- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Veerathirumagan
- Movie release year
- 1962
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Mar 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Roja Malare Rajakumari from the film Veerathirumagan (1962) is an iconic romantic duet that contrasts social standing with true love. The male protagonist questions whether it is right for a poor man like him to approach a princess, using metaphors like a crow unable to become a parrot even when flying high. However, the heroine counters that true love transcends wealth and royal stature, stating that crowns, kingdoms, and luxuries disappear like a mirage before genuine love. Written with lyrical depth by Kannadasan, the song concludes with the lovers appealing to nature—birds, green gardens, skies, and clouds—to bear witness to their timeless and unyielding love that looks past all worldly inequality.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Roja malarae rajakumari”
Comparing the beloved princess directly to a rose flower ('Roja malarae') and a cherished parrot ('Aasai kiliyae'), as well as lush gardens to green attire ('Pachai aadai thottangale').
Analogy / Simile (உவமை)
“Vaanathin meethu paranthalum Kaakai kiliyaai maarathu”
Comparing class distinction to natural species—a crow flying high in the sky still cannot turn into a parrot, emphasizing the perceived barrier of social status.
Simile (உவமை)
“Kaanal neer pol maraiyadho”
Comparing royal luxuries (crowns, palaces, armies) to a mirage ('Kaanal neer') that fades away in the presence of true love.
Monai / Alliteration (மோனை)
“Mannavar naadum mani mudiyum / Maaligai vaazhum thozhiyarum”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'M' across line starters to create rhythmic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary music duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Kaviarasu Kannadasan, this classic track was rendered by P. B. Sreenivas and P. Susheela. Picturised on C. L. Anandan and Sachu (in her early romantic lead role) in Veerathirumagan (1962), the song remains one of Tamil cinema's most timeless romantic duets.
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