- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Sankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Vetri Malai
- Movie release year
- 1990
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Sept 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
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Allusion (Purana/Historical Reference)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
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