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Pachhai Vilakku album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thoothu Sella Oru Thozhi

From Pachhai Vilakku · 1964

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Pachhai Vilakku
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
7 Dec 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Andru sendravanai innum kanavillai
Enna seivathadi thozhi
Andru sendravanai innum kanavillai
Enna seivathadi thozhi
Thendral thotadhadi thingal suttathadi
Kangal vaaduthadi thozhi
Aaha thendral thottadhadi thingal suttathadi
Kangal vaaduthadi thozhi
Aha thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Panner nadhiyil kulithu vanthaalum
Paruvam thoongumae thalaivi
Venneer nadhiyai paneer enavae
Pesalagumo thozhi
Idayani megalai vizhundhidum vannam
Yengalaagumo thalaivi
Kadairunthum porul kolvorillayae
Kalakkam varadho thozhi
Aha thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Muthum maniyum karugidum vannam
Mogathil aazhndhaal thalaivi
Muthathai marandhaval sithathil
Irunthathai mounathil arindhaal thozhi
Kaaviri karaiyin orathil evvidham
Kaathirundhaal andha thalaivi
Kaaviya naayagan kaadhalan vanigan
Kovalan enbaal manaivi
Aha thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Thoothu sella oru thozhi illaiyenna
Thuyar kondaayo thalaivi
Thullum kaatru vanthu mella selai thoda
Sugam kandaayo thalaivi
Because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
Because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
The man who left that day has not returned yet,
what am I to do, my friend?
The man who left that day has not returned yet,
what am I to do, my friend?
The gentle breeze touched me, but the moon burned me,
and my eyes are wilting in sorrow, my friend.
Ah, the gentle breeze touched me, but the moon burned me,
and my eyes are wilting in sorrow, my friend.
Ah, because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
If you bathe in a cooling river of rosewater,
your restless youth will settle to rest, my lady.
When it feels like a river of boiling water,
can it really be called rosewater, my friend?
Wasting away so much that your waist ornament slips off,
should you pine like this, my lady?
When the shop is open but there is no one to buy,
how could worry not creep in, my friend?
Ah, because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
With a heat so intense it could scorch pearls and gems,
the lady sank into deep passion and longing.
What lingered in the heart of the one longing for kisses,
her friend understood in silence.
Just as on the banks of the Kaveri river,
that legendary woman waited,
for the epic hero, her lover, the merchant—
the devoted wife of Kovalan.
Ah, because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
Because there is no friend to carry your message,
are you grieving, my lady?
As the playful breeze gently brushes your saree,
did you feel a thrill of pleasure, my lady?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song from Pachhai Vilakku (1964) is structured as a poignant musical dialogue between a young woman (the heroine) suffering from the agony of separation from her lover, and her close confidante (thozhi). The friend gently teases her about her romantic restlessness and physical yearning, while the heroine confides her deep distress—expressing how soothing elements like the cool breeze and moonlight feel paradoxically scorching to her longing heart. Kannadasan elevates this emotional dialogue by invoking classical Sangam literary traditions of 'Thozhi-Thalaivi' discourse and referencing the Tamil epic Silappatikaram, comparing the heroine's patient waiting on the banks of the Cauvery river to Kannagi waiting for Kovalan.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Oxymoron / Paradox

“Thendral thotadhadi thingal suttathadi”

The line contrasts the cooling touch of the southern breeze ('thendral thottadhadi') with the scorching sensation of the cool moon ('thingal suttathadi'), vividly portraying the paradox of passion in separation.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Thendral thotadhadi thingal suttathadi”

Repetition of the initial letter 'Th' in 'Thendral' and 'Thingal' creates a natural rhythm standard in classical Tamil prosody.

Literary Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)

“Kaaviya naayagan kaadhalan vanigan Kovalan enbaal manaivi”

Kannadasan references Kovalan and Kannagi from the epic Silappatikaram, drawing a classical parallel to the heroine's devotion and waiting.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Kadairunthum porul kolvorillayae Kalakkam varadho thozhi”

The metaphor of an open shop with no buyers symbolizes unfulfilled youth and affection waiting for a lover.

Did you know?

Trivia

Pachhai Vilakku (1964) featured iconic music by the duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Kannadasan. This song was sung by P. Susheela and L. R. Eswari, perfectly capturing the playful yet emotional dynamic between the heroine and her friend.

Keep listening

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