- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Anathai Ananthan
- Movie release year
- 1970
- Lyrics added on
- 11 Oct 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Ulagam Pollaadha Ulagam from the 1970 movie Anathai Ananthan is a classic Tamil track written by legendary lyricist Kannadasan and set to music by K. V. Mahadevan. Sung by P. Susheela, the song poetically explores youth, sensory delight, and the allure of mysteries that are better felt and partially seen than fully revealed. Through metaphors of otherworldly fruits and irresistible feasts, it captures the unspoken intimacy and fascination of youth. Additionally, the lyrics trace a progressive arc of womanhood—from being born poor to growing youthful, blossoming into modernity, and ultimately rising as a revolutionary force.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anadiplosis (Eyalbu / Antadi)
“Suvaithaal vidaatha virundhu / Virundhai vidaamal arundhu”
The word 'virundhu' (feast) at the end of line 17 is immediately picked up at the start of line 18 ('Virundhai').
Anaphora and End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Ezhai pennaaga pirandhean / Ilamai pennaaga valarndhean”
Sequential lines repeat 'pennaaga' and end with the rhyming verb suffix '-ean' (pirandhean, valarndhean, malarndhaen, uyarndhaen).
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Marathil illaadha kanigal / Kaniyil illadha suvaigal”
Youthful charms and unseen beauties are metaphorically described as fruits not found on trees and flavors not found in fruits.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Pudhumai pennaaga malarndhaen / Puratchi pennaaga uyarndhaen”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across adjacent lines (Pudhumai / Puratchi).
Did you know?
Trivia
Anathai Ananthan (1970) was directed by Krishnan-Panju and starred A. V. M. Rajan, Jayalalithaa, and Master Sekhar. The song stands out in Kannadasan's repertoire for its clever dual-layered lyrics that balance romantic subtlety with themes of modern female empowerment.
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