- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- G. K. Venkatesh
- Movie name
- Piriyavidai
- Movie release year
- 1975
- Lyrics added on
- 5 Mar 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Piriyaavidai' is a deeply emotional yet philosophical farewell sung from the perspective of a deceased matriarch addressing her grieving children. She reassures them that she has lived a complete, fulfilling life—having raised her children and seen her grandson—and has now passed away peacefully with divine grace. She urges them not to shed tears over her departure, as death is merely the natural conclusion to a life well-lived. The lyrics convey timeless philosophical truths about the inevitability of death and the cycle of rebirth. The mother promises to remain with her family in spirit, comforting them like a gentle breeze. She advises her children to move past their sorrow, focus on their duties, maintain family unity, and uphold moral values, ensuring a harmonious and bright future.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Thendral polae naan thinam varuvaen”
Compares the mother's invisible, comforting spiritual presence to a soothing breeze ('thendral polae').
Simile (Uvamai)
“Pachchai nilam pol vazhnthaval annai”
Compares a mother's life to a fertile, nourishing green land ('pachchai nilam pol').
Parallelism and Rhyme (Iyaibu / Etukai)
“Mudinthathu kanakku kanneer edharkku / Mudinthathu vazhakku kavalaigal edharkku”
Uses parallel clause structure and end-rhyming questions ('edharkku') to highlight the futility of grieving.
Antithesis and Epiphora
“Piranthavai ellaam maraivathu thinnam / Marainthavai meendum varuvathu thinnam”
Contrasts birth/disappearance with rebirth while repeating the emphatic word 'thinnam' (certainty) to emphasize the eternal cycle of life.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by legendary music director G. K. Venkatesh with lyrics by Vaali, this song features the soulful voice of P. Susheela. It stands out in 1970s Tamil cinema for framing death not merely as a tragedy, but as a graceful, dignified transition rooted in Hindu philosophy and maternal blessing.
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