- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- Ghantasala
- Music director
- Ghantasala
- Movie name
- Guna Sundari
- Movie release year
- 1955
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Jun 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a humorous and sarcastic praise directed at Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation and destiny. The protagonist marvels at the bizarre twist of fate that brought him—a penniless, homeless, and foolish 'king of beggars'—into a marriage with a delicate royal princess who has lived a life of absolute luxury. With self-deprecating humor, the character marvels at divine irony, wondering what strange destiny Brahma wrote on his forehead to turn an utterly unworthy man into the son-in-law of a grand royal household. The tone is lighthearted, playful, and filled with rustic Tamil folk sentiment.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Muran (Contrast)
“Perumilla oorumilla / Pichadhipathi enna... Raajaa pettra selvamae”
Contrasts the groom's humble, destitute background ('beggar king without a town or fame') with the bride's pampered, royal background ('king's precious treasure').
Ethugai (Second-letter Assonance)
“Moodanaana enakku serthu / Mudichi potta dheivamae”
The second letter 'di'/'da' sound rhymes across the consecutive lines ('Moodanaana' / 'Mudichi').
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Koda veyil therinjidaadha / Raajaa pettra selvamae”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across the rhythmic structure of folk meter.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Pichadhipathi enna”
Using 'Pichadhipathi' (Emperor of Beggars) hyperbolically to emphasize absolute poverty and low social status.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Guna Sundari' (1955) was directed by K. Koteswara Rao and featured lyrics by the celebrated folk-lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. Ramaiah Dass was renowned for his quick-witted, colloquial Tamil songs filled with native idioms that captured the humor and drama of middle- and lower-class characters in mid-20th century Tamil cinema.
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