Unconventional life of legendary poet Kannadasan: 3 wives, 15 children and and countless songs

Explore the fascinating family life of legendary Tamil lyricist Kannadasan, who had 3 wives and 15 children, in this insightful article.

Kannadasan family

While some leave from this world, their name lives on with enduring fame, a feat achievable by only a few. One such individual is the celebrated poet Kannadasan, whose timeless songs continue to captivate hearts, making him the undisputed king of poetry. Born on June 24, 1927, in Sirukoodalpatti, Sivaganga district, Kannadasan was one among nine siblings. His father's name was Sathappan, and his mother's name was Visalakshi.

Despite having studied only till the 8th grade, Kannadasan harboured a deep passion for writing from a young age. He dreamt of writing stories for magazines and arrived in Chennai unannounced, driven by this ambition. After facing numerous struggles, his dream finally materialized. Later, he ventured into writing lyrics for films, making his debut as a lyricist with the movie 'Kanniyin Kathali.' He penned the memorable song 'Idam Petra Kalangathiru Maname' for this film. Kannadasan's fame skyrocketed through his film songs. His poetry reigned supreme, to the extent that there were hardly any films without his contributions.

Kannadasan's wives

Kannadasan's lyrics played a pivotal role in the cinematic success of titans like M.G.R. and Sivaji Ganesan. The song 'Kanne.. Kalaimane' from the movie 'Moondram Pirai' marked his final composition. While many are familiar with his vast body of work, comprising over 4,000 poems and 5,000 film songs, few know about his personal life and family. Kannadasan got married in 1950 to two women, Ponnalagi and Parvathi, in the same year. He fathered 14 children from these two marriages. 

His third marriage was quite intriguing. A college student once wrote a letter to Kannadasan after reading one of his poems. She pointed out that he had portrayed women in a derogatory manner in the poem and expressed her disapproval. Noticing her name, Valliammai, in the letter, Kannadasan replied, assuming she belonged to a Chettiar family. In her response, Valliammai urged him to refrain from making such generalizations and to stop writing poems that demeaned women. Impressed by her command of the Tamil language, Kannadasan decided to meet her in person and visited her college.

Upon seeing Valliammai at the college, Kannadasan expressed his desire to marry her. However, Valliammai initially declined, stating that she saw him as a father figure. After persistent efforts, Kannadasan eventually won her over, and they got married. Valliammai was 24 years old at the time, while Kannadasan was 48. The couple had a daughter named Visali.