- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Movie name
- Santhana Malargal
- Movie release year
- 1980
- Lyrics added on
- 9 Sept 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This beautiful romantic song captures the heroine's deep, unspoken longing for her beloved. She compares the restless flow of her desires to ocean waves that crash and recede. Although her heart is filled with love and grand dreams of a shared future, her shyness leaves her tongue-tied like a silent cuckoo or a mute parrot, hoping her lover will understand her non-verbal signals and confess his feelings first. She dreams of an enduring love that transcends physical youth—wishing to remain united with her partner through old age, gray hair, and wrinkles. It is an expressive ode to unconditional, lifelong love and the sweet agony of silent affection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Aadum alaigal polavae”
Compares the continuous, returning nature of her desires to the rhythmic motion of ocean waves using 'polavae' (like).
Oxymoron / Paradox
“Mauna kuyil paadum geetham”
'Mauna kuyil' (silent cuckoo) singing a song is a paradox used to convey how her unexpressed love speaks volumes without words.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Oomaikili enna pesum”
Compares her shy, tongue-tied state when trying to express her feelings to an 'oomaikili' (mute parrot).
Rhyme / Assonance (Edhugai & Monai)
“Neeradi poochoodi”
Internal rhyming of 'Neeradi' and 'Poochoodi' creates a melodic cadence describing her romantic preparations.
Alliteration & Rhyme
“Narai thirai varugira podhum”
'Narai' (gray hair) and 'Thirai' (wrinkles/skin folds) rhyme together to poetically represent old age.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song from 'Santhana Malargal' (1980) features both music and lyrics written by Gangai Amaran, showcasing his versatile skill as a composer and poet during the golden era of 1980s Tamil cinema melody. S. Janaki's subtle and expressive vocal rendition gave life to the shy, romantic mood of the track.
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