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Kodeeswaran album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kulaavum Thendral

From Kodeeswaran · 1955

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
P. Susheela, A. M. Raja
Music director
S. V. Venkatraman
Movie name
Kodeeswaran
Movie release year
1955
Lyrics added on
31 Oct 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kulavum thendral nilaavai pirivadhu
Koodathendru ninaikiren
Poga koodathendru ninaikiren
Kalaba mayilum megathai kandu
Odadhendru ninaikiren
Ini odathendru ninaikiren
Ezhil maevum jothiyae thaara
Male :Inbavaanil ulavidum thaara
Idhayavaanil ulavida vaaraai
Inbavaanil ulavidum thaara
Idhayavaanil ulavida vaaraai
En vaazhvilae ragasiyam ondru
Male :Illara vaazhvinil avasiyam irandu
Idhan yogathinaalae moondru
Kannaalae vilaiyaadum raaja
Male :Nee ennaalum vaadadha roja
Female :Kannaalae vilaiyaadum raaja
Male :Nee ennaalum vaadadha roja
Inba kaaviyamae
Male :Idhaya oviyamae
Female :Inba kaaviyamae
Male :Idhaya oviyamae
Female :Anbaaga panpaadum kaavilae
Male :Amudha kaavilae
Kulavum thendral
Male :Nilaavai pirivadhu
Female :Koodathendru ninaikiren
Male :Poga koodathendru ninaikiren
Kavi paadum selvizhiyaalae
Kavi paadum selvizhiyaalae
Kavarndhidum selvamae
Female :Kalai veesum chandhiranalae
Ho oo oo
Chandra…kanindhadhen ullamae..
Female :Kannaalae vilaiyaadum raaja
Male :Nee ennaalum vaadadha roja
Female :Kannaalae vilaiyaadum raaja
Male :Nee ennaalum vaadadha roja
Malarin azhagaalae
Male :Madhuvin suvaiyaalae
Female :Malarin azhagaalae
Male :Madhuvin suvaiyaalae
Male :Vandu reengaaram seiyum poongaavilae
Female :Inba kaavilae
Kulavum thendral
Male :Nilaavai pirivadhu
Female :Koodathendru ninaikiren
Male :Poga koodathendru ninaikiren
The playful breeze parting from the moon
I feel should never happen
I feel it must never go away
Seeing the raincloud, the dancing peacock
I think will not run away
I think it will never run away anymore
O radiant light of beauty, my shining star
Male: O star wandering in the sky of joy
Come wander across the sky of my heart
O star wandering in the sky of joy
Come wander across the sky of my heart
In my life, there is one secret
Male: In married life, two are essential
And from this sweet union, there come three
O king who plays with your eyes
Male: You are a rose that will never fade
Female: O king who plays with your eyes
Male: You are a rose that will never fade
O sweet poem of joy
Male: O painting of my heart
Female: O sweet poem of joy
Male: O painting of my heart
Female: In this grove where love sings a gentle tune
Male: In this sweet nectar grove
The playful breeze
Male: Parting from the moon
Female: I feel should never happen
Male: I feel it must never go away
O lovely girl whose eyes sing poetry
O lovely girl whose eyes sing poetry
My captivating treasure
Female: Because of the glowing moon
Oh, ooh ooh
Chandra... why has my heart softened so?
Female: O king who plays with your eyes
Male: You are a rose that will never fade
Female: O king who plays with your eyes
Male: You are a rose that will never fade
With the beauty of the flower
Male: With the sweet taste of nectar
Female: With the beauty of the flower
Male: With the sweet taste of nectar
Male: In the garden where the bees hum and buzz
Female: In this garden of joy
The playful breeze
Male: Parting from the moon
Female: I feel should never happen
Male: I feel it must never go away
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kulavum Thendral from the 1955 film Kodeeswaran is a classic romantic duet composed by S. V. Venkatraman and written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. Sung gracefully by P. Susheela and A. M. Raja, the song portrays two lovers exchanging poetic declarations of love. They use nature imagery—such as the breeze lingering with the moon, peacocks welcoming clouds, and humming bees in nectar gardens—to illustrate that their union is natural and inescapable. The lyricist incorporates playful numerical wordplay (one secret, two essential components of marriage, leading to three) to symbolize the progression of love and family life. Addressing each other as unfading roses, epic poems, and portraits of the heart, the lovers celebrate their deep romantic bond in a quintessential mid-1950s musical style.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagamy (Metaphor)

“Idhayavaanil ulavida vaaraai”

Comparing the inner heart to the sky ('Idhayavaanil') and describing the lover as a living portrait ('Idhaya oviyamae').

Monai / Etukai (Alliteration and Rhyme)

“Inbavaanil ulavidum thaara”

The lines use matching phonetic patterns across initial sounds like 'Inbavaanil' and 'Idhayavaanil' to establish rhythmic melody.

Enn Alankaram (Numerical Wordplay)

“Idhan yogathinaalae moondru”

Playfully listing sequential numbers (ondru, irandu, moondru) to describe stages of life and love.

Nature Personification

“Kulavum thendral nilaavai pirivadhu”

Attributing human emotional bonds to nature elements like breeze, moon, peacock, and clouds.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kodeeswaran (1955) featured music by S. V. Venkatraman. This song stands out as an early classic duet showcasing the exquisite vocal chemistry between P. Susheela and A. M. Raja during the golden era of Tamil film music.

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