- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Shanthi
- Movie release year
- 1965
- Lyrics added on
- 10 May 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song expresses deep existential grief, confusion, and heart-wrenching pain caused by a twist of destiny. The protagonist questions his identity, relationships, and the cruel irony of fate that swapped marital bonds and disrupted peaceful lives. He pours out his anguish directly to God, lamenting how a life stage turned into an unceasing drama of sorrow where holy symbols like garlands and temple lamps feel misplaced.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (Rhyming end words)
“Yaar andha nilavu / Yaen indha kanavu / Yaaro vandha uravu / Ingu naan vandha varavu”
The line endings 'nilavu', 'kanavu', 'uravu', and 'varavu' create a rhythmic, melancholic echo across the pallavi.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Maalaiyum manjalum maariyadhae”
Repetition of the 'M' sound ('Maalaiyum', 'manjalum', 'maariyadhae') emphasizes the tragic shift in marital emblems.
Metaphor
“Un koyil dheebam maariyadhai”
The 'temple lamp' serves as a metaphor for the sacred presence and honor of a partner in a household.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Yaar Andha Nilavu' from the 1965 film 'Shanthi' is a legendary composition by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, rendered powerfully by T. M. Soundararajan and picturized on Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan. Kannadasan's lyrics are famous for capturing deep philosophical anguish and identity crisis through simple yet evocative Tamil terms.
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