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Kodimalar album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kaanakathai Thedi Indru

From Kodimalar · 1966

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Kodimalar
Movie release year
1966
Lyrics added on
7 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Suvai kallirukkum malar koondhal janaki
Maanidathai thaedi sendru indru pogiraal
Than manavaalan kattalaiyaal janaki
Maaninathai thaedi sendru indru pogiraal
Than manavaalan kattalaiyaal janaki
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Suvai kallirukkum malar koondhal janaki
{Thaedi vandha maalaigaiyil aadharavillai
Aval thaer sellum paadhaiyil dheivamum illai
Dheivamum illai} (2)
Paavai aval vazhakkil oru saatchiyum illai
Than paavamalla endru solla vaarthaiyum illai
Vaarthaiyum illai
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Suvai kallirukkum malar koondhal janaki
{Oomai kanda kanavai aval yaaridam solvaal
Indru oor sollum vaarthaiyil vaeridam selvaal
Vaeridam selvaal} (2)
Naayaganin nenjil aval aasaigal vaithaal
Andha naayaganoo thaayagathai poojaigal seidhaan
Poojaigal seidhaan
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Suvai kallirukkum malar koondhal janaki
{Seethai konda raamanukkae sanjalam endraal
Indha deviyin raamanukku nimmadhi engae
Nimmadhi engae} (2)
Kaala magal jaanakikku aarudhal sonnaal
En kanmanikku avalae thaan aarudhaal solvaal
Aarudhaal solvaal
Kaanagathai thaedi indru pogiraal
Suvai kallirukkum malar koondhal janaki
Today she goes in search of the forest
Today she goes in search of the forest
Janaki, with sweet nectar in her flowered hair
Today she goes in search of humanity
By the command of her husband, Janaki goes
Today she goes in search of the deer
By the command of her husband, Janaki goes
Today she goes in search of the forest
Janaki, with sweet nectar in her flowered hair
In the palace she came to, there is no support
On the path her chariot travels, there is no God
There is no God
In this woman's trial, there is no witness
She has no words left to say it is not her fault
Not a single word
Today she goes in search of the forest
Janaki, with sweet nectar in her flowered hair
To whom can she describe a dream seen by a mute person?
Hurt by the town's cruel gossip, today she leaves for elsewhere
She leaves for elsewhere
She placed all her hopes in her husband's heart
Yet that husband was devoted only to his country
Devoted to his country
Today she goes in search of the forest
Janaki, with sweet nectar in her flowered hair
If even Sita's Rama suffered such deep anguish,
Where can this noble woman's Rama ever find peace?
Where is his peace?
If the daughter of Time brings comfort to Janaki,
She will surely bring comfort to my darling too
She will bring comfort
Today she goes in search of the forest
Janaki, with sweet nectar in her flowered hair
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song draws a direct parallel between the plight of the protagonist's beloved and the mythical banishment of Goddess Sita (Janaki) to the forest in the Ramayana. The lyrics paint a tragic picture of a virtuous woman unjustly exiled and abandoned despite her innocence, forced to bear societal gossip and isolation due to her husband's duty-bound choices.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)

Oomai kanda kanavai aval yaaridam solvaal

Compares the protagonist's unspoken distress to a dream seen by a mute person (Oomai kanda kanavu), illustrating complete helplessness in communication.

Allusion (Purana Santharbam)

Than manavaalan kattalaiyaal janaki

Alludes to the epic Ramayana where Sita (Janaki) is exiled to the forest by Rama, linking epic grief to the modern narrative.

Emoni / Monai (Initial Rhyme)

Paavai aval vazhakkil oru saatchiyum illai / Than paavamalla endru solla vaarthaiyum illai

Repetition of starting sounds like 'Paavai' and 'Paavamalla' creating a musical rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary poet Kannadasan, this song uses epic allegories from Ramayana to depict tragic female exile, a recurring thematic motif in classical Tamil cinema.

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