- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Poi Mugangal
- Movie release year
- 1986
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Jun 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Poi Mugangal' is a deeply philosophical meditation on the transient and illusory nature of human relationships and life itself. Lyricist Vairamuthu uses poignant allegories to depict how people wear false faces (masks) and how love in the worldly realm often turns out to be superficial. He compares relationships to clouds drifting away in the daylight and life to chasing fish inside a mirage. Furthermore, the song explores the paradoxes of existence—just as darkness exists beneath a bright lamp, human character conceals hidden truths. By equating the womb (the start of life) to the tomb (the end of life), the lyricist delivers a sobering perspective that life is fleeting like a rainbow, reminding the listener not to be overly attached to worldly ties that dissolve at death.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Sondhangal kalainthodum pagal megangal”
Compares fleeting relationships to daytime clouds that disperse quickly without providing rain.
Paradox / Antithesis
“Erigindra dheepam oli tharum podhum vilakkin adiyil irul vattam podum”
Juxtaposes the light of a burning lamp with the shadow right beneath it to highlight dual nature in life.
Metaphor
“Kaanal neeril meengalai thaedum indha vaazhkaiyoo”
Compares futile human desire and attachment in a fake world to searching for fish in a desert mirage.
Paradox & Rhyme (Ethirhai)
“Karuvarai kooda kallarai thaanae / Kallarai kooda karuvarai thaanae”
Uses 'Karuvarai' (womb) and 'Kallarai' (tomb) to create a cyclical paradox that birth and death are intertwined, paired with strong second-letter consonant rhyming.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vandhu vaazhndha vaazhkaiyai vaanavillai pondrathu”
Directly compares human life to a rainbow—beautiful, multi-colored, yet ephemeral.
Did you know?
Trivia
The title track 'Poi Mugangal' comes from the 1986 Tamil film directed by C. V. Sridhar, starring Rakesh and Sulakshana. The soul-stirring music was composed by V. S. Narasimhan, with legendary playback singer K. J. Yesudas lending his evocative voice to Vairamuthu's deeply philosophical verses.
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