Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kalyaana Maalai 1

From Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Ilayaraja, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
19 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen} (2)
Suruthiyodu layam polavae
Inaiyaagum thunaiyaagum samsaara sangeedhamae
Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen
Vaalibangal odum vayadhaaga koodum
Aanaalum anbu maaraadhathu
Maalaiyidum sondham mudipotta bandham
Pirivennum sollae ariyaadhathu
Azhagaana manaivi anbaana thunaivi
Amaindhaalae perinbamae
Madimeedhu thuyila sarasangal payila
Moghangal aarambamae
Nalla manaiyaalin nesam oru kodi
Nenjamenum veenai paadumae thodi
Sandhoosha saamraajyamae…
Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen
Suruthiyodu layam polavae
Inaiyaagum thunaiyaagum samsaara sangeedhamae
Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen
Koovugindra kuyilai koottukkul vaithu
Paadendru sonnaal paadaadhamaa
Solaimayil thannai siraivaithu pootti
Aadendru sonnaal aadaadhamaa
Naaldhorum rasigan paarattum kalainjan
Kaavalgal enakillaiyae
Sogangal enakum nenjodu irukkum
Sirikaadha naalillaiyae
Thukkam silaneram pongivarumbodhum
Makkal manampolae paaduven kannae
En sogham ennodudhaan…
Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen
Suruthiyodu layam polavae
Inaiyaagum thunaiyaagum samsaara sangeedhamae
Kalyaana maalai kondaadum pennae
En paattai kelu unmaigal sonnen
Hmmm..mmmm..mmmmm…mmmmmm..
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
Just like pitch and rhythm blending together,
Family life is music where two souls support each other.
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
Youth may fade and age may catch up,
Yet true love never changes.
The bond tied by wedding garlands,
Knows no such word as separation.
To be blessed with a lovely wife, a devoted companion,
Is the greatest joy in life.
Resting on her lap and sharing sweet romance,
That is where deep desire begins.
A good wife's love is worth countless treasures,
The veena (Indian string instrument) of the heart sings the melody of Thodi (a classical raga),
Creating a kingdom of happiness...
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
Just like pitch and rhythm blending together,
Family life is music where two souls support each other.
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
If you trap a singing cuckoo in a cage
And tell it to sing, won't it still sing?
If you lock up a garden peacock in captivity
And tell it to dance, won't it still dance?
I am an artist praised every day by his fans,
Yet I have no one to protect or comfort me.
Sorrow remains deep inside my heart,
Yet not a single day passes without my smile.
Even when sadness wells up and overflows,
I keep singing to delight the people, my dear.
My sorrow remains mine alone...
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
Just like pitch and rhythm blending together,
Family life is music where two souls support each other.
O woman celebrating your wedding garland,
Listen to my song, for I speak the truth.
Hmm... mmmm... mmmmm... mmmmmm...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kalyaana Maalai is a iconic philosophical and emotional composition from the 1989 Tamil film 'Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal', directed by K. Balachander. Set during a wedding performance, the song duals as an ode to marital harmony and a poignant commentary on the duties of an artist. In the first stanza, the singer celebrates marriage as a divine symphony where husband and wife tune together like pitch (sruti) and rhythm (laya), emphasizing that while youth fades, true companionate love endures.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor & Simile (உவமை & உருவகம்)

“Suruthiyodu layam polavae / Inaiyaagum thunaiyaagum samsaara sangeedhamae”

Comparing married life (Samsaaram) to music (Sangeedham), and husband and wife to melody (Suruthi) and rhythm (Layam).

Uruvagamy / Metaphor (உருவகம்)

“Nenjamenum veenai paadumae thodi”

Comparing the human heart to a Veena instrument playing the classic raga Thodi when blessed with love.

Emona / Rhyme & Alliteration (எதுகை / மோனை)

“Koovugindra kuyilai koottukkul vaithu / Solaimayil thannai siraivaithu pootti”

Use of second-letter rhyming (Edhugai) in 'Koovugindra' and 'Solaimayil', alongside internal rhythm.

Contrast / Antithesis

“Sogangal enakum nenjodu irukkum / Sirikaadha naalillaiyae”

Juxtaposing personal grief with professional obligations to smile and entertain the public.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and sung brilliantly by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, this song is famous for its intricate use of the Carnatic raga Sindhu Bhairavi. In the film, the scene features actor Rahman playing a singer performing at a wedding while concealing his own personal tragedy, mirroring the tragicomic duty of a performing artist.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Abinayam Kaattu Nadai1981
Vidiyum Varai KaathiruCelebratoryMusic And Dance
Ohoho Rasikargale1983
SumangaliCelebratoryMusic And Dance
Paaduvor Paadinaal1968
Kannan En KadhalanDevotionCelebratory
Orunaal Ithu Orunaal1960
Anbukkor AnniDevotionRomantic Union
Oru Devathai Vanthu Vittaal1999
Nee Varuvai EnaDevotionRomantic Union
Kayal Vizhi Karigai1982
Then ChittugalMusic And DanceDevotion

From the same album

More songs from Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal

View album
Kalyaana Maalai 21989
Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalTender
Eduthu Naan Vidava1989
Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalCelebratory
Ellorum Mavatta1989
Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalCelebratory
Guruvayurappa Guruvayurappa1989
Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalDevotional
Keladi Kanmani1989
Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalTender

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.