- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Movie name
- Nootrukku Nooru
- Movie release year
- 1971
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Dec 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This iconic track from the movie Nootrukku Nooru features a college student expressing unity, moral integrity, and the power of youth. The song highlights that true education goes beyond textbooks and resides in real-world experience, moral duties, and protecting truth and dignity. It encourages students to perceive life as an examination where one must strive for perfection (scoring 100 out of 100).
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Naam kattrathu kaiyalavu kallaathathu kadalalavu”
Matching second consonants across lines, e.g., 'Kattrathu' and 'Kallaathathu' or 'Thottam' and 'Thottruvippathae'.
Simile (Upamai)
“Naam kattrathu kaiyalavu kallaathathu kadalalavu”
Comparing the scope of knowledge learned to a handful and unlearned to an ocean using 'alavu'.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Vaazhkkai enbathu sodhanaiyai paaru”
Describing life as a test/exam ('Vaazhkkai enbathu sodhanai').
Personification
“Kodiyinil malargal siripathai paaru”
Attributing human qualities of smiling to flowers on a vine and calling nature 'Iyarkkai magal' (Mother Nature's daughter).
Did you know?
Trivia
Nootrukku Nooru (1971) was a hit psychological thriller film directed by K. Balachander, starring Jaishankar. The title song became an anthem for college students, popularizing Avvaiyar's classical Tamil proverb 'Kattrathu Kaiyalavu Kallaathathu Kadalalavu' in film music.
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