- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Vandikkaran Magan
- Movie release year
- 1978
- Lyrics added on
- 8 Sept 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Oru Pakkam Neruppu' is a sensuous and vibrant song from the 1978 film 'Vandikkaran Magan', sung by L. R. Eswari and composed by M. S. Viswanathan. The song celebrates the intoxicating beauty and passionate nature of youth, comparing it to two contrasting elements: fire (representing heat, desire, and passion) and the moon (representing coolness, grace, and tranquility). Lyricist Vaali brilliantly incorporates Tamil grammatical classifications—Vallinam (hard consonants), Mellinam (soft consonants), and Idaiyinam (medium consonants)—as clever double entendres to describe a woman's physical form and waist ('idai'). Sung with sultry elegance by L. R. Eswari, the track captures the romantic anticipation and night-long allure between lovers.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Tamil Grammar Metaphor / Double Entendre
“Vallinam mellinam irandum thirandu... Idaiyinam oru kodi polae”
Vaali uses Tamil grammatical terms (Vallinam, Mellinam, Idaiyinam) to metaphorically describe a woman's body parts and attributes. 'Idaiyinam' specifically plays on 'Idai' meaning waist.
Muran (Oxymoron / Contrast)
“Oru pakkam neruppu / Maru pakkam nilavu”
Contrasts two opposing elements—fire (heat, desire) and moon (coolness, serenity)—to highlight the duality of youth and feminine beauty.
Upamai (Simile)
“Idaiyinam oru kodi polae”
Compares the slender waist of a woman to a creeper vine ('kodi') using the explicit comparative word 'polae' (like).
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Azhagiya malar ival maeni / Aruginil oru isai thaenee”
The words 'maeni' and 'thaenee' rhyme at the end of consecutive lines, giving the lyrics a pleasant lyrical flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Vandikkaran Magan' (1978) stars Jaishankar and Jayachitra. The song 'Oru Pakkam Neruppu' is renowned among Tamil music enthusiasts for lyricist Vaali's ingenious linguistic wordplay, where he adapted traditional Tamil grammar classifications (Vallinam, Mellinam, Idaiyinam) into sensual poetic metaphors. Composer M. S. Viswanathan crafted a distinctive cabaret-style rhythm tailored for L. R. Eswari's iconic voice.
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