- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Movie name
- Velli Vizha
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 12 May 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song uses the traditional South Indian board game of Dhaayam (played with cowrie shells) as an allegory for human life, destiny, and romantic relationships. The lyrics draw clever parallels between rolling dice, capturing game pieces, and navigating fate's unpredictable turns. Through playful banter, the song also highlights the social boundaries and traditional virtues (Acham, Madam, Naanam, Payirppu) expected of women, suggesting that while life's gamble has rules, destiny ultimately determines where the pieces fall.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allegory / Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vidhi endra vilaiyaattai”
Life and destiny are metaphorically framed as a game of dice played with cowrie shells ('Vidhi endra vilaiyaattai', 'Panthayathai vaazhkkai endru').
Initial Rhyme (Monai)
“Naanam endrum acham endrum / Naalu kattam penmaikkundu”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Naa' across lines creating rhythmic flow.
Parallelism / Contrast
“Angkirukkum manggai... Ingkirukkum kanni...”
Symmetrical structure contrasting 'the woman over there' with 'the maiden over here'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Vaali, 'Kai Niraiya Sozhi' is a famous track from K. Balachander's 1972 drama film 'Velli Vizha', starring Gemini Ganesan, Jayanthi, and Vanisri. It features vocals by playback legends P. Susheela and L. R. Eswari.
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