Kathalukku Naalu Pakkam
From Annai Sonna Sol · 1968
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Annai Sonna Sol1968
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaathalukku | For love |
| Male :Naalu pakkam | Male: Four pages |
| Female :Kaalgalukku | Female: For the feet |
| Male :Naalu nadai | Male: Four types of gaits |
| Female :Madharukku | Female: For women |
| Male :Naalu gunam | Male: Four qualities |
| Female :Mai vizhikku | Female: For kohl-lined eyes |
| Male :Naalu mozhi | Male: Four languages |
| Female | |
| Kaathalukku naalu pakkam | Love has four pages |
| Kaalgalukku naalu nadai | Feet have four types of gaits |
| Madharukku naalu gunam | Women have four qualities |
| Mai vizhikku naalu mozhi | Kohl-lined eyes have four languages |
| Male | |
| Kangalinaal eluthuvadhae mudhal pakkam | Writing through the eyes is the first page |
| Kalanthu kollum idhayangalae irandam pakkam | Hearts mingling together is the second page |
| Female :Ennuvadhai solluvadhae moondram pakkam | Female: Expressing what is in the mind is the third page |
| Eeruyirum inaivadhu thaan naalam pakkam | The union of two souls is the fourth page |
| Male | |
| Kaathalukku naalu pakkam | Love has four pages |
| Female | |
| Aasai midhakaiyilae anna nadai podum | Floating in desire, she walks like a swan |
| Aruginil vaa vendraal chinna nadai podum | When asked to come near, she takes tiny, hesitant steps |
| Male :Kattilukku sellgaiyiilae kanni nadai podum | Male: Approaching the marriage bed, she walks like a coy maiden |
| Kaar irulil panjanaiyil enna nadai podum | In the dark night on the bed of cushions, what kind of walk will she have? |
| Female | |
| Kaalgalukku naalu nadai | Feet have four types of gaits |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalanin paarvaiyilae thalai kavilum oru gunam | Bowing her head under her lover's gaze is one quality |
| Kaigalukkul irukkaiyilaekan maraikkum maru gunam | Covering her eyes when in his arms is another quality |
| Female :Alli varum ninaivugalai adakki vaikkum oru gunam | Female: Suppressing the flood of emerging memories is one quality |
| Anaikkaiyilae athanaiyum maranthirukkum marugunam | Forgetting everything completely when embraced is another quality |
| Male | |
| Madharukku naalu gunam | Women have four qualities |
| Female | |
| Thanakkul thanimaiyilae sirikkum mozhi ondru | Smiling to oneself in solitude is one language |
| Thalaimagam kangalukkum anuppum mohi ondru | Sending a secret message to her beloved's eyes is another language |
| Male :Aasai malar poothathu pol veesum mozhi ondru | Male: Radiating fragrance like a blossoming flower of desire is one language |
| Aduthavarkku theriyaamal pesum mozhi ondru | Speaking secretly without others noticing is another language |
| Female | |
| Kaathalukku naalu pakkam | Love has four pages |
| Kaalgalukku naalu nadai | Feet have four types of gaits |
| Male :Madharukku naalu gunam | Male: Women have four qualities |
| Mai vizhikku naalu mozhi | Kohl-lined eyes have four languages |
காதலுக்கு
நாலு பக்கம்
கால்களுக்கு
நாலு நடை
மாதருக்கு
நாலு குணம்
மைவிழிக்கு
நாலு மொழி
For love
Male: Four pages
Female: For the feet
Male: Four types of gaits
Female: For women
Male: Four qualities
Female: For kohl-lined eyes
Male: Four languages
காதலுக்கு நாலு பக்கம் கால்களுக்கு நாலு நடை
மாதருக்கு நாலு குணம் மைவிழிக்கு நாலு மொழி
Love has four pages
Feet have four types of gaits
Women have four qualities
Kohl-lined eyes have four languages
கண்களினால் எழுதுவதே முதல் பக்கம்
கலந்து கொள்ளும் இதயங்களே இரண்டாம் பக்கம்
எண்ணுவதைச் சொல்லுவதே மூன்றாம் பக்கம்
ஈருயிரும் இணைவதுதான் நாலு பக்கம்
Writing through the eyes is the first page
Hearts mingling together is the second page
Female: Expressing what is in the mind is the third page
The union of two souls is the fourth page
காதலுக்கு நாலு பக்கம்
Love has four pages
ஆசை மிதக்கையிலே அன்னநடை போடும்
அருகினில் வாவென்றால் சின்னநடை போடும்
கட்டிலுக்குச் செல்கையிலே கன்னி நடை போடும்
காரிருளில் பஞ்சணையில் என்ன நடை போடும்
Floating in desire, she walks like a swan
When asked to come near, she takes tiny, hesitant steps
Male: Approaching the marriage bed, she walks like a coy maiden
In the dark night on the bed of cushions, what kind of walk will she have?
கால்களுக்கு நாலு நடை
Feet have four types of gaits
காதலனின் பார்வையிலே தலை கவிழும் ஒரு குணம்
கைகளுக்குள் இருக்கையிலே கண் மறைக்கும் மறு குணம்
அள்ளி வரும் நினைவுகளை அடக்கி வைக்கும் ஒரு குணம்
அணைக்கையிலே அத்தனையும் மறந்திருக்கும் மறுகுணம்
Bowing her head under her lover's gaze is one quality
Covering her eyes when in his arms is another quality
Female: Suppressing the flood of emerging memories is one quality
Forgetting everything completely when embraced is another quality
மாதருக்கு நாலு குணம்
Women have four qualities
தனக்குள் தனிமையிலே சிரிக்கும் மொழி ஒன்று
தலைமகன் கண்களுக்கும் அனுப்பும் மொழி ஒன்று
ஆசைமலர் பூத்ததுபோல் வீசும் மொழி ஒன்று
அடுத்தவர்க்குத் தெரியாமல் பேசும் மொழி ஒன்று
Smiling to oneself in solitude is one language
Sending a secret message to her beloved's eyes is another language
Male: Radiating fragrance like a blossoming flower of desire is one language
Speaking secretly without others noticing is another language
காதலுக்கு நாலு பக்கம் கால்களுக்கு நாலு நடை
மாதருக்கு நாலு குணம் மைவிழிக்கு நாலு மொழி
Love has four pages
Feet have four types of gaits
Male: Women have four qualities
Kohl-lined eyes have four languages
முனகல் :
இருவர் ...............
Kaathalukku
For love
Male :Naalu pakkam
Male: Four pages
Female :Kaalgalukku
Female: For the feet
Male :Naalu nadai
Male: Four types of gaits
Female :Madharukku
Female: For women
Male :Naalu gunam
Male: Four qualities
Female :Mai vizhikku
Female: For kohl-lined eyes
Male :Naalu mozhi
Male: Four languages
Kaathalukku naalu pakkam
Love has four pages
Kaalgalukku naalu nadai
Feet have four types of gaits
Madharukku naalu gunam
Women have four qualities
Mai vizhikku naalu mozhi
Kohl-lined eyes have four languages
Kangalinaal eluthuvadhae mudhal pakkam
Writing through the eyes is the first page
Kalanthu kollum idhayangalae irandam pakkam
Hearts mingling together is the second page
Female :Ennuvadhai solluvadhae moondram pakkam
Female: Expressing what is in the mind is the third page
Eeruyirum inaivadhu thaan naalam pakkam
The union of two souls is the fourth page
Kaathalukku naalu pakkam
Love has four pages
Aasai midhakaiyilae anna nadai podum
Floating in desire, she walks like a swan
Aruginil vaa vendraal chinna nadai podum
When asked to come near, she takes tiny, hesitant steps
Male :Kattilukku sellgaiyiilae kanni nadai podum
Male: Approaching the marriage bed, she walks like a coy maiden
Kaar irulil panjanaiyil enna nadai podum
In the dark night on the bed of cushions, what kind of walk will she have?
Kaalgalukku naalu nadai
Feet have four types of gaits
Kaadhalanin paarvaiyilae thalai kavilum oru gunam
Bowing her head under her lover's gaze is one quality
Kaigalukkul irukkaiyilaekan maraikkum maru gunam
Covering her eyes when in his arms is another quality
Female :Alli varum ninaivugalai adakki vaikkum oru gunam
Female: Suppressing the flood of emerging memories is one quality
Anaikkaiyilae athanaiyum maranthirukkum marugunam
Forgetting everything completely when embraced is another quality
Madharukku naalu gunam
Women have four qualities
Thanakkul thanimaiyilae sirikkum mozhi ondru
Smiling to oneself in solitude is one language
Thalaimagam kangalukkum anuppum mohi ondru
Sending a secret message to her beloved's eyes is another language
Male :Aasai malar poothathu pol veesum mozhi ondru
Male: Radiating fragrance like a blossoming flower of desire is one language
Aduthavarkku theriyaamal pesum mozhi ondru
Speaking secretly without others noticing is another language
Kaathalukku naalu pakkam
Love has four pages
Kaalgalukku naalu nadai
Feet have four types of gaits
Male :Madharukku naalu gunam
Male: Women have four qualities
Mai vizhikku naalu mozhi
Kohl-lined eyes have four languages
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic duet from 'Annai Sonna Sol' (1968) presents an exquisite literary categorization structured around the number four ('naalu'). Through a playful dialogue, the couple details four aspects of romance and womanhood: the four chapters of love, the four gaits of a woman, the four inner qualities of a maiden, and the four unspoken languages expressed by dark eyes. Kannadasan's lyrical brilliance draws upon classical Tamil literary traditions (such as the four traditional virtues of women) and converts them into an engaging contemporary love song. Accompanied by K. V. Mahadevan's melodious composition, T. M. Soundarajan and P. Susheela brilliantly capture the poetic nuances of longing, coy affection, and romantic union.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Enumeration / Numerical Motif (Sankhya)
“Kaathalukku naalu pakkam / Kaalgalukku naalu nadai”
The entire song is structured around the repetition of the number 'Naalu' (Four), systematically breaking down love, gaits, qualities, and expressions into four stages.
Metaphor (Uruvagham)
“Kangalinaal eluthuvadhae mudhal pakkam”
Comparing the stages of romance to pages in a book ('pakkam').
Simile (Upamanam)
“Aasai midhakaiyilae anna nadai podum”
Comparing a woman's graceful walk of desire to the regal stride of a swan ('anna nadai').
Anaphora & Rhyme (Monai and Etukai)
“Kaathalukku naalu pakkam / Kaalgalukku naalu nadai”
Repetition of sound patterns and structures across parallel stanzas, creating musical harmony and poetic balance.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kannadasan cleverly adapts the traditional Sangam literature concept of feminine virtues (Acham, Madam, Naanam, Payirppu) into modern romantic expression, framing them as playful interactions between lovers.
Keep listening
More from Annai Sonna Sol
No related songs found yet.