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Lyrics & meaning

Kadhaiyai Kettathum

From Neengatha Ninaivu · 1963

Lyricist
Kothamangalam Subbu
Singer
P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Neengatha Ninaivu1963

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu viduForget this story as soon as you hear it
Kanneer vandhaal thudaithu viduWipe away your tears if they fall
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu viduForget this story as soon as you hear it
Kanneer vandhaal thudaithu viduWipe away your tears if they fall
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu viduForget this story as soon as you hear it
Male
Ullathilae unakku aalayam amaithuBuilding a temple for you in his heart
Oruvan unnai poojithaanA man worshipped you
Ullathilae unakku aalayam amaithuBuilding a temple for you in his heart
Oruvan unnai poojithaanA man worshipped you
Avan uyirukku melaai nesithaanHe loved you more than his own life
Uyirukku melaai nesithaan..aa…aaa…He loved you more than life itself...
Male
Pallathilae indru veezhndhu vittaanToday he has fallen into a pit of despair
Avan paadhaiyilae avan pogattumLet him continue walking on his own path
Nalla bakkiyam unakku serattumMay great fortune come your way
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu vidu…Forget this story as soon as you hear it...
Male
Iravum pagalum theriyaa naalilIn the days when night and day could not be distinguished
Inbamum thunbamum theriyavillaiNeither happiness nor sorrow could be understood
Adhu yen endru andru puriyavillaiWhy that was so, I did not understand back then
Irulum theernthathu paadhaiyum therinthathuThe darkness has cleared and the path is now visible
Evano vazhiyai kaattugiraanSomeone is showing the way forward
Ini edhu nadanthaalum kavalai illaiWhatever happens hereafter, there is no worry
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu viduForget this story as soon as you hear it
Kanneer vandhaal thudaithu viduWipe away your tears if they fall
Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu vidu…Forget this story as soon as you hear it...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu vidu' is a deeply emotional ballad about selfless love and ultimate sacrifice. The protagonist addresses his beloved, asking her to listen to his tragic tale and immediately forget it without shedding tears. Speaking of himself in the third person, he describes how he enshrined her in his heart like a deity and loved her beyond his own life. Even though life has brought him down to a state of ruin, he asks her to move forward into a prosperous future while he walks his own lonely path. Reflecting on past confusion and pain, he notes that enlightenment and clarity have finally dawned upon him. Accepting his fate with composure, he finds solace in knowing that she will be happy, choosing to bear his suffering silently without causing her any distress.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Ullathilae unakku aalayam amaithu

Compares the speaker's heart to a temple ('aalayam') where the beloved is enshrined and worshipped like a deity.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Pallathilae indru veezhndhu vittaan

'Falling into a pit' ('Pallathilae veezhndhu vittaan') metaphorically describes reaching the depths of misfortune and failure in life.

Antithesis (Ethirsol)

Inbamum thunbamum theriyavillai

Pairs contrasting concepts like night and day ('Iravum pagalum') as well as joy and sorrow ('Inbamum thunbamum') to highlight a past state of emotional confusion.

Anaphora / Refrain

Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu vidu

Repeated use of the refrain 'Kadhaiyai kettadhum maranthu vidu' emphasizes the core theme of self-effacing sacrifice.

Did you know?

Trivia

This soulful song from the 1963 film 'Neengatha Ninaivu' features poignant lyrics by Kothamangalam Subbu and music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. Singer P. B. Sreenivas delivers an iconic performance that perfectly captures the painful yet noble sentiment of sacrificing one's love for the well-being of another.

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