Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalaiyin Perumai Solla

From Kanniyin Kadhali · 1949

Lyricist
K. D. Santhanam
Singer
K. Sarangapani
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Details
Kanniyin Kadhali1949

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kalaiyin perumai solla pogumooCan anyone express the greatness of art?
Solla pogumooCan it ever be fully expressed?
Andha kambanaalum endha kombanaalumWhether it is the great poet Kamban or any formidable scholar,
Karppanaikiruppidamaai narppayan vilaikkum thooyaPure art, which is the abode of imagination and yields great benefits,
Kalaiyin perumai solla pogumooCan anyone express the greatness of art?
Solla pogumooCan it ever be fully expressed?
Male
Silaiyai vanangum deivam aakumaeyadaIt elevates a sculpted stone into a worshiped deity, my friend!
Verum silai adhai seidhavanaiThe simple human who carved that stone statue,
Devarudan saerkkumaeyadaaIt places him among the immortal gods, my friend!
Ulagathaiyae urundaiyaakkumaeyadaaIt makes the entire world turn around, my friend!
Indha muzhu unmaiyudan poiyai ondraai saerkkumaeyadaaIt merges absolute truth and grand illusion into one, my friend!
Male
Seermigum kalai yaaridam migha sirandhuDo you know in whom this glorious art shines most splendidly?
Vilanguvadhu theriyumaIs it known?
Male
TheriyudhungalaeYes, it is known!
Male
Azhagu deivam nadamaadum kalaikoyilIn the temple of art where the goddess of beauty dances,
Pazhagu munnae ennai paithiyamaakkiyaEven before getting acquainted, she drove me crazy,
Andha paavai meghala deviyin thaen mozhiyilaeIn the honeyed words of that maiden Meghala Devi,
Vel vizhiyilae aval nadaiyilae min idaiyilaeIn her spear-like eyes, in her walk, in her lightning-thin waist,
Kai vechilae peru moochilaeIn her hand gestures, in her deep sighs,
Aval anga asaivil ellaam kalarasamIn every movement of her body, artistic essence...
Ponghi vazhiyudhadaa...overflows endlessly, my friend!
Male
Aval kalaa devi naan kalaa devanShe is the goddess of art, and I am the god of art,
Naan kalaingan aval kalaingiI am the male artist, and she is the female artist,
Endha kaalathilum emai pol oruIn any era, have you ever seen a pair like us...
Jodiyai kandathundoo ulaginilae...anywhere in this world?
Haa….haaa…haaa…haa…Haa... haaa... haaa... haa...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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.

Keep listening

More from Kanniyin Kadhali