- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Shanthi
- Movie release year
- 1965
- Lyrics added on
- 23 May 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Sendhoor Murugan Kovililae' is a classic Tamil song where devotional reverence merges seamlessly with romantic yearning (Nayaka-Nayaki bhava). Set against a tranquil dawn symbolized by the rooster's crow, the heroine recounts hearing a divine melody and auspicious news at Lord Murugan's temple in Tiruchendur. In her visionary dream, Lord Murugan himself approaches her as a suitor while she sleeps, wrapping her in his twelve arms and singing a song of love. As the song progresses, she expresses an intimate desire to celebrate on Lord Kumaran's lap and offer a kiss on red lips likened to crimson fruit. Lyricist Kannadasan draws upon ancient Sangam Akam conventions to express spiritual surrender through the language of human passion and affection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Sendhoor murugan kovililae oru / Saedhiyai naan kaetten”
Repetition of the initial consonant/vowel sound 'S' in 'Sendhoor', 'Saedhiyai', and 'Saeval'.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“En iru kangal thoongiya podhu / Pann iru kaiyil vaari anaithu”
Matching second consonant sound 'n' in 'En iru' and 'Pann iru'.
Simile / Metaphor (Upama)
“Kungumam sivandha kovai idhazhil”
Comparing soft red lips to 'kovai' (ivy gourd) and 'kungumam' (vermilion/red powder).
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Paadalai naan kaetten”
Rhythmic repetition of 'Paadalai naan kaetten' emphasizing the captivating nature of the dawn melody.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song comes from the 1965 Tamil movie 'Shanthi', starring Sivaji Ganesan and Devika. The music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, and the lyrics were penned by Kannadasan. Sung brilliantly by P. Susheela, it is celebrated for its integration of Murugan bhakti into classical Tamil film melody.
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