Kaatru Vaanga Ponen
From Kalangarai Vilakkam · 1965
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Kalangarai Vilakkam1965
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | I went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen } (2) naan | I brought back (twice) I |
| Male | |
| Adhai ketu | Hearing it |
| Vaangi ponaal andha | She took it and went, that |
| Kanni ennavaanaal | Young maiden, what happened to her? |
| Male | |
| Naan kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air, I |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | Went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
| Male | |
| Adhai ketu | Hearing it |
| Vaangi ponaal andha | She took it and went, that |
| Kanni ennavaanaal | Young maiden, what happened to her? |
| Male | |
| Naan kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air, I |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | Went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
| Male | |
| { En ullam | My heart |
| Endra oonjal aval | Is a swing, which is |
| Ulavugindra medai } (2) | The stage where she strolls (twice) |
| Male | |
| En paarvai | The place where my gaze |
| Neendhum idamo | Swims across |
| Aval paruvam endra odai | Is the stream of her youthful charm |
| Male | |
| Aval ketu | Hearing it |
| Vaangi ponaal andha | She took it and went, that |
| Kanni ennavaanaal | Young maiden, what happened to her? |
| Male | |
| Naan kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air, I |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | Went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
| Male | |
| { Nadai | When she practices |
| Pazhagumbodhu | Her elegant walk |
| Thendral vidai | The gentle breeze takes its leave |
| Sollikondu pogum } (2) | And bids farewell (twice) |
| Male | |
| { Andha azhagu | That beauty |
| Ondru pothum nenjai | Alone is sufficient to |
| Alli kondu pogum } (2) | Steal and carry my heart away (twice) |
| Male | |
| Aval ketu | Hearing it |
| Vaangi ponaal andha | She took it and went, that |
| Kanni ennavaanaal | Young maiden, what happened to her? |
| Male | |
| Naan kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air, I |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | Went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
| Male | |
| { Nalla nilavu | When the pleasant moon |
| Thoonkum neram | Is asleep |
| Aval ninaivu thoonkavillai } (2) | Her memory does not sleep (twice) |
| Male | |
| { Konjam vilagi | Even when she stands |
| Nindra podhum indha | Slightly away from me |
| Idhayam thaangavillai } (2) | This heart cannot bear the distance (twice) |
| Male | |
| Kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | I went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
| Male | |
| Adhai ketu | Hearing it |
| Vaangi ponaal andha | She took it and went, that |
| Kanni ennavaanaal | Young maiden, what happened to her? |
| Male | |
| Naan kaatru vaanga | To catch a breath of fresh air, I |
| Ponen oru kavidhai | Went, but a poem |
| Vaangi vandhen | I brought back |
{ காற்று வாங்க
போனேன் ஒரு கவிதை
வாங்கி வந்தேன் } (2) நான்
To catch a breath of fresh air
I went, but a poem
I brought back (twice) I
அதைக் கேட்டு
வாங்கிப் போனாள்
அந்தக் கன்னி
என்னவானாள்
Hearing it
She took it and went, that
Young maiden, what happened to her?
நான் காற்று
வாங்க போனேன்
ஒரு கவிதை வாங்கி
வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Went, but a poem
I brought back
அதைக் கேட்டு
வாங்கி போனாள்
அந்தக் கன்னி
என்னவானாள்
Hearing it
She took it and went, that
Young maiden, what happened to her?
நான் காற்று
வாங்க போனேன்
ஒரு கவிதை வாங்கி
வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Went, but a poem
I brought back
{ என் உள்ளம்
என்ற ஊஞ்சல் அவள்
உலவுகின்ற மேடை } (2)
My heart
Is a swing, which is
The stage where she strolls (twice)
என் பார்வை
நீந்தும் இடமோ
அவள் பருவம் என்ற
ஓடை
The place where my gaze
Swims across
Is the stream of her youthful charm
அவள் கேட்டு
வாங்கிப் போனாள்
அந்தக் கன்னி
என்னவானாள்
Hearing it
She took it and went, that
Young maiden, what happened to her?
நான் காற்று
வாங்க போனேன்
ஒரு கவிதை வாங்கி
வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Went, but a poem
I brought back
{ நடை பழகும்போது
தென்றல் விடை சொல்லி
கொண்டு போகும் } (2)
When she practices
Her elegant walk
The gentle breeze takes its leave
And bids farewell (twice)
{ அந்த அழகு
ஒன்று போதும்
நெஞ்சை அள்ளிக்
கொண்டு போகும் } (2)
That beauty
Alone is sufficient to
Steal and carry my heart away (twice)
அவள் கேட்டு
வாங்கிப் போனாள்
அந்தக் கன்னி
என்னவானாள்
Hearing it
She took it and went, that
Young maiden, what happened to her?
நான் காற்று
வாங்க போனேன்
ஒரு கவிதை வாங்கி
வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Went, but a poem
I brought back
{ நல்ல நிலவு
தூங்கும் நேரம் அவள்
நினைவு தூங்கவில்லை } (2)
When the pleasant moon
Is asleep
Her memory does not sleep (twice)
{ கொஞ்சம் விலகி
நின்ற போதும் இந்த
இதயம் தாங்கவில்லை } (2)
Even when she stands
Slightly away from me
This heart cannot bear the distance (twice)
காற்று வாங்க
போனேன் ஒரு கவிதை
வாங்கி வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air
I went, but a poem
I brought back
அதைக் கேட்டு
வாங்கிப் போனாள்
அந்தக் கன்னி
என்னவானாள்
Hearing it
She took it and went, that
Young maiden, what happened to her?
நான் காற்று
வாங்க போனேன்
ஒரு கவிதை வாங்கி
வந்தேன்
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Went, but a poem
I brought back
{ Kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air
Ponen oru kavidhai
I went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen } (2) naan
I brought back (twice) I
Adhai ketu
Hearing it
Vaangi ponaal andha
She took it and went, that
Kanni ennavaanaal
Young maiden, what happened to her?
Naan kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Ponen oru kavidhai
Went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
Adhai ketu
Hearing it
Vaangi ponaal andha
She took it and went, that
Kanni ennavaanaal
Young maiden, what happened to her?
Naan kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Ponen oru kavidhai
Went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
{ En ullam
My heart
Endra oonjal aval
Is a swing, which is
Ulavugindra medai } (2)
The stage where she strolls (twice)
En paarvai
The place where my gaze
Neendhum idamo
Swims across
Aval paruvam endra odai
Is the stream of her youthful charm
Aval ketu
Hearing it
Vaangi ponaal andha
She took it and went, that
Kanni ennavaanaal
Young maiden, what happened to her?
Naan kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Ponen oru kavidhai
Went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
{ Nadai
When she practices
Pazhagumbodhu
Her elegant walk
Thendral vidai
The gentle breeze takes its leave
Sollikondu pogum } (2)
And bids farewell (twice)
{ Andha azhagu
That beauty
Ondru pothum nenjai
Alone is sufficient to
Alli kondu pogum } (2)
Steal and carry my heart away (twice)
Aval ketu
Hearing it
Vaangi ponaal andha
She took it and went, that
Kanni ennavaanaal
Young maiden, what happened to her?
Naan kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Ponen oru kavidhai
Went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
{ Nalla nilavu
When the pleasant moon
Thoonkum neram
Is asleep
Aval ninaivu thoonkavillai } (2)
Her memory does not sleep (twice)
{ Konjam vilagi
Even when she stands
Nindra podhum indha
Slightly away from me
Idhayam thaangavillai } (2)
This heart cannot bear the distance (twice)
Kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air
Ponen oru kavidhai
I went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
Adhai ketu
Hearing it
Vaangi ponaal andha
She took it and went, that
Kanni ennavaanaal
Young maiden, what happened to her?
Naan kaatru vaanga
To catch a breath of fresh air, I
Ponen oru kavidhai
Went, but a poem
Vaangi vandhen
I brought back
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic song describes a protagonist who steps out casually to take a walk and enjoy the evening breeze, only to encounter a captivating maiden who inspires a poem within his heart. She listens to his poetic expression and leaves with it, captivating his thoughts completely and leaving him yearning to know her fate and whereabouts.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“En ullam endra oonjal aval ulavugindra medai / Aval paruvam endra odai”
Compares the protagonist's heart directly to a swing ('oonjal') and a stage where the maiden strolls, as well as comparing her youth to a flowing stream ('odai').
Personification
“Thendral vidai sollikondu pogum / Nalla nilavu thoonkum neram”
Attributes human actions to natural elements—the gentle breeze taking leave and bidding farewell when she walks, and the moon sleeping.
Assonance/Second Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“En ullam / Aval paruvam”
The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines, creating rhythmic poetic flow (e.g., 'ullam' / 'paruvam' and 'nilavu' / 'idhayam').
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1965 hit Tamil thriller movie 'Kalangarai Vilakkam' starring M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and B. Saroja Devi, 'Kaatru Vaanga Ponen' was composed by M. S. Viswanathan (MSV) and sung by T. M. Soundararajan, with evocative lyrics penned by Kannadasan.
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