- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- P. Unnikrishnan, Madhumitha
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- Sangamam
- Movie release year
- 1999
- Lyrics added on
- 2 May 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song beautifully blends the sacred 9th-century Bhakti poetry of Andal's 'Thiruppavai' with modern cinematic romantic angst from the film Sangamam (1999). It begins with the traditional invocation calling maidens to worship Lord Krishna during the holy month of Margazhi, symbolizing pure devotion and spiritual yearning. As the song transitions into the main composition, the spiritual longing transforms into an intense emotional plea of a woman longing for her lover. She reflects on the conflict between art and love, questioning how art (a divine flame) could consume or destroy love (another divine flame). Devastated by separation, she yearns for a single final glance of her beloved before her life slips away like water from an open palm.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Literary Allusion (Thiruppavai Adaptation)
“Margazhi thingal / Madhi niraindha nannaalaal”
The opening lines are a direct recitation of the famous first verse of Andal's Thiruppavai ('Margazhi Thingal Madhi Niraindha...').
Simile (Upamai)
“Ullankaiyil / Ozhugum neerpol / Ennuyirum karaivadhenna”
Life slipping away is compared to water leaking from a cupped palm ('Ullankaiyil ozhugum neerpol').
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Jothi eppadi jothiyai erikum”
Love and Art are both conceptualized as divine lights or flames ('Jothi'), culminating in the poetic philosophical question of how one light can burn another.
Anaphora / Rhetorical Questioning
“Thingalallavaa madhi / Konjum naalallavaa idhu / Kannan varum pozhudhallavaa”
Repeated use of the suffix '-allavaa' (Is it not?) creates a rhythmic, persuasive tone asking if this auspicious time is not meant for Krishna's arrival.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track is from the 1999 film 'Sangamam', directed by Suresh Krissna, featuring music composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics written by Vairamuthu (adapting ancient Thiruppavai verses). Sung by S. Janaki and P. Unnikrishnan, the soundtrack won A.R. Rahman the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director.
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