Kungumam Piranthathu
From Pattondru Ketten · 1971
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. Susheela, P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- C. Ramachandra
- Details
- Pattondru Ketten1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aa…aa….aa….aa….. | [Vocalizing] |
| Male :Aa….aa….aa…aa…. | Male: [Vocalizing] |
| Female :Aa…aa…aa…aa…aah….aa…. | Female: [Vocalizing] |
| Male | |
| Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa | Was the vermilion born from a tree? |
| Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa | Was the vermilion born from a tree? |
| Illai kumari pennin udhattilaa | Or from a young woman's red lips? |
| Male | |
| Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa | Was the vermilion born from a tree? |
| Male | |
| Inimai kidaippathu kaniyilaa | Is sweetness found in a fruit? |
| Oru yaenthizhai mozhiyin kanivilaa | Or in the gentle speech of a adorned maiden? |
| Female :Kulumai kidaippathu paniyilaa…aa…aa..aa… | Female: Is coolness found in the dew? |
| Kulumai kidaippathu paniyilaa.. | Is coolness found in the dew? |
| Ilamai kumaran oruvan thunaiyilaa | Or in the companionship of a youthful prince? |
| Female | |
| Isaiyum piranthathu kaatrilaa | Was music born in the wind? |
| Isaiyum piranthathu kaatrilaa | Was music born in the wind? |
| Iru idhayam vidugindra moochilaa | Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts? |
| Iru idhayam vidugindra moochilaa | Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts? |
| Male | |
| Asaivu piranthathu kodiyilaa | Was grace in movement born in a slender creeper? |
| Illai azhagi oruththiyin idaiyilaa | Or in the waist of a beautiful maiden? |
| Male | |
| Agamum mugamum malarvathaen | Why do the heart and face bloom in joy? |
| Pudhu anantham ninaivil valarvathaen | Why does a novel bliss flourish in thought? |
| Female :Aa….alaiyum karaiyai thoduvathaen | Female: Why do the restless waves touch the shore? |
| Alaiyum karaiyai thoduvathaen | Why do the restless waves touch the shore? |
| Adhai anainthae thaalam poduvathaen | Why do they embrace it and strike a rhythm? |
| Female | |
| Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa | Was the vermilion born from a tree? |
| Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa | Was the vermilion born from a tree? |
ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......
ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......
ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ......ஆஹ்...ஆ....
[Vocalizing]
Male: [Vocalizing]
Female: [Vocalizing]
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
இல்லை குமரிப் பெண்ணின் உதட்டிலா
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Or from a young woman's red lips?
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
சந்திரன் மலர்வது விண்ணிலா
இல்லை அன்புள்ள ஆடவன் கண்ணிலா
சந்திரன் மலர்வது விண்ணிலா
Is sweetness found in a fruit?
Or in the gentle speech of a adorned maiden?
Female: Is coolness found in the dew?
Is coolness found in the dew?
Or in the companionship of a youthful prince?
இனிமை கிடைப்பது கனியிலா
ஒரு ஏந்திழை மொழியின் கனிவிலா
குளுமை கிடைப்பது பனியிலாஆ...ஆ....ஆ...
குளுமை கிடைப்பது பனியிலா
இளமை குமரன் ஒருவன் துணையிலா
Was music born in the wind?
Was music born in the wind?
Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts?
Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts?
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
Was grace in movement born in a slender creeper?
Or in the waist of a beautiful maiden?
இசையும் பிறந்தது காற்றிலா
இசையும் பிறந்தது காற்றிலா
இரு இதயம் விடுகின்ற மூச்சிலா
இரு இதயம் விடுகின்ற மூச்சிலா
Why do the heart and face bloom in joy?
Why does a novel bliss flourish in thought?
Female: Why do the restless waves touch the shore?
Why do the restless waves touch the shore?
Why do they embrace it and strike a rhythm?
அசைவு பிறந்தது கொடியிலா
இல்லை அழகி ஒருத்தியின் இடையிலா
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
அகமும் முகமும் மலர்வதேன்
புது ஆனந்தம் நினைவில் வளர்வதேன்
ஆ......அலையும் கரையை தொடுவதேன்
அலையும் கரையை தொடுவதேன்
அதை அணைந்தே தாளம் போடுவதேன்
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
குங்குமம் பிறந்தது மரத்திலா
Aa…aa….aa….aa…..
[Vocalizing]
Male :Aa….aa….aa…aa….
Male: [Vocalizing]
Female :Aa…aa…aa…aa…aah….aa….
Female: [Vocalizing]
Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Illai kumari pennin udhattilaa
Or from a young woman's red lips?
Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Inimai kidaippathu kaniyilaa
Is sweetness found in a fruit?
Oru yaenthizhai mozhiyin kanivilaa
Or in the gentle speech of a adorned maiden?
Female :Kulumai kidaippathu paniyilaa…aa…aa..aa…
Female: Is coolness found in the dew?
Kulumai kidaippathu paniyilaa..
Is coolness found in the dew?
Ilamai kumaran oruvan thunaiyilaa
Or in the companionship of a youthful prince?
Isaiyum piranthathu kaatrilaa
Was music born in the wind?
Isaiyum piranthathu kaatrilaa
Was music born in the wind?
Iru idhayam vidugindra moochilaa
Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts?
Iru idhayam vidugindra moochilaa
Or in the breath exhaled by two loving hearts?
Asaivu piranthathu kodiyilaa
Was grace in movement born in a slender creeper?
Illai azhagi oruththiyin idaiyilaa
Or in the waist of a beautiful maiden?
Agamum mugamum malarvathaen
Why do the heart and face bloom in joy?
Pudhu anantham ninaivil valarvathaen
Why does a novel bliss flourish in thought?
Female :Aa….alaiyum karaiyai thoduvathaen
Female: Why do the restless waves touch the shore?
Alaiyum karaiyai thoduvathaen
Why do the restless waves touch the shore?
Adhai anainthae thaalam poduvathaen
Why do they embrace it and strike a rhythm?
Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa
Was the vermilion born from a tree?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic duet from Pattondru Ketten (1971) uses poetic interrogation to contrast the beauty of nature with the intimate allure of romantic love. Through rhetorical questions, the lovers ponder whether true beauty, sweetness, music, and grace originate in natural elements like trees, dew, wind, and waves, or in human emotion and connection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Alangaram)
“Kungumam piranthathu maraththilaa / Illai kumari pennin udhattilaa”
The lyricist uses repetitive rhetorical questions comparing natural phenomena to romantic traits to highlight the divinity of love.
End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Inimai kidaippathu kaniyilaa / Oru yaenthizhai mozhiyin kanivilaa”
The suffix '-ilaa' creates a consistent melodic end rhyme across almost every line in the verse.
Initial Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Isaiyum piranthathu kaatrilaa / Iru idhayam vidugindra moochilaa”
Repetition of initial vowel sounds ('I') across adjacent lines creating phonetic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track was composed by the legendary Hindi cinema music director C. Ramachandra for the Tamil film Pattondru Ketten (1971). The song showcases the iconic pairing of P. Susheela and P. B. Sreenivas, set to the deeply evocative Tamil lyrics of Kannadasan.
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