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Kaaviya Thalaivi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nalam Ketka

From Kaaviya Thalaivi · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Kaaviya Thalaivi
Movie release year
1970
Lyrics added on
22 Aug 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nalam ketka vandhaayo …
Hooo…ooo.ooo.oooo
Illai sugam kaana vandhaayooo
Mugam paarkka vandhaayoo
Illai en kadhai ketka vandhaayoo
En kadhai ketka vandhaayoo
Pen paartha maappilaikku
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Pen paartha maappilaikku
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi
Sonnaalum puriyavillai
Kanneeril kadhai ezhudhi
Sonnaalum puriyavillai
Pen paartha maappilaikku
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Maalaiyitta paavaiyidam
Manjalukku magimaiyillai
Maanamulla paavaiyena
Vaazha oru vaazkkaiyillai
Kattilukku kadan koduthaal
Thottilukku vilai koduthaal
Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai
Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal
Kattalaiyil pirandha pillai
Kaaval kaana vaazhukindraal
Pen paartha maappilaikku
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Kungumathil vaazhndhirundhaal
Mandapaththil velai illai
Kovilukkul deivamillai
Vaasalukku veliyil vandhaal
Pottu vaithu alangarithaal
Punnagaiyil poi valarthaal
Pattavarai podhumendru
Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal
Paattu paada sabai pugundhaal
Pen paartha maappilaikku
Kanneerum theriyavillai
Did you come to ask how I am doing?
Ho… ooo… ooo… oooo
Or did you come seeking pleasure?
Did you come just to see my face?
Or did you come to hear my story?
Did you come to hear my story?
To the groom who came to see the bride,
even her tears were not visible.
To the groom who came to see the bride,
even her tears were not visible.
Even when her story was written in tears
and told to him, he could not understand.
Even when her story was written in tears
and told to him, he could not understand.
To the groom who came to see the bride,
even her tears were not visible.
For the woman who was wedded,
the sacred turmeric holds no grace.
As a woman with dignity and honor,
there is no life left for her to live.
She surrendered to the bed as a debt,
and paid the heavy price for the cradle.
For the child born out of forced duty,
she lives on only to protect him.
For the child born out of forced duty,
she lives on only to protect him.
To the groom who came to see the bride,
even her tears were not visible.
If only she had lived blessed in marriage,
she would have no need to perform in this hall.
There was no god inside the temple,
so she stepped outside its doors.
Adorning herself and wearing a bindi (forehead mark),
she nurtured a falsehood behind her smile.
Deciding she had endured enough suffering,
she entered the stage to sing.
She entered the stage to sing.
To the groom who came to see the bride,
even her tears were not visible.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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