- Lyricist
- Suratha
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Amarakavi
- Movie release year
- 1952
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Aug 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
In this classic song from Amarakavi (1952), the lyricist Suratha uses vivid poetic comparisons to describe the serene beauty of nature and the enchanting women of King Keerthivarman's kingdom. The verse begins with vivid depictions of nature: the silvery white moon shining like mercury, jasmine blossoms resembling soft cooked rice, and green parrots whose natural red beaks look as though they have been stained by betel leaves. The poetry then transitions to praise the beauty of the women in the realm. With skin gleaming like polished golden mirrors, they surpass even dancing peacocks in charm and grace. Their lips are as naturally vibrant and red as ripe ivy gourds (Kovai palam), capturing the romantic and aesthetic elegance characteristic of classic Tamil cinema.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uwamai)
“Paadharasam polae venmaiyaana nilaa”
Compares the brilliant white glow of the moon to liquid mercury ('paadharasam') using the comparison marker 'polae'.
Simile (Uwamai)
“Vaditha saadham polae irukkum mullai poovu”
Compares the delicate white jasmine flower to freshly cooked white rice using 'polae'.
Hyperbole / Visual Imagery
“Vettrilai podamalae vaai sivandha Pachai pasungiligal”
Paints a poetic picture of green parrots whose naturally red beaks are playfully described as if they became red without chewing betel leaves.
Metaphor / Simile
“Vaai ellaam kovai palam”
Compares the naturally red lips/mouths of women to ripe red ivy gourd fruit ('kovai palam').
Did you know?
Trivia
This song was penned by the celebrated poet Suratha, who earned the nickname 'Uwamai Kavingnar' (The Poet of Similes) in Tamil literature due to his extraordinary flair for analogies, as brilliantly demonstrated in this track. Sung by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT), one of Tamil cinema's first iconic superstars, Amarakavi (1952) was among his notable late-career films.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Amarakavi
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.