- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Kanni Thaai
- Movie release year
- 1965
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Sept 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic song reflects on human nature, womanhood, and social responsibility. It opens with the premise that nature grants simple beauty and regal ease to deer and flowers, whereas a woman born on earth faces endless tribulations and social expectations. The lyrics further categorize human personality traits, noting that both good (gentle like deer/parrots) and destructive (predatory like tigers/demons) natures exist among both men and women.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani / Urvagai)
“Aangalukkullae maangalum undu / Adithu thinnum puligalum undu”
Compares gentle humans to deer (Maangal) and parrots (Kiligal), and predatory or wicked humans to tigers (Puligal) and demons (Peigal).
Anaaphora / Rhyming Refrain (Emona / Ethirukai)
“Maanaa porandhaa kaattukku raani / Malaraa porandhaa thottatthu raani”
Repeated structural framing of 'Maanaa porandhaa...' and 'Malaraa porandhaa...' creating rhythmic symmetry.
Antithesis / Moral Contrast
“Makkalai oruvan madhippadhu kadamai… / Makkal oruvanai madhippadhu perumai…”
Contrasts societal duty ('Makkalai oruvan madhippadhu kadamai') with personal dignity ('Makkal oruvanai madhippadhu perumai').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kanni Thaai' (1965) is a classic Tamil action-drama film starring M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), Jayalalithaa, and M. N. Nambiar. Music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan and lyrics were written by Vaali and Panchu Arunachalam. The song features energetic rhythmic vocalizations ('Yahu...') typical of mid-1960s MGR film tracks.
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