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Annai Abirami album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kannale Gopurangal Kaana

From Annai Abirami · 1972

Lyricist
Vageesa Kalanidhi
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan
Movie name
Annai Abirami
Movie release year
1972
Lyrics added on
3 May 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pesaatha deivam ellaam
Pesidavae aasai kondu
Piranthu vantha piravigalae
Pesum deivangalae
Chinna arumpugalae
Selva kuzhanthaigalae
Vaazhai kuruththukalae
Varungaala periyorkalae….
Kannaalae gopurangal kaana vendum
Kaadhalae mani osai ketkka vendum
Kannaalae gopurangal kaana vendum
Kaadhalae mani osai ketkka vendum
Kannaalae gopurangal kaana vendum
Kaadhalae mani osai ketkka vendum
Naavinilae devaaram olikka vendum
Devarangal olikka vendum
Naavinilae devaaram olikka vendum
Ungal narambinilae bakthi thanai inakka vendum
Kayirendum kanthanaiyae vananga vendum
Kanthanaiyae vananga vendum
Kayirendum kanthanaiyae vananga vendum
Kaalirendum kanthanaiyae vananga vendum
Nettriyilae thiruneeru manakka vendum
Thiruneeru manakka vendum
Nettriyilae thiruneeru manakka vendum
Ungal nenjinilae anjezhuththu vaazh vendum
Ungal nenjinilae anjezhuththu vaazh vendum
All the silent deities,
Desiring to speak,
Have been born into this world—
O living deities who speak!
Little flower buds,
Precious children,
Tender banana shoots,
Respected elders of the future!
Your eyes should gaze upon the temple towers,
Your ears should hear the ringing of temple bells,
Your eyes should gaze upon the temple towers,
Your ears should hear the ringing of temple bells,
Your eyes should gaze upon the temple towers,
Your ears should hear the ringing of temple bells,
Thevaram (sacred hymns) should resound on your tongue,
Sacred hymns should resound,
Thevaram (sacred hymns) should resound on your tongue,
Devotion should flow through every vein of yours,
Both your hands should worship Lord Muruga,
Worship Lord Muruga,
Both your hands should worship Lord Muruga,
Both your feet should climb the sacred temple steps,
Thiruneeru (sacred ash) should be fragrant on your forehead,
Sacred ash should be fragrant,
Thiruneeru (sacred ash) should be fragrant on your forehead,
The five-letter mantra (Namasivaya) should live in your heart,
The five-letter mantra (Namasivaya) should live in your heart...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This beautiful devotional song from the 1972 movie 'Annai Abirami' addresses young children as living, speaking manifestations of God. It compares children to tender buds and banana shoots who hold the promise of the future, urging them to grow with strong moral and spiritual values. The lyrics advise children to direct all their senses toward divinity: seeing temple towers with their eyes, listening to sacred bells with their ears, chanting holy Devaram hymns with their tongue, worshipping Lord Murugan with their hands and feet, wearing sacred ash on their forehead, and holding the holy five-letter mantra ('Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya') in their hearts.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Pesum deivangalae

Children are metaphorically addressed as 'Pesum deivangalae' (speaking gods), 'Chinna arumpugalae' (tiny flower buds), and 'Vaazhai kuruththukalae' (tender banana shoots) to symbolize their divine purity and potential.

Initial Alliteration (Moonaai)

Pesaatha deivam ellaam

Repetition of the 'P' consonant sound at the start of consecutive lines ('Pesaatha', 'Pesidavae', 'Piranthu', 'Pesum').

Consonance / Anaphora

Kannaalae gopurangal kaana vendum

Repeated use of the phrase structure ending with 'vendum' across multiple lines to emphasize imperative spiritual duties.

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Trivia

Composed by classical violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, this song highlights traditional Saivite spiritual discipline for children. Sung melodiously by legendary playback singer P. Susheela, it remains an iconic devotional track in Tamil film music.

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