- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Jayachandran
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Pagalil Oru Iravu
- Movie release year
- 1979
- Lyrics added on
- 31 Jan 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Kalaiyo Silaiyo' is a poetic Tamil romantic song in which the protagonist expresses profound admiration for a maiden's beauty, modesty, and mysterious charm. Through a series of poetic questions, he wonders whether she is an intricate sculpture, a golden deer, dew drops, or the moon itself visiting earth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Questions (Sandeha Alankaram)
“Kalaiyo silaiyo”
The song extensively uses the poetic interrogative suffix '-o' (Kalaiyo, silaiyo, paniyo, nilavo) to express wonder and hyperbole regarding the heroine's beauty.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Vadivamo kannikolam / Vaalibam poomazhai”
Comparing youth to a shower of blossom flowers ('Vaalibam poomazhai') and the maiden to the moon descending to earth.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Paniyo poongiliyo / Nilam paarkka vandha nilavo”
Consistent end rhyming using the '-o' sound across consecutive lines creates melodic rhythm and aesthetic elegance.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kalaiyo Silaiyo' from the 1979 film Pagalil Oru Iravu features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by K. J. Yesudas, featuring poet Kannadasan's signature evocative love imagery.
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