- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singer
- Hariharan
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- Kandukondain Kandukondain
- Movie release year
- 2000
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Nov 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This iconic poem written by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, set to music by A.R. Rahman in the movie Kandukondain Kandukondain, is a passionate romantic ode to his beloved, Kannamma. The poet paints vivid natural imagery to praise her beauty, comparing her glowing eyes to the sun and moon, her round black eyes to the midnight sky, her diamond-adorned saree to the stars, her smile to glowing garden flowers, and her voice to the melodious cuckoo.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Imagery / Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pattu karuneela pudavai / Padhiththa nal vayiram / Natta nadu nisiyil theriyum / Natchaththirangaladi”
Compares Kannamma's dark blue silk saree and diamonds to the star-studded night sky.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Saaththiram yedhukkadi / Aaththiram kondavarkkae kannamaa”
The second consonant 'th' (த்) rhymes between 'Saaththiram' and 'Aaththiram'.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Suttum vizhichchudardhaan / Sooriya chandhiraroo”
The opening consonants match in 'Suttum' and 'Sooriya'.
Rhetorical Question (Sina Vina)
“Saaththiram yedhukkadi”
The poet asks playful rhetorical questions to emphasize her beauty and question rigid social norms.
Did you know?
Trivia
This poem is part of Subramania Bharati's famous 'Kannamma En Kadhali' literary series. For the film Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), composer A.R. Rahman adapted this classic text into a celebrated song sung by Hariharan and Mahalaxmi Iyer, seamlessly integrating classical Tamil poetry into a modern film score.
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