- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Pattikaattu Ponnaiya
- Movie release year
- 1973
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Sept 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song is a lively dance and satirical commentary performed by a female vendor selling sweet lime juice (saathukudi). On the surface, she entices customers with the sweetness and health benefits of her fruit juice, but subtly uses double entendre and direct social commentary to condemn alcoholism and corruption.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Double Entendre (Sliledai)
“Kudi kudi kudi kudi saathukudi”
The word 'kudi' functions as both a verb meaning 'to drink' and a noun/pun referring to alcohol drinking, subtly contrasting healthy fruit juice with ruinous liquor.
Personification (Uruvagandhal)
“Manjal poosi kulichadhu”
The sweet lime is personified as a young woman bathing in turmeric and ripening with age.
Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Thavikkirae thavikkirae”
Repetition of words like 'kudi', 'thavikkirae', and 'tholaikkirae' enhances the rhythmic momentum of the song.
Meta-reference
“Illae thirutthuvaaru vaathiyaaru”
The line 'Vaathiyaaru' (Master/Teacher) directly references M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who was affectionately called 'Vaathiyar' by the masses.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Pattikaattu Ponnaiya' (1973) stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. The song serves as a typical political and moral messaging tool frequent in MGR films, promoting temperance against alcohol while embedding a direct nod to MGR as 'Vaathiyaaru'.
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