- Lyricist
- K. D. Santhanam
- Singer
- Sirkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
- Movie name
- Agathiyar
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Jun 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic devotional composition celebrates the divine River Kaveri, personifying her journey from the mountain ranges down to the ocean. The song praises Kaveri for nourishing the Tamil soil, sustaining agriculture, and bringing eternal prosperity to the region. It depicts the river as a beloved daughter of the Tamil land and a bride moving to unite with her groom, the ocean. The lyrics draw heavily upon classical Tamil literary tradition (like Silappatikaram), honoring the river as an embodiment of grace, music, and divine life. Kaveri is hailed as the lifeblood of farmers, an inspiration to poets, and a symbol of abundance and virtue.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (Uruvagandhal / Personification)
“Alai kadal enumoru manamagan thunai peravae”
River Kaveri is personified as a bride walking gracefully towards her groom, the ocean ('Alai kadal enumoru manamagan').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Unavalikkum uzhavarkkellaam kannaaga panbu”
The river is metaphorically described as the eyes of the farmers who give food ('uzhavarkkellaam kannaaga').
Emona / Rhyme (Monai and Ethirai)
“Asaindhu valaindhu nelindhu thodarndhu”
Use of second-letter rhyming (Ethirai) across lines like 'Asaindhu', 'valaindhu', 'nelindhu' creating a rhythmic flow that mimics the winding motion of the river.
Did you know?
Trivia
This classic song from the movie Agathiyar (1972) is inspired by the celebrated lines of Ilango Adigal's ancient Tamil epic, Silappatikaram ('Nadandhaai Vaazhi Kaveri'). The music for the film was composed by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, and the song was soulfully sung by S. Janaki and P. Susheela.
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