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Seeman Petra Selvangal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kandathu Ondru Kettathu Ondru

From Seeman Petra Selvangal · 1962

Lyricist
Kavi Rajagopal
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
T. R. Pappa
Movie name
Seeman Petra Selvangal
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
3 Jun 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
Iru kangalum kaadhum aadiya naadagam
Kavalaiyil mudinthathu indru
Kavalaiyil mudinthathu indru
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
Kandavar bodhanai ennum nanju
Kalanthathu rathathilae
Adhanaal unmaiyum poiyaai
Uruvam kondathu avanadhu nenjathile
Avanadhu nenjathile
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
Kalam vandhadhu ilaiyum udhirnthathu
Kaatrin mel pazhi naerndhathu
Kaatrin mel pazhi naerndhathu
Kaagam amarndhadhu kaniyum vizhundhadhu
Karanam adhu vendraanadhae
Karanam adhu vendraanadhae
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
Sandhegam konda thandhaiyin paarvaiyil
Maganum ver aanaan
Maganum ver aanaan
Adhanaal bandham migundha
Annanum thambhiyum paar irul koor aanaar
Paar irul koor aanaar
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
Iru kangalum kaadhum aadiya naadagam
Kavalaiyil mudinthathu indru
Kavalaiyil mudinthathu indru
Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru
Kadhaiyum ver ondru
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
The drama played out by the eyes and the ears
has ended in sorrow today.
It has ended in sorrow today.
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
The poison of onlookers' advice
mixed into his blood.
Because of that, even the truth
took the shape of a lie inside his heart.
Inside his heart.
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
The season arrived and the leaf fell,
yet the blame was placed upon the wind.
The blame was placed upon the wind.
A crow perched and the fruit fell,
and that was falsely made to be the cause!
That was falsely made to be the cause!
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
In the eyes of a suspicious father,
even his own son became a stranger.
Even his own son became a stranger.
Because of this, the deeply bonded
brothers were plunged into blinding darkness.
They were plunged into blinding darkness.
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
The drama played out by the eyes and the ears
has ended in sorrow today.
It has ended in sorrow today.
What was seen was one thing, what was heard another,
and the real story was something else entirely.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song reflects upon how human perceptions can be deeply misleading when filtered through misinterpretation, malicious advice, and unfounded suspicion. It highlights how what is seen by the eyes or heard by the ears does not always capture the reality of a situation. The lyrical narrative uses natural allegories—such as a leaf falling due to its season while the wind takes the blame, or a fruit falling coincidentally as a crow perches—to illustrate how people jump to wrong conclusions and attribute false causes to tragic events. Ultimately, the song warns against the destructive consequences of toxic advice and doubt. A father's suspicion estranges him from his son, and deeply bonded brothers are driven into sharp conflict. It serves as a philosophical commentary on how miscommunication and unchecked suspicion can shatter family relationships and turn lives into tragedy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Refrain / Anaphora

Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru

The lines 'Kandathu ondru kettadhu ondru / Kadhaiyum ver ondru' repeat regularly throughout the song to emphasize the central thesis that sensory perception often differs from truth.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kandavar bodhanai ennum nanju

Harmful advice is metaphorically described as poison ('bodhanai ennum nanju') that contaminates one's bloodstream and distorts truth.

Allegory / Proverbial Allusion (Kakataliya Nyaya)

Kaagam amarndhadhu kaniyum vizhundhadhu

The line uses the classical Sanskrit/Tamil idiom of the crow and fruit ('Kaagam amarndhadhu kaniyum vizhundhadhu') to symbolize false causality and erroneous assumptions.

Initial Alliteration (Monai)

Kalam vandhadhu ilaiyum udhirnthathu

The repetition of the 'Ka' syllable across consecutive poetic lines ('Kalam', 'Kaatrin', 'Kaagam', 'Karanam') creates rhythm and acoustic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

Seeman Petra Selvangal (1962) was directed by P. V. Rama Rao and starred K. A. Thangavelu, S. S. Rajendran, and B. Saroja Devi. Rendered powerfully by Seerkazhi Govindarajan under T. R. Pappa's music composition, Kavi Rajagopal's lyrics brilliantly evoke classical allegories to comment on human misperceptions.

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