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Bombay Mail 109 album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Konjum Kili Pakkathile

From Bombay Mail 109 · 1980

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Bombay Mail 109
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
15 Apr 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Konjum kili pakkaththilae
Kottaan pol nikkiriyae
Anjaamae settai panni
Ponna paarththu sokkuriyae
Anjaamae settai panni
Ponna paarththu sokkuriyae
Nee allikittu vanthavanaa illai
Thalli kittu vanthavanaa
Aahaa yaehae soldra dei
Nee allikittu vanthavanaa illai
Thalli kittu vanthavanaa
Yaaru ntha chinna mainaa
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa
Ada yaaru intha chinna maina
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa nainaa
Ponna paaru jilujilunnu
Poomaalaiyaattam
Ada unnai paaru kooththu medai
Komaaliyaattam
Ponna paaru jilujilunnu
Poomaalaiyaattam
Ada unnai paaru kooththu medai
Komaaliyaattam
Pullimaanin roopam kandu
Kullanari mogam kondu
Pullimaanin roopam kandu
Kullanari mogam kondu
Thulli enna laabam undu
Solluvatha kelu mandu
Nee allikittu vanthavanaa illai
Thalli kittu vanthavanaa
Yaaru ntha chinna mainaa
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa
Yae….nainaa….ae….
Veththuvettu raajapaatt vesham podaathae
Puththi ketta paiththiyamae neeyum odaathae
Adaai veththuvettu raajapaatt vesham podaathae
Puththi ketta paiththiyamae neeyum odaathae
Piththanae nee vetkkam kettu
Vairaththukku aasaipattu
Piththanae nee vetkkam kettu
Vairaththukku aasaipattu
Nee allikittu vanthavanaa illai
Thalli kittu vanthavanaa
Yaaru ntha chinna mainaa
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa
Yae….nainaa….
Yaaru ntha chinna mainaa
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa
Maadu nalla maadunnaa soodum onnaethaan
Manushan nalla manushannaa sollum onnaethaan
Maadu nalla maadunnaa soodum onnaethaan
Manushan nalla manushannaa sollum onnaethaan
Sollai ketkkum aanumillae
Soodu thaangum maadumillae
Pallizhanthu odappora
Sollizhanthu vaada pora
Nee allikittu vanthavanaa illai
Thalli kittu vanthavanaa
Yaaru ntha chinna mainaa
Enakku solliputtu poyaen nainaa…..
With a sweet-talking parrot by your side,
you stand there looking like an owl!
Shamelessly getting up to mischief,
you're drooling as you stare at the girl!
Shamelessly getting up to mischief,
you're drooling as you stare at the girl!
Did you sweep her off her feet and bring her, or
did you just drag her along with you?
Aha! Oho! Tell me, man!
Did you sweep her off her feet and bring her, or
did you just drag her along with you?
Who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend!
Hey, who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend, my friend!
Look at the girl, gleaming so brightly,
just like a garland of fresh flowers!
Hey, look at you, looking just like
a clown on a street-theatre stage!
Look at the girl, gleaming so brightly,
just like a garland of fresh flowers!
Hey, look at you, looking just like
a clown on a street-theatre stage!
Seeing the beauty of a spotted deer,
a jackal is driven mad with desire!
Seeing the beauty of a spotted deer,
a jackal is driven mad with desire!
What will you gain by leaping about?
Listen to what I say, you fool!
Did you sweep her off her feet and bring her, or
did you just drag her along with you?
Who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend!
Hey... my friend... hey...
Don't act like a king when you're just a useless dud!
Don't try to run away, you senseless fool!
Hey, don't act like a king when you're just a useless dud!
Don't try to run away, you senseless fool!
You shameless madman,
lusting after a precious diamond!
You shameless madman,
lusting after a precious diamond!
Did you sweep her off her feet and bring her, or
did you just drag her along with you?
Who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend!
Hey... my friend...
Who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend!
For a good bull, a single brand mark is enough;
for a good man, a single word of advice is enough!
For a good bull, a single brand mark is enough;
for a good man, a single word of advice is enough!
You are not a man who listens to advice,
nor a bull that can bear the branding iron!
You'll end up running with your teeth knocked out,
you'll be left speechless and ruined!
Did you sweep her off her feet and bring her, or
did you just drag her along with you?
Who is this little myna bird?
Tell me before you leave, my friend...
Male
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Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
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Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This lively Tamil song from Bombay Mail 109 (1980) is a playful and mocking track directed at a foolish man who is making unwelcome romantic advances towards a woman way beyond his standing. Using sharp rural proverbs and animal imagery, the singer compares the woman to a delicate parrot, a spotted deer, and a fresh garland, while ridiculing the man as an owl, a sly fox, and a clown on stage. The lyrics warn him against living in a fantasy world and putting on fake appearances, reminding him that a true man stands by his word and knows his limits before facing humiliation. Composed by M. S. Viswanathan and rendered powerfully by T. M. Soundararajan, the song blends playful teasing with practical moral advice written by veteran lyricist A. Maruthakasi.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upama)

“Poomaalaiyaattam ... Komaaliyaattam”

Compares the girl to a floral garland (Poomaalaiyaattam) and the foolish man to a circus or theatre joker (Komaaliyaattam).

Animal Allegory / Imagery

“Konjum kili pakkaththilae / Kottaan pol nikkiriyae”

Uses contrasting animal imagery to highlight the absurdity of the match—contrasting a sweet parrot (Konjum kili) and spotted deer (Pullimaan) with an owl (Kottaan) and sly fox (Kullanari).

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Pullimaanin roopam kandu / Kullanari mogam kondu”

Classic Tamil rhyming convention where the second letter of consecutive lines matches (e.g., 'll' in Pullimaan / Kullanari / Thulli / Solluvatha).

Proverbial Allusion (Pazhamozhi)

“Maadu nalla maadunnaa soodum onnaethaan / Manushan nalla manushannaa sollum onnaethaan”

Incorporates traditional folk proverbs comparing a honorable man keeping his single word to a fine bull bearing a single brand mark.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Bombay Mail 109' featured music by the legendary M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by A. Maruthakasi, one of Tamil cinema's pioneer lyricists famous for integrating folk idioms and proverbs into film music.

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