Erikara Poongatre
From Thooral Ninnu Pochu · 1982
- Lyricist
- Chidambaranathan
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Thooral Ninnu Pochu1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. | Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… |
| Thenkizhakku vaasamalli…. | Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast… |
| Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu… | Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo… |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. | Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… |
| Thenkizhakku vaasamalli…. | Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast… |
| Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu… | Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo… |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Male | |
| {Paadhamalar nogumunnu | Fearing your flower-like feet would hurt, |
| Nadakkumm.. paadhavazhi poovirichen… | I spread blossoms along the pathway where you walk… |
| Mayilaa} (2) | Oh sweet peacock… |
| Male | |
| Odam pol aaduthae manasu | My heart sways restlessly like a boat, |
| Koodi thaan ponadhae vayasu | The years have quietly passed us by, |
| Kaalathin kolathaal nenjam vaadudhu | My heart wilts due to the trickery of time, |
| Andha ponnaana ninaivugal | Those golden memories of ours |
| Kanneeril karaiyudhu | Are dissolving away in tears. |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. | Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… |
| Thenkizhakku vaasamalli…. | Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast… |
| Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu… | Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo… |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Male | |
| {Odichellum vaanmegham | The fast-drifting cloud in the sky |
| Nilava moodi kolla paarkudhadi | Is trying to cover up the moon, |
| Adiyae…} (2) | Oh my dear girl… |
| Male | |
| Jaamathil paaduren thaniyaa | In the dead of midnight, I sing alone, |
| Raagathil seranum thunaiyaa | Hoping a companion will join my melody, |
| Nerangal koodinaal maalai sootuven | When the auspicious time comes, I will garland you, |
| Andha raasaangam varumvarai | Until that royal kingdom of ours arrives, |
| Rosaavae kaathiru…. | My tender rose, please wait for me… |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… |
| Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. | Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… |
| Thenkizhakku vaasamalli…. | Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast… |
| Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu… | Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo… |
| Male | |
| Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…huh huh.. | Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… huh huh.. |
| Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. huhhh..huhhhaa | Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… huhhh..huhhhaa |
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
நீ போற வழி தென் கிழக்கோ
தென் கிழக்கு வாசமல்லி
என்னை தேடி வர தூது
சொல்லு
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
நீ போற வழி தென் கிழக்கோ
தென் கிழக்கு வாசமல்லி
என்னை தேடி வர தூது
சொல்லு
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
{ பாத மலர்
நோகுமுன்னு நடக்கும்
பாத வழி பூ விரிச்சேன்
மயிலா } (2)
Fearing your flower-like feet would hurt,
I spread blossoms along the pathway where you walk…
Oh sweet peacock…
ஓடம் போல் ஆடுதே
மனசு கூடி தான் போனதே
வயசு காலத்தின் கோலத்தால்
நெஞ்சம் வாடுது அந்த பொன்னான
நினைவுகள் கண்ணீரில் கரையுது
My heart sways restlessly like a boat,
The years have quietly passed us by,
My heart wilts due to the trickery of time,
Those golden memories of ours
Are dissolving away in tears.
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
நீ போற வழி தென் கிழக்கோ
தென் கிழக்கு வாசமல்லி
என்னை தேடி வர தூது
சொல்லு
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
{ ஓடி செல்லும்
வான் மேகம் நிலவ மூடி
கொள்ள பார்க்குதடி
அடியே } (2)
The fast-drifting cloud in the sky
Is trying to cover up the moon,
Oh my dear girl…
ஜாமத்தில் பாடுறேன்
தனியா ராகத்தில் சேரனும்
துணையா நேரங்கள் கூடினால்
மாலை சூட்டுவேன் அந்த
ராசாங்கம் வரும் வரை
ரோசாவே காத்திரு
In the dead of midnight, I sing alone,
Hoping a companion will join my melody,
When the auspicious time comes, I will garland you,
Until that royal kingdom of ours arrives,
My tender rose, please wait for me…
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
நீ போற வழி தென் கிழக்கோ
தென் கிழக்கு வாசமல்லி
என்னை தேடி வர தூது
சொல்லு
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
ஏரிக்கரை பூங்காற்றே
நீ போற வழி தென் கிழக்கோ
ஹு ஹுஹா
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… huh huh..
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… huhhh..huhhhaa
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko….
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Thenkizhakku vaasamalli….
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko….
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Thenkizhakku vaasamalli….
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
{Paadhamalar nogumunnu
Fearing your flower-like feet would hurt,
Nadakkumm.. paadhavazhi poovirichen…
I spread blossoms along the pathway where you walk…
Mayilaa} (2)
Oh sweet peacock…
Odam pol aaduthae manasu
My heart sways restlessly like a boat,
Koodi thaan ponadhae vayasu
The years have quietly passed us by,
Kaalathin kolathaal nenjam vaadudhu
My heart wilts due to the trickery of time,
Andha ponnaana ninaivugal
Those golden memories of ours
Kanneeril karaiyudhu
Are dissolving away in tears.
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko….
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Thenkizhakku vaasamalli….
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
{Odichellum vaanmegham
The fast-drifting cloud in the sky
Nilava moodi kolla paarkudhadi
Is trying to cover up the moon,
Adiyae…} (2)
Oh my dear girl…
Jaamathil paaduren thaniyaa
In the dead of midnight, I sing alone,
Raagathil seranum thunaiyaa
Hoping a companion will join my melody,
Nerangal koodinaal maalai sootuven
When the auspicious time comes, I will garland you,
Andha raasaangam varumvarai
Until that royal kingdom of ours arrives,
Rosaavae kaathiru….
My tender rose, please wait for me…
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront…
Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko….
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?…
Thenkizhakku vaasamalli….
Oh fragrant jasmine of the southeast…
Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu…uuhuu…
Send word asking her to come in search of me… ooh-hoo…
Yerikkaraa poongaatrae…huh huh..
Oh gentle breeze on the lakefront… huh huh..
Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko…. huhhh..huhhhaa
Is the path you are heading toward the southeast?… huhhh..huhhhaa
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In 'Yerikkaraa Poongaatrae' from the 1982 film 'Thooral Ninnu Pochu', the protagonist expresses his deep yearning and longing for his beloved. He addresses the gentle breeze blowing across the lakeside as a messenger (Thoodhu), asking it to travel southeast to find his sweetheart—whom he affectionately refers to as fragrant jasmine, a peacock, and a rose—and deliver his loving plea for her to return to him.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Yerikkaraa poongaatrae… Nee pora vazhi thenkizhakko… Ennai thedi vara thoodhu sollu”
The speaker addresses the lakeside breeze as an active messenger who can carry feelings and words to his lover.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Odam pol aaduthae manasu”
The protagonist's unstable, anxious heart is directly compared to a boat swaying on water ('Odam pol').
Metaphor (Uruvagakani)
“Paadhamalar nogumunnu”
The lover's delicate feet are metaphorically described as 'flower-feet' (Paadha-malar).
Iyaipu (Rhyming end words)
“Jaamathil paaduren thaniyaa / Raagathil seranum thunaiyaa”
The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming sounds ('thaniyaa' and 'thunaiyaa') creating melodic symmetry.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed with unknown music and vocal credits in basic metadata, 'Yerikkaraa Poongaatrae' is one of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja's finest classic compositions, sung by K.J. Yesudas for the film 'Thooral Ninnu Pochu' (1982), written and directed by K. Bhagyaraj. The lyrics were written by Chidambaranathan. The song's soulful melody and lush flute arrangements perfectly capture rural nostalgia and romance.
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