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Lyrics & meaning

Kummalam Pottathellam (Male)

From Aaravalli · 1957

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Thiruchi Loganathan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Aaravalli1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kummaalam pottathellaam adangiyathaaHas all your joyous clamor quieted down?
Amma kummaalam pottathellaam adangiyathaaOh lady, has all your joyous clamor quieted down?
Onga kottamellaanth thannaalae odungiyathaaHas all your arrogance subsided on its own?
Male
Chummaa moraikkaathae thuppu ketta pombalaeDon't just glare uselessly, you foolish woman!
Chummaa moraikkaathae thuppu ketta pombalaeDon't just glare uselessly, you foolish woman!
Ammaanai aadiduvaan enga naattu aambalaeThe men of our land will play with you like traditional juggling balls!
Ammaanai aadiduvaan enga naattu aambalaeThe men of our land will play with you like traditional juggling balls!
Male
Semmaiyaaga maattikittu veenaana vambulaeYou got caught completely in unnecessary trouble!
Semmaiyaaga maattikittu veenaana vambulaeYou got caught completely in unnecessary trouble!
Male
Paadaa paduththineenga pambaramaa aattuneengaYou tortured us relentlessly and spun us around like tops!
Paadaa paduththineenga pambaramaa aattuneengaYou tortured us relentlessly and spun us around like tops!
Maadaa nenachchu onga vallamaiya kaattuneengaThinking of us as cattle, you showed off your dominance!
Maadaa nenachchu onga vallamaiya kaattuneengaThinking of us as cattle, you showed off your dominance!
Male
Odaaga thaeya vachchu uruk kolachchu vaattuneengaYou made us wear out like broken shells and ruined our spirits!
Odaaga thaeya vachchu uruk kolachchu vaattuneengaYou made us wear out like broken shells and ruined our spirits!
Onga kaalam odi pochu enga kaalam thirumbiyaachchuYour era has run out, and our time has finally turned around!
Male
Kaththigalae uruvuneengaYou drew out your swords!
Ada kannaalaethaan karuvuneengaAh, you cursed us with your very eyes!
Kaththigalae uruvuneengaYou drew out your swords!
Ada kannaalaethaan karuvuneengaAh, you cursed us with your very eyes!
Male
Kandapadi pesuneengaYou spoke recklessly without restraint!
Kaiyakkaala veedsuneengaYou thrashingly gestured with your arms and legs!
Kattupattu kuttupattaThe days of us being controlled and beaten down,
Kaalam maari pochchungaHave changed now!
Naanga kattupattu kuttuppattaThe era when we were bound and battered,
Kaalam maari pochchungaHas completely changed now!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic folk-style song from 'Aaravalli' (1957) captures the victory of men over the former tyranny and arrogance of dominant female rulers. The men mock the defeated women, questioning where their former pride and haughtiness have gone. They recall the days when women treated men like cattle, spun them like tops, and brandished swords and glares. The song celebrates a complete reversal of fortune, declaring that the era of men's suppression is over and their time of triumph has arrived.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Paadaa paduththineenga pambaramaa aattuneenga

Comparing the way men were manipulated to spinning tops ('pambaramaa aattuneenga') and treating men like cattle ('Maadaa nenachchu').

Monorhyme / End Rhyme (Iyaibu)

Paadaa paduththineenga pambaramaa aattuneenga / Maadaa nenachchu onga vallamaiya kaattuneenga

Repetition of the ending suffix '-neenga' across multiple consecutive lines to create rhythmic impact.

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Kaththigalae uruvuneenga / Ada kannaalaethaan karuvuneenga

Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across words in consecutive lines ('Kaththigalae', 'kannaalaethaan', 'Kandapadi', 'Kaiyakkaala', 'Kattupattu').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Aaravalli' (1957) is a popular Tamil mythological fantasy film based on the folk legend of Aaravalli-Sooravalli, who were powerful princesses skilled in magic. Music director G. Ramanathan composed the soundtrack, and lyricist A. Maruthakasi penned these high-spirited theatrical dialogue-like lyrics sung dynamically by Seerkazhi Govindarajan and Thiruchi Loganathan.

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