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Padagotti album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thottal Poo Malarum Old

From Padagotti · 1964

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Padagotti
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
16 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………………
…………………………
{ Thottal poo malarum
Thodaamal naan malarndhen
Suttaal pon sivakum
Sudaamal kan sivandhen } (2)
Kangal padaamal
Kaigal thodaamal
Kaadhal varuvadhillai
Neril varaamal
Nenjai tharaamal
Aasai viduvadhillai
Hoi aasai viduvadhillai
Thottal poo malarum
Thodaamal naan malarndhen
Suttaal pon sivakum
Sudaamal kan sivandhen
Iruvar ondranaal
Oruvar endranaal
Ilamai mudivadhillai
Ho oo ilamai mudivadhillai
Eduthu kondaalum
Koduthu sendraalum
Pozhudhum vidivadhillai
Hoi pozhudhum vidivadhillai
Thottal poo malarum
Thodaamal naan malarndhen
Suttaal pon sivakum
Sudaamal kan sivandhen
Aaaa aaaa aaa aaaaa
Pakkam nillaamal
Paarthu sellaamal
Pitham thelivadhillai
Ho oo pitham thelivadhillai
Vetkam illaamal
Vazhangi chellaamal
Varutham therivadhillai
Hoi varutham therivadhillai
Thottal poo malarum
Thodaamal naan malarndhen
Suttaal pon sivakum
Sudaamal kan sivandhen
Pazharasa thottam
Panimalar kootam
Paavai mugamallavaa
Ho oo paavai mugamallava
Azhagiya tholgal
Pazhagiya naatkal
Aayiram sugamallava
Hoi aayiram sugamallava
Thottal poo malarum
Thodaamal naan malarndhen
Suttaal pon sivakum
Sudaamal kan sivandhen
Aahaaa aaaa
Ahaahahahaha
Ohh ooooo
Ahaahahahaha
...
...
A flower blooms when touched,
but I bloomed without being touched.
Gold glows red when heated in fire,
but my eyes flushed red without any heat.
Without eyes meeting,
without hands touching,
love does not arrive.
Without meeting face to face,
without giving away your heart,
desire never lets go.
Hey, desire never lets go!
A flower blooms when touched,
but I bloomed without being touched.
Gold glows red when heated in fire,
but my eyes flushed red without any heat.
When two people become one,
when they merge into a single soul,
youth never comes to an end.
Oh, youth never comes to an end!
Whether you take love in,
or give it away and part,
the night never seems to break into dawn.
Hey, the night never seems to break into dawn!
A flower blooms when touched,
but I bloomed without being touched.
Gold glows red when heated in fire,
but my eyes flushed red without any heat.
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Without standing close by,
without looking back as you pass,
this sweet madness of love will not clear.
Oh, this sweet madness of love will not clear!
Without letting go of shyness,
without giving yourself completely,
the sweet ache of love cannot be known.
Hey, the sweet ache of love cannot be known!
A flower blooms when touched,
but I bloomed without being touched.
Gold glows red when heated in fire,
but my eyes flushed red without any heat.
An orchard rich with sweet juice,
a cluster of dew-fresh blossoms—
isn't that a lovely woman's face?
Oh, isn't that a lovely woman's face?
These beautiful shoulders,
these cherished days spent together,
aren't they a thousand joys?
Hey, aren't they a thousand joys?
A flower blooms when touched,
but I bloomed without being touched.
Gold glows red when heated in fire,
but my eyes flushed red without any heat.
Aahaa... aaa...
Aha ahaha ha...
Oh... oooo...
Aha ahaha ha...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic duet expresses deep, poetic romance between two lovers who describe how intimacy, presence, and affection transform their world. The opening refrain sets a mood of hyperbole and sensory delight: while flowers bloom upon touch and gold turns red when fired, the lovers experience those intense reactions purely through the magical influence of love itself. They emphasize that true love requires physical proximity, mutual devotion, and emotional surrender, without which desire and obsession persist without relief.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Thottal poo malarum / Suttaal pon sivakum”

The second consonant sound 'tt' rhymes across consecutive lines, creating a rhythmic harmony in Tamil poetry.

Anaaphora / Parallelism

“Kangal padaamal / Kaigal thodaamal / Neril varaamal”

Repeated structural phrasing using negative participle clauses ending in '-aal' and '-amal' creates symmetry and poetic rhythm.

Hyperbole & Metaphor

“Thodaamal naan malarndhen / Sudaamal kan sivandhen”

The lyricist compares the physical sensation of blushing and blooming to nature and metallurgy, exaggerating love's power to induce these states without physical contact.

Did you know?

Trivia

This romantic classic from the 1964 MGR starer 'Padagotti' features music composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, lyrics written by Vaali, and vocals by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. The song was picturized on M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi set against sea waves and boats, becoming one of the most celebrated duets in Tamil cinema history.

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