- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- C. S. Jayaraman
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Puthumai Pithan
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 9 Aug 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Melam Kotti Thaali Katti from Puthumai Pithan (1957) is a philosophical and satirical Tamil film song rendered by C. S. Jayaraman, composed by G. Ramanathan, with lyrics by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. Styled after traditional Therukoothu (street theatre) and folk chindu songs, the song delivers a sharp commentary on human folly, moral hypocrisy, and the inescapable nature of karma. It cautions that social prestige, marriage, or scholarship are meaningless if onestrays from the path of righteousness and succumbs to deceptive illusions. Using metaphors like feeding milk to a venomous snake, the song warns that short-sighted desires lead to total destruction for oneself and those who trust them. Even powerful rulers eventually fall, emphasizing that worldly power and trickery offer no salvation in the end.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor / Allegory (Uvamai / Uvameyam)
“Paadupattu paambai thedalaaguma”
Searching for a snake while intending to feed milk serves as an allegory for naively nurturing destructive vices or treacherous people.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Naanum kettu neeyum kettu / Nambhi vandha aalum kettu”
The line endings repeat the word 'kettu' (ruined/corrupted) to create a rhythmic, dramatic emphasis on widespread ruin.
Anaphora / Repetition (Adukku Thodar)
“Thandhanathaana thandhanathaana”
Repetition of rhythmic folk refrain 'Thandhanathaana' characteristic of traditional Tamil Therukoothu storytelling.
Paradox / Sarcasm
“Nee sethaalum pizhaikka matte”
The paradoxical phrasing 'even if you die, you won't survive' satirically underlines that spiritual karma follows a person beyond death.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song showcases C. S. Jayaraman's iconic theatrical vocal style, which was highly popular in Tamil cinema during the 1950s for philosophical and reformist song sequences. Lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass drew heavily from folk-street play formats (Therukoothu) to make philosophical advice engaging and accessible to the general public.
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