- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singers
- Thiruchi Loganathan, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Neelavukku Neranja Manasu
- Movie release year
- 1958
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Oct 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Cycle Varuthu' is a joyful, humorous song from the 1958 Tamil film 'Neelavukku Neranja Manasu', penned by lyricist A. Maruthakasi. The song creatively traces the journey of human growth through the metaphor of wheels: a four-wheeled walker in babyhood, a three-wheeled tricycle in early childhood, and a two-wheeled bicycle during youth. The singer lightheartedly warns pedestrians to clear the path because his bicycle lacks working brakes and a functional bell.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Onomatopoeia (ஒலிக்குறிப்பு)
“Danaalnnu adikkira bellum”
The term 'Danaalnnu' mimics the distinct, ringing sound of a bicycle bell.
End Rhyme / Iyaibu (இயைபுத் தொடை)
“Tharaiyil thavazhnthu thallaadi”
The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming verbal participles (-aadi) such as thallaadi, thuvandaadi, saanjaadi, and paanjaadi.
Anaphora / Repetition (அடுக்குத் தொடர்)
“Cycle varuthu cycle varuthu”
The repetition of 'Cycle varuthu cycle varuthu' creates rhythmic urgency and emphasis suitable for a moving vehicle scene.
Metaphor (உவமை / உருவகம்)
“Nadakka theriyaatha kuzhanthaigal povathu naalu sakkara vandi”
Life stages are metaphorically linked to vehicles with decreasing numbers of wheels (4-wheeled walker, 3-wheeled tricycle, 2-wheeled bicycle).
Did you know?
Trivia
'Neelavukku Neranja Manasu' (1958) was directed by K. Somu and starred T. R. Ramachandran alongside Pandari Bai. Lyricist A. Maruthakasi was known for writing accessible, rhythmic songs grounded in everyday life and folk sensibilities.
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