- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- S. V. Venkatraman
- Movie name
- Marutha Nattu Veeran
- Movie release year
- 1961
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Mar 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Salaam salaam ji shaahinshaa' from the film Marutha Nattu Veeran (1961) is a royal court dance song performed in tribute to an emperor or ruler. The lyrics blend Tamil with Urdu courtly greetings like 'Shaahinshaa', 'Aalampanaa', and 'Baadhushaa'. The singer describes how love, music, and dance combine into a delightful theatrical spectacle (thamaashaa) that brings joy to the sovereign. Throughout the song, romantic desire is praised as something even more intoxicating than wine. The dancer compares youthful female grace to the sister of a blooming full moon and notes how expressive eyes convey love without words, while the gentle breeze carries sweet melodies that enrich daily life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Code-Switching / Loanwords (Urdu/Persian Courtly Vocabulary)
“Salaam salaam ji shaahinshaa”
Incorporation of royal courtly greetings such as 'Shaahinshaa' (Emperor), 'Salaamath raho' (Stay safe), 'Aalampanaa' (Protection of the world/Sovereign), and 'Baadhushaa' (King) to set a regal, period-appropriate atmosphere.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Ini veesum thendral kaattru / Adhil maevum pudhiya paattu”
The words 'kaattru' and 'paattu' at the end of consecutive lines create a rhythmic rhyme scheme.
Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)
“Ezhil pootha nilavin thangai”
The young maiden's beauty is poetically compared to the younger sister of the full blooming moon ('nilavin thangai').
Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)
“Naesam konda pennaalae / Nenjam thulludhae”
Repetition of the initial 'N' sound in 'Naesam' and 'Nenjam' creates euphonic harmony in Tamil poetry.
Did you know?
Trivia
Marutha Nattu Veeran (1961) is a Tamil historical fiction film starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jamuna, with music composed by C. N. Pandurangan. Lyricist A. Maruthakasi incorporated Hindustani/Urdu vocabulary into this song to fit the royal court dance setting common in mid-20th century Tamil cinema historical sagas.
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