Nalam Ketka
From Kaaviya Thalaivi · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Kaaviya Thalaivi1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Nalam ketka vandhaayo … | Did you come to ask after my well-being... |
| Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo | Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo |
| Illai sugam kaana vandhaayooo | Or did you come seeking pleasure? |
| Mugam paarkka vandhaayoo | Did you come to see my face, |
| Illai en kadhai ketka vandhaayoo | Or did you come to hear my story? |
| En kadhai ketka vandhaayoo | To hear my story? |
| Female | |
| Pen paartha maappilaikku | To the groom who came to view the bride, |
| Kanneerum theriyavillai | Even her tears were invisible. |
| Pen paartha maappilaikku | To the groom who came to view the bride, |
| Kanneerum theriyavillai | Even her tears were invisible. |
| Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi | Though she wrote a story with her tears, |
| Sonnaalum puriyavillai | He did not understand even when told. |
| Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi | Though she wrote a story with her tears, |
| Sonnaalum puriyavillai | He did not understand even when told. |
| Female | |
| Pen paartha maappilaikku | To the groom who came to view the bride, |
| Kanneerum theriyavillai | Even her tears were invisible. |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyitta paavaiyidam | With the maiden who wore the wedding garland, |
| Manjalukku magimaiyillai | The sacred turmeric holds no greatness. |
| Maanamulla paavaiyena | As a maiden possessing honor, |
| Vaazha oru vaazkkaiyillai | There is no life left for her to live. |
| Kattilukku kadan koduthaal | She paid a debt to the bed, |
| Thottilukku vilai koduthaal | She paid a heavy price for the cradle. |
| Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai | A child born out of compulsion and command, |
| Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal | She now lives merely to guard and watch over. |
| Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai | A child born out of compulsion and command, |
| Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal | She now lives merely to guard and watch over. |
| Female | |
| Pen paartha maappilaikku | To the groom who came to view the bride, |
| Kanneerum theriyavillai | Even her tears were invisible. |
| Female | |
| Kungumathil vaazhndhirundhaal | If she had lived in the sanctity of marital vermilion, |
| Mandapaththil velai illai | She would have had no cause to work in the performance hall. |
| Kovilukkul deivamillai | There is no deity inside the temple, |
| Vaasalukku veliyil vandhaal | If it steps outside the threshold. |
| Pottu vaithu alangarithaal | Adorning herself with a vermilion dot, |
| Punnagaiyil poi valarthaal | She nurtured falsehood beneath her smile. |
| Pattavarai podhumendru | Deciding that what she suffered so far was enough, |
| Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal | She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs. |
| Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal | She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs. |
| Female | |
| Pen paartha maappilaikku | To the groom who came to view the bride, |
| Kanneerum theriyavillai | Even her tears were invisible. |
நலம் கேட்க வந்தாயோ
ஹோ....ஓ....ஓஒ....ஓஒ....
இல்லை சுகம் காண வந்தாயோ
முகம் பார்க்க வந்தாயோ
இல்லை என் கதைக் கேட்க வந்தாயோ
என் கதைக் கேட்க வந்தாயோ
Did you come to ask after my well-being...
Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo
Or did you come seeking pleasure?
Did you come to see my face,
Or did you come to hear my story?
To hear my story?
பெண் பார்த்த மாப்பிள்ளைக்கு
கண்ணீரும் தெரியவில்லை
பெண் பார்த்த மாப்பிள்ளைக்கு
கண்ணீரும் தெரியவில்லை
கண்ணீரில் கதை எழுதி
சொன்னாலும் புரியவில்லை
கண்ணீரில் கதை எழுதி
சொன்னாலும் புரியவில்லை
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Even her tears were invisible.
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Even her tears were invisible.
Though she wrote a story with her tears,
He did not understand even when told.
Though she wrote a story with her tears,
He did not understand even when told.
பெண் பார்த்த மாப்பிள்ளைக்கு
கண்ணீரும் தெரியவில்லை
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Even her tears were invisible.
மாலையிட்ட பாவியிடம்
மஞ்சளுக்கு மகிமையில்லை
மானமுள்ள பாவையென
வாழ ஒரு வாழ்க்கை இல்லை
With the maiden who wore the wedding garland,
The sacred turmeric holds no greatness.
As a maiden possessing honor,
There is no life left for her to live.
She paid a debt to the bed,
She paid a heavy price for the cradle.
A child born out of compulsion and command,
She now lives merely to guard and watch over.
A child born out of compulsion and command,
She now lives merely to guard and watch over.
கட்டிலுக்கு கடன் கொடுத்தாள்
தொட்டிலுக்கு விலைக் கொடுத்தாள்
கட்டளையில் பிறந்த பிள்ளைக்
காவல் காண வாழுகின்றாள்
கட்டளையில் பிறந்த பிள்ளைக்
காவல் காண வாழுகின்றாள்
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Even her tears were invisible.
பெண் பார்த்த மாப்பிள்ளைக்கு
கண்ணீரும் தெரியவில்லை
If she had lived in the sanctity of marital vermilion,
She would have had no cause to work in the performance hall.
There is no deity inside the temple,
If it steps outside the threshold.
Adorning herself with a vermilion dot,
She nurtured falsehood beneath her smile.
Deciding that what she suffered so far was enough,
She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs.
She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs.
குங்குமத்தில் வாழ்ந்திருந்தால்
மண்டபத்தில் வேலை இல்லை
கோவிலுக்குள் தெய்வமில்லை
வாசலுக்கு வெளியில் வந்தாள்
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Even her tears were invisible.
பொட்டு வைத்து அலங்கரித்தாள்
புன்னகையில் பொய் வளர்த்தாள்
பட்டவரை போதுமென்று
பாட்டு பாட சபை புகுந்தாள்
பாட்டு பாட சபை புகுந்தாள்
பெண் பார்த்த மாப்பிள்ளைக்கு
கண்ணீரும் தெரியவில்லை
Nalam ketka vandhaayo …
Did you come to ask after my well-being...
Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo
Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo
Illai sugam kaana vandhaayooo
Or did you come seeking pleasure?
Mugam paarkka vandhaayoo
Did you come to see my face,
Illai en kadhai ketka vandhaayoo
Or did you come to hear my story?
En kadhai ketka vandhaayoo
To hear my story?
Pen paartha maappilaikku
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Even her tears were invisible.
Pen paartha maappilaikku
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Even her tears were invisible.
Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi
Though she wrote a story with her tears,
Sonnaalum puriyavillai
He did not understand even when told.
Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi
Though she wrote a story with her tears,
Sonnaalum puriyavillai
He did not understand even when told.
Pen paartha maappilaikku
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Even her tears were invisible.
Maalaiyitta paavaiyidam
With the maiden who wore the wedding garland,
Manjalukku magimaiyillai
The sacred turmeric holds no greatness.
Maanamulla paavaiyena
As a maiden possessing honor,
Vaazha oru vaazkkaiyillai
There is no life left for her to live.
Kattilukku kadan koduthaal
She paid a debt to the bed,
Thottilukku vilai koduthaal
She paid a heavy price for the cradle.
Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai
A child born out of compulsion and command,
Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal
She now lives merely to guard and watch over.
Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai
A child born out of compulsion and command,
Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal
She now lives merely to guard and watch over.
Pen paartha maappilaikku
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Even her tears were invisible.
Kungumathil vaazhndhirundhaal
If she had lived in the sanctity of marital vermilion,
Mandapaththil velai illai
She would have had no cause to work in the performance hall.
Kovilukkul deivamillai
There is no deity inside the temple,
Vaasalukku veliyil vandhaal
If it steps outside the threshold.
Pottu vaithu alangarithaal
Adorning herself with a vermilion dot,
Punnagaiyil poi valarthaal
She nurtured falsehood beneath her smile.
Pattavarai podhumendru
Deciding that what she suffered so far was enough,
Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal
She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs.
Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal
She entered the courtly gathering to sing songs.
Pen paartha maappilaikku
To the groom who came to view the bride,
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Even her tears were invisible.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from 'Kaaviya Thalaivi' (1970) expresses the tragic and sorrowful plight of a woman forced into a life of performance and illusion despite her inner noble virtues. Penned by Kannadasan, the lyrics highlight her emotional anguish, as the prospective groom and society fail to recognize the profound grief behind her tears. She reflects on her broken marital life, the sacrifices made for her child, and the painful irony of wearing makeup and fake smiles to entertain crowds when her heart is completely shattered. Through metaphors of temple deities stepping outside their sacred thresholds, the song portrays how societal circumstances diminish a woman's dignity, leaving her with no choice but to sing for a public audience to survive while guarding her dignity in secrecy.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moonaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Maalaiyitta paavaiyidam / Manjalukku magimaiyillai / Maanamulla paavaiyena”
Repetition of the initial letter 'Ma' across consecutive lines (Maalaiyitta, Manjalukku, Maanamulla).
Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Kattilukku kadan koduthaal / Thottilukku vilai koduthaal”
Matching second letter 'tt' (ட்) in 'Kattilukku', 'Thottilukku', and 'Kattalaiyil'.
Rhetorical Questioning
“Nalam ketka vandhaayo … Illai sugam kaana vandhaayooo”
The speaker poses poignant questions about the listener's intentions (seeking well-being vs. seeking pleasure).
Metaphor
“Kovilukkul deivamillai / Vaasalukku veliyil vandhaal”
Comparing a fallen woman appearing in a public hall to a temple deity stepping outside its sacred threshold, losing its divinity.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song belongs to the 1970 Tamil film 'Kaaviya Thalaivi', directed by K. Balachander starring Sowcar Janaki and Gemini Ganesan. The movie was a remake of the famous Bengali film 'Uttar Falguni' (also made in Hindi as 'Mamta'). The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, lyrics were by Kannadasan, and the iconic vocal rendition was provided by P. Susheela.
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