- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Sankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Pengal Veettin Kangal
- Movie release year
- 1990
- Lyrics added on
- 28 Aug 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This social and progressive song highlights the pivotal role of women in family and society, framing them metaphorically as the 'eyes' of the household. It questions the systemic suffering and injustice women endure, emphasizing that neither a home nor a nation can truly flourish if its women are driven to tears.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pengal veetin kangal”
Compares women to the 'eyes of a home' (Pengal veetin kangal), emphasizing that they provide light, guidance, and vision to a family.
Rhetorical Question
“Pen sindhum kanneer veedu thaanguma / Indha naadu thaanguma”
Uses dramatic questions to challenge societal injustice and spark emotional awareness about women's grief.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Thappukkal yaaro seidhaalum / Thandanai pen mel undaagum”
The second letter consonant sound rhyming in consecutive lines (Thappukkal / Thandanai and Kaalam / Vaazhvu).
Antithesis / Social Contrast
“Aanukku pennmai nigaraachu”
Contrasts the past era where women were reduced to simple playthings with the modern era where women stand equal to men.
Did you know?
Trivia
Penned by the legendary lyricist Vaali, the song serves as a powerful feminist reflection typical of late 20th-century Tamil cinema, advocating self-reliance (Sondhakaal) and female equality in opposition to patriarchal traditions.
Keep listening
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