Kaalai Varuvatharkul
From Rani Samyuktha · 1962
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Rani Samyuktha1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul | Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste, |
| Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara | Will my valiant lord come to marry me? |
| Illai kandrum kudikkaamal kalathil niraiyaamal | Without letting the calf drink, without filling the pot, |
| Kavizhndha paalaaga viduvaara | Will he leave me like spilled milk? |
| Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul | Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste, |
| Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara | Will my valiant lord come to marry me? |
| Female | |
| Pennaai piranhu vittaal | Being born as a woman, |
| Perum paavam soozhum endru munnorgal | Brings great suffering and sin, so said the ancestors; |
| Sonna mozhi saridhaano | Is that ancient saying true? |
| Illai mannaalum mannaravar | Or will the king who rules the earth, |
| Munnorgal sonna mozhi maatruvaen | Declare, 'I shall change what the ancestors said', |
| Endru solla varuvaara | And come to assure me? |
| Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul | Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste, |
| Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara | Will my valiant lord come to marry me? |
| Female | |
| Naalai suyam varam | Tomorrow is the royal Swayamvaram, |
| Naattu mannar varuvaaraam | Kings of many lands will gather, they say; |
| Kaalai avar vaasalilae kavalaraam | Yet my lord stands at the entrance like a mere guard, |
| Manamaalai avar kazhuthil | If I, a young maiden, place the wedding garland |
| Mangai naan soodivittaal | Around his neck, |
| Maarbodu saerthedukka varuvaara | Will he come to embrace me tightly to his chest? |
| Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul | Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste, |
| Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara | Will my valiant lord come to marry me? |
காலை வருவதற்குள் கன்னி பலி ஆவதற்குள்
காளை மணமுடிக்க வருவாரா
இல்லை கன்றும் குடிக்காமல் கலத்தில் நிறையாமல்
கவிழ்ந்த பாலாக விடுவாரா.......
காலை வருவதற்குள் கன்னி பலி ஆவதற்குள்
காளை மணமுடிக்க வருவாரா
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Without letting the calf drink, without filling the pot,
Will he leave me like spilled milk?
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
பெண்ணாய்ப் பிறந்துவிட்டால்
பெரும் பாவம் சூழும் என்று முன்னோர்கள்
சொன்ன மொழி சரிதானோ
இல்லை மண்ணாளும் மன்னரவர்
முன்னோர்கள் சொன்ன மொழி மாற்றுவேன்
என்று சொல்ல வருவாரா......
காலை வருவதற்குள் கன்னி பலி ஆவதற்குள்
காளை மணமுடிக்க வருவாரா
Being born as a woman,
Brings great suffering and sin, so said the ancestors;
Is that ancient saying true?
Or will the king who rules the earth,
Declare, 'I shall change what the ancestors said',
And come to assure me?
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
நாளை சுயம் வரம்
நாட்டு மன்னர் வருவாராம்
காளை அவர் வாசலிலே காவலராம்
மண மாலை அவர் கழுத்தில்
மங்கை நான் சூடிவிட்டால்
மார்போடு சேர்த்தெடுக்க வருவாரா
காலை வருவதற்குள் கன்னி பலி ஆவதற்குள்
காளை மணமுடிக்க வருவாரா
Tomorrow is the royal Swayamvaram,
Kings of many lands will gather, they say;
Yet my lord stands at the entrance like a mere guard,
If I, a young maiden, place the wedding garland
Around his neck,
Will he come to embrace me tightly to his chest?
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Illai kandrum kudikkaamal kalathil niraiyaamal
Without letting the calf drink, without filling the pot,
Kavizhndha paalaaga viduvaara
Will he leave me like spilled milk?
Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Pennaai piranhu vittaal
Being born as a woman,
Perum paavam soozhum endru munnorgal
Brings great suffering and sin, so said the ancestors;
Sonna mozhi saridhaano
Is that ancient saying true?
Illai mannaalum mannaravar
Or will the king who rules the earth,
Munnorgal sonna mozhi maatruvaen
Declare, 'I shall change what the ancestors said',
Endru solla varuvaara
And come to assure me?
Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Naalai suyam varam
Tomorrow is the royal Swayamvaram,
Naattu mannar varuvaaraam
Kings of many lands will gather, they say;
Kaalai avar vaasalilae kavalaraam
Yet my lord stands at the entrance like a mere guard,
Manamaalai avar kazhuthil
If I, a young maiden, place the wedding garland
Mangai naan soodivittaal
Around his neck,
Maarbodu saerthedukka varuvaara
Will he come to embrace me tightly to his chest?
Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul
Before morning arrives, before this maidenly youth goes to waste,
Kaalai manamudikka varuvaara
Will my valiant lord come to marry me?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song expresses the deep anxiety, longing, and unwavering love of Princess Samyuktha on the eve of her Swayamvaram. Knowing her father has insulted her beloved Prithviraj by placing his statue as a doorkeeper instead of inviting him as a suitor, she wonders if he will break tradition and rescue her before dawn. Kannadasan masterfully uses metaphors of nature, social conventions, and devotion to depict a woman standing up against patriarchal fate for her true love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Yugmakam / Pun (Iledai)
“Kaalai varuvadharkkul kanni pala aavadharkkul”
The word 'Kaalai' is cleverly used throughout the song with dual meanings: 'morning' (time) and 'bull/valiant hero' (referring to King Prithviraj).
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Kavizhndha paalaaga viduvaara”
Comparing a woman's unfulfilled love and wasted youth to spilled milk that neither feeds the calf nor fills the vessel.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Naalai suyam varam / Naattu mannar varuvaaraam”
Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'll/nn/ng' across adjacent lines like Pennaai/Perum and Naalai/Naattu.
Moonaai (Initial letter alliteration)
“Manamaalai avar kazhuthil / Mangai naan soodivittaal / Maarbodu saerthedukka varuvaara”
Alliteration of the initial consonant sound 'M' across line segments.
Did you know?
Trivia
In the historical movie 'Rani Samyuktha' (1962), Padmini plays Princess Samyuktha and M. G. Ramachandran plays King Prithviraj Chauhan. The song highlights the legendary moment where Samyuktha courageously garlands the statue of Prithviraj placed at the entrance, prompting Prithviraj to swoop in on horseback and carry her away.
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