- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Movie name
- Puthisaligal
- Movie release year
- 1968
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Apr 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Paavai Venuma' from the 1968 film Puthisaligal is a classic seductive club dance song written by Vaali. The song revolves around a dancer teasing her audience with enticing choices—asking if they seek the company of a beautiful maiden, refreshing drink, or pure intoxication. She poetically details her grace, describing her waist as light as a blossom, her body as soft as ocean spray, and her garments like ethereal morning mist. In the second verse, the lyrics continue to weave sensual imagery, describing the dancer as a sculpted sculpture of beauty and a dancing vessel of nectar guarding the gates of worldly pleasure. Typical of late 1960s Tamil cinema dance sequences, the track combines hypnotic rhythm with Vaali's metaphorical lyricism.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Idai oru malar edai thaan”
Compares the weight of her delicate waist to the lightness of a flower.
Imagery & Metaphor
“Ennudal kadal nurai niraithaan”
Compares the softness and lightness of her body to ocean foam.
Visuval Imagery
“Vanna udai ani ilam pani pugai thaan”
Evokes visual imagery of sheer, flowing clothing by comparing it to morning mist and smoke.
Metaphor
“Koothaadum amudha kalasam”
Describes her graceful dancing form as a vessel holding nectar ('amudha kalasam').
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Paavai venuma / Pazharasama…. bodhaiya”
Repetition of the 'Pa' sound at the start of consecutive lines ('Paavai' / 'Pazharasama').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Puthisaligal' (1968) features lyrics by the legendary Vaali, who was renowned during this era for penning both deeply spiritual songs and catchy, metaphor-laden club/dance numbers for Tamil cinema.
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