- Lyricist
- Mohan Rajan
- Singer
- Thanjai Selvi
- Music director
- James Vasanthan
- Movie name
- Eesan
- Movie release year
- 2010
- Lyrics added on
- 20 Apr 2019
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vandhanamma vandhanamma
Ellorukum vandhanam
Mana manama sandhanam
Sandhanatha poosikittu
Sandhosama ketkanum
Kalakalappa aadanum
Kaiga thaalam podanum
Visilu ragam paadanum
Kaiga thaalam podanum
Visilu ragam paadanum
Jilla vittu jilla vandha
Kadhaiya neeyum kelaiyaa
Thuthukkudi ponnaiya
Naan thuthukkudi ponnaiya
Jilla vittu jilla vandha
Kadhaiya neeyum kelaiyaa
Thuthukkudi ponnaiya
Naan thuthukkudi ponnaiya
Thuthukkudi ponnaiya
En kadhayai kelaiyaa
Sogatha vikira ponnukkum
Manasu irukuthu paaraiya
Sogatha vikira ponnukkum
Manasu irukuthu paaraiya
Anju penna petheduthaa
Arasankuda aandiyaam
Vazhkaiyila bondiyaam
Yettavatha enna petha
En appanuku ithu theriyala
Sokkanum atha sollala
Anju penna petheduthaa
Arasankuda aandiyaam
Vazhkaiyila bondiyaam
Yettavatha enna petha
En appanuku ithu theriyala
Sokkanum atha sollala
Sokkanum atha sollala
Valarnthu nikkira thennaiya
Vakkanaiya naan ninnen
Vakkanaiya naan ninnen
Ezhaiyum karai serthathaala
Ezharaiya naan aanen
Ezharaiya naan aanen
Anga suthi inga suthi
Vanthaanaiya mappula
Seekalikku marupulla
Valaiya pola enna katti
Ponaanaiya mappula
Thuppillaatha aambala
Avan thupillaatha aambala
Anga suthi inga suthi
Vanthaanaiya mappula
Seekalikku marupulla
Valaiya pola enna katti
Ponaanaiya mappula
Thuppillaatha aambala
Avan thupillaatha aambala
Anjanaalu mootuvaliyil
Maappulathan paduthutaan
En usura eduthutaan
Onnu pona onnu vanthu
Varusamellam thechutaan
Kanava ellam odaichutaan
En kanava ellam odaichutaan
Anjanaalu mootuvaliyil
Maappulathan paduthutaan
En usura eduthutaan
Onnu pona onnu vanthu
Varusamellam thechutaan
Kanava ellam odaichutaan
En kanava ellam odaichutaan
Kaichalukku kaadu vithen
Irumalukku nilam vithen
Vittathellaam poga
Ada echamaaga naan ninen
Michamaaga naan ninen
Ada michamaaga naan ninen
Ooril ulla meesai ellam
Enna suthi vanthuchu
Ila manasa keduthuchu
Usura vida maanam perusu
Buthikkuthaan therinjuchu
Vairu enga kettuchu
Vairu enga kettuchu
Oru saan vaithukkuthaan
Ellathaiyum vikkiren
Naan ellathaiyum vikkiren
Ippa ingae nikkiren
En kadhaiya mudikkiren
Oru saan vaithukkuthaan
Ellathaiyum vikkiren
Naan ellathaiyum vikkiren
Ippa ingae nikkiren
En kadhaiya mudikkiren
Jilla vittu jilla vandha
Kadhaiya neeyum kettiya
En kadhaiya neeyum kettiya
Jilla vittu jilla vandha
Kadhaiya neeyum kettiya
En kadhaiya kettiya
Kaiga thaalam podaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Chorus :Kaiga thaalam podaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Kaiga thaalam podaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Kaiga thaalam podaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Kaiga thaalam podaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Visilu ragam paadaiyaa
Greetings, warm greetings to you!
Greetings to everyone!
Fragrant, sweet sandalwood paste,
Smear on the sandalwood paste,
And listen with joy!
Dance with lively spirits,
Clap your hands to the rhythm,
Whistle along to the tune!
Clap your hands to the rhythm,
Whistle along to the tune!
Having traveled from district to district,
Listen to this story, sir!
I am Thoothukudi Ponnu, sir,
Yes, I am Thoothukudi Ponnu, sir!
Having traveled from district to district,
Listen to this story, sir!
I am Thoothukudi Ponnu, sir,
Yes, I am Thoothukudi Ponnu, sir!
I am Thoothukudi Ponnu, sir,
Listen to my story, sir!
Even a woman who sells her sorrow
Has a heart, you see!
Even a woman who sells her sorrow
Has a heart, you see!
They say if a man raises five daughters,
Even a king turns into a beggar,
Left broke and bankrupt in life!
Having me as his eighth child,
My father didn't realize this,
And Lord Chokkan (Shiva) didn't warn him either.
They say if a man raises five daughters,
Even a king turns into a beggar,
Left broke and bankrupt in life!
Having me as his eighth child,
My father didn't realize this,
And Lord Chokkan didn't warn him either.
Lord Chokkan didn't warn him either.
Like a tall, growing coconut palm,
I stood with grace and pride,
I stood with grace and pride.
Because he settled all seven daughters,
I became the unlucky eighth!
I became the ill-fated one!
Wandering here and there,
A bridegroom came along, sir,
Sickness personified!
Trapping me like a fishing net,
He married and took me, sir,
A good-for-nothing man,
He was a completely useless man!
Wandering here and there,
A bridegroom came along, sir,
Sickness personified!
Trapping me like a fishing net,
He married and took me, sir,
A good-for-nothing man,
He was a completely useless man!
On the fifth day, with aching joints,
That groom fell bedridden,
And drained the life out of me!
One illness followed by another,
He wore me down year after year,
And shattered all my dreams,
He shattered all my dreams!
On the fifth day, with aching joints,
That groom fell bedridden,
And drained the life out of me!
One illness followed by another,
He wore me down year after year,
And shattered all my dreams,
He shattered all my dreams!
For his fever, I sold our woodland,
For his cough, I sold our farm.
After selling everything away,
Ah, I was cast aside like scraps,
Left behind with nothing,
Ah, left behind all alone!
Every moustache in this town
Prowled all around me,
Ruining my young heart.
That honor is greater than life,
My mind understood that well,
But did my hungry stomach ever listen?
Did my hungry stomach ever listen?
Just to feed this hungry belly,
I am selling everything,
Yes, I am selling everything!
Now I stand right here,
And bring my story to an end.
Just to feed this hungry belly,
I am selling everything,
Yes, I am selling everything!
Now I stand right here,
And bring my story to an end.
Having traveled from district to district,
Did you listen to my story?
Did you listen to my story?
Having traveled from district to district,
Did you listen to my story?
Did you listen to my story?
Clap your hands to the rhythm, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Chorus: Clap your hands to the rhythm, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Clap your hands to the rhythm, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Clap your hands to the rhythm, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Clap your hands to the rhythm, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
Whistle along to the tune, sir!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This folk narrative song juxtaposes upbeat, fast-paced dance beats with a deeply heartbreaking life story. A woman from Thoothukudi addresses an audience, masking her intense grief behind a festive performance. She recounts her humble origins as the eighth child in a poor family, her marriage to an ailing, incapable husband, and the mounting debts incurred while paying for his medical treatments.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Valarnthu nikkira thennaiya”
Comparing her stature and pride to a tall coconut tree (Valarnthu nikkira thennaiya) and her marital trap to a net (Valaiya pola enna katti).
Rhyme (Edhukai / Monai)
“Kaichalukku kaadu vithen / Irumalukku nilam vithen”
Extensive use of initial letter and second letter rhyming patterns common in Tamil folk songs, such as 'Kaichalukku / Irumalukku' and 'Kaiga / Visilu'.
Irony
“Sogatha vikira ponnukkum manasu irukuthu paaraiya”
The speaker invites the audience to clap and whistle while delivering a deeply tragic story of economic hardship and forced prostitution.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in M. Sasikumar's 2010 film 'Eesan', this track composed by James Vasanthan uses authentic Tamil folk and Gana traditions to deliver stark social commentary on poverty, gender bias, and economic vulnerability under the guise of an energetic dance performance.
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