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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chithiramae Chithiramae

From Veera Kanal · 1960

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Veera Kanal1960

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Chithiramae… chithiramae…Oh portrait... oh portrait...
Chithiramae…Oh portrait...
Male
Chithiramae chithiramaeOh picture, oh picture
Sirikka koodaadhaaCan you not smile?
Siridhu neram arugil neeyumFor a little while, near me, can you
Irukka koodaadhaaNot stay?
Male
Chithiramae chithiramaeOh picture, oh picture
Sirikka koodaadhaaCan you not smile?
Siridhu neram arugil neeyumFor a little while, near me, can you
Irukka koodaadhaaNot stay?
Female
Chithiram pol pirandhu vittaalIf born like a painting
Sirikka koodaadhuOne shouldn't smile
Sirithu vittaal penmaiyilaeIf I smile, in womanhood
MadhippirukkaadhuThere would be no respect
Female
Chithiram pol pirandhu vittaalIf born like a painting
Sirikka koodaadhuOne shouldn't smile
Sirithu vittaal penmaiyilaeIf I smile, in womanhood
MadhippirukkaadhuThere would be no respect
Male
Sollukkadangaamal malarumBlooming beyond words
Thogai un kangalilaeIn your eyes, my peacock
Iru nellin manigalai polLike two grains of paddy
Enadhu nizhalai kaanugindrenI see my reflection
Male
Sollukkadangaamal malarumBlooming beyond words
Thogai un kangalilaeIn your eyes, my peacock
Iru nellin manigalai polLike two grains of paddy
Enadhu nizhalai kaanugindrenI see my reflection
Female
Kaanum idathil ellaam ungalEverywhere I look, your
Kaatchi niraindhirukkaPresence fills the view
Kaanum idathil ellaam ungalEverywhere I look, your
Kaatchi niraindhirukkaPresence fills the view
Kangal irandil mattum uruvamIn these two eyes alone, your form
Kaanbadhil enna vindhaiTo see, what wonder is there?
Kangal irandil mattum uruvamIn these two eyes alone, your form
Kaanbadhil enna vindhaiTo see, what wonder is there?
Male
Chithiram pol chithiram polLike a picture, like a picture
SirithirupomaeLet us remain smiling
Female
Silaiyai pola ulagai naamumLike a statue, the world we too
MarandhirupomaeShall forget
Male
Acham oru kaniyaaiFear as a fruit
Aasai azhagu maanganiyaaiDesire as a beautiful mango fruit
Vetkamum or kaniyaai unnidamShyness as another fruit, in you
Mukkani kaanugindrenI see the three precious fruits
Male
Acham oru kaniyaaiFear as a fruit
Aasai azhagu maanganiyaaiDesire as a beautiful mango fruit
Vetkamum or kaniyaai unnidamShyness as another fruit, in you
Mukkani kaanugindrenI see the three precious fruits
Female
Indha kanigalellaamAll these fruits
Ungal inba kanigalandroAre they not your sweet fruits of joy?
Indha kanigalellaamAll these fruits
Ungal inba kanigalandroAre they not your sweet fruits of joy?
Anbu kadalinilae endrumIn the ocean of love forever
Aadi thavazhndhirupomLet us dance and wander
Anbu kadalinilae endrumIn the ocean of love forever
Aadi thavazhndhirupomLet us dance and wander
Female
Chithiram pol chithiram polLike a picture, like a picture
SirithirupomaeLet us remain smiling
Male :Aa…aa…aa..aa…aa..aa..aaa..aaa…Male vocalizing (Aa... aa...)
Male
Silaiyai pola ulagai naamumLike a statue, the world we too
MarandhirupomaeShall forget
Female :Aa…aa…aa..aa…aa..aa..aaa..aaa…Female vocalizing (Aa... aa...)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Chithiramae is a romantic duet from the film Veera Kanal (1960) with lyrics penned by A. Maruthakasi. The song captures a poetic dialogue between two lovers where the hero adores the heroine's picturesque beauty, pleading with her to smile and stay near him. She playfully responds that a maiden who resembles a painting must maintain composure to uphold her dignity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Iru nellin manigalai pol

Compares the heroine's stillness and beauty to a painting ('Chithiram pol') and the reflection in her eyes to two grains of paddy ('Iru nellin manigalai pol').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vetkamum or kaniyaai unnidam Mukkani kaanugindren

Metaphorically compares emotional traits like fear, desire, and shyness to 'Mukkani' (the three sacred Tamil fruits).

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Anbu kadalinilae endrum

Compares the experience of deep love to a vast, immersion-worthy ocean ('Anbu kadal').

Did you know?

Trivia

Veera Kanal (1960) featured music by K. V. Mahadevan. The song 'Chithiramae' creatively adapts the traditional Tamil literary imagery of 'Mukkani' (Mango, Jackfruit, Banana) to represent emotional virtues of a woman.

Keep listening

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