- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Annaiyum Pithavum
- Movie release year
- 1969
- Lyrics added on
- 17 Jun 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Iraiva Unakoru Kelvi is a deeply emotional, philosophical song from the 1969 Tamil film Annaiyum Pithavum. Penned by the legendary poet Kannadasan and set to music by M. S. Vishwanathan, the song voices a soul's anguish and direct questioning of the Almighty during times of unbearable sorrow and familial separation. The singer questions why God remains silent and absent while human beings endure grief, contrasting the outer ritualistic worship at Thiruchendur with the inner reality of suffering. To contextualize this human anguish, Kannadasan draws upon epic Ramayana references—such as King Dasaratha dying from grief over Rama's exile and Bharatha's weeping devotion. The song moves from questioning divine play to pleading for guidance and protective Grace, describing how fragile human hearts melt like wax under sorrow and praying that familial bonds remain unbroken for the future.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Thunbam vandhaal mezhugaagum”
Compares human hearts facing adversity to melting wax ('Thunbam vandhaal mezhugaagum'), vividly illustrating vulnerability to grief.
Mythological Allusion (Puranic Reference)
“Maganai pirinthu dhasarathan maandaan”
References classical Ramayana tragic events (Dasaratha's grief-stricken death, Rama's exile, and Bharatha's sorrow) to ground human pain in universal epic truth.
Contrast / Paradox
“Thiruchendhooril deepathai paarthene ... Sogathai thadukka neeyum illai”
Contrasts the divine light/grace observed in the temple ('deepathai paarthene') with the absence of divine intervention in real life ('sogathai thadukka neeyum illai').
Rhyme / Monai & Ethirai (Tamil Prosody)
“Uravum pirivum un vilaiyaatu / Ulagam nadapathu unai kettu”
Uses matching initial consonant and vowel sound patterns across poetic lines, such as 'Uravum pirivum' paired with 'Ulagam nadapathu'.
Did you know?
Trivia
This composition highlights Kannadasan's signature style of blending existential angst with deeply devotional questioning. P. Susheela's soul-stirring rendition for M. S. Vishwanathan's melody made this song one of the classic philosophical solos in Tamil cinema history.
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