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Aalayamani album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kallellam Manikka

From Aalayamani · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Aalayamani
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
9 May 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………
{ Kal ellam
Maanika kalaaguma
Kalai ellam kangal
Sollum kalaiyaguma } (2)
{ Solellam
Thooya thamizh
Solaaguma suvaiellam
Idhazh sindhum suvaiyaguma } (2)
……………………..
Kal ellam
Maanika kalaaguma
Kalai ellam kangal
Sollum kalaiyaguma
{ Kanni thamizh
Thandhadhoru thiruvasagam
Kallai kani aakum undhan
Oru vaasagam } (2)
{ Undendru
Solvadhundhan kanallava
Vanna kanallava } (2)
Illai endru
Solvadhundhan idai
Allava minnal idai allava
……………………
Kal ellam
Maanika kalaaguma
Kalai ellam kangal
Sollum kalaiyaguma
……………………..
{ Kamban kanda
Seethai undhan thaai allava
Kaalidasan sakunthalai un sei allava } (2)
{ Ambikavathi
Anaitha amaravathi
Mangai amaravathi } (2)
Sendra pinbu paavalarku
Neeyae kathi endrum
Neeyae kathi
………………
Kal ellam
Maanika kalaaguma
Kalai ellam kangal
Sollum kalaiyaguma
...
Can all ordinary stones
become precious rubies?
Can all arts compare to the art
expressed by the eyes?
Can all spoken words
be pure Tamil words?
Can all sweet flavors compare to
the sweetness spilled by the lips?
...
Can all ordinary stones
become precious rubies?
Can all arts compare to the art
expressed by the eyes?
Ever-youthful Tamil
gave us the sacred Thiruvasagam,
yet it takes just a single word of yours
to turn a stone into tender fruit.
Saying 'I am present',
is that not spoken by your eyes,
your radiant eyes?
Saying 'I am non-existent',
is that not spoken by your waist,
your lightning-thin waist?
...
Can all ordinary stones
become precious rubies?
Can all arts compare to the art
expressed by the eyes?
...
The Sita envisioned by Kamban,
is she not your mother?
And Kalidasa's Shakuntala, is she not your daughter?
Ambikapathy's beloved,
the maiden Amaravathi,
the maiden Amaravathi—
after she departed, for all poets,
you alone are the refuge, forever
you alone are the sole refuge.
...
Can all ordinary stones
become precious rubies?
Can all arts compare to the art
expressed by the eyes?
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Kallellam Maanikka Kallaaguma' is a iconic romantic song from the 1962 Tamil film Aalayamani, featuring lyrics by Kannadasan and music by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy. In this song, the protagonist praises his lover by asserting that just as ordinary stones cannot equal rubies, no art form can match the emotional depth conveyed by her eyes, and no sweetness can compare to her lips. He weaves rich literary imagery to elevate her grace above standard comparisons. The lyrics cleverly employ classical Tamil poetic tropes, contrasting the presence declared by her large eyes with the near-nonexistence of her slender waist ('slender as lightning'). Furthermore, Kannadasan connects her sublime beauty to legendary figures of classical literature—such as Kamban's Sita, Kalidasa's Shakuntala, and Ambikapathy's Amaravathi—declaring her to be the ultimate inspiration and sanctuary for poets.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Kal ellam / Maanika kalaaguma / Kalai ellam kangal”

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across consecutive words ('Kal ellam', 'Kalai ellam', 'Kangal') creating a rhythmic flow.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa)

“Kal ellam Maanika kalaaguma”

Using questions that imply an obvious 'no' to emphasize the subject's peerless beauty compared to ordinary stones or words.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Allava minnal idai allava”

Directly comparing the heroine's slender waist to lightning ('minnal idai').

Literary Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)

“Kanni thamizh Thandhadhoru thiruvasagam”

References to sacred and classical literary works and figures (Thiruvasagam, Kamban's Sita, Kalidasa's Shakuntala, and Ambikapathy-Amaravathi).

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