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Kavalai Illaadha Manithan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kann Koduthadhu Polae

From Kavalai Illaadha Manithan · 1960

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Jikki
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Kavalai Illaadha Manithan
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
21 Mar 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ooo…hooo…oo.hoo…oo.hoi…
Chorus :Hoo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
Kann koduthathu polae unakku
Penn koduthom saami
Ahaa saami
Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Ahaa saami
Jaadhi vittu jaathi konda
Poruppadhillae boomi
Chorus :Jaadhi vittu jaathi konda
Poruppadhillae boomi
Aa..samuga pazhakaththai nee
Maaththiputtae saami
Chorus :Samuga pazhakaththai nee
Maaththiputtae saami
Kann koduthathu polae unakku
Penn koduthom saami
Ahaa saami
Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Ahaa saami
Vantha velai virundhu veikka
Vazhiyum illa saami
Enga vaasalilae nimirindhu vantha
Thalai idikkum saami
Saamiyoo saamiyoo
Saamiyoo saamiyoo
Sam sam sam samChorus :Saami
Both :Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Chorus :Ahaa saami
Kann koduthathu polae unakku
Penn koduthom saami
Ahaa saami
Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Ahaa saami
Naagareega paiyum maiyum
Naanga paarthathilla
Both :Namma naattu makkal kula vazhakkam
Marandhu ponadhilla
Saamiyoo saamiyoo
Saamiyoo saamiyoo
Katthadhu konjam mathathu panjam
Kalangam illae saami
Both :Nee kai kodutha naanga kooda
Kaththu nadappom saami
Sam sam sam samChorus :Saami
Both :Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Chorus :Ahaa saami
Kann koduthathu polae unakku
Penn koduthom saami
Ahaa saami
Avalai kai vidama kaalam ellam
Kakka venum saami
Ahaa saami
Oh... Hoo... Ooh... Hoo... Ooh... Hoy...
Chorus: Hoo oh oh oh oh oh
As dear as giving away our very eyes,
we have given this girl to you, sir!
Aha, sir!
Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Aha, sir!
Marrying outside of one's own caste,
this world never readily tolerates.
Chorus: Marrying outside of one's own caste,
this world never readily tolerates.
Ah, but this ancient social custom,
you have changed forever, sir!
Chorus: This ancient social custom,
you have changed forever, sir!
As dear as giving away our very eyes,
we have given this girl to you, sir!
Aha, sir!
Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Aha, sir!
Now that you are here, to host a feast for you,
we don't even have the means, sir!
If you walk in standing tall at our doorway,
your head will bump against the roof, sir!
Oh sir, oh good sir!
Oh sir, oh good sir!
Sam sam sam sam, Chorus: Sir!
Both: Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Chorus: Aha, sir!
As dear as giving away our very eyes,
we have given this girl to you, sir!
Aha, sir!
Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Aha, sir!
Fashionable bags and modern makeup,
we have never even seen!
Both: But our people's good traditions,
we have never once forgotten!
Oh sir, oh good sir!
Oh sir, oh good sir!
We have studied little and hold no arrogance,
and there is no malice in our hearts, sir!
Both: If you guide us with a helping hand,
we too will learn and live well, sir!
Sam sam sam sam, Chorus: Sir!
Both: Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Chorus: Aha, sir!
As dear as giving away our very eyes,
we have given this girl to you, sir!
Aha, sir!
Never letting go of her hand, for all time,
you must protect her, sir!
Aha, sir!
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk-style song from the 1960 movie 'Kavalai Illaadha Manithan' is sung by simple, rustic village folk addressing a progressive gentleman who has married a girl from their community across caste barriers. The villagers express deep gratitude and respect to him for breaking societal taboos and giving their daughter a dignified life, metaphorically comparing the marriage to restoring sight to a blind person.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai)

“Kann koduthathu polae unakku / Penn koduthom saami”

Compares giving a bride in marriage to giving sight ('Kann koduthathu polae ... Penn koduthom').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Kann koduthathu polae unakku / Penn koduthom saami”

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' in 'Kann' and 'Penn' (and 'Kakka').

Emonai / Rhyme (Iyaibu)

“Penn koduthom saami / Kakka venum saami”

Repetition of the honorific ending word 'saami' at the end of consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kavalai Illaadha Manithan' (1960) starring Chandrababu and T. R. Mahalingam featured music by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy and poignant socio-reformist lyrics written by Kavignar Kannadasan, highlighting rural innocence and social equality.

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