- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- Vani Jairam, K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan
- Movie name
- Raga Banthangal
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 6 Sept 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Naan paadum paadalukku' is a classical duet from the 1982 Tamil film 'Raga Banthangal', composed by classical violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidhiyanathan and penned by poet Kannadasan. The song features a playful jugalbandi (musical exchange) between two lovers where the female singer challenges her partner to match her lyrics with instant swara (solfege) patterns. As the musical dialogue progresses, they marvel at how speech transforms into song and how music fills their love with joy. Kannadasan poetically connects Carnatic music with nature and Indian temple heritage. Temple sculptures and tower spires are likened to dance forms and musical pinnacles, while natural elements—ocean waves, breezes, and clouds—are equated to specific ragas like Sivaranjani, Neelambari, Kalyani, and Gowri Manohari. The track celebrates the divine, omnipresent nature of music in both art and romantic companionship.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Alliteration)
“Sol ellaam swaram aagum”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words, such as 'Sol' and 'Swaram' in the same line.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Thavazhnthaadum alai osai sivaranjani / Seeraaga thaalaattum neelaampari”
Rhyming ending words across consecutive lines, seen in ragas ending with matching phonetic sounds.
Raga-Alankara / Metaphor
“Ennaasai kalyaani / Gowri manohari”
Clever wordplay integrating Carnatic ragas (Sivaranjani, Neelambari, Kalyani, Gowri Manohari) as both musical scales and descriptions of nature and affection.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary violinist and composer Kunnakudi Vaidhiyanathan, this song showcases intricate 'swara-prasthara' (solfege improvisation) between K. J. Yesudas and Vani Jairam. The lyricist Kannadasan uniquely incorporated the actual names of four Carnatic ragas—Sivaranjani, Neelambari, Kalyani, and Gowri Manohari—directly into the lyrical narrative.
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