Kalai Vantha Vitham
From Thozhilali · 1964
- Lyricists
- K. P. Sundaram, Koothanpoondi
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Thozhilali1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae | O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique. |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae | O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique. |
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu | Born in the wind, it became sound. |
| Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu | Entering the wild reed, it became music. |
| Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu | Born in the wind, it became sound. |
| Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu | Entering the wild reed, it became music. |
| Maattida en kaiyil kuzhalaanadhu | Held in my hand, it became a flute. |
| Maattida en kaiyil kuzhalaanadhu | Held in my hand, it became a flute. |
| Kuzhandhai vaayinilae nuzhaindhu mozhiyaanadhu | Entering a child's mouth, it became language. |
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae | O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique. |
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Ulla thudippil thaalam uruvaanadhu | From the inner heartbeat, rhythm (thaalam) was born. |
| Uyirin uarchiyilae surudhi layamaanadhu | From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo (surudhi layam) were formed. |
| Ulla thudippil thaalam uruvaanadhu | From the inner heartbeat, rhythm was born. |
| Uyirin uarchiyilae surudhi layamaanadhu | From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo were formed. |
| Thellu thamizh kuzhandhai ezhilaanadhu | The clear Tamil child became beautiful. |
| Thellu thamizh kuzhandhai ezhilaanadhu | The clear Tamil child became beautiful. |
| Adhan thitthitthai thitthitthai | Its 'thitthitthai thitthitthai' |
| Thitthitthai endra nadai sadhiraanadhu | 'Thitthitthai' rhythmic steps became classical dance (sadhir). |
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
| Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae | O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique. |
| Female | |
| Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae | Listen to how art came into existence, my dear. |
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
உடல் கட்டோடு அழகாக கூத்தாடும் பெண்ணே
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
உடல் கட்டோடு அழகாக கூத்தாடும் பெண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
காற்றினிலே பிறந்து ஒலியானது
அது காட்டுப் புல்லில் நுழைந்து இசையானது
காற்றினிலே பிறந்து ஒலியானது
அது காட்டுப் புல்லில் நுழைந்து இசையானது
மாட்டிட என் கையில் குழலானது
மாட்டிட என் கையில் குழலானது
குழந்தை வாயினிலே நுழைந்து மொழியானது
Born in the wind, it became sound.
Entering the wild reed, it became music.
Born in the wind, it became sound.
Entering the wild reed, it became music.
Held in my hand, it became a flute.
Held in my hand, it became a flute.
Entering a child's mouth, it became language.
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
உடல் கட்டோடு அழகாக கூத்தாடும் பெண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
உள்ளத் துடிப்பில் தாளம் உருவானது
உயிரின் உணர்ச்சியிலே சுருதி லயமானது
உள்ளத் துடிப்பில் தாளம் உருவானது
உயிரின் உணர்ச்சியிலே சுருதி லயமானது
தெள்ளுத் தமிழ் குழந்தை எழிலானது
தெள்ளுத் தமிழ் குழந்தை எழிலானது
அதன் தித்தித்தை தித்தித்தை
தித்தித்தை என்ற நடை சதிரானது
From the inner heartbeat, rhythm (thaalam) was born.
From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo (surudhi layam) were formed.
From the inner heartbeat, rhythm was born.
From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo were formed.
The clear Tamil child became beautiful.
The clear Tamil child became beautiful.
Its 'thitthitthai thitthitthai'
'Thitthitthai' rhythmic steps became classical dance (sadhir).
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
உடல் கட்டோடு அழகாக கூத்தாடும் பெண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
கலை வந்த விதம் கேளு கண்ணே
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu
Born in the wind, it became sound.
Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu
Entering the wild reed, it became music.
Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu
Born in the wind, it became sound.
Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu
Entering the wild reed, it became music.
Maattida en kaiyil kuzhalaanadhu
Held in my hand, it became a flute.
Maattida en kaiyil kuzhalaanadhu
Held in my hand, it became a flute.
Kuzhandhai vaayinilae nuzhaindhu mozhiyaanadhu
Entering a child's mouth, it became language.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Ulla thudippil thaalam uruvaanadhu
From the inner heartbeat, rhythm (thaalam) was born.
Uyirin uarchiyilae surudhi layamaanadhu
From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo (surudhi layam) were formed.
Ulla thudippil thaalam uruvaanadhu
From the inner heartbeat, rhythm was born.
Uyirin uarchiyilae surudhi layamaanadhu
From the soul's excitement, pitch and tempo were formed.
Thellu thamizh kuzhandhai ezhilaanadhu
The clear Tamil child became beautiful.
Thellu thamizh kuzhandhai ezhilaanadhu
The clear Tamil child became beautiful.
Adhan thitthitthai thitthitthai
Its 'thitthitthai thitthitthai'
Thitthitthai endra nadai sadhiraanadhu
'Thitthitthai' rhythmic steps became classical dance (sadhir).
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Udal kattodu azhagaaga koothaadum pennae
O woman who dances beautifully with a well-built physique.
Kalai vandha vidham kaelu kannae
Listen to how art came into existence, my dear.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song poetically traces the evolutionary origin of art, music, language, and dance. Addressing a dancer, the narrator explains that sound was born from the wind, transformed into music as it passed through wild reeds, became a flute in human hands, and evolved into language through the babbling of a child. Furthermore, rhythm and melody are depicted as natural expressions born from the internal human heartbeat and soul's emotions, culminating in the graceful footwork of classical dance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu / Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu”
Multiple consecutive lines end with the rhyming suffix '-aanadhu' (oliyaanadhu, isaiyaanadhu, kuzhalaanadhu, mozhiyaanadhu), creating a melodic flow.
Moonaal / Alliteration
“Kaatrinilae pirandhu oliyaanadhu / Adhu kaattu pullil nuzhaindhu isaiyaanadhu”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' in words like 'Kaatrinilae' and 'Kaattu'.
Rhythmic Syllables (Sollukattu)
“Adhan thitthitthai thitthitthai / Thitthitthai endra nadai sadhiraanadhu”
Use of rhythmic dance syllables 'thitthitthai' to mimic the sound of feet executing classical dance steps (Sadhir).
Did you know?
Trivia
This song features in the 1964 M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) starrer 'Thozhilali', directed by M. A. Thirumugam. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, and the lyrics were penned by Koothanpoondi K. P. Sundaram.
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