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Sollathan Ninaikkiren album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Malar Pol Siripathu

From Sollathan Ninaikkiren · 1973

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Sollathan Ninaikkiren
Movie release year
1973
Lyrics added on
20 Apr 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Malar pol sirippathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Female :Manam pol parappathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Malar pol sirippathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Female :Manam pol parappathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Kannigai endroru paalaaru
Kaal kondu nadakkindra pathinaaru
Kannigai endroru paalaaru
Kaal kondu nadakkindra pathinaaru
Chorus :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Female :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Vaa vaa endrae kooppidum vayathu
Elithil vasappadalaamo
Pooppol ingae pooththathu penamai
Vaalipar kann padalaamo
Pooppol ingae pooththathu penamai
Vaalipar kann padalaamo
Anantha raagangal aayiram mogangal
Eerettu vayathinil vaer vittu manathil
Paruvaththai thoondumammaa
Konjam kavanikka vendumammaa
Chorus :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Female :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Thoondil pottaal meengal maattum
Meengalai polalla naangal
Koondai vaiththaal kuyilgal maattum
Kuyilgalai polalla naangal
Koondai vaiththaal kuyilgal maattum
Kuyilgalai polalla naangal
Kadhalan kadhali aadidum naadagam
Paathiyil mudivathu paarththathu kettathu
Namakkathu thevaiyillai
Naam naadaga paavaiyillai
Chorus :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Malar pol sirippathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Female :Manam pol parappathu pathinaaru
Chorus :Pathinaaru
Kannigai endroru paalaaru
Kaal kondu nadakkindra pathinaaru
Kannigai endroru paalaaru
Kaal kondu nadakkindra pathinaaru
Chorus :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Female :Sweet sixteen sweet sixteen
Smiling like a flower is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
Female: Flying free as the heart desires is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
Smiling like a flower is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
Female: Flying free as the heart desires is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
A young girl is a river of milk,
Sixteen walking on its own feet!
A young girl is a river of milk,
Sixteen walking on its own feet!
Chorus: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Female: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
This age calls out, "Come, come!"
Should one give in so easily?
Womanhood has blossomed here like a flower,
Should young men's eyes fall upon it?
Womanhood has blossomed here like a flower,
Should young men's eyes fall upon it?
Joyful tunes and a thousand desires,
Taking root in the heart at sixteen years,
Stir up youthful passions,
We must be a little careful!
Chorus: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Female: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Cast a fishing line and fish get caught,
We are not like those fish!
Set up a cage and cuckoos get trapped,
We are not like those cuckoos!
Set up a cage and cuckoos get trapped,
We are not like those cuckoos!
The drama played by lovers,
We have seen and heard it end halfway!
We have no need for that,
We are not puppets in a play!
Chorus: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Smiling like a flower is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
Female: Flying free as the heart desires is sixteen
Chorus: Sixteen
A young girl is a river of milk,
Sixteen walking on its own feet!
A young girl is a river of milk,
Sixteen walking on its own feet!
Chorus: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Female: Sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Malar Pol Sirippathu Pathinaaru' from K. Balachander's film 'Sollathan Ninaikkiren' celebrates the innocence, joy, and vulnerability of being sixteen years old ('sweet sixteen'). Through playful yet wise lyrics by Vaali, the song portrays young women acknowledging the blooming of womanhood, romantic desires, and the emotional surge characteristic of youth. However, it also cautions against falling prey to transient attractions or deceitful relationships, emphasizing self-respect, vigilance, and autonomy rather than being passive puppets in tragic love stories.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

“Malar pol sirippathu pathinaaru”

Comparing a sixteen-year-old's smile to a blooming flower ('Malar pol sirippathu').

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

“Kannigai endroru paalaaru”

Metaphorically describing maidenhood as a river of milk walking on two legs ('Kannigai endroru paalaaru / Kaal kondu nadakkindra pathinaaru').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Thoondil pottaal meengal maattum / Koondai vaiththaal kuyilgal maattum”

Rhyming of the second letter 'oo' in 'Thoondil' and 'Koondai'.

Contrast / Antithesis

“Meengalai polalla naangal / Kuyilgalai polalla naangal”

Contrasting helpless creatures (fish caught on hooks, birds in cages) with independent young women who refuse to be trapped.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a landmark collaboration between M. S. Viswanathan and singer Vani Jairam in early 1970s Tamil cinema. The film 'Sollathan Ninaikkiren', directed by K. Balachander, starred Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar, Jayachitra, and Srividya, and explored complex interpersonal dynamics through memorable musical sequences.

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