- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- K. S. Chithra, Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Saami Potta Mudichu
- Movie release year
- 1991
- Lyrics added on
- 9 Feb 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a romantic duettish melody set on a riverboat journey. The male protagonist admires his beloved's beauty using rich classical and folk imagery, comparing her hair to banyan aerial roots, her brows to the famous bow of the Chera dynasty, her eyes to fish or deer, and her cheeks to gold and flowers. The female protagonist responds playfully, describing herself as a proud, celestial peacock gliding through life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile/Metaphor)
“Koondhal enna aalam vizhudho... Cheran villu puruvam aagi ponadho”
Compares eyebrows to the bow of the Chera kings (Cheran villu) and hair to banyan aerial roots (aalam vizhudhu).
Uvamai (Metaphor)
“Kangal rendu meeno maano / Kannam enna poovo ponno”
Compares eyes to fish or deer (meeno maano) and small mouth to red coral (pavalamaaga).
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thoni meedhu paadum kuyilu / Thozhiyodu pogum mayilu”
Matching second consonant sounds 'nee' in 'Thoni' and 'zhi' in 'Thozhi', or 'dd' in 'Thaedi' / 'Chinna'.
Monai (First Letter Alliteration)
“Paarthadhu thaan illaiyae / Parithidaadha mullaiyae”
Repetition of initial consonants 'Pa' across lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1991 Tamil film 'Saami Potta Mudichu', directed by R. Sundarrajan. Although written by Gangai Amaran, the film's music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, showcasing classic rural folk-pop arrangements typical of 1990s Tamil cinema boat songs.
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