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Kaalam Maari Pochu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Achcham Ennadi

From Kaalam Maari Pochu · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
K. S. Chithra
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Kaalam Maari Pochu
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
28 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………….
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Hae….koottu puzhuvae konjam veliyil vaa
Nee pattampoochchiyaai maari paranthu vaa
Hae….koottu puzhuvae konjam veliyil vaa
Nee pattampoochchiyaai maari paranthu vaa
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Palkalaikazhaga thervilae
Engal pengalae perithum munnani
Endru endrumae pulli vivaram solgirathae
Raanuvam kaaval thuraiyilae
Pengal Yaegamaai vanthu saerntha pin
Aangal aanavam konjam konjam madikirathae
Bharatha maadha penthanae
Paayum nadhiyum penthaanae
Intha mann veliyil antha vinn veliyil
Nam penmai vellum kaalam sollum
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Nenjilae aanai sumanthaval
Karpap paiyilae pillai sumanthaval
Sontha vaazhvaiyum endrumthaanae sumakkindraal
Kattilil konjam theintha pin
Samaiyal kattilae konjam theintha pin
Mezhuguvarththi pol urugi endrum vaazhgindraal
Pillai petrum porumai kaattuvaal
Muttaalukku karunai kaattuvaal
Aval thuninthu vittaala ondril irangivittaal
Aval siragai peruvaal sigaram thoduvaal
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Hae….koottu puzhuvae konjam veliyil vaa
Nee pattampoochchiyaai maari paranthu vaa
Hae….koottu puzhuvae konjam veliyil vaa
Nee pattampoochchiyaai maari paranthu vaa
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
Acham ennadi naanam ennadi
Aangal mudhugil kummi kottadi
...
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Hey, caterpillar in the cocoon, come on out!
Turn into a butterfly and fly free!
Hey, caterpillar in the cocoon, come on out!
Turn into a butterfly and fly free!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
In the university exams,
our women are leading at the very top!
The statistics prove this every single day!
In the military and the police force,
now that women have joined in huge numbers,
men's arrogance is slowly fading away!
Isn't Mother India a woman?
Isn't the flowing river a woman too?
Across this earth and through the skies,
time will show that women will win!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
She carried a man in her heart,
she carried a child in her womb,
and she has always carried her own life too.
Worn down a little in the bedroom,
worn down a little in the kitchen,
she spends her whole life melting like a candle.
Raising children, she shows endless patience,
and she shows kindness even to a fool.
Once she takes courage and steps forward,
she will gain her wings and reach the highest peaks!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Hey, caterpillar in the cocoon, come on out!
Turn into a butterfly and fly free!
Hey, caterpillar in the cocoon, come on out!
Turn into a butterfly and fly free!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Why fear, girl? Why be shy?
Clap your hands and dance over the men!
Chorus
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Chorus
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Chorus
Female
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Chorus
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Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This spirited song from Kaalam Maari Pochu serves as a powerful feminist anthem celebrating women's liberation, equality, and achievement. Vaali's lyrics call upon women to throw away traditional social restraints like excessive fear and bashfulness, urging them to emerge from their metaphorical cocoons like butterflies. The song highlights women's remarkable success in modern fields such as higher education, the armed forces, and law enforcement, which challenges long-standing male dominance and chauvinism. Furthermore, the song acknowledges the incredible strength and emotional endurance women display while carrying life's responsibilities, balancing family life, and making quiet sacrifices. By equating womanhood to divine and natural forces like Mother India and flowing rivers, the song asserts that given determination and opportunity, women are bound to scale the greatest heights and shape the future.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Hae….koottu puzhuvae konjam veliyil vaa / Nee pattampoochchiyaai maari paranthu vaa

Comparing women restrained by traditional societal norms to cocoon worms (koottu puzhu) that must emerge and transform into free butterflies (pattampoochchi).

Simile (Uvamai)

Mezhuguvarththi pol urugi endrum vaazhgindraal

Using 'pol' (like) to compare a woman's selfless devotion and sacrifice in her household life to a candle melting away.

Anaphora / Refrain

Acham ennadi naanam ennadi

Repetition of the line questioning traditional female virtues ('acham' and 'naanam') to emphasize liberation and confidence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kaalam Maari Pochu (1996) is a hit Tamil family drama directed by V. Sekhar. The song was composed by Deva, with lyrics penned by Vaali, and sung energeticially by K. S. Chithra and Anuradha Sriram. The film focuses on gender equality, marriage dynamics, and female empowerment.

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