- Lyricist
- Ka. Mu. Sheriff
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Sivagami
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 31 May 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic romantic composition from 'Sivagami' (1960) features the protagonist expressing his deep enchantment with a beloved maiden by drawing comparisons to the elements of nature. He compares her beautiful face to the full moon in the night sky, her vibrant red lips to ripe ivy gourds (kovai pazham), her radiant smile to delicate coconut blossoms, and her charming voice to sweet mountain honey. The song concludes on a poetic note where the protagonist describes how even as sleep takes over his eyes, the maiden remains present right before him in his dreams.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Vaanil muzhu madhiyai polae / Mangai aval vadhanam kanden”
Uses explicit comparative words like 'polae' (like/as) to compare aspects of the woman's beauty to natural objects (full moon for face, ivy gourd for lips, honey for speech).
Epiphora / Antistrophe (Iyaibu)
“Vaanil muzhu madhiyai kanden / Vanathiloru pennai kanden”
The repetitive ending of lines with the word 'kanden' ('I saw'), establishing a rhythmic refrain and poetic structure throughout the song.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Vaanil muzhu madhiyai kanden / Vanathiloru pennai kanden”
Repetition of the initial letter sounds across words in adjacent lines (e.g., 'Vaanil' / 'Vanathiloru' or 'Solaiyilae' / 'Solai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by 'Mellisai Mannar' K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics penned by Ka. Mu. Sheriff, this track exemplifies traditional Tamil film song poetry where classical sangam-style poetic imagery (comparing feminine features to flowers, fruits, and moon) is smoothly integrated into popular cinema music.
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