- Lyricist
- K. D. Santhanam
- Singer
- K. Sarangapani
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Kanniyin Kadhali
- Movie release year
- 1949
- Lyrics added on
- 16 Dec 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song from the 1949 movie Kanniyin Kadhali celebrates the supreme transcendent power of art and beauty. The singer begins by posing a rhetorical question on whether even legendary poets like Kamban can capture the true essence of art, which transforms ordinary stone into revered deities and grants immortality to sculptors. Art has the unique ability to seamlessly blend reality with imagination.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Emoni (Second letter rhyme)
“Kalaiyin perumai solla pogumoo”
The second letters of 'Kalaiyin' and 'Solla' exhibit rhyming structure in classical Tamil prosody.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Devarudan saerkkumaeyadaa / Ulagathaiyae urundaiyaakkumaeyadaa”
The repetition of the suffix 'aeyadaa' across successive lines creates rhythmic end rhyming.
Uvamai (Metaphor/Simile)
“Vel vizhiyilae aval nadaiyilae min idaiyilae”
Describing eyes as 'Vel vizhi' (spear-like eyes) and waist as 'min idai' (lightning-thin waist) uses traditional Tamil imagery.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kanniyin Kadhali (1949) is a historic Tamil film adapted from William Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night'. It marked the onscreen debut of iconic actor Bhanumathi Ramakrishna in Tamil cinema along with legendary comedian K. Sarangapani.
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