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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaalangalil Aval Vasantham

From Paava Mannippu · 1961

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Paava Mannippu1961

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
{ KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.
Kalaigalilae aval oviyamAmong the arts, she is a painting.
Maathangalil aval maargazhiAmong the months, she is Margazhi.
Malargalilae aval malligai } (2)Among the flowers, she is the jasmine.
Male
KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.
Male
ParavaigalilAmong the birds,
Aval mani puraShe is the spotted dove.
Paadalgalil aval thaalaatuAmong the songs, she is a lullaby.
Male
…………………....
Male
ParavaigalilAmong the birds,
Aval mani puraShe is the spotted dove.
Paadalgalil aval thaalaatuAmong the songs, she is a lullaby.
Male
{ KanikalilaeAmong the fruits,
Aval maangani } (2)She is the sweet mango.
Kaatrinilae aval thendralAmong the winds, she is the gentle breeze.
Male
KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.
Kalaigalilae aval oviyamAmong the arts, she is a painting.
Maathangalil aval maargazhiAmong the months, she is Margazhi.
Malargalilae aval malligaiAmong the flowers, she is the jasmine.
Male
KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.
Male
{ PaalpolLike pure milk,
Siripathil pillai avalShe is a child in her innocent laughter,
Panipol anaipathil kanni } (2)Like soft dew, a maiden in her embrace,
Male
{ KanpolLike a precious eye,
Valarpathil annai } (2)She is a mother in protecting and nurturing,
Aval kavignan aakinaal ennaiShe transformed me into a poet.
Male
KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.
Kalaigalilae aval oviyamAmong the arts, she is a painting.
Maathangalil aval maargazhiAmong the months, she is Margazhi.
Malargalilae aval malligaiAmong the flowers, she is the jasmine.
Male
KaalangalilAmong the seasons,
Aval vasanthamShe is the spring.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kaalangalil Aval Vasantham is a iconic Tamil romantic song from the 1961 film Paava Mannippu. Penned by Kannadasan, composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, and rendered by P. B. Sreenivas, the song portrays a lover celebrating the quintessential perfection of his beloved. He compares her to the finest elements in nature and human expression—spring among seasons, Margazhi among months, jasmine among flowers, a lullaby among songs, and a painting among arts. In the second movement, the poet elevates her character beyond physical beauty to embody innocence like a child, romance like a maiden, and unconditional care like a mother, concluding that her very presence turned him into a true poet.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvam)

Kaalangalil aval vasantham

Directly equates the beloved with the pinnacle of various natural and artistic domains without using comparative words.

Simile (Uvamai)

Paalpol siripathil pillai aval

Uses explicit comparative markers like 'pol' (like/as) to compare her laughter to pure milk, her embrace to gentle dew, and her nurturing nature to the care of an eye.

Initial Rhyme & Alliteration (Monai)

Maathangalil aval maargazhi

Repeats the 'Ma' sound in consecutive lines ('Maathangalil', 'Malargalilae', 'Maangani') creating an aesthetically pleasing lyrical rhythm.

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Trivia

This song established P. B. Sreenivas as the iconic playback voice for actor Gemini Ganesan. Kannadasan derived inspiration from classical Tamil literature where nature imagery (tinai) and the auspiciousness of the month of Margazhi are used to symbolise purity and romance.

Keep listening

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