- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Anaiya Vilakku
- Movie release year
- 1975
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Apr 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
"Thaagam Theerum Thiraatchai Raasam" is a iconic seductive cabaret/dance song from the 1975 Tamil film Anaiya Vilakku, composed by M. S. Viswanathan and performed by L. R. Eswari. In the song, the heroine/dancer invites her lover (referred to as "Kannan") to indulge in her beauty, describing her body as intoxicating fine wine that quenches deep thirst. Lyricist Vaali subtly elevates what could be a standard club song into a rich poetic work by using architectural and astrological imagery. Her body is metaphorically compared to a sculpted temple tower (gopuram), and her physical features are aligned with zodiac signs—pot-shaped waist (Kumba/Aquarius), fish-like eyes (Meena/Pisces), and maidenly charm (Kanni/Virgo). She claims to embody all seven musical swaras, six tastes, and a hundred delights, asserting that even the divine Creator would find refuge in her perfection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thaagam theerum thiraatchai raasam”
Compares her alluring persona and body to 'thiraatchai raasam' (grape juice/wine) and an ocean of wine ('madhukkadal').
Architectural Imagery / Metaphor
“Sirpa saaththiram yaavaium kondu / Katti vaiththor gopuram endru”
Compares her body structure to a grand temple tower (gopuram) carved strictly following ancient sculpting treatises (sirpa saaththiram).
Astrological Wordplay (Sleidai / Metaphor)
“Kumba raasi en kodiyidaiyil thondra / Meenaraasi en poovizhiyil thondra”
Plays on zodiac sign names that mirror physical traits: Kumba (pot-waist), Meena (fish-eyes), and Kanni (virgin damsel).
Pun (Sleidai)
“Ennodu kudi kondathu”
'Kudi' means both 'to reside/dwell' and 'to drink', providing a dual sensual meaning to 'ennodu kudi kondathu'.
Alliteration & Consonance (Monai & Edhugai)
“Surangalil yaezhum sugangalil noorum / Suvaigalil aarum kalanthathen thegam….”
Rhythmic pairing of words using 'Surangalil', 'Sugangalil', 'Suvaigalil' along with numbers (7, 100, 6).
Did you know?
Trivia
L. R. Eswari was the undisputed queen of seductive and club songs in South Indian cinema throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The film Anaiya Vilakku stars M. K. Muthu (the eldest son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi) alongside Padmapriya. Vaali's lyricism in this track is often celebrated for blending classical aesthetics (architecture, astrology, classical music swaras, and the six tastes) seamlessly into a Western-influenced seductive track composed by M. S. Viswanathan.
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