- Lyricist
- Pudhu Kamban Boomi Balagadass
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Kanniyin Kathali
- Movie release year
- 1949
- Lyrics added on
- 18 Aug 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classical song is an impassioned plea addressed to Goddess Kalaivani (Saraswati) as well as an expression of romantic yearning towards a beloved described with exalted epithets like 'Madhivathani' (moon-faced) and 'Jagan Mogini' (world enchantress). The speaker laments being subjected to emotional trials and questions the fairness of the divine or beloved turning an indifferent face towards them, urging for grace and presence without further delay.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Madhivathana….aa….aa….”
Compares the woman's face directly to the full moon ('Madhi') to highlight radiating beauty.
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa)
“Seivathum nyaayamo….oo….oo….”
Asking whether subjecting the speaker to tests is fair ('niyaayamo') serves to express dramatic anguish rather than solicit a literal answer.
Anaphora (Madakku / Repetition)
“Kalaivaaniyae nee ennai”
The line calling out to Kalaivani and asking about fairness is repeated regularly as a refrain to heighten emotional intensity.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kanniyin Kathali (1949), produced by Jupiter Pictures and directed by K. Ramnoth, holds a historic place in Tamil cinema as the very first screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night'. The film starred Madhuri Devi, Anjali Devi, and S. A. Natarajan.
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