Silai Seiya Kaigal Undu
From Justice Viswanathan · 1971
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- S. Vedhachalam
- Details
- Justice Viswanathan1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Silai seiya kaigal undu | There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam konjam thaevai | A little gold is needed |
| Singaara paadal undu | There is a beautiful song |
| Thamizh konjam thaevai | A little Tamil is needed |
| Male | |
| Silai seiya kaigal undu | There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam konjam thaevai | A little gold is needed |
| Male | |
| Aranmanai ondru undu | There is a grand palace |
| Raani illai ingu | There is no queen here |
| Alangaara thottam undu | There is a decorated garden |
| Kili illai ingu | There is no parrot here |
| Male | |
| Manam ennum kovil undu | There is a temple named the heart |
| Deivam illai ingu | There is no deity here |
| Maharaani ennai vittu | Leaving me behind, my queen |
| Nee povadhengu | Where are you going? |
| Male | |
| Silai seiya kaigal undu | There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam konjam thaevai | A little gold is needed |
| Singaara paadal undu | There is a beautiful song |
| Thamizh konjam thaevai | A little Tamil is needed |
| Male | |
| Silai seiya kaigal undu | There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam konjam thaevai | A little gold is needed |
| Female | |
| Aranmanai thaedi vandhu | The maid who came seeking the palace |
| Pani seiyum pennai | To render her service |
| Andhapura raani endru | Calling her the queen of the royal harem |
| Solvadhenna ennai | Why do you address me so? |
| Female | |
| Mannan andri yaararivaar | Who else but the king would know |
| Kanni ilam kannai | The gentle eyes of this maiden? |
| Manam ennum koyilukkul | Inside the temple of my mind |
| Silai vaithaen unnai | I have enshrined your statue |
| Female | |
| Silai seiya thangam undu | There is gold to carve a statue |
| Kaigal konjam thaevai | A few hands are needed |
| Singaara thamizhum undu | There is sweet, ornate Tamil |
| Paadal ondru thaevai | A song is needed |
| Female | |
| Silai seiya thangam undu | There is gold to carve a statue |
| Kaigal konjam thaevai | A few hands are needed |
| Male | |
| Pidipatta maanai indru | The deer that has been captured today |
| Sirai vaithu paarpaen | I shall keep captive and gaze upon |
| Pillai ena aadavittu | Letting it dance like a child |
| Alli mugam saerpaen | I will embrace and hold her close |
| Female | |
| Mudivillai endra vannam | In a manner that knows no end |
| Mogha kadhai solvaen | I shall recount tales of love |
| Muthamittu muthamittu | Showering kiss upon kiss |
| Chithirangal kaanbaen | I shall behold lovely pictures |
| Female | |
| Silai seiya kaigal undu | There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam ingu undu | Gold is right here |
| Male :Singaara paadal undu | Male: There is a beautiful song |
| Thamizh ingu undu | Tamil is right here |
| Both :Silai seiya kaigal undu | Both: There are hands to carve a statue |
| Thangam ingu undu | Gold is right here |
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
சிங்காரப் பாடல் உண்டு
தமிழ் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
There are hands to carve a statue
A little gold is needed
There is a beautiful song
A little Tamil is needed
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
There are hands to carve a statue
A little gold is needed
அரண்மனை ஒன்று உண்டு
ராணி இல்லை இங்கு
அலங்காரத் தோட்டம் உண்டு
கிளி இல்லை இங்கு
There is a grand palace
There is no queen here
There is a decorated garden
There is no parrot here
மனம் என்னும் கோயில் உண்டு
தெய்வம் இல்லை இங்கு
மகாராணி என்னை விட்டு
நீ போவதெங்கு
There is a temple named the heart
There is no deity here
Leaving me behind, my queen
Where are you going?
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
சிங்காரப் பாடல் உண்டு
தமிழ் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
There are hands to carve a statue
A little gold is needed
There is a beautiful song
A little Tamil is needed
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
There are hands to carve a statue
A little gold is needed
அரண்மனை தேடிவந்து
பணி செய்யும் பெண்ணை
அந்தப்புர ராணியென்று
சொல்வதென்ன என்னை
The maid who came seeking the palace
To render her service
Calling her the queen of the royal harem
Why do you address me so?
மன்னன் அன்றி யாரறிவார்
கன்னி இளம் கண்ணை
மனம் என்னும் கோயிலுக்குள்
சிலை வைத்தேன் உன்னை
Who else but the king would know
The gentle eyes of this maiden?
Inside the temple of my mind
I have enshrined your statue
சிலை செய்ய தங்கம் உண்டு
கைகள் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
சிங்காரத் தமிழும் உண்டு
பாடல் ஒன்று தேவை
There is gold to carve a statue
A few hands are needed
There is sweet, ornate Tamil
A song is needed
சிலை செய்ய தங்கம் உண்டு
கைகள் கொஞ்சம் தேவை
There is gold to carve a statue
A few hands are needed
பிடிப்பட்ட மானை இன்று
சிறை வைத்து பார்ப்பேன்
பிள்ளையென ஆடவிட்டு
அள்ளி முகம் சேர்ப்பேன்
The deer that has been captured today
I shall keep captive and gaze upon
Letting it dance like a child
I will embrace and hold her close
முடிவில்லை என்ற வண்ணம்
மோகக் கதை சொல்வேன்
முத்தமிட்டு முத்தமிட்டு
சித்திரங்கள் காண்பேன்
In a manner that knows no end
I shall recount tales of love
Showering kiss upon kiss
I shall behold lovely pictures
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் இங்கு உண்டு
சிங்காரத் பாடல் உண்டு
தமிழ் இங்கு உண்டு
இருவரும் :
சிலை செய்ய கைகள் உண்டு
தங்கம் இங்கு உண்டு...
There are hands to carve a statue
Gold is right here
Male: There is a beautiful song
Tamil is right here
Both: There are hands to carve a statue
Gold is right here
Silai seiya kaigal undu
There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam konjam thaevai
A little gold is needed
Singaara paadal undu
There is a beautiful song
Thamizh konjam thaevai
A little Tamil is needed
Silai seiya kaigal undu
There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam konjam thaevai
A little gold is needed
Aranmanai ondru undu
There is a grand palace
Raani illai ingu
There is no queen here
Alangaara thottam undu
There is a decorated garden
Kili illai ingu
There is no parrot here
Manam ennum kovil undu
There is a temple named the heart
Deivam illai ingu
There is no deity here
Maharaani ennai vittu
Leaving me behind, my queen
Nee povadhengu
Where are you going?
Silai seiya kaigal undu
There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam konjam thaevai
A little gold is needed
Singaara paadal undu
There is a beautiful song
Thamizh konjam thaevai
A little Tamil is needed
Silai seiya kaigal undu
There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam konjam thaevai
A little gold is needed
Aranmanai thaedi vandhu
The maid who came seeking the palace
Pani seiyum pennai
To render her service
Andhapura raani endru
Calling her the queen of the royal harem
Solvadhenna ennai
Why do you address me so?
Mannan andri yaararivaar
Who else but the king would know
Kanni ilam kannai
The gentle eyes of this maiden?
Manam ennum koyilukkul
Inside the temple of my mind
Silai vaithaen unnai
I have enshrined your statue
Silai seiya thangam undu
There is gold to carve a statue
Kaigal konjam thaevai
A few hands are needed
Singaara thamizhum undu
There is sweet, ornate Tamil
Paadal ondru thaevai
A song is needed
Silai seiya thangam undu
There is gold to carve a statue
Kaigal konjam thaevai
A few hands are needed
Pidipatta maanai indru
The deer that has been captured today
Sirai vaithu paarpaen
I shall keep captive and gaze upon
Pillai ena aadavittu
Letting it dance like a child
Alli mugam saerpaen
I will embrace and hold her close
Mudivillai endra vannam
In a manner that knows no end
Mogha kadhai solvaen
I shall recount tales of love
Muthamittu muthamittu
Showering kiss upon kiss
Chithirangal kaanbaen
I shall behold lovely pictures
Silai seiya kaigal undu
There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam ingu undu
Gold is right here
Male :Singaara paadal undu
Male: There is a beautiful song
Thamizh ingu undu
Tamil is right here
Both :Silai seiya kaigal undu
Both: There are hands to carve a statue
Thangam ingu undu
Gold is right here
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic duet from 'Justice Viswanathan' (1971) expresses a poetic dialogue between two lovers using the artistic motif of sculpting and songwriting. The hero describes his life as incomplete—a palace without a queen, a garden without a parrot, and a heart-temple without a deity—until his beloved arrives to fulfill him like gold to a sculptor or Tamil words to a melody. The heroine modestly responds, questioning why a simple maid should be treated like a queen, to which the hero reaffirms that she is the divine idol enshrined within his heart. The song culminates in mutual affection, depicting love as a creative art form where both partners complete each other.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Manam ennum kovil undu / Deivam illai ingu”
Compares the human mind to a temple ('Manam ennum kovil') and the lover to the divine idol enshrined within it.
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Silai seiya kaigal undu / Thangam konjam thaevai”
The repeated opening refrain anchors the central creative metaphor of crafting art (statue/song) through love.
Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)
“Pidipatta maanai indru sirai vaithu paarpaen”
The beloved is metaphorically compared to a captured deer ('Pidipatta maan') and a playful child ('Pillai ena aadavittu').
Yugmam (Antithesis / Dialogue Symmetry)
“Silai seiya thangam undu / Kaigal konjam thaevai”
The song swaps roles in the second movement: earlier the hands were ready waiting for gold, later the gold is ready waiting for hands, illustrating mutual need.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Justice Viswanathan' (1971) was directed by P. Madhavan and starred Ravichandran and Jayalalithaa. The soundtrack was composed by S. Vedhachalam, featuring poetic lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The track is notable for its playful call-and-response lyric structure and elegant classical Tamil metaphors.
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