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Devan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kanda Kanda Pasanga

From Devan · 2002

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singers
Unnikrishnan, S. N. Surendar
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Devan
Movie release year
2002
Lyrics added on
24 Apr 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Melae yethum kadavulae
Engalaiyum konjam
Mela yethunga
Unga ora kannaal paathu vechu
Lesaa thookkunga
Engalaiyum konjam
Mela yethunga
Unga ora kannaal paathu vechu
Lesaa thookkunga
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Engalaiyum konjam
Mela yethunga
Unga ora kannaal paathu vechu
Lesaa thookkunga
Melae irukkuravana
Yerakka venaanga
Ada engala pottu tharaikkum keezhae
Amukka venaanga
Naayar mayor aagaum ezhuthu maarinaal
Lowerum upper thaanndi ezhutha maathunaan
Chinna chinna thalaiyila nee ezhudhum ezhuthula
Ennennavo nadakkudhingae onnum puriyallae
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Benz kekkalae toyota carum kekkalae
Benz kekkalae toyota carum kekkalae
Gypsy kekkalae santro carum kaekkalae
Gypsy kekkalae santro carum kekkalae
T V S suzuki thandhaal
Edanjalaagumaa
Indha olagathilae onakku yedhum
Koranju pogumaa
Edanjalaagumaa
Onakkaedhum koranju pogumaa
Pathu maadi veettukkulla
AC room kekkavilla
Porandha naalukkellaam
Cakeugalum kekkavilla
Ae appartmentaa kettom
Naanga housing boardaa kettom
Ada otha kudisa outerilum
Kodukkaliyae edhukku
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Chorus : Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Yaaru yaaraiyo cinema hero aakura
Yaaru yaaraiyo cinema hero aakura
Vethu vaettaiyum MLA mandhiri aakkura
Vethu vaettaiyum MLA mandhiri aakkura
TV yilae serialu
Nadikka maattomaa
Oru counsilloraa aakkipputtaa
Adikka maattomaa
Nadikka maattomaa
Naanga yedhum adikka maattomaa
Osandhu ponavanum
Aaduraan peyaattathil
Vasamaa maattikkittom
Vazhkkai ennum poraattathil
Nee ezhudhi vacha kanakkaa
Idhu onakku nallaa irukkaa
Nee engala mattum kazhichu vachu
Kotti vittaa kanakkaa
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Chorus :Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Engalaiyum konjam
Mela yethunga
Unga ora kannaal paathu vechu
Lesaa thookkunga
Melae irukkuravana
Yerakka venaanga
Ada engala pottu tharaikkum keezhae
Amukka venaanga
Naayar mayor aagaum ezhuthu maarinaal
Lowerum upper thaanndi ezhutha maathunaan
Chinna chinna thalaiyila nee ezhudhum ezhuthula
Ennennavo nadakkudhingae onnum puriyallae
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
Melae yethum kadavulae
Melae yethum kadavulae
Kanda kanda pasangalellaam
Melae yethum kadavulae
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
God who raises them high!
Lift us up a little too,
please lift us up!
Look at us from the corner of your eye,
and gently raise us up!
Lift us up a little too,
please lift us up!
Look at us from the corner of your eye,
and gently raise us up!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
Lift us up a little too,
please lift us up!
Look at us from the corner of your eye,
and gently raise us up!
You do not have to bring down
the one who is at the top!
Just do not push us down
and crush us beneath the ground!
When destiny's writing changes to make a commoner a mayor,
the lower guy leaps past the upper class through written fate!
In the destiny you write upon these little heads,
all sorts of things happen here—we understand nothing!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
We did not ask for a Benz, nor did we ask for a Toyota car!
We did not ask for a Benz, nor did we ask for a Toyota car!
We did not ask for a Gypsy, nor did we ask for a Santro car!
We did not ask for a Gypsy, nor did we ask for a Santro car!
If you give us a TVS Suzuki bike,
will it be such a hassle?
In this wide world, would you
lose anything at all?
Will it be a hassle?
Would you lose anything at all?
Inside a ten-story building,
we did not ask for an air-conditioned room!
For all our birthdays,
we did not even ask for cakes!
Hey, did we ask for an apartment?
Did we ask for a Housing Board house?
Why have you not given us
even a single hut on the city outskirts?
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
Chorus: All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
You turn just about anyone into a movie hero!
You turn just about anyone into a movie hero!
You turn empty nobodies into MLAs and ministers!
You turn empty nobodies into MLAs and ministers!
In television serials,
cannot we act?
If you make us a city councilor,
will we not make some quick money?
Cannot we act?
Will we not make some money too?
The one who rose high
dances around with sheer arrogance!
While we got trapped helplessly
in this struggle called life!
Is this the calculation of fate you wrote?
Does this seem right to you?
If you just leave us out of the count
and throw us away, is that fair?
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
Chorus: All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
Lift us up a little too,
please lift us up!
Look at us from the corner of your eye,
and gently raise us up!
You do not have to bring down
the one who is at the top!
Just do not push us down
and crush us beneath the ground!
When destiny's writing changes to make a commoner a mayor,
the lower guy leaps past the upper class through written fate!
In the destiny you write upon these little heads,
all sorts of things happen here—we understand nothing!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
God who raises them high!
God who raises them high!
All kinds of random guys,
you raise them high, oh God!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Kanda Kanda Pasangalellaam' from the film Devan (2002) is a lighthearted yet deeply satirical song written as a direct conversation between the common working-class man and God. The lyrics question the apparent arbitrariness of fate, highlighting how random, seemingly ordinary, or even untalented individuals often get elevated to positions of fame, power, and wealth—becoming film stars, politicians, or owners of luxury cars.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Epiphora / Rhyme (Iyaibu)

Benz kekkalae toyota carum kekkalae / Gypsy kekkalae santro carum kaekkalae

The deliberate repetition of the word 'kekkaalae' (didn't ask) at the end of consecutive lines emphasizes the speakers' humble demands and modesty compared to the wealthy.

Metaphor (Urvakam)

Vazhkkai ennum poraattathil

Life is explicitly described as a battle or struggle ('poraattam'), painting the everyday human condition as a constant fight for survival.

Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)

Lowerum upper thaanndi ezhutha maathunaan

Contrasting 'lower' and 'upper' classes to showcase sudden upward social mobility driven by unpredictable destiny.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhukai)

Naayar mayor aagaum ezhuthu maarinaal

The second letters 'ya' in 'Naayar' and 'va'/'ya' sound patterns fit traditional Tamil poetic meter rules (Edhukai) across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Devan' (2002) was directed by actor Arun Pandian and featured an ensemble cast including Vijayakanth, Karthik, and Arun Pandian himself. The music for the film was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, featuring conversational, colloquial lyrics by Pazhani Bharathi that captured contemporary urban Tamil vernacular.

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