Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannilladha Paravai

From Vetri Malai · 1990

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
Sankar Ganesh
Details
Vetri Malai1990

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kadavulukkae kannillaiyoo adhaiDoes God Himself have no eyes?
Kannappar thaan koduthaarooWas it Kannappar who gave eyes to Him?
Ingae kannillaa manidhargalaiHere, eyeless human beings...
Andha kadhavul thaan padaithaaraDid that God create them?
Female
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Female
Vennilaavai polae adhan azhagu jolikkudhuIts beauty shines bright like the white moon,
Gyaana kanninaalae naalum adhu ulagai rasikkudhuWith the eye of wisdom, it enjoys the world every day.
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Female
Mullai kodi alaiyudhthendruSeeing that the jasmine vine was swaying without support,
Thaerai thandhaan paariKing Paari gave away his chariot.
Oru pulli mayil kuliril vaadaWhen a spotted peacock shivered in the cold,
Porvai thandhan baeganKing Baegan offered his cloak.
Female
Neengal kooda vallal thaanaeAre you not great philanthropists as well?
Enna seiya vendumWhat ought to be done now?
Ingae irulil vaazhum makkalakkuTo the people living here in darkness,
Oliyai vazhanga vendumLight must be granted,
Kan oliyai vazhanga vendum…aa…aa…aa…aa…The light of eyesight must be granted... ah... ah...
Female
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Vennilaavai polae adhan azhagu jolikkudhuIts beauty shines bright like the white moon,
Gyaana kanninaalae naalum adhu ulagai rasikkudhuWith the eye of wisdom, it enjoys the world every day.
Female
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Female
Vizhi oruvarkillai endraThat someone lacks eyesight—
Pazhiyai mudhalil thudaipomLet us first erase this mark of misfortune.
Pudhu vin gnyaana koodam ondruA new observatory of scientific wisdom
Vinveliyil amaippomWe shall establish out in space.
Female
Ellorum paarvai pettruWith everyone receiving the gift of vision,
Inba kadalil kulipomWe shall bathe in an ocean of happiness.
Ingae kurudar yaarum illai endruDeclaring that no one here is blind,
Pudhiya ulagam padaippomWe shall create a brand new world.
Puratchi vazhiyil nadappom aa aa aaLet us march along the path of revolution, ah ah ah.
Female
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.
Vennilaavai polae adhan azhagu jolikkudhuIts beauty shines bright like the white moon,
Gyaana kanninaalae naalum adhu ulagai rasikkudhuWith the eye of wisdom, it enjoys the world every day.
Female
Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhuA bird without eyes flies in the sky,
Ennilladha uravai adhu nenjil valarkudhuIt nurtures countless relationships in its heart.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kannilladha Paravai' from Vetri Malai (1990), written by Vaali, is an evocative allegorical piece centered on physical blindness, spiritual wisdom, and human empathy. It begins with a philosophical query referencing Saint Kannappar, who sacrificed his own eyes for Lord Shiva, asking why a loving God would create blind people. It uses the metaphor of an 'eyeless bird' soaring high to represent the human soul or mind navigating life using inner wisdom ('gyaana kannu') rather than physical sight. Moving into social advocacy, the lyricist invokes ancient Tamil patrons (Kadai Ezhu Vallalgal) such as King Paari (who gave his chariot to a jasmine plant) and King Baegan (who gave his shawl to a shivering peacock) to inspire modern society to be equally generous. It calls upon humanity to eliminate blindness through science, medical advancement, and eye donation, dreaming of a revolutionary era where no human is left in darkness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Kannilladha paravai ondru vinnil parakkudhu

The 'eyeless bird' flying in the sky represents a visually impaired person navigating life guided by inner wisdom and spirit.

Simile (Upamai)

Vennilaavai polae adhan azhagu jolikkudhu

The beauty of the bird's spirit is directly compared to the radiant glow of the full moon using the comparison word 'polae'.

Allusion (Purana/Historical Reference)

Thaerai thandhaan paari... Porvai thandhan baegan

Refers to Kadai Ezhu Vallalgal (the seven great Tamil patrons): Paari who offered his chariot to a vine, and Baegan who gave his blanket to a peacock.

Mythological Allusion

Kannappar thaan koduthaaroo

Refers to Kannappa Nayanar, the devotion-filled saint who plucked out his own eyes to replace the bleeding eyes of a Shiva Lingam.

Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Vizhi oruvarkillai endra / Pazhiyai mudhalil thudaipom

The second letters 'zhi' and 'zhi' match across consecutive lines (Vizhi / Pazhi).

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the prolific lyricist Vaali, the song draws heavily from Sangam literature's imagery of the 'Kadai Ezhu Vallalgal' (Seven Great Patrons) to encourage eye donation and medical progress in modern Tamil society.

Keep listening

More from Vetri Malai