- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- Jikki
- Music director
- Master Venu
- Movie name
- Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Apr 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a playful, romantic folk-style banter between a young woman and her suitor. She playfully chides him for sneaking into her home uninvited under the cover of dusk before any lamps are lit or the moon has risen. She affectionately teases his stinginess, pointing out how lavish he is with grandiose verbal promises while remaining tight-fisted with actual wealth, evoking the famous Tamil idiom about not even waving an unwashed hand to scare away a crow.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Vilakethi veikkavum illae / Vennilavu mulaikkavum illae”
Repetition of the initial 'V' sound in 'Vilakethi' and 'Vennilavu' creates a rhythmic cadence in the opening lines.
Irony / Sarcasm (Ninthi Stuthi)
“Vaayalae alli eraikkum / Vallal thaanungha neenga”
The heroine sarcastically calls her lover a 'Vallal' (bountiful philanthropist) only to reveal that his generosity exists solely in his empty verbal promises ('Vaayalae').
Idiomatic Folk Imagery (Pazhamozhi)
“Echal kaiyaalae kaakaikuruviyai kooda Virattavum maatingha neenga”
Uses the traditional Tamil proverb about a miser who refuses to shoo away birds even with an unwashed hand, fearing a single grain of food might fall.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1957 film 'Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi' composed by Master Venu with lyrics by A. Maruthakasi, this track stands out for Jikki's spirited vocal delivery. Lyricist Maruthakasi masterfully integrated the traditional Tamil idiom about misers into a popular lighthearted romantic duet structure.
Keep listening
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