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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thol Kandaen

From Idhaya Kamalam · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Idhaya Kamalam1965

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Tholil iru kiligal kandenOn those shoulders, I saw two parrots
Vaal kanden vaalae kandenI saw a sword, yes, a sword I saw
Vattamidum vizhigal kandenI saw her expressive, circling eyes
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Tholil iru kiligal kandenOn those shoulders, I saw two parrots
Vaal kanden vaalae kandenI saw a sword, yes, a sword I saw
Vattamidum vizhigal kandenI saw her expressive, circling eyes
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Male
Kattaadha megam katti vandha koondhalHair like unbound dark clouds gathered together
Ettaadha nilavu etti vandha podhuWhen the unreachable moon came reaching near me
Female
Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa..aa..Aaaa.....aaa....aaa…aaa…aaa…aa..aa..
Male :Kattaadha megam katti vandha koondhalMale: Hair like unbound dark clouds gathered together
Ettaadha nilavu etti vandha podhuWhen the unreachable moon came reaching near me
Etti vandha podhuWhen it came reaching near me
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Tholil iru kiligal kandenOn those shoulders, I saw two parrots
Vaal kanden vaalae kandenI saw a sword, yes, a sword I saw
Vattamidum vizhigal kandenI saw her expressive, circling eyes
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Male
Sendu vanna chittuA colorful little sparrow
Chinna mullai mottuA delicate small jasmine bud
Kunguma pottu konjum nenjai thottuThe vermilion bindi touching the caressing heart
Female
Ahahaha hahaa… aahahaha hahaa…Ahahaha hahaa… aahahaha hahaa…
Ohohoho oho… ooo…Ohohoho oho… ooo…
Male
Sendu vanna chittuA colorful little sparrow
Chinna mullai mottuA delicate small jasmine bud
Kunguma pottu konjum nenjai thottuThe vermilion bindi touching the caressing heart
Konjum nenjai thottu thottuTouching and caressing the endearing heart
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Tholil iru kiligal kandenOn those shoulders, I saw two parrots
Vaal kanden vaalae kandenI saw a sword, yes, a sword I saw
Vattamidum vizhigal kandenI saw her expressive, circling eyes
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Male
Thaedi vandha thingalThe moon that came searching
Thingalil sevvaaiMars residing on that moon
Sevvaayin velli sertheduthaen alliI gathered in my hands the silver from Mars
Female
Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa..aa..Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa..aa..
Male
Thaedi vandha thingalThe moon that came searching
Thingalil sevvaaiMars residing on that moon
Sevvaayin velli sertheduthaen alliI gathered in my hands the silver from Mars
Saertheduthaen alli alliGathered it up in abundance
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Female :Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa..Female: Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa..
Male :Tholil iru kiligal kandenMale: On those shoulders, I saw two parrots
Female :Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…Female: Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…
Male :Vaal kanden vaalae kandenMale: I saw a sword, yes, a sword I saw
Female :Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…Female: Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…
Male :Vattamidum vizhigal kandenMale: I saw her expressive, circling eyes
Male
Thol kanden tholae kandenI saw shoulders, yes, I saw shoulders
Female :Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa..aaa….aa…Female: Aaaa…..aaa….aaa…aaa..aaa….aa…

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Thol Kanden Tholae Kanden' is a classic romantic Tamil song from the 1965 film Idhaya Kamalam, featuring lyrics by Kavignar Kannadasan. The song is a passionate expression of love where the protagonist describes the striking features and surreal beauty of his beloved using vivid, traditional poetic metaphors. Her flowing hair is compared to dark rain clouds, her face to the soft luminous moon, her red lips to Mars, and her brilliant smile to silver. Every stanza builds upon this cosmic and natural imagery, celebrating her physical grace and emotional appeal.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai)

Kattaadha megam katti vandha koondhal

'Kattaadha megam katti vandha koondhal' compares her long dark hair to gathered rain clouds.

Astronomical Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Sevvaayin velli sertheduthaen alli

'Thingal' (Moon) refers to her face, 'Sevvaai' (Mars) refers to her red lips, and 'Velli' (Silver/Venus) refers to her bright smile, creating an allegorical cosmic landscape.

Anaphora / Repetition (Eretudha)

Thol kanden tholae kanden

'Thol kanden tholae kanden' repeats phrases for rhythmic emphasis and passionate emphasis on sight.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt lists music and singers as unknown, the song is composed by the legendary K. V. Mahadevan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela for the movie Idhaya Kamalam (1965), starring Ravichandran and K. R. Vijaya.

Keep listening

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