Gangai Ponguthe Kangal
From Vasantha Azhaipugal · 1980
- Lyricist
- T. Rajendar
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- T. Rajendar
- Details
- Vasantha Azhaipugal1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Gangai ponguthae kangal oram | The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes |
| Female | |
| Gangai ponguthae kangal oram | The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes |
| En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam | My time is singing a tune of sorrow |
| Female | |
| Adhirstam irukkanum vaazhkai enbadhu | To truly live a life, one needs to have luck |
| Adhai izhandhu vittaval edharkku vazhanum | Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living? |
| Adhirstam irukkanum vaazhkai enbadhu | To truly live a life, one needs to have luck |
| Adhai izhandhu vittaval edharkku vazhanum | Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living? |
| Kai arugae mugarvatharkku mullai irukkum | A jasmine flower is right nearby to smell its fragrance |
| Adhai karathaalae paripatharkku vaeli thadukkum | Yet a fence prevents my hands from plucking it |
| Female | |
| Polladha aasaiaglai valarthadhen manam | Why did my heart nurture such foolish desires? |
| Adhu poikkindra nerathilae yen vaadanum | When those desires turn out to be false, why should I wither away? |
| Female | |
| Gangai ponguthae kangal oram | The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes |
| En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam | My time is singing a tune of sorrow |
| Vizhundha maalaiyoo vaadi ponadhu | The fallen garland has withered away |
| Naan thodutha maalaiyoo udhirnthu ponadhu | The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers |
| Female | |
| Thodarchiyaagavae ethanai tholvi | How many continuous failures must one face? |
| Adhai thandha iraiva unnidam kelvi | Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you |
| Thodarchiyaagavae ethanai tholvi | How many continuous failures must one face? |
| Adhai thandha iraiva unnidam kelvi | Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you |
| Tharuvadhu pol aarambathil yeno thandhaai | Why did you seem to grant hope in the beginning? |
| Adhai adaivadharkkrul parithu kondu yeno ponaai | Why did you snatch it away before I could even reach it? |
| Female | |
| Nadanthu vitta kadhaigaliyae ninappadhen manam | Why does my heart keep pondering over stories of the past? |
| Adhai ninaikkindra nerathilae yedhu aanandham | What joy is there in those moments spent dwelling on them? |
| Female | |
| Gangai ponguthae kangal oram | The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes |
| En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam | My time is singing a tune of sorrow |
| Vizhundha maalaiyoo vaadi ponadhu | The fallen garland has withered away |
| Naan thodutha maalaiyoo udhirnthu ponadhu | The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers |
| Female | |
| Gangai ponguthae kangal oram | The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes |
| En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam | My time is singing a tune of sorrow |
கங்கை பொங்குதே கண்கள் ஓரம் என்
காலம் பாடுது துன்ப ராகம்
விழுந்த மாலையோ வாடிப் போனது
நான் தொடுத்த மாலையோ உதிர்ந்து போனது....
விழுந்த மாலையோ வாடிப் போனது
நான் தொடுத்த மாலையோ உதிர்ந்து போனது....
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
கங்கை பொங்குதே கண்கள் ஓரம் என்
காலம் பாடுது துன்ப ராகம்
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
அதிர்ஷ்டம் இருக்கணும் வாழ்க்கை என்பது
அதை இழந்து விட்டவள் எதற்கு வாழணும்
அதிர்ஷ்டம் இருக்கணும் வாழ்க்கை என்பது
அதை இழந்து விட்டவள் எதற்கு வாழணும்
கை அருகே முகர்வதற்கு முல்லை இருக்கும்
அதை கரத்தாலே பறிப்பதற்கு வேலி தடுக்கும்
To truly live a life, one needs to have luck
Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living?
To truly live a life, one needs to have luck
Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living?
A jasmine flower is right nearby to smell its fragrance
Yet a fence prevents my hands from plucking it
பொல்லாத ஆசைகளை வளர்த்ததென் மனம்
அது பொய்க்கின்ற நேரத்திலே ஏன் வாடணும்
Why did my heart nurture such foolish desires?
When those desires turn out to be false, why should I wither away?
கங்கை பொங்குதே கண்கள் ஓரம் என்
காலம் பாடுது துன்ப ராகம்
விழுந்த மாலையோ வாடிப் போனது
நான் தொடுத்த மாலையோ உதிர்ந்து போனது....
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
The fallen garland has withered away
The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers
தொடர்ச்சியாகவே எத்தனை தோல்வி அதை
தந்த இறைவா உன்னிடம் கேள்வி
தொடர்ச்சியாகவே எத்தனை தோல்வி அதை
தந்த இறைவா உன்னிடம் கேள்வி
தருவது போல் ஆரம்பத்தில் ஏனோ தந்தாய் அதை
அடைவதற்குள் பறித்துக் கொண்டு ஏனோ போனாய்
How many continuous failures must one face?
Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you
How many continuous failures must one face?
Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you
Why did you seem to grant hope in the beginning?
Why did you snatch it away before I could even reach it?
நடந்து விட்ட கதைகளையே நினைப்பதென் மனம்
அதை நினைக்கின்ற நேரத்திலே ஏது ஆனந்தம்
Why does my heart keep pondering over stories of the past?
What joy is there in those moments spent dwelling on them?
கங்கை பொங்குதே கண்கள் ஓரம் என்
காலம் பாடுது துன்ப ராகம்
விழுந்த மாலையோ வாடிப் போனது
நான் தொடுத்த மாலையோ உதிர்ந்து போனது....
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
The fallen garland has withered away
The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers
கங்கை பொங்குதே கண்கள் ஓரம் என்
காலம் பாடுது துன்ப ராகம்
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
Gangai ponguthae kangal oram
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
Gangai ponguthae kangal oram
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
Adhirstam irukkanum vaazhkai enbadhu
To truly live a life, one needs to have luck
Adhai izhandhu vittaval edharkku vazhanum
Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living?
Adhirstam irukkanum vaazhkai enbadhu
To truly live a life, one needs to have luck
Adhai izhandhu vittaval edharkku vazhanum
Having lost that luck, why should a woman go on living?
Kai arugae mugarvatharkku mullai irukkum
A jasmine flower is right nearby to smell its fragrance
Adhai karathaalae paripatharkku vaeli thadukkum
Yet a fence prevents my hands from plucking it
Polladha aasaiaglai valarthadhen manam
Why did my heart nurture such foolish desires?
Adhu poikkindra nerathilae yen vaadanum
When those desires turn out to be false, why should I wither away?
Gangai ponguthae kangal oram
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
Vizhundha maalaiyoo vaadi ponadhu
The fallen garland has withered away
Naan thodutha maalaiyoo udhirnthu ponadhu
The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers
Thodarchiyaagavae ethanai tholvi
How many continuous failures must one face?
Adhai thandha iraiva unnidam kelvi
Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you
Thodarchiyaagavae ethanai tholvi
How many continuous failures must one face?
Adhai thandha iraiva unnidam kelvi
Oh Lord who granted them, I have a question for you
Tharuvadhu pol aarambathil yeno thandhaai
Why did you seem to grant hope in the beginning?
Adhai adaivadharkkrul parithu kondu yeno ponaai
Why did you snatch it away before I could even reach it?
Nadanthu vitta kadhaigaliyae ninappadhen manam
Why does my heart keep pondering over stories of the past?
Adhai ninaikkindra nerathilae yedhu aanandham
What joy is there in those moments spent dwelling on them?
Gangai ponguthae kangal oram
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
Vizhundha maalaiyoo vaadi ponadhu
The fallen garland has withered away
Naan thodutha maalaiyoo udhirnthu ponadhu
The garland I painstakingly strung has shed its flowers
Gangai ponguthae kangal oram
The river Ganges overflows from the corners of my eyes
En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam
My time is singing a tune of sorrow
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Gangai Ponguthae' is a deeply emotional sorrowful song from the film 'Vasantha Azhaipugal' (1980). The protagonist expresses heart-wrenching agony and despair over her tragic fate. She compares the continuous flow of her tears to the Ganges river and personifies her time/destiny as singing a melody of grief. The song highlights her frustration with having happiness almost within reach, only to be blocked by life's cruel obstacles. Throughout the song, she directly questions God about why destiny grants hope only to snatch it away before fulfillment. Metaphors like a withered garland and a jasmine flower hidden behind a fence underscore her helplessness, tragic loss, and inability to escape the haunting memories of her past.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Gangai ponguthae kangal oram”
Compares tears welling up in the eyes to the sacred Ganges river overflowing its banks.
Personification
“En kaalam paadudhu thunba raagam”
Personifies 'kaalam' (time/destiny) as a singer rendering a sorrowful raga.
Simile / Visual Imagery
“Kai arugae mugarvatharkku mullai irukkum / Adhai karathaalae paripatharkku vaeli thadukkum”
Uses vivid imagery of a flower nearby blocked by a fence as a metaphor for happiness being tantalizingly close yet unreachable.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Vizhundha maalaiyoo vaadi ponadhu / Naan thodutha maalaiyoo udhirnthu ponadhu”
Both lines end with the rhyming phrase 'ponadhu', creating rhythmic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Vasantha Azhaipugal' (1980) was written, directed, composed, and lyrics-authored by T. Rajendar, marking one of his early multi-talented cinematic works. The song is sung with profound pathos by the legendary singer P. Susheela, who captures the intricate emotional nuances of grief and divine questioning characteristic of T. Rajendar's lyrical style.
Keep listening
More from Vasantha Azhaipugal
Vasantha Azhaipugal
Vasantha Azhaipugal
Vasantha Azhaipugal
Vasantha Azhaipugal