- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Pondiyala Srinivasan
- Movie name
- Naan Valartha Thangai
- Movie release year
- 1958
- Lyrics added on
- 4 Aug 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song from 'Naan Valartha Thangai' (1958) is a street-smart, cautionary anthem composed by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. It critiques the deceptive, money-minded nature of modern society where opportunists use sweet talk, fancy appearances, and clever ploys to trick unsuspecting people. The lyrics warn that lowering one's guard even for a moment can lead to ruin, comparing the trap to being ground down like dry spices.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moni (Initial Alliteration)
“Mainar chainilum madgard thalaiyalum / Mayangaadhae haei ammaale”
Repetition of the initial letter 'M' across words creating rhythmic cadence in spoken Tamil.
Edugai (Second-Letter Rhyme)
“Yemaathum aalu irundhadhaanda / Yemanthavanum thirunthiduvaan”
Matching of the second consonant sound 'maa' and 'man' across successive lines.
Metaphor & Colloquial Metonymy
“Asandha melaka araikkumada”
'Asandha melaka araikkumada' uses the imagery of grinding red chili to convey swift, painful punishment for losing focus.
Did you know?
Trivia
Lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram was famous for infusing colloquial Tamil, contemporary English loanwords (like 'pocket', 'pushkottu', 'chain', 'mudguard', 'gilt'), and socialist street-wisdom into popular film music, making deep moral lessons accessible to the common person.
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