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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kanakku Paarthu

From Aalukkoru Aasai · 1977

Lyricist
Panchu Arunachalam
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Aalukkoru Aasai1977

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kaadhal vanthathuLove arrived,
Kachidhama jodi sernthathuA perfectly matched couple joined together.
Onnum onnum renduOne and one make two,
Rendum onnum moonuTwo and one make three,
Manasu polavaeJust as the heart desired,
Vaazhvu vanthathuLife blossomed.
Male
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kaadhal vanthathuLove arrived,
Kachidhama jodi sernthathuA perfectly matched couple joined together.
Male
Ilakkiya kaadhalukkuFor literary romance,
Ingae velai illaiThere is no place here,
Ellaamae kaaviyam illaiNot everything is an epic poem.
Karpanai ulagathilIn a world of imagination,
Aasaigalum illaiDesires do not exist,
Kanavukku velaiyum illaiThere is no room for mere dreams.
Male
Naduthara kudumbathukkuFor a middle-class family,
Budget thaanae ellaiThe budget is the boundary,
Varavukku mel selavu vandhaalIf expenses exceed the income,
Ennaalum thollaiTrouble is guaranteed every day.
Male
Onnum onnum renduOne and one make two,
Rendum onnum moonuTwo and one make three,
Manasu polavaeJust as the heart desired,
Vaazhvu vanthathuLife blossomed.
Male
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kaadhal vanthathuLove arrived,
Kachidhama jodi sernthathuA perfectly matched couple joined together.
Male
Ovvoru manidhanukkumFor every human being,
Aasai veru veruDesires are different,
Ellaamae inaivathu illaiNot all desires come together.
Oruvarai oruvar nandraaiBefore understanding each other,
Purindhu kollum munnaeThoroughly and well,
Sernthaalae varuvathu thollaiIf joined together, only trouble follows.
Male
Pinaal nadapathellaamEverything that happens later,
Munaal purivathillaiIs not understood beforehand,
Munaal purinthu vittaalIf understood beforehand,
Vaazhvil suvai illaiLife would have no taste.
Male
Onnum onnum renduOne and one make two,
Rendum onnum moonuTwo and one make three,
Manasu polavaeJust as the heart desired,
Vaazhvu vanthathuLife blossomed.
Male
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kaadhal vanthathuLove arrived,
Kachidhama jodi sernthathuA perfectly matched couple joined together.
Male
Onnum onnum renduOne and one make two,
Rendum onnum moonuTwo and one make three,
Manasu polavaeJust as the heart desired,
Vaazhvu vanthathuLife blossomed.
Male
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kanakku paarthuCalculating carefully,
Kaadhal vanthathuLove arrived,
Kachidhama jodi sernthathuA perfectly matched couple joined together.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song presents a pragmatic view of love and domestic life, contrasting abstract or idealistic romantic tropes with the practical realities faced by middle-class families. Through simple arithmetic metaphors like 'one plus one equals two', the lyrics emphasize the importance of planning, financial budgeting, and mutual understanding in building a stable and harmonious marriage.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaai (Alliteration)

Kanakku paarthu / Kaadhal vanthathu

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across adjacent words, such as 'Kanakku' and 'Kaadhal'.

Ezhukai (Assonance / Second-letter Rhyming)

Pinaal nadapathellaam / Munaal purivathillai

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines ('Pinaal' / 'Munaal').

Mathematical Metaphor

Onnum onnum rendu / Rendum onnum moonu

Using elementary addition ('One and one make two') to represent practical relationship building.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Aalukkoru Aasai' (1977) was directed by S. P. Muthuraman and scored by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Panchu Arunachalam. The song reflects Panchu Arunachalam's signature style of blending colloquial Tamil wisdom with relatable middle-class realities.

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