Kaaviri Nagarinil
From Vaazhnthu Kattukiren · 1975
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Vaazhnthu Kattukiren1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil | In the coastal town of Kaveri (Poompuhar) |
| Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal | There lived a woman named Kannagi |
| Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded and wedded her |
| Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil | In the coastal town of Kaveri |
| Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal | There lived a woman named Kannagi |
| Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded and wedded her |
| Female | |
| Avan pooviri manjaththil porunthidum munbe | Before he could settle into her bed of flowers |
| Madhavi vaazhavanthaal adhaiyum | Madhavi came into his life, and that too |
| Kannagi kaana vanthaal…. | Kannagi came to witness... |
| Kannagi kaana vanthaal…. | Kannagi came to witness... |
| Female | |
| Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil | In the coastal town of Kaveri |
| Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal | There lived a woman named Kannagi |
| Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded and wedded her |
| Female | |
| Ippadi vaazhvathu inbamendrenni | Thinking that living like this brings joy |
| Illaram kaanugindrom | We embrace domestic life |
| Adhu eppadiyaavathu vaazhvathendraal | If it turns into living by any means necessary |
| Ellaiyai thaandugirom | We end up crossing our boundaries |
| Female | |
| Karpena solvathu pengalai mattum | What is termed as chastity only keeps |
| Kaavalil vaiththu vidum | Women locked under guard |
| Adhai virpanai porulaai kanavan ninaiththaal | If a husband treats it like a commercial commodity |
| Veedhikku vanthu vidum | It gets dragged onto the street |
| Mm….veedhikku vanthu vidum | Mm... it gets dragged onto the street |
| Female | |
| Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil | In the coastal town of Kaveri |
| Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal | There lived a woman named Kannagi |
| Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded and wedded her |
| Female | |
| Vilaimagal oruththu kalaimagalaanaal | If a courtesan becomes a lady of fine arts |
| Kulamagal ennaavaal ennaavaal | What will become of the virtuous family woman? |
| Aval vedhanai migunthu naayagan thanakkae | Overwhelmed by deep agony |
| Sodhanai pennaavaal | She becomes a severe trial to her hero himself |
| Female | |
| Varuvathu varattum naanum penthaan | Let come what may, I too am a woman |
| Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen | I will live and prove myself! |
| Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen | I will live and prove myself! |
| Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen | I will live and prove myself! |
| En vazhkkaiyai iraivan | If God does not protect |
| Kaakkavillai endraal | My life |
| Koyilai poottugiraen | I shall lock up the temple! |
| Koyilai poottugiraen | I shall lock up the temple! |
| Female | |
| Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil | In the coastal town of Kaveri |
| Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal | There lived a woman named Kannagi |
| Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded and wedded her |
| Mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded her |
| Mannavan maalaiyittaan | A kingly man garlanded her |
காவிரி நகரினில் கடற்கரை ஓரத்தில்
கண்ணகி வாழ்ந்திருந்தாள்
ஒரு மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
காவிரி நகரினில் கடற்கரை ஓரத்தில்
கண்ணகி வாழ்ந்திருந்தாள்
ஒரு மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
In the coastal town of Kaveri (Poompuhar)
There lived a woman named Kannagi
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
In the coastal town of Kaveri
There lived a woman named Kannagi
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
அவன் பூவிரி மஞ்சத்தில் பொருந்திடும் முன்பே
மாதவி வாழவந்தாள் அதையும்
கண்ணகி காண வந்தாள்........
கண்ணகி காண வந்தாள்........
Before he could settle into her bed of flowers
Madhavi came into his life, and that too
Kannagi came to witness...
Kannagi came to witness...
காவிரி நகரினில் கடற்கரை ஓரத்தில்
கண்ணகி வாழ்ந்திருந்தாள்
ஒரு மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
In the coastal town of Kaveri
There lived a woman named Kannagi
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
இப்படி வாழ்வது இன்பமென்றெண்ணி
இல்லறம் காணுகின்றோம்
அது எப்படியாவது வாழ்வதென்றால்
எல்லையைத் தாண்டுகிறோம்
Thinking that living like this brings joy
We embrace domestic life
If it turns into living by any means necessary
We end up crossing our boundaries
கற்பெனச் சொல்வது பெண்களை மட்டும்
காவலில் வைத்து விடும்
அதை விற்பனைப் பொருளாய் கணவன் நினைத்தால்
வீதிக்கு வந்து விடும்
ம்ம்.....வீதிக்கு வந்து விடும்
What is termed as chastity only keeps
Women locked under guard
If a husband treats it like a commercial commodity
It gets dragged onto the street
Mm... it gets dragged onto the street
காவிரி நகரினில் கடற்கரை ஓரத்தில்
கண்ணகி வாழ்ந்திருந்தாள்
ஒரு மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
In the coastal town of Kaveri
There lived a woman named Kannagi
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
விலைமகள் ஒருத்தி கலைமகளானால்
குலமகள் என்னாவாள் என்னாவாள் .
அவள் வேதனை மிகுந்து நாயகன் தனக்கே
சோதனைப் பெண்ணாவாள்
If a courtesan becomes a lady of fine arts
What will become of the virtuous family woman?
Overwhelmed by deep agony
She becomes a severe trial to her hero himself
வருவது வரட்டும் நானும் பெண்தான்
வாழ்ந்தே காட்டுகிறேன்
வாழ்ந்தே காட்டுகிறேன்
வாழ்ந்தே காட்டுகிறேன்
என் வாழ்க்கையை இறைவன்
காக்கவில்லை என்றால்
கோயிலை பூட்டுகிறேன்........
கோயிலை பூட்டுகிறேன்........
Let come what may, I too am a woman
I will live and prove myself!
I will live and prove myself!
I will live and prove myself!
If God does not protect
My life
I shall lock up the temple!
I shall lock up the temple!
காவிரி நகரினில் கடற்கரை ஓரத்தில்
கண்ணகி வாழ்ந்திருந்தாள்
ஒரு மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
மன்னவன் மாலையிட்டான்
In the coastal town of Kaveri
There lived a woman named Kannagi
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
A kingly man garlanded her
A kingly man garlanded her
Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil
In the coastal town of Kaveri (Poompuhar)
Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal
There lived a woman named Kannagi
Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil
In the coastal town of Kaveri
Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal
There lived a woman named Kannagi
Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
Avan pooviri manjaththil porunthidum munbe
Before he could settle into her bed of flowers
Madhavi vaazhavanthaal adhaiyum
Madhavi came into his life, and that too
Kannagi kaana vanthaal….
Kannagi came to witness...
Kannagi kaana vanthaal….
Kannagi came to witness...
Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil
In the coastal town of Kaveri
Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal
There lived a woman named Kannagi
Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
Ippadi vaazhvathu inbamendrenni
Thinking that living like this brings joy
Illaram kaanugindrom
We embrace domestic life
Adhu eppadiyaavathu vaazhvathendraal
If it turns into living by any means necessary
Ellaiyai thaandugirom
We end up crossing our boundaries
Karpena solvathu pengalai mattum
What is termed as chastity only keeps
Kaavalil vaiththu vidum
Women locked under guard
Adhai virpanai porulaai kanavan ninaiththaal
If a husband treats it like a commercial commodity
Veedhikku vanthu vidum
It gets dragged onto the street
Mm….veedhikku vanthu vidum
Mm... it gets dragged onto the street
Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil
In the coastal town of Kaveri
Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal
There lived a woman named Kannagi
Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
Vilaimagal oruththu kalaimagalaanaal
If a courtesan becomes a lady of fine arts
Kulamagal ennaavaal ennaavaal
What will become of the virtuous family woman?
Aval vedhanai migunthu naayagan thanakkae
Overwhelmed by deep agony
Sodhanai pennaavaal
She becomes a severe trial to her hero himself
Varuvathu varattum naanum penthaan
Let come what may, I too am a woman
Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen
I will live and prove myself!
Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen
I will live and prove myself!
Vaazhnthae kaattukiraen
I will live and prove myself!
En vazhkkaiyai iraivan
If God does not protect
Kaakkavillai endraal
My life
Koyilai poottugiraen
I shall lock up the temple!
Koyilai poottugiraen
I shall lock up the temple!
Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil
In the coastal town of Kaveri
Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal
There lived a woman named Kannagi
Oru mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded and wedded her
Mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded her
Mannavan maalaiyittaan
A kingly man garlanded her
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from 'Vaazhnthu Kattukiren' (1975) draws a powerful parallel between the protagonist's personal plight and the ancient Tamil epic Silappatikaram. Kannadasan uses the classical narrative of Kannagi, Kovalan, and Madhavi to critique society's hypocritical expectations of women. The lyrics reflect on how women enter marriage expecting happiness, only to be bound by double standards where chastity is enforced upon women while men treat relationships recklessly.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)
“Kannagi vaazhnthirunthaal / Madhavi vaazhavanthaal”
Direct mythological and literary reference to Kannagi and Madhavi from the epic Silappatikaram.
Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Kaveri nagarinil kadarkarai oraththil”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound in 'Kaveri' and 'kadarkarai'.
Juxtaposition / Antithesis
“Vilaimagal oruththu kalaimagalaanaal / Kulamagal ennaavaal”
Contrasting 'Vilaimagal' (courtesan) with 'Kulamagal' (virtuous woman) to highlight societal paradoxes.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Kannadasan and rendered by P. Susheela, this song's title matches the movie title 'Vaazhnthu Kattukiren' ('I Will Prove Myself by Living'), serving as the central thematic climax of the film.
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