Mella Pesu Mella Pesu
From Yaen · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- T. R. Pappa
- Details
- Yaen1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Mella pesu mella pesu | Speak softly, speak softly |
| Mella pesu mella pesu | Speak softly, speak softly |
| Kannadi paathirathai kall meedhu | Like placing a delicate glass vessel |
| Vaipathu pol | Gently upon a hard stone |
| Mella pesu mella pesu | Speak softly, speak softly |
| Female | |
| Akkam pakkam paarthu | Looking around on all sides |
| Male :Hmm | Male: Hmm |
| Female :Aasai pinnal pottu | Female: Weaving a braid of desires |
| Male :Ohh | Male: Ohh |
| Female :Akkam pakkam paarthu | Female: Looking around on all sides |
| Aasai pinnal pottu | Weaving a braid of desires |
| Male :Kannangalai saerthu | Male: Bringing our cheeks close together |
| Kaadhukkullae pesu | Whisper softly inside my ear |
| Female :Shhhh | Female: Shhhh |
| Mella pseu mella pesu | Speak softly, speak softly |
| Male | |
| Kai valaithaal un kai valaigal | If I wrap my arms, let your bangles |
| En kaavalil aadattumae | Dance under my protection |
| Female :Kaarsalangai un kaalgaludan | Female: Let the bells on my anklets, moving with your feet |
| En kaadhalai pesattumae | Speak of my love |
| Male | |
| Inbam unduFemale :Hmm | There is joy Female: Hmm |
| Male :Alli veesaFemale :Hmm mm | Male: To shower in abundance Female: Hmm mm |
| Male :Inbam undu alli veesa | Male: There is joy to be showered abundantly |
| Female :Idhazhgalinaal enna pesa | Female: What is left to speak with our lips? |
| Male :Ichh chh chh | Male: (Kissing sound) |
| Mela pesuFemale :Shh mella pesu | Male: Speak up Female: Shh, speak softly |
| Male | |
| Irupathellam indru theerndhu vittaal | If everything we have is exhausted today |
| Pinbu enna thaan pseuvadhu | Then what will be left to talk about later? |
| Female :Ilai maraivu konjam kaai maraivu | Female: Partially hidden behind leaves, like concealed fruit |
| Andha inbamthaan vaazhvadhu | That veiled bliss is what true life is |
| Male | |
| Solli tharum kalai illaiyae | There is no art form that can teach this |
| Solli tharum kalai illaiyae | There is no art form that can teach this |
| Female :Sorgathukku vilai illaiyae | Female: Heaven has no price tag |
| Male :Hooo…mella pesu | Male: Hooo... speak softly |
| Female :Mella pesu | Female: Speak softly |
| Male :Kannadi paathirathai | Male: Like a fragile glass vessel |
| Female :Kall meedhu vaipathu pol | Female: Placed gently upon a stone |
| Mella pesuMale :Shh mella pesu | Female: Speak softly Male: Shh, speak softly |
| Female :Shh mella pesu | Female: Shh, speak softly |
| Male :Shhhh…. | Male: Shhhh... |
மெல்ல பேசு மெல்ல பேசு
மெல்ல பேசு மெல்ல பேசு
கண்ணாடி பாத்திரத்தை கல் மீது
வைப்பதுபோல்
மெல்ல பேசு மெல்ல பேசு
Speak softly, speak softly
Speak softly, speak softly
Like placing a delicate glass vessel
Gently upon a hard stone
Speak softly, speak softly
அக்கம் பக்கம் பார்த்து
ஹ்ம்ம்
ஆசை பின்னல் போட்டு
ஒஹ்
அக்கம் பக்கம் பார்த்து
ஆசை பின்னல் போட்டு
கன்னங்களை சேர்த்து
காதுக்குள்ளே பேசு
ஸ்ஸ்ஸ்ஹ்
மெல்ல பேசு மெல்ல பேசு.......
Looking around on all sides
Male: Hmm
Female: Weaving a braid of desires
Male: Ohh
Female: Looking around on all sides
Weaving a braid of desires
Male: Bringing our cheeks close together
Whisper softly inside my ear
Female: Shhhh
Speak softly, speak softly
கைவளைத்தால் உன் கைவளைகள்
என் காவலில் ஆடட்டுமே
காற்சலங்கை உன் கால்களுடன்
என் காதலை பேசட்டுமே
If I wrap my arms, let your bangles
Dance under my protection
Female: Let the bells on my anklets, moving with your feet
Speak of my love
இன்பம் உண்டு
ஹ்ம்ம்
அள்ளி வீச
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்
இன்பம் உண்டு அள்ளி வீச
இதழ்களினால் என்ன பேச....
இச் ச் ச்
மெல்ல பேசு
ஸ்ஸ் மெல்ல பேசு
There is joy Female: Hmm
Male: To shower in abundance Female: Hmm mm
Male: There is joy to be showered abundantly
Female: What is left to speak with our lips?
Male: (Kissing sound)
Male: Speak up Female: Shh, speak softly
இருப்பதெல்லாம் இன்று தீர்ந்து விட்டால்
பின்பு என்னதான் பேசுவது
இலை மறைவு கொஞ்சம் காய் மறைவு
அந்த இன்பந்தான் வாழுவது
If everything we have is exhausted today
Then what will be left to talk about later?
Female: Partially hidden behind leaves, like concealed fruit
That veiled bliss is what true life is
சொல்லி தரும் கலை இல்லையே.....
சொல்லி தரும் கலை இல்லையே.....
சொர்க்கத்துக்கு விலை இல்லையே...
ஹோ.....இச் ச் ச் மெல்ல பேசு
மெல்ல பேசு
கண்ணாடி பாத்திரத்தை
கல் மீது வைப்பதுபோல்
மெல்ல பேசு
ஸ் மெல்ல பேசு
ஸ் மெல்ல பேசு
ஸ்ஸ்ஹ்......
There is no art form that can teach this
There is no art form that can teach this
Female: Heaven has no price tag
Male: Hooo... speak softly
Female: Speak softly
Male: Like a fragile glass vessel
Female: Placed gently upon a stone
Female: Speak softly Male: Shh, speak softly
Female: Shh, speak softly
Male: Shhhh...
Mella pesu mella pesu
Speak softly, speak softly
Mella pesu mella pesu
Speak softly, speak softly
Kannadi paathirathai kall meedhu
Like placing a delicate glass vessel
Vaipathu pol
Gently upon a hard stone
Mella pesu mella pesu
Speak softly, speak softly
Akkam pakkam paarthu
Looking around on all sides
Male :Hmm
Male: Hmm
Female :Aasai pinnal pottu
Female: Weaving a braid of desires
Male :Ohh
Male: Ohh
Female :Akkam pakkam paarthu
Female: Looking around on all sides
Aasai pinnal pottu
Weaving a braid of desires
Male :Kannangalai saerthu
Male: Bringing our cheeks close together
Kaadhukkullae pesu
Whisper softly inside my ear
Female :Shhhh
Female: Shhhh
Mella pseu mella pesu
Speak softly, speak softly
Kai valaithaal un kai valaigal
If I wrap my arms, let your bangles
En kaavalil aadattumae
Dance under my protection
Female :Kaarsalangai un kaalgaludan
Female: Let the bells on my anklets, moving with your feet
En kaadhalai pesattumae
Speak of my love
Inbam unduFemale :Hmm
There is joy Female: Hmm
Male :Alli veesaFemale :Hmm mm
Male: To shower in abundance Female: Hmm mm
Male :Inbam undu alli veesa
Male: There is joy to be showered abundantly
Female :Idhazhgalinaal enna pesa
Female: What is left to speak with our lips?
Male :Ichh chh chh
Male: (Kissing sound)
Mela pesuFemale :Shh mella pesu
Male: Speak up Female: Shh, speak softly
Irupathellam indru theerndhu vittaal
If everything we have is exhausted today
Pinbu enna thaan pseuvadhu
Then what will be left to talk about later?
Female :Ilai maraivu konjam kaai maraivu
Female: Partially hidden behind leaves, like concealed fruit
Andha inbamthaan vaazhvadhu
That veiled bliss is what true life is
Solli tharum kalai illaiyae
There is no art form that can teach this
Solli tharum kalai illaiyae
There is no art form that can teach this
Female :Sorgathukku vilai illaiyae
Female: Heaven has no price tag
Male :Hooo…mella pesu
Male: Hooo... speak softly
Female :Mella pesu
Female: Speak softly
Male :Kannadi paathirathai
Male: Like a fragile glass vessel
Female :Kall meedhu vaipathu pol
Female: Placed gently upon a stone
Mella pesuMale :Shh mella pesu
Female: Speak softly Male: Shh, speak softly
Female :Shh mella pesu
Female: Shh, speak softly
Male :Shhhh….
Male: Shhhh...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic track 'Mella Pesu' captures an intimate duet between two lovers emphasizing the delicate and subtle nature of love. The song opens with a famous metaphor comparing whisper-soft romantic dialogue to placing a fragile glass vessel upon a hard stone—requiring the utmost care, gentleness, and quietness. The lovers express their passion through soft gestures, the chiming of bangles and anklet bells, and quiet whispers rather than loud declarations. Lyricist Kannadasan utilizes the traditional Tamil idiom 'ilai maraivu kaai maraivu' (partially concealed like fruit under foliage) to articulate the beauty of modesty and restraint in romance. The song playfully suggests that true bliss is an unteachable art with no price tag, best experienced in sweet, guarded moments of togetherness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Kannadi paathirathai kall meedhu vaipathu pol”
Compares tenderly whispering romantic words to the delicate action of placing a fragile glass vessel on a hard stone without breaking it.
Idiomatic Metaphor (Uvamaithodai)
“Ilai maraivu konjam kaai maraivu”
Uses the classical Tamil phrasing of fruit partially hidden behind leaves to symbolize subtle, reserved, and refined romantic expression.
Assonance and Rhyme (Monai / Edhukai)
“Akkam pakkam paarthu / Aasai pinnal pottu”
Exhibits Second-letter rhyming (Edhukai) across consecutive lines ('Akkam' / 'Aasai' and 'Solli' / 'Sorgathukku').
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the Legendary 'Kaviarasu' Kannadasan for the 1970 film 'Yaen', the phrase 'Kannadi paathirathai kall meedhu vaipathu pol' remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous lyric metaphors for extreme delicacy and care in handling relationships.
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