- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Engal Thanga Raja
- Movie release year
- 1973
- Lyrics added on
- 26 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This humorous song from 'Engal Thanga Raja' (1973) playfully teases a shy, reclusive, and overly modest young man who acts like a celibate monk (sanyasi). The lyrics, penned by Kannadasan, invoke religious chants of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha while humorously highlighting the protagonist's extreme bashfulness around women, noting how he trembles at the sight of a saree and avoids eye contact. The song playfully questions how such a reserved man will ever handle love or marriage, comparing his bachelorhood to that of Lord Ganesha.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monorhyme / Etugai (Second-letter rhyming)
“Saamiyilum saami idhu oomai chaami”
The repetition of second consonants ('m' sound) in 'Saamiyilum' and 'Oomai' creates an internal rhyme across lines.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Sambo sangara mahadhevaa / Saamba sadhaasiva gurudhevaa”
Rhyming ending words 'mahadhevaa' and 'gurudhevaa' create rhythmic symmetry across chant lines.
Onomatopoeia
“Bumchikku bumchikku / Bumchikku bum bum”
Rhythmic vocal percussive sounds ('Bumchikku bumchikku') added for musical emphasis and playful mood.
Mythological Allusion
“Andha ganapathiyoda vaarisu thaanae indha chaami”
Referencing Lord Ganesha (Ganapathi), known as a bachelor deity, to humorously explain the protagonist's aversion to marriage.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Engal Thanga Raja' (1973) stars Sivaji Ganesan and Manjula. The film's music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, and the lyrics for this fun track were written by Kannadasan, showcasing his signature playful wit when describing human character traits through religious metaphors.
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