- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Raja Desingu
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Apr 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This deeply philosophical song from Raja Desingu (1960), penned by lyricist Kannadasan, expresses the core principles of humanism, equality, and divine omnipresence. It asserts that God does not reside in distant places or physical structures, but rather lives inside the hearts of compassionate people who serve society and feed the hungry. The lyrics reject social inequalities based on caste, class, or status, highlighting that humanity consists only of two natural genders and that all other divisions are artificial constructs of the human mind. Furthermore, Kannadasan addresses religious intolerance by highlighting a clever linguistic double meaning: the Tamil word 'Madham' means both 'religion' and 'madness/fanaticism'. He urges people divided by religious fanaticism to unite through universal love and live as one single community ('Ondrae Kulam'). The song serves as a powerful call for moral living, social harmony, and selfless devotion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai Ani)
“Kaattrai pol boomiyilae / Kalandhiruppaan aandavanae”
Compares God's unseen, divine presence spread across the earth to the invisible yet everywhere-present wind using the comparison marker 'pol' (like).
Paradox / Chiasmus (Antimetabole)
“Kandavarum sonnadhillai / Sonnavarum kandadhillai”
A classic philosophical paradoxical phrase using inverted word structure ('Those who saw didn't speak; those who spoke didn't see') to illustrate the transcendent nature of the Divine.
Pun / Double Entendre (Sledai Ani)
“Madham ennum sollukku / Veri yendror porulum undu”
Exploits the dual meaning of the Tamil word 'Madham', which denotes 'religion' as well as 'madness' or 'fanaticism', showing how religion turns into blind madness when misused.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Aadhi kadavul ondrae thaan / Adhai kaana mudiyaadhu”
The second consonant sound 'dh' (ஆதி / அதை) rhymes between consecutive lines.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Aan pen jaadhi irandu thaan ... Ullatthaal varum maatram thaan”
Repeated use of the end word 'thaan' across stanzas creates rhythmic harmony and reinforcement of truth.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan, this song reflects the reformist socio-political ethos popular in Tamil cinema during the 1950s and 1960s. The line 'Kandavarum sonnadhillai, sonnavarum kandadhillai' is an adaptation of an ancient Siddhar spiritual proverb about mystical enlightenment, popularized in Tamil pop culture through Kannadasan's verses. The refrain echoes the ancient Tamil ideal 'Ondre Kulam, Oruvaney Devan' (One race, One God).
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