- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Panakkara Kudumbam
- Movie release year
- 1964
- Lyrics added on
- 8 Mar 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Athai Magal Rathinathai is a playful romantic duet from the 1964 Tamil film Panakkara Kudumbam, starring M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi. Lyricist Kannadasan crafts a charming banter between cross-cousins (Athaan and Athai Magal), a traditional romantic pairing in Tamil culture. The heroine teasingly questions whether her beloved hero has forgotten her beauty, her swan-like gait, and her pearl-like speech, playfully asking if he intends to renounce worldly desires and become an ascetic.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uwamai (Metaphor / Simile)
“Anna nadai chinna idai”
Compares the heroine's walk to a swan ('Anna nadai') and her words to precious pearls ('Muthu muthu paechu').
Edhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Athai magal rathinathai / Athaan marandhaaraa”
Rhyming of the second letter 't' in 'Athai' and 'Athaan' creates a strong rhythmic cadence.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Kathi vizhi veechu”
Compares the piercing, sharp look in the woman's eyes to a blade ('Kathi vizhi veechu').
Did you know?
Trivia
Panakkara Kudumbam (1964) was directed by T. R. Ramanna and featured music composed by the iconic Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy duo, with playback vocals delivered by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. The lyricist Kaviarasu Kannadasan playfully incorporated references to social stages ('Maedaigalil nindru thozhargalai kandu'), subtly echoing MGR's real-life political presence and public gatherings.
Keep listening
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