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Akkarai Pachchai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pothigaimalai Santhaname

From Akkarai Pachchai · 1974

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Akkarai Pachchai
Movie release year
1974
Lyrics added on
15 Jun 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaaaaaa….aaa…..aaa….aa…..
Haa……aaa….aaa….
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Madhurai nagar veedhiyilae
Valaiya varum ilangkaatrae
Madhurai nagar veedhiyilae
Valaiya varum ilangkaatrae
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Maalaiyil aadidum malargal irandu
Oru malar naanaavaen
Maalaiyil aadidum malargal irandu
Oru malar naanaavaen
Mangala sangkoli pongidum isaiyil
Manamagal naanaavaen
Mangala sangkoli pongidum isaiyil
Manamagal naanaavaen
Panjnaiyil unai konjugaiyil
Pasum paalinil pazhamaavaen
Isai pannoli kaakka nee menmozhiyil
Thamizh vinaiyai polaavaen
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Gangaiyai poloru punniya nadhiyil
Kaadhalil nee aada
Gangaiyai poloru punniya nadhiyil
Kaadhalil nee aada
Kannanin aalaya kalasamirandum
Kaaviya kavi paada
Kannanin aalaya kalasamirandum
Kaaviya kavi paada
Kai valaiyum iru mai vizhiyil
Andha kalaiyinil arangkaera
Ilam kanni magal ival ponnazhagu
Vilaiyaadattum medhuvaaga
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Madhurai nagar veedhiyilae
Valaiya varum ilangkaatrae
Podhigai malai santhanamae
Poojai seiyum manthiramae
Aaah... aah... aah... ah...
Ha... aah... aah...
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer,
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer,
Through the streets of Madurai city,
O gentle breeze swirling around!
Through the streets of Madurai city,
O gentle breeze swirling around!
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer,
Of the two flowers swaying in the garland,
I will become one flower.
Of the two flowers swaying in the garland,
I will become one flower.
To the music echoing with the sacred conch,
I will become your bride.
To the music echoing with the sacred conch,
I will become your bride.
When I hold you close on the soft bed,
I will blend into you like fruit in fresh milk.
As you speak gentle words to match the tune,
I will resonate like a sweet Tamil veena (stringed instrument).
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer,
In a holy river like the Ganges,
as you bathe in love,
In a holy river like the Ganges,
as you bathe in love,
the two golden spires of Lord Krishna's temple
will sing an epic poem.
The two golden spires of Lord Krishna's temple
will sing an epic poem.
With bangles on the hands and kohl-lined eyes,
as that art of love takes the stage,
let the golden beauty of this young girl
play gently.
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer,
Through the streets of Madurai city,
O gentle breeze swirling around!
O sandalwood of the Pothigai hills,
O sacred chant of prayer!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a classical Tamil romantic piece from the movie Akkarai Pachchai (1974), where the heroine glorifies her lover and expresses her profound devotion to him. She compares her beloved to the revered sandalwood of the Podhigai mountains—the legendary birthplace of the Tamil language—and to the gentle breeze that strolls through the historic city of Madurai. Through poetic imagery, she visualizes becoming his bride under auspicious wedding chants and merging with him like sweet fruit dissolves in fresh milk. The lyrics sacredly equate their romantic unity to a holy bath in the Ganges and the majestic architecture of divine temples, capturing the purity and literary grandeur of traditional Tamil romance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Podhigai malai santhanamae / Poojai seiyum manthiramae”

Directly equating the lover to the fragrant sandalwood of the Podhigai hills and a holy prayer chant.

Personification

“Madhurai nagar veedhiyilae / Valaiya varum ilangkaatrae”

Attributing human actions to the gentle breeze, depicting it as wandering through the streets of Madurai.

Simile (Uvamai)

“Pasum paalinil pazhamaavaen”

Comparing the intimacy of lovers blending together to fruit mixing into fresh milk.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Etai / Edugai)

“Podhigai malai santhanamae / Madhurai nagar veedhiyilae”

The second consonant sound 'dhi' matches in consecutive lines (Podhigai / Madhurai).

Did you know?

Trivia

The Podhigai mountain range mentioned in the song holds immense significance in Tamil heritage as it is revered as the home of Sage Agastya and the traditional birthplace of the Tamil language. The music for Akkarai Pachchai (1974) was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Kannadasan.

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From the same album

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