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Nenjil Oru Ragam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kurudana Kavignanukku

From Nenjil Oru Ragam · 1982

Lyricist
T. Rajendar
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, B. S. Sasirekha
Music director
T. Rajendar
Movie name
Nenjil Oru Ragam
Movie release year
1982
Lyrics added on
10 Jun 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kurudaana kavinganukku oothaappoo enna
Rosaappoo enna
Sevidaana rasikanukku kalyaani enna
Kaambodhi enna
Poo manakkaathu kuzhal manakkaathu
Uyir irukkaathu udal thedum kaadu
Poo manakkaathu kuzhal manakkaathu
Uyir irukkaathu udal thedum kaadu
Kalyaanaththil thaali katta
Naathaswaram melamittaal
Innaalilae nee pogiraai
En thaaliyaivo nee ketkkiraai
Naan pottu vaippaen poova vaippaen aiyaa
Antha paakkiamthaan pari poguthaiyaa
Pattu selaiyai vaangi thanthaaiaiyaa
Pattu naan pogavae vella selaiaiayaa
Katttililae udan iruppaal
Kattai saainthidavae kadhariduvaal
Kaattinilae vettum kuzhiyil
Kalimannai vittaal yaariruppaar
Pachchayilam mattaiyilae
Meththai onnu podayilae
Pachchaikiliyo vittu pirivaal
Sikki thavippaal
Pantham paasam ellaam andrae vilagum
Kurudaana kavinganukku oothaappoo enna
Rosaappoo enna
Sevidaana rasikanukku kalyaani enna
Kaambodhi enna
Uyir irunthaal perai solvaar
Adhu paranthaal pinamthaan enpaar
Neram kadanthaal maarum enpaar
Intha nilaiyae vaazhkkai enpaar
Moongililae muththu pallaakku
Agil erikkaiyil soththu edharkku
Kolliyittaal vegum elumbu
Adhu kondu sella enna irukku
Oorvalaththai nadaththida
Oor janangal nadanthida
Oorvalaththai nadaththida
Oor janangal nadanthida
Paarththu rasikka paadaiyilae avanirukka
Yaar yaar pinnae vanthaar endravanaa arivaan
Kurudaana kavinganukku oothaappoo enna
Rosaappoo enna
Sevidaana rasikanukku kalyaani enna
Kaambodhi enna
Poo manakkaathu kuzhal manakkaathu
Uyir irukkaathu udal thedum kaadu
Poo manakkaathu kuzhal manakkaathu
Uyir irukkaathu udal thedum kaadu
What does a purple flower mean to a blind poet?
What does a rose mean?
What does Kalyani (a classical raga) mean to a deaf music lover?
What does Kambhoji (a classical raga) mean?
The flower has no fragrance, the hair has no scent,
Life is gone, the body heads to the graveyard...
The flower has no fragrance, the hair has no scent,
Life is gone, the body heads to the graveyard...
To tie the sacred marriage knot at our wedding,
When wedding pipes and drums were played,
On this day you are passing away,
Are you taking away my sacred marriage thread?
I wore the red bindi and flowers, my lord,
That very blessing is being snatched away, my lord.
You bought and gave me silk saris, my lord,
Now as I grieve in ruin, only a white sari remains, my lord.
She stays beside him on the bed,
When his body falls lifeless, she wails in tears.
In the grave dug in the burial ground,
Once the clay covers it, who will stay by his side?
On fresh green palm stems,
When a final bed is made,
His beloved wife is torn away from him,
Left to suffer in helpless agony.
All bonds and affection will fade away that very day.
What does a purple flower mean to a blind poet?
What does a rose mean?
What does Kalyani (a classical raga) mean to a deaf music lover?
What does Kambhoji (a classical raga) mean?
As long as life remains, people call you by your name,
Once life flies away, they only call you a corpse.
If time passes, they say the body will decay,
They say this is the reality of life.
A bamboo palanquin decorated like pearls,
When fragrant wood burns on the pyre, what use is wealth?
Once the funeral fire is set, the bones burn,
What is there left for it to take along?
As the funeral procession moves,
As the townsfolk walk along,
As the funeral procession moves,
As the townsfolk walk along,
While he lies upon the funeral bier, unable to see...
Will he ever know who walked behind him?
What does a purple flower mean to a blind poet?
What does a rose mean?
What does Kalyani (a classical raga) mean to a deaf music lover?
What does Kambhoji (a classical raga) mean?
The flower has no fragrance, the hair has no scent,
Life is gone, the body heads to the graveyard...
The flower has no fragrance, the hair has no scent,
Life is gone, the body heads to the graveyard...
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant philosophical song from 'Nenjil Oru Ragam' reflects on impermanence, death, and the ultimate futility of earthly worldly desires, attachments, and material possessions. Using metaphors like a blind poet unable to appreciate flowers or a deaf listener unable to enjoy classical Carnatic ragas (Kalyani and Kaambodhi), the song highlights how physical senses and social status become completely meaningless once life leaves the human body. The female verse highlights tragic grief over lost marital bliss, while the male verse expands on the universal truth of mortality—how a named individual becomes just a 'corpse' upon death, how wealth cannot be carried into the grave, and how funeral processions matter little to the deceased.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Kurudaana kavinganukku oothaappoo enna...”

Comparing sensory deprivation (blind poet, deaf listener) to the inability of a deceased soul or unappreciative person to experience life's pleasures.

Emoni / Rhyme (Monai)

“Katttililae udan iruppaal / Kattai saainthidavae kadhariduvaal”

Alliteration across consecutive lines or words (e.g., 'Katttililae', 'Kattai', 'Kaattinilae', 'Kalimannai').

Contrast / Antithesis

“Pattu selaiyai vaangi thanthaaiaiyaa / Pattu naan pogavae vella selaiaiayaa”

Contrasting the vibrant silk saree given for marriage with the white saree associated with mourning/death.

Rhetorical Question

“Agil erikkaiyil soththu edharkku”

Asking rhetorical questions to emphasize the ultimate worthlessness of material wealth upon death.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Nenjil Oru Ragam' (1982) was written, composed, and directed by T. Rajendar, who is celebrated for his unique rhythmic lyricism, philosophical themes, and frequent usage of mono-rhyme and couplet-style songwriting in 1980s Tamil cinema.

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