- Lyricist
- M. G. Vallaban
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Echchil Iravugal
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 31 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Pootha Malligai' from Echchil Iravugal (1982) expresses the sweet, romantic anticipation of love and union. Using rich nature imagery—such as a fully bloomed jasmine waiting patiently, a fresh musical instrument awaiting a player, and an ocean searching for the river Ganges—the protagonist conveys a deep yearning that is conveyed silently through the eyes. Every line reflects hope for a prosperous, joyful future where love culminates in celebration and brings boundless happiness to the soul.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Pootha malligai”
Compares the beloved or her youthful beauty to a bloomed jasmine ('Pootha malligai') and an unplayed string instrument ('Pudhu veenaiyae').
Personification (மாந்தரூபமாக்கல்)
“Gangai varum endrae / Kadal thaeduthae / Thendral thodum endrae / Kodi aadudhae”
Attributes human traits of searching and dancing to the ocean and a vine.
Monai (மோனை - Initial Alliteration)
“Santhosam kondaadum sangeedham”
Repetition of the 'Sa' consonant sound at the start of adjacent words.
Rhyme / Anaphora
“Kaadhal unnudan / Pesa ennudhu kaanaalae”
Repetition of chorus lines across stanzas to reinforce the core emotional motif of waiting in love.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Echchil Iravugal' (1982) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by M.G. Vallaban. M.G. Vallaban was a prominent lyricist, journalist, and screenwriter in Tamil cinema during the late 1970s and 1980s, known for his poetic simplicity and frequent collaborations with Ilaiyaraaja.
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