- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Murugan Adimai
- Movie release year
- 1977
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Mar 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant devotional song from the 1977 movie 'Murugan Adimai' captures the agonized plea of a grieving mother whose young child under the age of eight is stricken with a life-threatening illness. Despite the family's generation-long devotion to Lord Muruga, the mother finds herself confronting the horrifying possibility of losing her child. She emotionally appeals to Lord Muruga, questioning why a merciful deity would grant the blessing of a child only to afflict them with a mortal disease. Kannadasan's lyrics employ striking wordplay, juxtaposing auspicious milk offerings with the solemn ritual of milk poured during final funeral rites ('paal vaarkkum naal'). The song invokes the promises of ancient Tamil saints who swore Muruga never abandons his believers, passionately begging the Lord to intervene, stop her endless tears, and save her child from Yama, the God of Death.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Double Entendre (Sleshhai)
“Paal vaarkkum naalidhuvoo sollaiyoo”
Kannadasan plays with the phrase 'Paal vaarkkum naal', which refers to both auspicious milk abhishekam in temples and the funeral ritual of pouring milk over ashes.
Hyperbole (Uvamai / Tharguropatrumani)
“Annai sottum kanneerai andha kuttraala aruviyendroo”
The mother's endless stream of grief-stricken tears is dramatically compared to the heavy cascade of the famous Courtallam waterfalls.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Kandamani oli kaathu nirkaadho karunai en maeni”
The second consonant 'nda' matches across both consecutive lines ('Kandamani' / 'Kanneer').
Rhetorical Question
“Idhu koyil maniyo illai kaalan maniyoo”
The singer asks whether the bell sound she hears is the holy chime of the temple or the ominous knell of Yama (Kaalan), heightening the dramatic tension.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song features a deeply moving vocal delivery by legendary singer P. Susheela, set to music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. Produced by Sandow M. M. A. Chinnappa Thevar (Devar Films), who was a staunch devotee of Lord Muruga, 'Murugan Adimai' prominently featured devotional themes that resonated widely with Tamil audiences in the 1970s.
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