- Lyricist
- Tha. Kannan
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Kanne Kaniyamudhe
- Movie release year
- 1986
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Dec 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This heart-wrenching maternal song expresses the deep pain of a mother forced by circumstances to keep her identity hidden from her child. Though she cannot publicly claim her child or state her name, her love remains boundless, pouring out through soulful songs and lullabies that transcend physical separation and poverty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Aayiram thottilkal nenju tharum”
Compares the mother's loving heart to a thousand cradles ready to comfort her child.
Muran (Paradox)
“Petra maladiyaai ponathu naanae”
A paradox contrasting 'petra' (having given birth) with 'maladi' (a barren woman), highlighting the tragedy of being a mother unable to raise her own child.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Malar thanthaalae maramaagi ponaen / Mannukkum paaramaai aanaen”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Ma' across consecutive lines.
Personification / Metaphor
“Endrum oomaiyaai thaai kuyil vaadum”
Compares the mother to a 'thaai kuyil' (mother cuckoo) that has lost its voice and languishes in silent grief.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics were penned by Tha. Kannan for the 1986 Tamil movie 'Kanne Kaniyamudhe'. The song belongs to the classic 1980s Tamil cinema trope of maternal sacrifice, focusing on emotional distress caused by social constraints that keep a mother separated from her child.
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