- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- K. Jamunarani, Radha Jayalakshmi
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Kathanayaki
- Movie release year
- 1955
- Lyrics added on
- 23 Sept 2025
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattri
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaen
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattri
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaen
Adhu vanthu kazhuththil vizhnthavarai manavaalanaaga
Udan kootti selvaen
Vanthu kazhuththil vizhnthavarai manavaalanaaga
Udan kootti selvaen
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattri
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaen
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadama
Inba kalaiyae un idhazh kaanum mudhal paadamaa
Kadhal kaniyae un vizhi kooda kavi paadumaa
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadama
Nilavodu vilaiyaadum ezhil thaaraiyai
Nilavodu vilaiyaadum ezhil thaaraiyai
Pirikka ninaiththaalum evaraalum niraiverumaa
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadama
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavume
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavume
Inba nilai kaanum anuraaga kalai koodamaa
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavume
Inba nilai kaanum anuraaga kalai koodamaa
Ilangkaadhal manam nogum nilaiyaagumaa
Ilangkaadhal manam nogum nilaiyaagumaa
Irul mevum en vaazhvil oli veesumaa oli veesumaa
Deivame kankanda deivamae
Kaalamellaam en vaazhvinil
Kankanda deivamae
Kaalamellaam en vaazhvinil
Kankanda deivamae
Aalaiyin karumpaaga
Alaipdum thurumpaaga
Aalaiyin karumpaaga
Alaipdum thurumpaaga
Amaithiyillaa vaazhvil oli veesa vareer
Naan kanda deivamae…
Amaithiyillaa vaazhvil oli veesa vareer
Naan kanda deivamae…
Kanithu vantha en karunai kadalae
Amuthu unnavaarum swaami
Amuthu unnavaarum…
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyin
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyin
Amuthunnaen idhen aanai
Kannagiyae enthan maanae…
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyin
Amuthunnaen idhen aanai
Kannagiyae enthan maanae…
Adaikkalamae adaikkalame
Adaikkalamae adaikkalame
Adhinaya gunamulla erumai kannagi
Adaikkalamae adaikkalame
Ungal idaikulam thannil vantha
Engalin thaayae
Idaikulam thannil vantha
Engalin thaayae
Ini unaiyallaal kedhi illaiyarivaayae
Ini unaiyallaal kedhi illaiyarivaayae
Adaikkalamae adaikkalame
Vaazhvinilae enakkethaenum thunbam vanthaal
Vaiththa adaiyaalam maarividum
Maangaai azhugividum malligai vaadividum
Maangaai azhugividum malligai vaadividum
Thengaai udainthu vidum
Thiruvilakku anainthu vidum
Vaazhvinilae enakkethaenum thunbam vanthaal
Vaiththa adaiyaalam maarividum
Silambo….silambu
Senthamizh selvi oonjalaadidum
Senthamizh selvi oonjalaadidum
Sanga palagaiyilae valar sanga pulavargalae
Silambo….silambu
Thanmaanam ulla nalla vanigargalae
Thanmaanam ulla nalla vanigargalae
Dharmam yaedhum thavaraa thanigargalae
Sanga palagaiyile valar sanga pulavargalae
Silambo….silambu
Nalla kaalam vanthathaiyaa koodave vaanga
Summa koodavae vaanga nampikkaiyaa
Kaal silamabai ellaa ngaiyilae thaanga
Solli vachcha maathiriyaa neenga
Vilaiyai podunga raja
Sonna sollai ketpaaru koodavae vaanga
Naan sonna sollai ketpaaru koodavae vaanga
Vaazhkkaiyin deepam marainthathae swaami
Vaadaatha malarum ularnthathae swaami
Valamaana chozhaiyum vattraatha poigaiyum
Nilaimaari ponathae neethiyum marainthathae swaami
Kodunkol aatchiyil uruvamaana kottravaa
En kanavar kuttramae purinthathundaa
Kolai paathagam seitha pazhikaara pandiyaa
Innaattil kuraiyedhum nernthathundaa
Aaraatchi illaatha mannavaa unnaiyae
Agampaavaththaaal maranthaai
Antho en silampathai paar
Anthanar aravor aavodu mathanaiyum
Aandror saandror paththini pennmaar
Anpargal vaazha aneethiyum veezha
Vaa…vaa….akkini deva…
Holding a garland in my hand and swirling it,
I will stand in this hall and toss it.
Holding a garland in my hand and swirling it,
I will stand in this hall and toss it.
Whomever's neck it falls upon,
I will lead him away at once as my groom...
Whomever's neck it falls upon,
I will lead him away at once as my groom...
Holding a garland in my hand and swirling it,
I will stand in this hall and toss it.
O art, is this the first song your lips have known?
O sweet art, is this the first song your lips have known?
O fruit of love, do even your eyes sing poetry?
O art, is this the first song your lips have known?
The lovely star that plays beside the moon—
The lovely star that plays beside the moon—
could anyone ever part them, no matter how they try?
O art, is this the first song your lips have known?
Is all the poison dwelling in the eyes of courtesans
Is all the poison dwelling in the eyes of courtesans
just a theater of romance seeking fleeting pleasure?
Is all the poison dwelling in the eyes of courtesans
just a theater of romance seeking fleeting pleasure?
Must a tender loving heart suffer in this way?
Must a tender loving heart suffer in this way?
Will light ever shine upon my darkened life? Will light shine?
O God, my living God before my eyes,
all through my life,
my living God before my eyes,
all through my life,
my living God before my eyes,
Crushed like sugarcane in a mill,
tossed about like a piece of straw in the waves,
crushed like sugarcane in a mill,
tossed about like a piece of straw in the waves,
come and bring light to this restless life,
O God I have beheld...
come and bring light to this restless life,
O God I have beheld...
My ocean of mercy, overflowing with tenderness,
come and eat this meal, my lord,
come and eat this meal...
Without clearing my debt to Madhavi,
without clearing my debt to Madhavi,
I will not take a bite; this is my vow,
O Kannagi, my gentle deer...
Without clearing my debt to Madhavi,
I will not take a bite; this is my vow,
O Kannagi, my gentle deer...
We seek refuge, we seek refuge,
we seek refuge, we seek refuge,
O precious Kannagi of graceful virtues,
we seek refuge, we seek refuge,
O mother of us all, who has come
into our cowherd clan,
who has come into our cowherd clan,
O mother of us all,
know that we have no other refuge besides you...
know that we have no other refuge besides you...
We seek refuge, we seek refuge.
If any misfortune ever befalls my life,
the signs I leave behind will change:
the mango will rot, the jasmine will wither,
the mango will rot, the jasmine will wither,
the coconut will crack open,
and the sacred lamp will go out.
If any misfortune ever befalls my life,
the signs I leave behind will change.
An anklet... here is an anklet...
Where the goddess of classical Tamil sways on her swing,
where the goddess of classical Tamil sways on her swing,
O Sangam poets gathered on the Sangam bench,
An anklet... here is an anklet...
O honourable merchants of deep self-respect,
O honourable merchants of deep self-respect,
O wealthy men who never turn away from virtue...
O Sangam poets gathered on the Sangam bench,
An anklet... here is an anklet...
A good time has come, sir, please come along,
just come along with complete trust,
hand over all the anklets into my care,
Just as you had agreed,
name your price, my king,
he will gladly pay whatever you ask, come along,
he will listen to my word, please come along...
The lamp of my life has gone out, my lord,
even the unfading flower has withered, my lord,
The lush grove and the never-drying pool
have lost their life, and justice has vanished, my lord...
O monarch, the very image of cruel tyranny,
did my husband ever commit any crime?
O guilty Pandya king who committed a murderous sin,
was there ever any lack in this land?
O king who passed judgment without inquiry,
you lost your sense in sheer arrogance!
Alas, look at my anklet!
Spreading safety to priests, the righteous, cows, and the innocent,
to the wise, the learned, and chaste women,
may good people thrive, and let injustice fall...
Come... come, O God of Fire!...
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This iconic musical sequence from the 1955 film 'Kathanayaki' presents a dramatic dance-drama retelling of the classical Tamil epic 'Silappatikaram'. The narrative transitions through key emotional beats of Kovalan and Kannagi's story: starting with romantic playfulness and Kovalan's infatuation with Madhavi, shifting to Kannagi's devotion and Kovalan's repentance, proceeding to their travel to Madurai, and climaxing with Kannagi's ferocious grief and fury at the Pandya King following Kovalan's unjust execution, culminating in her summoning the God of Fire to destroy Madurai. Lyricist Kannadasan skillfully captures the archaic classical literary tone of Tamil epics while maintaining rhythmic appeal, paired with G. Ramanathan's rich theatrical score.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Aalaiyin karumpaaga / Alaipdum thurumpaaga (Lines 32-33) bowling comparison of distress to sugarcane crushed in a mill and straw tossed in waves.”
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Karunai kadalae (Line 40) - 'Ocean of mercy' addressing Kovalan / God.”
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vaazhkkaiyin deepam marainthathae swaami (Line 86) - 'Lamp of life' representing husband's life.”
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhukai)
“Maangaai azhugividum / Thengaai udainthu vidum (Lines 63, 65) - matching second syllable sound 'ng' across consecutive lines.”
Did you know?
Trivia
This song is a rare extended drama-suite (Isai Nadagam) formatted inside a mid-1950s Tamil feature film. It vividly dramatizes Ilango Adigal's Silappatikaram with dynamic vocal performances by K. Jamuna Rani and Radha Jayalakshmi.
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