- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Sankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Enga Chinna Rasa
- Movie release year
- 1987
- Lyrics added on
- 5 Jul 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song expresses the deep pain of an uneducated husband who feels completely mismatched with his educated, refined wife. Using the metaphor of common salt placed beside a sparkling diamond, he laments how fate and societal pressure forced them into a marriage where he feels inadequate and rejected.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Nalla vairakkalllu pakkathila uppathaan”
Compares the wife to a high-value diamond ('vairakkallu') and the protagonist to common salt ('uppu'), highlighting their sharp contrast in social standing and education.
Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Azhaga padichava samsaaram / Adhuthaan ippa vivagaaram”
Second-letter rhyming between 'samsaaram' (wife/family life) and 'vivagaaram' (issue/dispute), emphasizing how marriage turned into conflict.
Contrast (Antithesis)
“Ippa indha raavum enakku / Pagala sududhae yen”
Contrasts cool night ('raavum') with burning daytime heat ('pagala sududhae') to reflect internal turmoil.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Enga Chinna Rasa' (1987) was directed by and starred K. Bhagyaraj alongside Radha. The film's soundtrack was composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, with lyrics crafted by Vaali. The movie was a massive commercial success and was later remade in several Indian languages.
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