- Lyricist
- Vasan
- Singer
- Pushpavanam Kuppusamy
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Desiya Geetham
- Movie release year
- 1998
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Oct 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This satirical song highlights the struggles of common people dealing with corruption and food scarcity despite grand claims made by politicians. It contrasts the ideal dignified life citizens deserve with the reality of having to queue up for basic ration items like rice and kerosene. The lyrics mock corrupt ration shop officials and politicians who maintain endless lists of false achievements while ignoring the unquantifiable suffering of the public.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second letter agreement) / Wordplay
“Mannanaa poranthavuga / Mannennaikku nikkuraagha”
Clever pairing of 'Mannan' (King) with 'Mannennai' (Kerosene), creating a stark contrast between high status and low survival needs.
Wordplay / Contrast
“Arasanaa irunthavuga / Arisikkaaga nikkuraagha”
Juxtaposes 'Arasan' (Ruler) with 'Arisi' (Rice) to mock how citizens entitled to prosperity are reduced to begging for basic staples.
Irony / Satire
“{Sathanaiyin pattiyal Mattum koraiyaadhu Enga vedhanaiyai Listu poda mudiyaadhu}”
Highlights political irony by contrasting the endless list of official government achievements ('Sathanaiyin pattiyal') with the endless, unlisted pain of the working class ('Enga vedhanaiyai listu poda mudiyaadhu').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Desiya Geetham' (1998) is a Tamil political drama film directed by Cheran, featuring Murali and Rambha. The soundtrack and background score were composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by various lyricists addressing social and political themes.
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