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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaalangale Kann Paarungal

From Thennangkeetru · 1975

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
G. K. Venkatesh
Details
Thennangkeetru1975

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kaalangalae kann paarungalOh Time, please open your eyes and look!
Kavalai kanneer oru puramOn one side are tears of sorrow,
Kadhal sugangal maru puramOn the other side are the joys of love;
Veliyittu nirppathenna kaalangalaeWhy stand aside and display this contrast, oh Time?
Male
Idhu aayiram malargalin thottamThis is a garden of a thousand flowers,
Idhil aasaiyil aadidum kottamWhere a crowd dances in longing desire.
Idhu aayiram malargalin thottamThis is a garden of a thousand flowers,
Idhil aasaiyil aadidum kottamWhere a crowd dances in longing desire.
Ingu naalukku naal oru aattamHere, every day brings a new drama,
Idhu nadakkum varai mana vaattamAs long as this continues, the heart remains distressed.
Male
Kaalangalae kann paarungalOh Time, please open your eyes and look!
Male
Aadaatha thogai isai paadatha kuyilA peacock that does not dance, a cuckoo that does not sing,
Poovaatha pushpam mazhai pozhiyaatha megamA flower that does not bloom, a cloud that does not rain;
Veenaiyundu thanthiyillaiA veena exists, but lacks strings,
Koyilundu vaasalillaiA temple exists, but lacks an entrance.
Yaaritta saabam yaarukku laabamWhose curse is this, and who stands to gain?
Male
Tamarai poovil vandaadum kolamLike the sight of a bee hovering over a lotus flower,
Malarnthathaanal vantha kadhalLove comes only when the heart blossoms.
Maathargal vaazhkkai malaruvathendraalIf a woman's life is to blossom fully,
Kaalaththil thirakkanum vaasalThe doors must open at the right time.
Male
Thaedi kuriththu oru paruvam varuvatharkkuFor the right age and season to arrive as sought,
Iraivan arul vendumGod's grace is needed,
Thalaivan thunai vendumA life partner's support is needed.
Thennangkeettril oru thendral thazhuvi varaFor a gentle breeze to caress through coconut fronds,
Kaalam vara vendumThe right time must arrive,
Karunai thara vendum….Mercy must be bestowed...
Male
Kaalangalae kann paarungalOh Time, please open your eyes and look!
Male
Ilamai enbathu oru thanaiyaatha veriYouth is an unquenchable frenzy,
Adhu arivin kaaichalIt is a fever of the intellect,
Ananthathin marana padukkaiThe deathbed of true joy.
Male
Ilamaiyilae oru sanniyaasi kolam varuvathuAdopting the lifestyle of an ascetic in youth
Iraivanin leelaiIs a play of divine fate.
Ezhilmigu penmai malaraathirunthaalIf beautiful womanhood does not bloom,
Eppadi varum manamaalaiHow can the wedding garland arrive?
Male
Thaayin manathil oru sanjalam vanthathuAnxiety has entered the mother's heart,
Aaruthal adaiyaathu anantham kidaiyaathuFinding no comfort and receiving no joy.
Magalin vaazhvil oru mangalam illaiWithout auspiciousness in the daughter's life,
Thaaimai adaiyaathu thanimai tholaiyaathuMotherhood remains unachieved, and loneliness never fades.
Male
Kaalangalae kann paarungalOh Time, please open your eyes and look!
Male
Idhu aayiram malargalin thottamThis is a garden of a thousand flowers,
Idhil aasaiyil aadidum kottamWhere a crowd dances in longing desire.
Ingu naalukku naal oru aattamHere, every day brings a new drama,
Idhu nadakkum varai mana vaattamAs long as this continues, the heart remains distressed.
Male
Kaalangalae…..Oh Time...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kaalangalae kann paarungal' from Thennangkeetru (1975) is a poignant lament addressed to Time, composed by G. K. Venkatesh and written by the legendary Kannadasan. The narrator pleads with personified Time to observe the sharp contrast between human suffering and romantic bliss, portraying life as a garden where joy and sorrow play out every day. Through rich allegorical imagery, the song reflects on how unfulfilled youth and delayed life milestones—such as marriage and motherhood—cause deep emotional distress to a young woman and her mother. Kannadasan uses metaphors like a stringless veena, a doorless temple, and rainless clouds to symbolize incomplete lives and suppressed desires. He highlights that youth, if forced into ascetic restraint or denied natural fulfillment, becomes a burden rather than a period of joy. The song emphasizes the necessity of divine grace, proper timing, and companionate love for a woman's life to flower into complete happiness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

Kaalangalae kann paarungal

Addressing 'Kaalangalae' (Time) as a living entity capable of seeing ('kann paarungal') and standing as a witness.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Veenaiyundu thanthiyillai / Koyilundu vaasalillai

Describing life without fulfillment using empty, functionless objects like a stringless veena and a doorless temple.

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyming)

Aadaatha thogai isai paadatha kuyil / Poovaatha pushpam mazhai pozhiyaatha megam

The second letters 'ya' in 'Aadaatha' and 'Poovaatha' create a poetic rhythmic symmetry.

Oxymoron / Paradox

Ilamaiyilae oru sanniyaasi kolam varuvathu

Contrasting youth ('Ilamai') with the dress/life of a renunciate ('sanniyaasi kolam'), highlighting unnatural emotional restraint.

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Trivia

The song is set in a melodic, reflective style characteristic of composer G. K. Venkatesh, who was known for blending classical Carnatic nuances with accessible cinematic orchestration. This track highlights T. M. Soundararajan's versatility in rendering soulful, philosophical ballads outside his signature heroic anthems.

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