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Lyrics & meaning

Kakkai Siraginilae

From Thullatha Manamum Thullum · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Sujatha
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Movie name
Thullatha Manamum Thullum
Movie release year
1999
Lyrics added on
20 Jun 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaakai siraginilae
Nandhalala – nindhan
Kariya niram
Thondrudhada nandhalala
Paarkum marangal ellaam
Nandhalala – nindhan
Pachai niram
Thondrudhada nandhalala
Ketkum oliyil ellaam
Nandhalala – nindhan
Geetham isaikudhada nandhalala
Theekkul viralai vaithaal
Nandhalala – ninnai
Theendum inbam
Thondrudhada nandhalala
Kaakai siraginilae
Nandhalala – nindhan
Kariya niram
Thondrudhada nandhalala
In the feathers of a crow,
O Nandalala, your
dark color
appears to me, O Nandalala!
In all the trees I see,
O Nandalala, your
green color
appears to me, O Nandalala!
In all the sounds I hear,
O Nandalala, your
song plays on, O Nandalala!
If I put my finger into fire,
O Nandalala, the joy
of touching you
is felt, O Nandalala!
In the feathers of a crow,
O Nandalala, your
dark color
appears to me, O Nandalala!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poem expresses intense devotional love and omnipresent perception of Krishna (Nandhalala). The poet perceives Krishna's divine presence in every aspect of nature and sensory perception—his dark hue in a crow's feathers, his vibrant green in the trees, his celestial music in every sound, and the ultimate bliss of touching him even in the heat of a flame.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Refrain / Anaphora

Nandhalala – nindhan / Thondrudhada nandhalala

The rhythmic repetition of 'Nandhalala' at the end of lines serves as an ecstatic devotional refrain anchoring the entire poem.

Sensory Imagery

Paarkum marangal ellaam ... Pachai niram

Combines visual (black feathers, green foliage), auditory (music in sound), and tactile (fire touching) imagery to illustrate divine omnipresence.

Paradox / Mystical Metaphor

Theekkul viralai vaithaal ... Theendum inbam

Placing a finger in fire normally causes severe pain, but in state of devotional ecstasy, it translates to the ultimate joy of touching the Divine.

Did you know?

Trivia

Though adapted into modern media including the film 'Thullatha Manamum Thullum' (1999) with music by S. A. Rajkumar, these lyrics are originally from a famous devotional poem composed by the legendary Tamil poet Mahakavi Subramania Bharati.

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