- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Swarnalatha
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Bharathi Kannamma
- Movie release year
- 1997
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Oct 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant excerpt captures the grief and helplessness of a woman separated from her lover due to societal caste barriers. She addresses her educated lover who, despite his literacy and knowledge, could not alter or foresee their tragic fate. As he departs from the village, her love for him remains steadfast in her heart, refusing to leave.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Wordplay / Pun (Iledai)
“Naalezhuththu padichavarae / En thalaiyaezhuththa padikkalaiyae”
Plays on the root word 'Ezhuthu' (letter) connecting 'Naalezhuthu' (education/literacy) with 'Thalaiyaezhuthu' (destiny/fate).
Simile (Upamai)
“Thanneeril porantha meenu / Thanneeril saavathu pol”
Compares her lifelong love that ends with her death to a fish that is born in water and dies in the same water.
Rhetorical Question
“Saathi enna thaduththathenna”
Questions the unjust intervention of the caste system in human relationships to highlight despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
The 1997 Tamil film 'Bharathi Kannamma', directed by Cheran, deals prominently with the tragic consequences of caste discrimination in Southern Tamil Nadu. The film's soundtrack was composed by Deva, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.
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