- Lyricist
- Kambadasan
- Singer
- A. M. Raja
- Music director
- Shankar Jaikishan
- Movie name
- Avan (1953)
- Movie release year
- 1953
- Lyrics added on
- 5 Mar 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant track expresses deep angst, utter loneliness, and existential despair. The protagonist travels through a pitch-black night where dawn seems impossibly distant, metaphorically reflecting his personal grief and loss of direction in life. Enveloped in fog and surrounded by a dense forest, his mind wanders without guidance or compassion from the world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaarirul neram kaalaiyo thooram”
Repetition of the 'Ka' sound at the beginning of words in the line ('Kaarirul', 'kaalaiyo').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Paniyo savaththirai”
Comparing the cold morning dew ('pani') to a shroud ('savaththirai'), evoking themes of sorrow and mortality.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Paathaiyil kanneer / Aaviyil kanneer / Paarkkum vaan thaarai kanneer”
The word 'Kanneer' (tears) is repeated across consecutive lines to emphasize pervasive sadness.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Avan' (1953) is the Tamil dubbed version of the Hindi classic 'Awaara' (1951), directed by Raj Kapoor. The iconic music composed by Shankar Jaikishan was adapted into Tamil with lyrics by Kambadasan and vocals by A. M. Raja.
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