- Lyricist
- Pattukottai Nadarajan
- Singer
- Krishnaraj
- Music director
- Premasrikemadasa
- Movie name
- Melam Kottu Thaali Kattu
- Movie release year
- 1988
- Lyrics added on
- 26 Apr 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a joyful celebration of agricultural prosperity, devotion, and gratitude towards the village deity (Amman) and Mother Earth. It depicts the transformation of a single grain sown during the auspicious Tamil month of Aadi into a abundant harvest of paddy, despite facing harsh winds, rain, and plant diseases. The lyrics praise the sacred nature of the land, which upholds values of honor, bravery, and truth. Through ritualistic expressions like boiling milk for Pongal and praying for Goddess Lakshmi's eternal presence, the villagers express their deep spiritual connection to farming. The narrative emphasizes that living a life rooted in faith, honesty, and hard work ultimately brings victory and fulfills every wholesome desire.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Ponganum ponganum paalu ponganum / Pongiya pongalai ammanum thinganum / Thanganum thanganum latchimi thanganum / Sanga thamizhagam thazhaichu nikkanum”
The deliberate ending of consecutive lines with the '-num' suffix creates a rhythmic, festive chant typical of Tamil folk songs.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Boomiyai nambhithaanae pullangalai pethukkittom / Saamiya nambhithaanga sathiyathil kattupattom”
The second consonant sound 'mi' (மி) matches in both 'Boomiyai' and 'Saamiya', establishing a melodic agreement across the couplet.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Ponganum ponganum paalu ponganum”
Repetition of the initial letter 'P' across multiple words in the line creates a strong rhythmic cadence.
Metaphor
“Mannellam ponnalakkum enga saami”
The yield of the fertile soil is metaphorically referred to as 'gold' (pon), signifying extreme wealth and prosperity bestowed by the deity.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by Premasrikemadasa, a Sri Lankan composer who worked in Tamil cinema during the late 1980s. Sung by folk playback singer Krishnaraj with lyrics by Pattukottai Nadarajan, this track highlights traditional rural Tamil culture, agricultural rituals, and devotion to local village deities.
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