Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram: 1930 - 1959 edit

Tamil(India) Poet Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram (1930-1959), who thrilled the Tamil fans like a comet, before meeting an untimely death at the tender age of 29 years.

"சின்னப் பயலே, சின்னப் பயலே...ஆளும் வளரணும் அறிவும் வளரணும்.. ... நரம்போடு தான் பின்னி வளரனும், தன்மான உணர்ச்சி.."

"Padittha Penn (1954) was the first film to feature a song written by Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram During a short span of a little over nine years he had written 196 songs featured in 56 films. His work in the film Paasavalai made him a top-ranking lyricist. His other famous films include Kalyanaparisu(1963). The Government of Tamil Nadu nationalised his songs in 1955." Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram (1930-1959) 

"...திரைப் பட கவிஞர்களில் இவரைப் போன்ற சமூக மறுமலர்ச்சி மக்கள் கவிஞரை, புதிய சமதர்ம சமுதாய இலட்சியக் கவிஞரை நாம் கண்டதில்லை..."



Aram paaduthal [Pricking with a curse by verse, in response to an insult] was an age-old tradition in Tamil literary theater. Even the powerful kings, chieftains and patrons trembled at the thought of being a recipient of a curse from a learned poet. It is believed that the Goddess of Learning (Kalai Magal/Saraswathi) resided at the tongues of learned and sincere poets. Can this be true, in reality? One could never fathom the truth of past events clouded in historical mist, but anecdotes abound in Tamil literature about great medieval poets Kambar, Avvayar and Kaalameham who, when insulted had sung aram songs on those who insulted them.

The word Aram, though having multiple meanings in Tamil, in this context translates as ‘file’ or ‘rasp’, indicating that the intended verse functions like a file or rasp to corrode the power, pride and dignity of the intended recipient of such a curse verse.

Last year I received a complimentary copy of a felicitation volume of 262 pages, published for Chelliah Rajadurai, and printed by Manimekalai Pirasuram, Chennai. Rajadurai, a Federal Party stalwart in the 1950s and 1960s in East Eelam, became a minister in the UNP Cabinet of J.R.Jayewardene in 1979, and retired from island politics in 1989. Thus, the felicitation volume has a ‘half-baked’ quality.


Though tens of photos show Rajadurai in the company of political, religious and Tamil cine-world celebrities, including one with Yasser Arafat! But not a single photo of Rajadurai with his political mentor S.J.V.Chelvanayakam or other fellow Federal Party leaders had been included. As an aside, I should mention that Mr.Rajadurai’s elder son Ravindran was a class-mate of mine at the Colombo Hindu College, Ratmalana, in 1966.


For some reason, the publication date for this felicitation volume of Rajadurai is also notably missing. But from a congratulatory message presented by DMK leader M.Karunanidhi, who was then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu which carried the date December 12, 1997, one could infer that this particular felicitation volume should have appeared in 1998 or later.

One particular contribution [pp.156-158] in this Rajadurai felicitation volume, by Nanjil Sivaraman [who if I’m not wrong was a make-up artist in the Tamil movie world], attracted my attention. In this contribution, Sivaraman had provided an interesting anecdote concerning the aram song of poet Pattukoddai Kalyanasundaram. Presented below is the English translation of what Sivaraman had written in Tamil. This incident should have happened in Chennai in the first half of 1950s. Poet Kalyanasundaram, born on April 13, 1930, would have been in his early 20s then. To quote,

“In his struggling early days as a movie lyricist, poet Paddukoddai Kalyanasundaram faced tough times. He approached a movie company repeatedly, soliciting opportunity to write lyrics. That movie company’s mogul ignored the poet repeatedly, with a scowl, ‘Come tomorrow; Come tomorrow’. The poet was angered, and he looked around and located an empty cigarette packet. Kalyanasundaram ripped it open, and wrote an impromptu derisive curse verse (aram song).

“Thaayaal Piranthaen – Thamizhaal Valarnthaen Naaye – Nee Yaar – NaaLai Vaa Venru Solvatharku NaaLai Unai – Nadu Theruvil Santhikkiraen Paar.”


[Note by Sachi: In English translation, the curse verse reads as, ‘Born from [my] mother – Bred by Tamil Who are You – a Dog? – to chase me to Come Tomorrow In the mid-street, I’ll meet you Tomorrow’.]

Then, the poet handed his curse to the guard, with an admonition, “Give this to your Boss”, and left the compound like an angered sage. The guard went in and handed poet Kalyanasundaram’s curse verse to Udumalai Narayana Kavi, who was penning lyrics there, for that movie mogul. Immediately the sympathetic senior poet Narayana Kavi screamed agitatingly at the guard, ‘Please call him back – Please call him back’. The mogul then inquired, ‘What’s the matter?’, for which the perceptive Narayana Kavi responded, “He has sung an aram [the derisive curse] on you.” The arrogant boss retorted, “Let him go. Aram (file) or Muram (winnow). What can he do to me, with his aram song?”

Subsequently, that particular movie, even though its banner carried the names of big stars, flopped badly without even running for a week. Then, I had seen that movie mogul walking in the street in a sarong and shirt.”

Whether it was a mere happenstance or whether that particular movie’s flop could indeed be attributed to poet Paddukoddai Kalyanasundaram’s curse verse, this anecdote by Nanjil Sivaraman presents two facets of two Tamil lyricists of recognition. The first is that, the three line aram song of then young poet Kalyanasundaram [in his early 20s] in which he majestically rhymed the words Thaai [mother] and Naai [Dog] to insult a movie mogul who repeatedly chased him away. He had pride in his talent, and felt that his talent was insulted by a money-bag in the movie land.


Secondly, the perceptive senior poet Udumalai Narayan Kavi’s anguish in reading the said aram song of poet Kalyanasundaram is also rather touching. For propriety, Nanjil Sivaraman has neither identified the movie mogul nor the flopped movie in his contribution. It is a pity that particular movie mogul couldn’t recognize the budding talent of poet from Paddukoddai [in literal translation, the silk fort] who blossomed into a Paaddukoddai [a fort in songs] within a couple of years.

For the record, I provide below a chronologically arranged list of Tamil movies which featured the memorable lyrics of poet Kalyanasundaram. For 55 movies, he wrote 191 lyrics. The great poet died on October 8, 1959, at the age of mere 29 years.

Most of us know that quite a number of Tamil movie lyrics are just of ephemeral value. A small percentage however lives in the minds forever for sentimental reasons. Some exceptional ones do appreciate in value with time.

One such song appeared in one of MGR’s hit movies Chakravarthy Thirumagal, 45 years ago. It was composed by poet Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram (1930-1959), who thrilled the Tamil fans like a comet, before meeting an untimely death at the tender age of 29 years. In this particular song, the Pattukottai poet illustrated the goliardic tradition among the Tamil poets by composing the song as a ‘question and answer duel’ between two goliards. Kalaivanar N.S.Krishnan and Sirkazhi Govindarajan rendered this song with exceptional gusto. In the movie, Sirkazhi offers his voice to the character played by MGR, while Krishnan plays the role of MGR’s competitor.

Let me reminisce this particular song in original, and I provide English translations at appropriate locations. The initial statements are self introductions of the two who pit their wits. While the first one pompously recites his ‘glories and successes’ and issues the challenge to respond to his questions in ‘one word answers’ (orezhuthu pathil), the second one promptly introduce himself with repartee.


கிருஷ்ணன் சங்கத்து புலவர் பலர் தங்கதோடு பொற் பதக்கம் வங்கத்து பொன்னாடை பரிசல்லிதார் – எனக்க கிங்கில்லை ஈடேனச்ச் சொல்லி களித்தார் – இந்த சிங்கத்துக்கு முன்னே ஓடி பங்கப்பட்டவர் அநேதம் ஒரேழுத்து பதில் சொல்லி பாரேன் .

[Your intro verse sounds similar to those who believe that they can capture an elephant and push it into a pot; your boasting is akin to the story of the house kitten which ran into the forest to maul a tiger!]

Then the verbal duel between the two goliards begins. The first question and answer is a play on the word ‘தானம்’ (gift). While one asks what is the best gift one can possess, the other one responds by retorting that நிதானம் (diligence) is the best of all gifts.

Krishnan: பூதானம் கன்னிதானம் சொர்ணதானம் அன்னதானம் கோதானம் உண்டு பற்பல தானங்கள் – இதற்கு மேலான தானம் இருந்தால் சொலுங்கள் .

[There is virtue in gifting land, virgin, gold, food and cow. Can you tell me ‘what is the best endowment above all these gifts’?]

Sirgazhi: எத்தனை தானம் தந்தாலும் எந்த லோகம் புகழ்ந்தாலும் தானத்தில் சிறந்தது நிதானம் தான். நிதானத்தை இழந்தவர்க்கு ஈனம் தான்.

[Whatever one may donate as gifts and whatever the world may applaud, nothing can equal the gift of diligence; those who lose diligence receive only ridicule.]

Krishnan: கோவிலை கட்டி வைப்பது எதனாலே ? [Why have temples been built?]

Sirgazhi: சிற்ப வேலைக்கு பெருமை உண்டு அதனாலே [To appreciate the talent of sculpting.]

Krishnan: அன்ன சத்திரம் இருபது எதனாலே? [Why there are soup-kitchens?]

Sirgazhi: பல திண்ணை தூங்கி பசங்கள் இருப்பதாலே [Because there are many idling fellows.]

Krishnan: பரதேசியத் திரிவது எதனாலே? [Why does one wander without a home?]

Sirgazhi: அவன் பத்து வீடு சோற்று ருசி கண்டதாலே [Because he relishes the taste of rice in tens of houses]

Krishnan: காரிருள் சூழ்வது எவ்விடத்திலே ? [Where does complete darkness fall?]

Sirgazhi: கற்று அறிவில்லாத மூடர் நெஞ்சகதிலே [In the minds of learned fools.]

Krishnan: புகையும் நெருப்பில்லாமல் எரிவதெது ? [What can burn without smoke and fire?]

Sirgazhi: பசித்து வாடும் மக்கள் வயிறு அது . [The stomach of the hungry peasants]

Krishnan: உலகத்திலே பயங்கரமான ஆயுதம் எது ? [What is the most dangerous weapon in the world?]

Sirgazhi: நிலை கேட்டு போன நயவஞ்சகனின் நாக்கு தான் அது [The tongue of the traitor who had lost his balance.]

The Paddukottai poet also makes a distinction between the two types of fools; one, the learned fool (கற்று அறிவில்லாத மூடர் ) and the other, illiterate fool (கற்றறிவு இல்லாத மூடர்). In the answer to the question, ‘Where does complete darkness fall?’, the poet points out to the ‘mind of the learned fool’. He emphasizes that even educated persons can behave like fools and their minds are full of gloom and doom.

The poet also asks the question, ‘What is the most dangerous weapon in the world?’. Instead of replying ‘sword or gun or atom bomb’, the poet answers the question with wit and says ‘the tongue of the traitor who has lost his balance’ [நிலை கெட்டு போன நயவஞ்சகனின் நாக்கு தான் அது]. Did Paddukottai Kalyanasundaram have a premonition about the fools whose tongues are now given for hire, after losing their ‘original objectives’?


Chronologically arranged list of Tamil Movies featuring poet Kalyanasundaram’s songs (Number of lyrics penned by Kalyanasundaram are shown within parentheses).


1955 Maheswari (5)

1956 Kula Theivam (4), Padiththa Penn (2), Paasa Valai (6), Rangoon Radha (2)

1957 Ambikapathi(1), Alavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum (1), Karpukkarasi (3), Sakkaravarthi Thirumagal (6), Saubaakiyavathi (10), Puthaiyal (1), Makkalai Petra Maharasi (1), Maha Devi(1)

1958 Anbu Enge?(1), Uththama Puthiran(1), Kanniyin Sabatham(1), Thirumanam(2), Thedi Vantha Selvam(1), Nadodi Mannan(4), Naan Valartha Thangai(6), Pathi Pakthi(7), Pillai Kaniyamuthu(2), Petra Mahanai Vitra Annai(4), Marma Veeran(1)

1959 Amuthavalli(5), Aval Yar?(3), Rathinapuri Ilavarasi(13), Ulagam Sirikuthu(2), Kan Thiranthathu (2), Kalyana Parisu (8), Kalyanikku Kalyanam (6), Kalaivaanan (1), Thanga Pathumai (8), Thalai Koduththan Thambi (2), Nalla Theerpu (1), Paaha Pirivinai (2), Paandi Thevan (5), Puthumai Penn (2), Pon Vilaiyum Poomi (5), Vaazha Vaitha Theivam (1)

1960 Aalukkoru Veedu(7), Irumbu Thirai(4), Elaarum In Naatu Mannar(8), Onru Pattaal Undu Vazhvu(8), Sankili Thevan(2), Paathai Theriyuthu Paar(1), Mahalakshmi(1), Veerakanal(1)

1961 Arasilankumari(4), Kumara Raja(5), Thirudathe(1), Punar Jenmam(2)

1962 Ethaiyum Thaangum Ithayam(1), Vikramathithan(2)

1963 Kalai Arasi(4)

[sources for the movie list: (1) Makkal Kavignar Paddukoddai Kalyanasundaram Paadalkal, edited by P.E.Balakrishnan, New Century Book House, Chennai, 5th edition 1977, 307 pp. (2) Pattukoddai Kalyanasundaram Paadalkal – Oru Thiranaaivu, by P.Uthayakumar, with a foreword by M.Karunanidhi, Kalaichelvi Publishers, Chennai, 1978, 186 pp.]

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