- Lyricist
- K. P. Kamatchisundaram
- Singer
- T. S. Bagavathi
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Movie name
- Naam Iruvar – 1947 Film
- Movie release year
- 1947
- Lyrics added on
- 19 May 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic song expresses the intense yearning and existential despair of separated lovers. The protagonist questions if true love—meant to be an indivisible bond like the body and soul—is merely a false illusion or an unattainable dream. Using vivid natural metaphors of blooming flowers, the ocean, and the moon, the song laments the tragic possibility that deep love might yield only lingering grief rather than lasting spiritual bliss.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Udal aaviyum pol vaazhvadhendro”
Compares the intimacy of lovers to the inseparable bond between the body (udal) and soul/spirit (aavi).
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Kaadhal malar manam tharumaa”
Refers to love as a blooming flower (Kaadhal malar) that bestows fragrance and joy.
Cosmic Simile (Uvamai)
“Kadalum ….nilavum Polum inba gadhi kidaithidumaa”
Compares supreme happiness (inba gadhi) to the natural, tide-driving harmony between the ocean and the moon.
Refrain and Anaphora
“Unmai kaadhal poi dhaana / Nam kaadhal poi dhaana”
Repetition of the rhetorical question questioning if love is a lie emphasizes heartbreak and despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
Naam Iruvar (1947), directed by A. V. Meiyappan (AVM Productions), was a historic blockbuster released during the year of India's independence. While famous for featuring Subramania Bharati's nationalist songs, its original romantic tracks composed by R. Sudarsanam were also deeply popular among audiences of the era.
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