playing ball in the streets of Kutralam, the sacred abode of Lord Shiva who wears the crescent moon. The narrator wonders if she is a heavenly nymph like Indrani, Rambha, or Mohini. As she plays with a golden ball, her movements are so lightning-fast and elegant that observers are captivated, unable to discern whether her thoughts, her eyes, or her hands moved first in her fluid play.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question / Eyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Indiraiyo ival sundariyo”
The recurring end sound '-o' in 'Indiraiyo', 'sundariyo', and 'mohiniyo' creates a rhythmic series of poetic questions marveling at her divine beauty.
Anaphora / Parallelism
“Manam mundhiyadho”
The repetitive phrasing of 'Manam mundhiyadho', 'Vizhi mundhiyadho', and 'Karam mundhiyadho' emphasizes the rapid speed of her actions, pondering which part of her moved first.
Visual Imagery
“Pon pandhu kondadinalae”
The image of 'pon pandhu' (golden ball) and glittering bangles paints a vivid picture of royal elegance and classical dance grace.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although featured in the 1994 Tamil blockbuster 'Kadhalan' (composed by A. R. Rahman), this poem is actually an excerpt from the renowned 18th-century Tamil classical dance-drama 'Kutrala Kuravanji' composed by Thirukudarasappa Kavirayar.
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