Oru Ponnu Nenacha
From Oru Ponnu Nenacha · 1989
- Lyricist
- S. A. Rajkumar
- Singer
- S. A. Rajkumar
- Music director
- S. A. Rajkumar
- Details
- Oru Ponnu Nenacha1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oru ponnu nenacha | If a woman sets her mind to something, |
| Adha senju mudippaa | She will surely accomplish it. |
| Ava kannu sevandha | If her eyes turn red with rage, |
| Evan ninnu jeyippaan | Who can stand against her and win? |
| Male | |
| Ava kattupattu kuttu patta | The era when she was suppressed and abused |
| Kaalam poyaachu | Is long gone. |
| Achappatta ponnukkellaam | For all the women who once lived in fear, |
| Veeram vandhaachu | Courage and valor have finally arrived. |
| Male | |
| Oru ponnu nenacha | If a woman sets her mind to something, |
| Adha senju mudippaa | She will surely accomplish it. |
| Male | |
| Kannagi erichaa madhuraiyai | Kannagi set fire to Madurai |
| Needhikkinnu | All in the pursuit of justice. |
| Sooriyana marachaa nalaayini | Nalayini even blocked the sun from rising |
| Thaalikkinnu | To protect her sacred bond of marriage. |
| Male | |
| Ethana sarithiram idha pola | How many legendary histories like this |
| Irukku kannu | Exist, my dear! |
| Engooru pombalaikku | Even the Lord of Death, Yama, |
| Yeman kooda bayanthathu undu | Has feared the women of our land. |
| Male | |
| Karppukku thaan ava | She would readily lay down her life |
| Uyir koduppaa | To protect her virtue and honor. |
| Oru thappu senjaa | But if someone commits a wrong against her, |
| Avan thalai eduppaa | She will sever his head! |
| Male | |
| Venaanga venaanga | Please don't, please don't, |
| Pombala paavam venaanga | Don't provoke or hurt a woman! |
| Female Chorus :Aamaanga aamaanga | Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed! |
| Artham purinjaa sarithaanga | If you understand the true meaning, that is right! |
| Male | |
| Oru ponnu nenacha | If a woman sets her mind to something, |
| Adha senju mudippaa | She will surely accomplish it. |
| Male | |
| Paathikkum paathiya aalayathil | Standing as an equal half in the temple, |
| Ninnava ponnu | Is the woman. |
| Aanukku samamaaga aatchi senju | Ruling with equal stature alongside men, |
| Vendrava ponnu | And emerging victorious is the woman. |
| Male | |
| Pattini kedanthaalum | Even if she goes hungry and starves, |
| Pathiniya vaazhbava ponnu | She lives as a virtuous and faithful wife. |
| Kattiya kanavanukku | For the husband she wedded, |
| Kaalaniyaa theibava ponnu | She wears herself out selflessly like a footwear. |
| Male | |
| Veerathukkoo ava elachathilla | She is never lesser in terms of bravery, |
| Kudumbha baarathukko ava salachathilla | Nor does she tire under the heavy burden of family. |
| Aarambham ponnunga | Women are the very beginning, |
| Aadhaaramum ponnunga | And women are the foundation of life. |
| Female Chorus :Aamaanga aamaanga | Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed! |
| Artham purinjaa sarithaanga | If you understand the true meaning, that is right! |
| Male | |
| Oru ponnu nenacha | If a woman sets her mind to something, |
| Adha senju mudippaa | She will surely accomplish it. |
| Ava kannu sevandha | If her eyes turn red with rage, |
| Evan ninnu jeyippaan | Who can stand against her and win? |
| Male | |
| Ava kattupattu kuttu patta | The era when she was suppressed and abused |
| Kaalam poyaachu | Is long gone. |
| Achappatta ponnukkellaam | For all the women who once lived in fear, |
| Veeram vandhaachu | Courage and valor have finally arrived. |
| Male | |
| Oru ponnu nenacha | If a woman sets her mind to something, |
| Adha senju mudippaa | She will surely accomplish it. |
ஒரு பொண்ணு நெனச்சா
அத செஞ்சு முடிப்பா
அவ கண்ணு செவந்தா
எவன் நின்னு ஜெயிப்பான்
If a woman sets her mind to something,
She will surely accomplish it.
If her eyes turn red with rage,
Who can stand against her and win?
அவ கட்டுப்பட்டு குட்டுப்பட்ட
காலம் போயாச்சு
அச்சப்பட்ட பொண்ணுக்கெல்லாம்
வீரம் வந்தாச்சு
The era when she was suppressed and abused
Is long gone.
For all the women who once lived in fear,
Courage and valor have finally arrived.
ஒரு பொண்ணு நெனச்சா
அத செஞ்சு முடிப்பா....
If a woman sets her mind to something,
She will surely accomplish it.
முனங்கல் :
................
Kannagi set fire to Madurai
All in the pursuit of justice.
Nalayini even blocked the sun from rising
To protect her sacred bond of marriage.
கண்ணகி எரிச்சா மதுரையை
நீதிக்கின்னு
சூரியன மறச்சா நளாயினி
தாலிக்கின்னு
How many legendary histories like this
Exist, my dear!
Even the Lord of Death, Yama,
Has feared the women of our land.
எத்தன சரித்திரம் இதப் போல
இருக்கு கண்ணு
எங்கூரு பொம்பளைக்கு
எமன் கூட பயந்ததுண்டு
She would readily lay down her life
To protect her virtue and honor.
But if someone commits a wrong against her,
She will sever his head!
கற்புக்குத்தான் அவ
உயிர் கொடுப்பா
ஒரு தப்பு செஞ்சா
அவன் தலை எடுப்பா
Please don't, please don't,
Don't provoke or hurt a woman!
Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed!
If you understand the true meaning, that is right!
வேணாங்க வேணாங்க
பொம்பள பாவம் வேணாங்க
பெண் குழு :
ஆமாங்க ஆமாங்க
அர்த்தம் புரிஞ்சா சரிதாங்க
If a woman sets her mind to something,
She will surely accomplish it.
ஒரு பொண்ணு நெனச்சா
அத செஞ்சு முடிப்பா
Standing as an equal half in the temple,
Is the woman.
Ruling with equal stature alongside men,
And emerging victorious is the woman.
முனங்கல் :
................
Even if she goes hungry and starves,
She lives as a virtuous and faithful wife.
For the husband she wedded,
She wears herself out selflessly like a footwear.
பாதிக்கும் பாதியா ஆலயத்தில்
நின்னவப் பொண்ணு
ஆணுக்கு சமமாக ஆட்சி செஞ்சு
வென்றவ பொண்ணு
She is never lesser in terms of bravery,
Nor does she tire under the heavy burden of family.
Women are the very beginning,
And women are the foundation of life.
Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed!
If you understand the true meaning, that is right!
பட்டினி கெடந்தாலும்
பத்தினியா வாழ்பவ பொண்ணு
கட்டிய கணவனுக்கு
காலணியா தேய்பவ பொண்ணு
If a woman sets her mind to something,
She will surely accomplish it.
If her eyes turn red with rage,
Who can stand against her and win?
வீரத்துக்கோ அவ எளச்சதில்ல
குடும்ப பாரத்துக்கோ அவ சளச்சதில்ல
ஆரம்பம் பொண்ணுங்க
ஆதாரமும் பொண்ணுங்க
பெண் குழு :
ஆமாங்க ஆமாங்க
அர்த்தம் புரிஞ்சா சரிதாங்க
The era when she was suppressed and abused
Is long gone.
For all the women who once lived in fear,
Courage and valor have finally arrived.
ஒரு பொண்ணு நெனச்சா
அத செஞ்சு முடிப்பா
அவ கண்ணு செவந்தா
எவன் நின்னு ஜெயிப்பான்
If a woman sets her mind to something,
She will surely accomplish it.
அவ கட்டுப்பட்டு குட்டுப்பட்ட
காலம் போயாச்சு
அச்சப்பட்ட பொண்ணுக்கெல்லாம்
வீரம் வந்தாச்சு
ஒரு பொண்ணு நெனச்சா
அத செஞ்சு முடிப்பா
Oru ponnu nenacha
If a woman sets her mind to something,
Adha senju mudippaa
She will surely accomplish it.
Ava kannu sevandha
If her eyes turn red with rage,
Evan ninnu jeyippaan
Who can stand against her and win?
Ava kattupattu kuttu patta
The era when she was suppressed and abused
Kaalam poyaachu
Is long gone.
Achappatta ponnukkellaam
For all the women who once lived in fear,
Veeram vandhaachu
Courage and valor have finally arrived.
Oru ponnu nenacha
If a woman sets her mind to something,
Adha senju mudippaa
She will surely accomplish it.
Kannagi erichaa madhuraiyai
Kannagi set fire to Madurai
Needhikkinnu
All in the pursuit of justice.
Sooriyana marachaa nalaayini
Nalayini even blocked the sun from rising
Thaalikkinnu
To protect her sacred bond of marriage.
Ethana sarithiram idha pola
How many legendary histories like this
Irukku kannu
Exist, my dear!
Engooru pombalaikku
Even the Lord of Death, Yama,
Yeman kooda bayanthathu undu
Has feared the women of our land.
Karppukku thaan ava
She would readily lay down her life
Uyir koduppaa
To protect her virtue and honor.
Oru thappu senjaa
But if someone commits a wrong against her,
Avan thalai eduppaa
She will sever his head!
Venaanga venaanga
Please don't, please don't,
Pombala paavam venaanga
Don't provoke or hurt a woman!
Female Chorus :Aamaanga aamaanga
Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed!
Artham purinjaa sarithaanga
If you understand the true meaning, that is right!
Oru ponnu nenacha
If a woman sets her mind to something,
Adha senju mudippaa
She will surely accomplish it.
Paathikkum paathiya aalayathil
Standing as an equal half in the temple,
Ninnava ponnu
Is the woman.
Aanukku samamaaga aatchi senju
Ruling with equal stature alongside men,
Vendrava ponnu
And emerging victorious is the woman.
Pattini kedanthaalum
Even if she goes hungry and starves,
Pathiniya vaazhbava ponnu
She lives as a virtuous and faithful wife.
Kattiya kanavanukku
For the husband she wedded,
Kaalaniyaa theibava ponnu
She wears herself out selflessly like a footwear.
Veerathukkoo ava elachathilla
She is never lesser in terms of bravery,
Kudumbha baarathukko ava salachathilla
Nor does she tire under the heavy burden of family.
Aarambham ponnunga
Women are the very beginning,
Aadhaaramum ponnunga
And women are the foundation of life.
Female Chorus :Aamaanga aamaanga
Female Chorus: Yes, indeed! Yes, indeed!
Artham purinjaa sarithaanga
If you understand the true meaning, that is right!
Oru ponnu nenacha
If a woman sets her mind to something,
Adha senju mudippaa
She will surely accomplish it.
Ava kannu sevandha
If her eyes turn red with rage,
Evan ninnu jeyippaan
Who can stand against her and win?
Ava kattupattu kuttu patta
The era when she was suppressed and abused
Kaalam poyaachu
Is long gone.
Achappatta ponnukkellaam
For all the women who once lived in fear,
Veeram vandhaachu
Courage and valor have finally arrived.
Oru ponnu nenacha
If a woman sets her mind to something,
Adha senju mudippaa
She will surely accomplish it.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Oru Ponnu Nenacha' is an empowering high-energy anthem celebrating womanhood, female resilience, and societal reform. Composed, written, and sung by S. A. Rajkumar, the song serves as a rallying cry declaring that the dark ages of female oppression and submission are over. It invokes legendary figures from Tamil heritage and epics—such as Kannagi, who reduced Madurai to ashes demanding justice, and Nalayini, who held back the dawn—to demonstrate that a woman's resolve and righteous anger possess divine strength. The song highlights the dual nature of women as nurturing pillars of the family and fierce protectors of justice. It asserts their right to equality in modern society, comparing their role to the equal half in traditional sacred temples and equal rulers alongside men. Ultimately, it delivers a warning that taking a woman for granted or oppressing her will lead to righteous retribution, establishing women as both the origin and support structure of human existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allusion (Historical & Literary Myth)
“Kannagi erichaa madhuraiyai... Sooriyana marachaa nalaayini”
References Kannagi from the Tamil epic Silappatikaram and Nalayini from mythological legends to illustrate the immense power of female righteousness.
Monai (First-Letter Alliteration)
“Aarambham ponnunga / Aadhaaramum ponnunga”
Repetition of the initial vocalic sound 'Aa' ('Aarambham' and 'Aadhaaramum') creates rhythmic emphasis.
Ethugai (Second-Letter Rhyming)
“Pattini kedanthaalum / Kattiya kanavanukku”
Rhyming of the second consonant 'tt' in 'Pattini' and 'Kattiya'.
Metaphor
“Kaalaniyaa theibava ponnu”
Compares a woman's selfless dedication to family to footwear ('Kaalani') wearing out slowly while protecting others.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track features a rare triple combination in South Indian film music: S. A. Rajkumar served as the lyricist, music composer, and primary playback singer all for the same song. The song's energetic theme aligns directly with the title of the movie 'Oru Ponnu Nenacha' (1989), serving as its core philosophical backbone.
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