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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalyanamam Kalyanam

From Cuckoo · 2014

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singer
Anthony Daasan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Cuckoo2014

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kaadhal kanmaniyae..ae…..Beloved darling...
Male
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhal kanmaniku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved darling,
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhali ponnuku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved girl.
Male
Onna sirichu meiya pazhagiLaughing together and bonding sincerely,
Kannal pesi kaathu kedanthuSpeaking through eyes and waiting longingly,
Oruvar madiyil oruvar sarinthuLeaning onto each other's lap,
Urangidamal kanavum kanduDreaming without even sleeping,
Kadaisi varaikum varuvathagaPromising to stay together till the very end,
Kathaiyum vittalaeShe spun tall tales,
Indru athanaiyelam maranthuvittuToday, forgetting all of that,
Paranthum vittalaeShe has flown away!
Male
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhal kanmaniku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved darling,
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhali ponnuku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved girl.
Chorus
………………………….
Male
Kaadhal kanmaniyae…ae….Beloved darling...
Male
Koora sela madichu kattiDraped neatly in a silk wedding saree,
Kunkuma potta nethiyil vechuWith a vermilion dot placed on her forehead,
Manavarayil ava iruppa maharaniyaShe will sit on the wedding dais like a queen,
Avala kaadhalichavanThe one who loved her,
Kalangi nippaan appuraniya…Will stand tearful like an innocent fool...
Male
Kalyanam kalyanam kalyanamWedding, wedding, wedding!
Male
Getti melam kaathu polakaAs the temple drums beat loudly to burst the ears,
Naadhaswaram onghi olikkaAs the Nadaswaram sound echoes strongly,
Kacheria rasichirupan ooru munnalaShe will enjoy the concert in front of the town,
Avala kaadhalichavanThe one who loved her,
Kathariduvan oosai illama..Will weep silently without making a sound...
Male
Kalyanam kalyanam kalyanamWedding, wedding, wedding!
Female
Sadhi sanatha vanangikituBowing down to relatives and kin,
Sattunu sattunu sirichukituSmiling quickly and repeatedly,
Parisu porula vaangi vaippaShe will accept and collect gifts,
Romba aasaiyaWith immense eagerness,
Male
Avala kaadhalichavanThe one who loved her,
Kasangi nippan saniyaasiyaWill stand crushed like an ascetic...
Female
Vagavagaiya samachu vechuCooking a wide variety of dishes,
Vazha elaiyil panthiyum ittuServing a feast on banana leaves,
Purushankku ootividuvaShe will feed her husband,
Photo pudikathanJust to pose for a photograph!
Male
Avala kaadhalichavanThe one who loved her,
Manasukkula gundu vedikathaanWill feel a bomb exploding inside his heart!
Male
Mangala thaali kazhuthil aadaAs the sacred knot sways on her neck,
Manthira vaartha iyerum odhaAs the priest chants holy mantras,
Car il eri poiduvaShe will get into the car and depart,
Puguntha veetukkuTo her in-laws' home,
Avala kaadhalichavanThe one who loved her,
Vanthiduvanae nadu rottukuWill end up standing stranded in the middle of the road!
Male
Kalyanam kalyanam kalyanamWedding, wedding, wedding!
Male
Kaadhal kanmaniae….aaee……Beloved darling...
Male
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhal kanmaniku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved darling,
Kalyanamam kalyanamIt is said there is a wedding, a wedding,
Kaadhali ponnuku kalyanamA wedding for the beloved girl.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kalyanamam Kalyanam from the film Cuckoo is a poignant folk-style lamentation of a heartbroken lover watching the girl he loved marry someone else. The song uses sharp irony and contrast, setting the cheerful, loud, and festive atmosphere of a grand traditional Tamil wedding against the silent agony and devastating helplessness of the abandoned lover.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Irony and Contrast

Manavarayil ava iruppa maharaniya / Avala kaadhalichavan kalangi nippaan appuraniya

Juxtaposes the joyous rituals of the bride (decorating, receiving gifts, posing for photos) with the quiet destruction of the lover's heart.

Imagery

Koora sela madichu katti / Kunkuma potta nethiyil vechu

Creates vivid visual and auditory imagery of a traditional Tamil wedding using elements like silk saree, bindi, getti melam drums, nadaswaram, and banana leaf feast.

Hyperbole

Manasukkula gundu vedikathaan

Exaggerates the internal pain of betrayal comparing it to a bomb exploding inside the heart.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Onna sirichu meiya pazhagi / Kannal pesi kaathu kedanthu

Rhyming of the second consonant sound across consecutive lines in Tamil poetry.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Santhosh Narayanan with lyrics by Yugabharathi for the 2014 romantic drama Cuckoo directed by Raju Murugan, the song captures a deeply emotional moment in the film where visual impairment and heartbreak intersect.

Keep listening

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