"Telephone maNi-pol sirippavaL ivaLA?
Melbourne malar-pol melliya magaLA?"
Ever since I moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago, I have been trying to find out what this 'Melbourne malar' is. There isn't any flower that Melbourne is world-famous for, nor is there a geographic symbol or landmark by that name in the city. Mythology? Nope - can't find anything. A Google search led me to the floral emblems of Australia, which calls out the pink form of the Common Heath as the Floral Emblem for the State of Victoria (in which Melbourne is located). Is it famous for being delicate ("..melliya..")? Nope. On the contrary - it is a "prickly little shrub" that "has rigid, sharp-ended leaves to help fend off grazing herbivores"!
I wouldn't be searching for references/meaning in most film songs, but thought this may have substance because it was written by Vairamuthu. Seems like it was written casually for the sound of the words - it may as well have been Madurai, Mumbai, Muscat, Moscow, or heck - even Marina (as in the beach). I like the ring of "Marina malar pol" even better.
But Marina isn't famous for any 'malar', you say? Well, neither is Melbourne.
Melbourne malar-pol melliya magaLA?"
Ever since I moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago, I have been trying to find out what this 'Melbourne malar' is. There isn't any flower that Melbourne is world-famous for, nor is there a geographic symbol or landmark by that name in the city. Mythology? Nope - can't find anything. A Google search led me to the floral emblems of Australia, which calls out the pink form of the Common Heath as the Floral Emblem for the State of Victoria (in which Melbourne is located). Is it famous for being delicate ("..melliya..")? Nope. On the contrary - it is a "prickly little shrub" that "has rigid, sharp-ended leaves to help fend off grazing herbivores"!
I wouldn't be searching for references/meaning in most film songs, but thought this may have substance because it was written by Vairamuthu. Seems like it was written casually for the sound of the words - it may as well have been Madurai, Mumbai, Muscat, Moscow, or heck - even Marina (as in the beach). I like the ring of "Marina malar pol" even better.
But Marina isn't famous for any 'malar', you say? Well, neither is Melbourne.
