Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu
From Bharathi · 2000
- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singer
- Bhavatharani
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Bharathi2000
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| {Mayil pola ponnu onnu | {A girl like a peacock |
| Kili pola pechu onnu} (3) | Speech like a parrot} (3) |
| Female | |
| Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu | Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated |
| Manasu pona idam theriyala | I do not know where my heart went |
| Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala | I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell |
| Female | |
| Mayil pola ponnu onnu | A girl like a peacock |
| Ponnu onnu……….. | A girl... |
| Female | |
| Vandiyila vanna mayil neeyum pona | When you went in a cart like a colorful peacock |
| Sakaramaa en manasu suthudhadi | My heart keeps spinning like a wheel, my dear |
| Mandhaara malli marikozhundhu sembagamae | Oh jasmine, marikozhundhu, and champak flower! |
| Muna muriyaa poove ena murichadhenadio | Why did you break me, oh unbroken flower? |
| Female | |
| Thanga mugam parka | To gaze upon your golden face |
| Dhenam sooriyanum varalaam | Even the sun may arrive every day |
| Sangu kazhuthukkae | For your conch-like neck |
| Pirai chandhirana tharalaam | We could offer the crescent moon |
| Female | |
| Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu | Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated |
| Manasu pona idam theriyala | I do not know where my heart went |
| Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala | I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell |
| Female | |
| Mayil pola ponnu onnu | A girl like a peacock |
| Kili pola pechu onnu | Speech like a parrot |
| Female | |
| Velli nila megathula vaaradhupol | Like the silver moon emerging through the clouds |
| Malliga poo pandhaloda vandhadhu yaaru | Who is it that arrived with a canopy of jasmine flowers? |
| Siru olayila un nenappa ezhudhi vechen | I wrote your thoughts on a small palm leaf |
| Oru ezhuththariyaadha | Even an unlettered |
| Kathum vandhu ezhupadhum enna | Wind comes and wakes me up, why is that? |
| Kuththu vilakkoliyae | Oh light of the standing lamp! |
| Siru kutti nilaa oliyae | Oh light of the little moon! |
| Muthu chudar oliyae | Oh light of the pearl flame! |
| Oru mhtham nee tharuvaaya | Will you give me a kiss? |
| Female | |
| Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu | Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated |
| Manasu pona idam theriyala | I do not know where my heart went |
| Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala | I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell |
| Female | |
| {Mayil pola ponnu onnu | {A girl like a peacock |
| Kili pola pechu onnu} (2) | Speech like a parrot} (2) |
| Female | |
| Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu | Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated |
| Manasu pona idam theriyala | I do not know where my heart went |
| Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala | I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell |
| Female | |
| Mayil pola ponnu onnu | A girl like a peacock |
| Ponnu onnu……….. | A girl... |
{ மயில் போல
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
கிளி போல பேச்சு
ஒன்னு } (3)
{A girl like a peacock
Speech like a parrot} (3)
குயில் போல பாட்டு
ஒன்னு கேட்டு நின்னு மனசு
போன இடம் தெரியல அந்த
மயக்கம் எனக்கு இன்னும்
தெளியல
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
I do not know where my heart went
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
மயில் போல
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
A girl like a peacock
A girl...
வண்டியில வண்ண
மயில் நீயும் போனா சக்கரமா
என் மனசு சுத்துதடி மந்தார
மல்லி மரிகொழுந்து செம்பகமே
முன முறியாப் பூவே என
முறிச்சதேனடியோ
When you went in a cart like a colorful peacock
My heart keeps spinning like a wheel, my dear
Oh jasmine, marikozhundhu, and champak flower!
Why did you break me, oh unbroken flower?
தங்க முகம் பார்க்க
தெனம் சூரியனும் வரலாம்
சங்கு கழுத்துக்கே பிறை
சந்திரனைத் தரலாம்
To gaze upon your golden face
Even the sun may arrive every day
For your conch-like neck
We could offer the crescent moon
குயில் போல பாட்டு
ஒன்னு கேட்டு நின்னு மனசு
போன இடம் தெரியல அந்த
மயக்கம் எனக்கு இன்னும்
தெளியல
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
I do not know where my heart went
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
மயில் போல
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
கிளி போல பேச்சு
ஒன்னு
A girl like a peacock
Speech like a parrot
வெள்ளி நிலா
மேகத்துல வாரதுபோல்
மல்லிகப் பூ பந்தலோட
வந்தது யாரு சிறு ஓலையில
உன் நெனப்ப எழுதி வெச்சேன்
ஒரு எழுத்தறியாத காத்தும்
வந்து இழுப்பதும் என்ன
குத்து விளக்கொளியே சிறு
குட்டி நிலா ஒளியே முத்துச்
சுடர் ஒளியே ஒரு முத்தம்
நீ தருவாயா
Like the silver moon emerging through the clouds
Who is it that arrived with a canopy of jasmine flowers?
I wrote your thoughts on a small palm leaf
Even an unlettered
Wind comes and wakes me up, why is that?
Oh light of the standing lamp!
Oh light of the little moon!
Oh light of the pearl flame!
Will you give me a kiss?
குயில் போல பாட்டு
ஒன்னு கேட்டு நின்னு மனசு
போன இடம் தெரியல அந்த
மயக்கம் எனக்கு இன்னும்
தெளியல
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
I do not know where my heart went
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
{ மயில் போல
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
கிளி போல பேச்சு
ஒன்னு } (2)
{A girl like a peacock
Speech like a parrot} (2)
குயில் போல பாட்டு
ஒன்னு கேட்டு நின்னு மனசு
போன இடம் தெரியல அந்த
மயக்கம் எனக்கு இன்னும்
தெளியல
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
I do not know where my heart went
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
மயில் போல
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
பொண்ணு ஒன்னு
A girl like a peacock
A girl...
{Mayil pola ponnu onnu
{A girl like a peacock
Kili pola pechu onnu} (3)
Speech like a parrot} (3)
Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
Manasu pona idam theriyala
I do not know where my heart went
Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
Mayil pola ponnu onnu
A girl like a peacock
Ponnu onnu………..
A girl...
Vandiyila vanna mayil neeyum pona
When you went in a cart like a colorful peacock
Sakaramaa en manasu suthudhadi
My heart keeps spinning like a wheel, my dear
Mandhaara malli marikozhundhu sembagamae
Oh jasmine, marikozhundhu, and champak flower!
Muna muriyaa poove ena murichadhenadio
Why did you break me, oh unbroken flower?
Thanga mugam parka
To gaze upon your golden face
Dhenam sooriyanum varalaam
Even the sun may arrive every day
Sangu kazhuthukkae
For your conch-like neck
Pirai chandhirana tharalaam
We could offer the crescent moon
Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
Manasu pona idam theriyala
I do not know where my heart went
Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
Mayil pola ponnu onnu
A girl like a peacock
Kili pola pechu onnu
Speech like a parrot
Velli nila megathula vaaradhupol
Like the silver moon emerging through the clouds
Malliga poo pandhaloda vandhadhu yaaru
Who is it that arrived with a canopy of jasmine flowers?
Siru olayila un nenappa ezhudhi vechen
I wrote your thoughts on a small palm leaf
Oru ezhuththariyaadha
Even an unlettered
Kathum vandhu ezhupadhum enna
Wind comes and wakes me up, why is that?
Kuththu vilakkoliyae
Oh light of the standing lamp!
Siru kutti nilaa oliyae
Oh light of the little moon!
Muthu chudar oliyae
Oh light of the pearl flame!
Oru mhtham nee tharuvaaya
Will you give me a kiss?
Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
Manasu pona idam theriyala
I do not know where my heart went
Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
{Mayil pola ponnu onnu
{A girl like a peacock
Kili pola pechu onnu} (2)
Speech like a parrot} (2)
Kuyil pola pattu onnu kettu ninnu
Hearing a song like a cuckoo and standing captivated
Manasu pona idam theriyala
I do not know where my heart went
Andha mayakkam ennaku innum teliayala
I have not yet recovered from that sweet spell
Mayil pola ponnu onnu
A girl like a peacock
Ponnu onnu………..
A girl...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song expresses a lover's intense intoxication and adoration upon seeing and hearing his beloved. He compares her beauty and grace to nature's finest creations—a peacock's dance, a parrot's speech, and a cuckoo's voice. Lost in her mesmerising presence, his heart spins endlessly and he remains spellbound in love. He offers poetic praises, equating her golden face to the sun and her neck to a conch worthy of holding the crescent moon.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Mayil pola ponnu onnu Kili pola pechu onnu”
Compares the girl to a peacock ('Mayil pola'), her speech to a parrot ('Kili pola'), and her song to a cuckoo ('Kuyil pola').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thanga mugam parka”
Directly equates her face to gold ('Thanga mugam') and her neck to a conch ('Sangu kazhuthu').
Visual Imagery
“Velli nila megathula vaaradhupol”
Evokes vivid visual imagery of a silver moon appearing from behind clouds and a canopy woven of jasmine flowers.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu' features in the critically acclaimed 2000 biographical film 'Bharathi', directed by Gnana Rajasekaran. Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, the track is sung by Bhavatharini and won immense praise for its nostalgic folk-infused melody and traditional Tamil lyricism.
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