- Lyricist
- Mu. Metha
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Kida Poosari Magudi
- Movie release year
- 2016
- Lyrics added on
- 28 Aug 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Oru Kaalaththula' from the movie 'Kida Poosari Magudi' (2016) is a poignant lament about the changing nature of love and the pain of betrayal. Penned by acclaimed lyricist Mu. Metha, the song contrasts an idealized past—where love was sacred, pure, and binding—with the present era, where relationships have become casual pastimes. The singer expresses profound hurt after being abandoned by his beloved, who chose to marry another despite their shared memories and deep emotional bond. The lyrics call upon elements of nature, such as the Punnai tree, the garden cuckoo, and the desert moon, as silent witnesses to their former love story. Through these vivid metaphors, the protagonist questions the fairness of a woman forgetting the past while leaving him trapped in painful memories, ultimately concluding with a cynical rejection of modern romance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Muran (Antithesis)
“Oru kaalaththula / Intha kaalaththula”
Contrasts the sacred nature of love in the past ('Oru kaalaththula') with its superficial nature in the present ('Intha kaalaththula').
Personification
“Poovukkoru vaai irunthaa / Unmaiyaththaan adhu pesum”
Attributes human speech to flowers, suggesting that if a flower could talk, it would speak the unvarnished truth.
Metaphor
“Kadhal ennum maya viththai”
Compares love directly to an illusory magic trick ('maya viththai') that misleads and entangles young hearts.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Punnai maram sollumadi / Kannkalilae pesi pesi”
The second consonant 'nn' (ன்ன / ண்) rhymes across the opening words 'Punnai' and 'Kannkalilae'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Kaadhalunnaa idhuthaanaa / Kadhalae venaa ponaa”
The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming musical suffixes ('idhuthaanaa' / 'ponaa').
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics of this song were penned by Mu. Metha, a renowned Tamil poet and Sahitya Akademi Award winner known for his poignant usage of Tamil literary devices in modern film songs. The film 'Kida Poosari Magudi' (2016) revolves around rural themes, and this song highlights traditional village metaphors such as the 'Punnai maram' (laurel tree) and 'Soppanam' (dreams) to ground its heartbreak narrative in folk culture.
Keep listening
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