Chithiram Pesuthadi
From Sabaash Meena · 1958
- Lyricist
- Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Details
- Sabaash Meena1958
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Un sithiram pesudhadi | Your portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Endhan sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee… | My mind is completely enchanted, my dear... |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee… | My mind is completely enchanted, my dear... |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee… | My mind is completely enchanted, my dear... |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Muthu charangalai pol… | Like strands of pearls... |
| O… oo… ooo… ooo… | O… oo… ooo… ooo… |
| Muthu charangalai pol | Like strands of pearls, |
| Mogana punnagai minnudhadi… | A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear... |
| Muthu charangalai pol | Like strands of pearls, |
| Mogana punnagai minnudhadi… ee… ee… | A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear... |
| Female | |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal nilaavinilae | In the moonlight of love, |
| Inba gaanam isaithirunthom | We sang a joyful song together, |
| Kan kattu vithaiyai pol | Like a magic trick, |
| Andha kaatchi marainthathadi … ee… ee… | That vision vanished away, my dear... |
| Female | |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Female | |
| Anbennum odaiyilae | In the stream of love, |
| Naan aadi magizhdhirundhen | I danced and rejoiced with bliss, |
| Ennam kolaindhadhanaalae | Because my thoughts and hopes were ruined, |
| Verum yemaatram aanadhadi … ee… ee… | It turned into mere disappointment, my dear... |
| Female | |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
| En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee… | My mind is completely enchanted, my dear... |
| Sithiram pesudhadi | The portrait speaks, my dear! |
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
உன் சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
எந்தன் சிந்தை மயங்குதடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி....
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Your portrait speaks, my dear!
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
The portrait speaks, my dear!
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
என் சிந்தை மயங்குதடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
என் சிந்தை மயங்குதடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
The portrait speaks, my dear!
The portrait speaks, my dear!
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
The portrait speaks, my dear!
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
The portrait speaks, my dear!
முத்துச் சரங்களைப் போல்
ஓ.....ஓ.....ஓஓ.....ஓஓ.....
முத்துச் சரங்களைப் போல்
மோகனப் புன்னகை மின்னுதடி......
முத்துச் சரங்களைப் போல்
மோகனப் புன்னகை மின்னுதடி......ஈ....ஈ....
Like strands of pearls...
O… oo… ooo… ooo…
Like strands of pearls,
A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear...
Like strands of pearls,
A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear...
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
The portrait speaks, my dear!
காதல் நிலாவினிலே
இன்பக் கானம் இசைத்திருந்தோம்
கண்கட்டு வித்தையைப் போல்
அந்தக் காட்சி மறைந்ததடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
In the moonlight of love,
We sang a joyful song together,
Like a magic trick,
That vision vanished away, my dear...
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
The portrait speaks, my dear!
அன்பெனும் ஓடையிலே
நான் ஆடி மகிழ்ந்திருந்தேன்
எண்ணம் குலைந்ததனாலே
வெறும் ஏமாற்றமானதடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
In the stream of love,
I danced and rejoiced with bliss,
Because my thoughts and hopes were ruined,
It turned into mere disappointment, my dear...
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
என் சிந்தை மயங்குதடி.....ஈ....ஈ....
சித்திரம் பேசுதடி
The portrait speaks, my dear!
The portrait speaks, my dear!
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Un sithiram pesudhadi
Your portrait speaks, my dear!
Endhan sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee…
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee…
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee…
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Muthu charangalai pol…
Like strands of pearls...
O… oo… ooo… ooo…
O… oo… ooo… ooo…
Muthu charangalai pol
Like strands of pearls,
Mogana punnagai minnudhadi…
A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear...
Muthu charangalai pol
Like strands of pearls,
Mogana punnagai minnudhadi… ee… ee…
A mesmerizing smile gleams, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Kaadhal nilaavinilae
In the moonlight of love,
Inba gaanam isaithirunthom
We sang a joyful song together,
Kan kattu vithaiyai pol
Like a magic trick,
Andha kaatchi marainthathadi … ee… ee…
That vision vanished away, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Anbennum odaiyilae
In the stream of love,
Naan aadi magizhdhirundhen
I danced and rejoiced with bliss,
Ennam kolaindhadhanaalae
Because my thoughts and hopes were ruined,
Verum yemaatram aanadhadi … ee… ee…
It turned into mere disappointment, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
En sindhai mayangudhadi… ee… ee…
My mind is completely enchanted, my dear...
Sithiram pesudhadi
The portrait speaks, my dear!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this classic song, the protagonist gazes upon a portrait (sithiram) of his beloved, feeling as if the picture itself has come alive and is speaking to him. As he looks at her pearl-like smile, his mind becomes captivated and swoons in sweet romantic intoxication. He recalls past moments spent together in the metaphorical moonlight of love, filled with joyful melodies and happiness. However, the happiness proved fleeting—much like a sleight-of-hand magic trick, the blissful vision dissolved. His joyful days swimming in the stream of love ended in heartbreak, leaving behind only sweet memories in the form of her talking portrait.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Muthu charangalai pol mogana punnagai minnudhadi…”
Compares the beloved's smile to gleaming strands of pearls ('Muthu charangalai pol mogana punnagai').
Simile (Upamai)
“Kan kattu vithaiyai pol andha kaatchi marainthathadi”
Compares the sudden disappearance of happiness to a magic trick or illusion ('Kan kattu vithaiyai pol').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kaadhal nilaavinilae / Anbennum odaiyilae”
Metaphorically equates love to moonlight ('Kaadhal nilaavinilae') and to a stream ('Anbennum odaiyilae').
Refrain (Pallavi repetition)
“Sithiram pesudhadi”
The phrase 'Sithiram pesudhadi' is repeated regularly to anchor the song's emotional theme of longing through a picture.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Sithiram Pesudhadi' is one of the most famous Tamil songs from the 1958 comedy-drama film 'Sabaash Meena', directed by B. R. Panthulu, featuring music composed by T. G. Lingappa and lyrics by Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam. The phrase 'Chithiram Pesuthadi' became so iconic in Tamil pop culture that director Mysskin used it as the title for his acclaimed 2006 debut movie.
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