Kaalamenum Kadalinile
From Thanga Kalasam · 1988
- Lyricist
- London Gopal
- Singer
- K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Thanga Kalasam1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaalamenum kadalinilae | In the ocean called time, |
| Kadhalenum padaginilae | In the boat called love, |
| Kaalamenum kadalinilae | In the ocean called time, |
| Kadhalenum padaginilae | In the boat called love, |
| Female | |
| Kaarirulil puyalai kandu | Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness, |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Female | |
| Kann thirantha kaalam mudhal | From the moment my eyes first opened, |
| Kannaai un mael aasai vaiththaen | I cherished you like my own eyes. |
| Kann thirantha kaalam mudhal | From the moment my eyes first opened, |
| Kannaai un mael aasai vaiththaen | I cherished you like my own eyes. |
| Female | |
| Kaalamellaam kaaththirunthaen | I waited for an eternity, |
| Kadhalaiyae arinthilaiyae | Yet you never understood my love. |
| Kadhalaiyae arinthilaiyae | Yet you never understood my love. |
| Female | |
| Kaalamenum kadalinilae | In the ocean called time, |
| Kadhalenum padaginilae | In the boat called love, |
| Kaarirulil puyalai kandu | Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness, |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen…. | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Female | |
| Aagaayaththil koyil katti | Building a temple in the sky, |
| Aasaiyodu un silai eduththaen | With longing, I fashioned your idol. |
| Aagaayaththil koyil katti | Building a temple in the sky, |
| Aasaiyodu un silai eduththaen | With longing, I fashioned your idol. |
| Poojai seithaen puvi malae | I worshipped it here on earth, |
| Puriyaatha pudhiraanaen puriyaatha pudhiraanaen | Yet I became an unsolved riddle, an unsolved riddle. |
| Female | |
| Kaalamenum kadalinilae | In the ocean called time, |
| Kadhalenum padaginilae | In the boat called love, |
| Kaarirulil puyalai kandu | Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness, |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen…. | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Female | |
| Thodaamal thottanaiththaan | Without touching, he embraced me, |
| Sudaamal sutteriththaan | Without fire, he burned me inside, |
| Thodaamal thottanaiththaan | Without touching, he embraced me, |
| Sudaamal sutteriththaan | Without fire, he burned me inside, |
| Thedaamal thedugiraen | Without searching, I am searching, |
| Paadaamal paadugiraen | Without singing, I am singing, |
| Paadaamal paadugiraen | Without singing, I am singing, |
| Female | |
| Kaalamenum kadalinilae | In the ocean called time, |
| Kadhalenum padaginilae | In the boat called love, |
| Kaarirulil puyalai kandu | Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness, |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
| Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen…. | I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast. |
காலமெனும் கடலினிலே
காதலெனும் படகினிலே
காலமெனும் கடலினிலே
காதலெனும் படகினிலே
In the ocean called time,
In the boat called love,
In the ocean called time,
In the boat called love,
காரிருளில் புயலைக் கண்டு
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்....
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
கண் திறந்த காலம் முதல்
கண்ணாய் உன் மேல் ஆசை வைத்தேன்
கண் திறந்த காலம் முதல்
கண்ணாய் உன் மேல் ஆசை வைத்தேன்
From the moment my eyes first opened,
I cherished you like my own eyes.
From the moment my eyes first opened,
I cherished you like my own eyes.
காலமெல்லாம் காத்திருந்தேன்
காதலையே அறிந்திலையே
காதலையே அறிந்திலையே....
I waited for an eternity,
Yet you never understood my love.
Yet you never understood my love.
காலமெனும் கடலினிலே
காதலெனும் படகினிலே
காரிருளில் புயலைக் கண்டு
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்....
In the ocean called time,
In the boat called love,
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
ஆகாயத்தில் கோயில் கட்டி
ஆசையோடு உன் சிலை எடுத்தேன்
ஆகாயத்தில் கோயில் கட்டி
ஆசையோடு உன் சிலை எடுத்தேன்
பூஜை செய்தேன் புவி மேலே
புரியாத புதிரானேன் புரியாத புதிரானேன்
Building a temple in the sky,
With longing, I fashioned your idol.
Building a temple in the sky,
With longing, I fashioned your idol.
I worshipped it here on earth,
Yet I became an unsolved riddle, an unsolved riddle.
காலமெனும் கடலினிலே
காதலெனும் படகினிலே
காரிருளில் புயலைக் கண்டு
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்....
In the ocean called time,
In the boat called love,
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
தொடாமல் தொட்டணைத்தான்
சுடாமல் சுட்டெரித்தான்
தொடாமல் தொட்டணைத்தான்
சுடாமல் சுட்டெரித்தான்
தேடாமல் தேடுகிறேன்
பாடாமல் பாடுகிறேன்
பாடாமல் பாடுகிறேன்
Without touching, he embraced me,
Without fire, he burned me inside,
Without touching, he embraced me,
Without fire, he burned me inside,
Without searching, I am searching,
Without singing, I am singing,
Without singing, I am singing,
காலமெனும் கடலினிலே
காதலெனும் படகினிலே
காரிருளில் புயலைக் கண்டு
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்
பாய் மரமென்றே ஏமாந்தேன்....
In the ocean called time,
In the boat called love,
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Kaalamenum kadalinilae
In the ocean called time,
Kadhalenum padaginilae
In the boat called love,
Kaalamenum kadalinilae
In the ocean called time,
Kadhalenum padaginilae
In the boat called love,
Kaarirulil puyalai kandu
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Kann thirantha kaalam mudhal
From the moment my eyes first opened,
Kannaai un mael aasai vaiththaen
I cherished you like my own eyes.
Kann thirantha kaalam mudhal
From the moment my eyes first opened,
Kannaai un mael aasai vaiththaen
I cherished you like my own eyes.
Kaalamellaam kaaththirunthaen
I waited for an eternity,
Kadhalaiyae arinthilaiyae
Yet you never understood my love.
Kadhalaiyae arinthilaiyae
Yet you never understood my love.
Kaalamenum kadalinilae
In the ocean called time,
Kadhalenum padaginilae
In the boat called love,
Kaarirulil puyalai kandu
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen….
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Aagaayaththil koyil katti
Building a temple in the sky,
Aasaiyodu un silai eduththaen
With longing, I fashioned your idol.
Aagaayaththil koyil katti
Building a temple in the sky,
Aasaiyodu un silai eduththaen
With longing, I fashioned your idol.
Poojai seithaen puvi malae
I worshipped it here on earth,
Puriyaatha pudhiraanaen puriyaatha pudhiraanaen
Yet I became an unsolved riddle, an unsolved riddle.
Kaalamenum kadalinilae
In the ocean called time,
Kadhalenum padaginilae
In the boat called love,
Kaarirulil puyalai kandu
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen….
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Thodaamal thottanaiththaan
Without touching, he embraced me,
Sudaamal sutteriththaan
Without fire, he burned me inside,
Thodaamal thottanaiththaan
Without touching, he embraced me,
Sudaamal sutteriththaan
Without fire, he burned me inside,
Thedaamal thedugiraen
Without searching, I am searching,
Paadaamal paadugiraen
Without singing, I am singing,
Paadaamal paadugiraen
Without singing, I am singing,
Kaalamenum kadalinilae
In the ocean called time,
Kadhalenum padaginilae
In the boat called love,
Kaarirulil puyalai kandu
Seeing a storm in the pitch darkness,
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Paai maramendrae yaemaanthaen….
I was deceived, mistaking it for a mast.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song expresses the deep pain of unrequited love and emotional confusion. The narrator compares life and love to navigating a fragile boat across a vast, dark ocean. Desperately seeking direction, she mistakes a destructive storm for a guiding mast, symbolizing how she mistook pain or false hope for true affection. Throughout the verses, she reflects on her lifelong devotion, worshipping her beloved like a deity in a sky-high sanctuary built of dreams. Despite her intense devotion, she feels misunderstood and abandoned, lost in paradoxes of longing—embraced without physical touch, burning without fire, and endlessly searching without direction.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Kaalamenum kadalinilae / Kadhalenum padaginilae”
Comparing 'time' to an 'ocean' (Kaalamenum kadal) and 'love' to a 'boat' (Kadhalenum padagu) creates vivid symbolic imagery of life's treacherous emotional journey.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaalamenum kadalinilae / Kadhalenum padaginilae / Kaarirulil puyalai kandu”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across consecutive words ('Kaalamenum', 'Kadhalenum', 'Kaarirulil') creates rhythmic harmony.
Paradox / Muran (Contradiction)
“Thodaamal thottanaiththaan / Sudaamal sutteriththaan”
Phrases like 'touching without touching' and 'burning without burning' express complex, invisible emotional suffering through contradictory actions.
Did you know?
Trivia
This rare song from the 1988 film 'Thanga Kalasam' features lyrics credited to London Gopal, a lesser-known lyricist of the late 1980s Tamil cinema era.
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