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Raja Desingu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanangkuruvi Kaattuppuraa

From Raja Desingu · 1960

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, P. Leela
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Movie name
Raja Desingu
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
3 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Kaanaang kuruvi
Kaattu puraa
Vaanampaadi
Vakkadhaaraa
Aattathodu paadum paravai
Vandhirukkudhunga
Idho vandhirukkudhunga
Aattathodu paadum paravai
Vandhirukkudhunga
Idho vandhirukkudhunga
Nottam paarthu pudichudhunnaa
Vilaiyai kaelunga
Nottam paarthu pudichudhunnaa
Vilaiyai kaelunga
Oorodu ulagam kettu pochu
Aamaa yosichaa vaangudhu moochu
Aamaa yosichaa vaangudhu moochu
Avaravar naattil aayiram thollai
Gavanikka naeram illai
Avaravar naattil aayiram thollai
Gavanikka naeram illai
Aduthavan ellai kottilae sallai
Koduppadhu sariyae illai
Aduthavan ellai kottilae sallai
Koduppadhu sariyae illai
Evarkkum avaravar idanthaan madhippu
Idam maarinaal avamadhippu
Oorodu ulagam kettu pochu
Aamaa
Aamaa
Aamaa
Udaiyavar thamakku nelathilae velanjadhai
Uzhubavar olikkappadaadhu
Udaiyavar thamakku nelathilae velanjadhai
Uzhubavar olikkappadaadhu
Uzhubavar thammai udaiyavar meratti
Velachalai parikka koodaadhu
Uzhubavar thammai udaiyavar meratti
Velachalai parikka koodaadhu
Kadamaiyil yaarum thavarappadaadhu
Vedachaa ini nadakkaadhu
A forest sparrow,
A wild dove,
A skylark,
A heron and a duck,
Birds that sing and dance
Have arrived here, folks!
Look, they are right here!
Birds that sing and dance
Have arrived here, folks!
Look, they are right here!
Take a good look, and if you like them,
Go ahead and ask the price!
Take a good look, and if you like them,
Go ahead and ask the price!
The whole world and every town has gone bad!
Yes, just thinking about it leaves you breathless!
Yes, just thinking about it leaves you breathless!
Everyone has a thousand troubles in their own land,
With no time to attend to them.
Everyone has a thousand troubles in their own land,
With no time to attend to them.
Stirring up trouble across someone else's border
Is never the right thing to do!
Stirring up trouble across someone else's border
Is never the right thing to do!
Everyone is respected in their own place;
If you cross your bounds, there is only disgrace.
The whole world and every town has gone bad!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
What is grown on the landowner's field,
The farmer who plows shouldn't hide away.
What is grown on the landowner's field,
The farmer who plows shouldn't hide away.
And the landowner, by threatening the farmer,
Must not snatch the harvest away!
And the landowner, by threatening the farmer,
Must not snatch the harvest away!
No one should fail in doing their duty,
Tricks and pretenses will work no more!
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from Raja Desingu (1960) uses the guise of street performers or vendors showing birds to deliver a sharp socio-political satire written by Udumalai Narayanakavi. Beneath the simple facade of describing singing and dancing birds, the lyricist addresses contemporary societal ills, cross-border interference, and economic inequality between landowners and tillers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allegory (Uvamaanam)

“Kaanaang kuruvi Kaattu puraa”

The song uses birds (Kaanaang kuruvi, Kaattu puraa, Vaanampaadi) as metaphors for human types and social themes.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Udaiyavar thamakku... / Uzhubavar olikkappadaadhu”

Rhyming second letters in 'kettu' and 'vaangudhu' or 'Udaiyavar' and 'Uzhubavar'.

Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)

“Kaanaang kuruvi / Kaattu puraa”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'Ka' in 'Kaanaang' and 'Kaattu'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Udumalai Narayanakavi, popularly known as 'Kavirayar', was famous for embedding rationalist ideas, social reform themes, and sharp political commentary into historical and mythological films like Raja Desingu.

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