- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Engal Thanga Raja
- Movie release year
- 1973
- Lyrics added on
- 29 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This mournful track serves as an elegy for a virtuous, selfless leader who dedicated his life to protecting and uplifting families in need. The song compares the departed protagonist to a golden king, an ever-fragrant rose, and a guiding lamp of selfless grace who treated all people as brothers regardless of caste or religion following Buddha's path of peace.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Rupakam)
“Avan endrum manakkum rojaa”
Comparing the protagonist directly to a blooming rose ('rojaa') and a shining lamp ('mani vilakku') to denote purity and guidance.
Anaphora / Eyaipu (Epistrophe)
“Than nalam karudhaa thani vilakku / Nenjil thaaimai niraindha arul vilakku”
The repetition of the word 'vilakku' (lamp) at the end of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic emphasis on enlightenment and purity.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Kodiyil oruvan pirandhu vandhaan”
Describing the person as 'Kodiyil oruvan' (one in ten million) emphasizes his extraordinary uniqueness and noble character.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Engal Thanga Raja' (1973) stars Sivaji Ganesan and Manjula. The music for this movie was composed by the legendary playback singer T. M. Soundararajan, who took on the role of music director for this film, with lyrics written by Kannadasan.
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