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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Paal Pongum Paruvam

From Manidhanum Dheivamagalam · 1975

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
Details
Manidhanum Dheivamagalam1975

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
………………
Male
Paal pongum paruvamYouthfulness overflowing like boiling milk,
Adhil naan thangum idhayamand the heart where I reside within it.
Paal pongum paruvamYouthfulness overflowing like boiling milk,
Adhil naan thangum idhayamand the heart where I reside within it.
Kanavum ninaivum manathil malarumDreams and thoughts blossom in the mind.
Female
Paal pongum paruvamYouthfulness overflowing like boiling milk,
Adhil naan thangum idhayamand the heart where I reside within it.
Kanavum ninaivum manathil malarumDreams and thoughts blossom in the mind.
Male
Margazhi mathaththu paniyumThe dew of the winter month of Margazhi...
Intha mangaiyai kandathum paniyum...bows down in humility upon seeing this maiden.
Margazhi mathaththu paniyumThe dew of the winter month of Margazhi...
Intha mangaiyai kandathum paniyum...bows down in humility upon seeing this maiden.
Male
Alai thanil varum azhagu padaguLike a beautiful boat riding upon the waves,
Ival udal ena anaithu pazhaguembrace her body and get accustomed to it.
Alai thanil varum azhagu padaguLike a beautiful boat riding upon the waves,
Ival udal ena anaithu pazhaguembrace her body and get accustomed to it.
Female
…………….
Male :……………….
Male
Paal pongum paruvamYouthfulness overflowing like boiling milk,
Adhil naan thangum idhayamand the heart where I reside within it.
Female
Bharatha deviyin madiyilIn the lap of Mother Goddess Bharatha,
Intha pasumaiyai viriththathu edharkkuwhy was this lush greenery spread out?
Bharatha deviyin madiyilIn the lap of Mother Goddess Bharatha,
Intha pasumaiyai viriththathu edharkkuwhy was this lush greenery spread out?
Male
Kadhalin deviyai anaiththuTo embrace the goddess of love,
Naan kaaviyam paadida ninaiththuwishing to compose and sing a classic epic,
Kadhalin deviyai anaiththuTo embrace the goddess of love,
Naan kaaviyam paadida ninaiththuwishing to compose and sing a classic epic,
Female
Aadalum paadavumTo dance and to sing,
Male :KamathaaMale: [Carnatic Solfège: Ga Ma Dha]
Female :Naadagam podavumTo enact a romantic play,
Male :RigapaaMale: [Carnatic Solfège: Ri Ga Pa]
Female :Oodalum koodalumThrough lovers' spats and reunions,
Male :NirimaaMale: [Carnatic Solfège: Ni Ri Ma]
Female :Thedavum naadavumTo search and to seek each other,
Male :RigasaaMale: [Carnatic Solfège: Ri Ga Sa]
Female
…………….
Male :……………….
Female
Paal pongum paruvamYouthfulness overflowing like boiling milk,
Adhil naan thangum idhayamand the heart where I reside within it.
Both :Kanavum ninaivum manathil malarumDreams and thoughts blossom in the mind.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Paal Pongum Paruvam from the 1975 film Manidhanum Dheivamagalam is a poetic duet composed by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and written by Kannadasan. The song celebrates the exuberance of youth and romance, comparing a woman's vibrant youth to boiling milk and her figure to a boat gliding effortlessly over ocean waves. The lovers intertwine nature's beauty, Mother India's landscape, and artistic expressions like music and drama to describe their passion. A distinctive musical highlight is the integration of classical Carnatic swaras (musical notes) into the romantic conversational dialogue between the lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)

Paal pongum paruvam

Compares the peak of youthfulness and passion to milk boiling and overflowing over a vessel.

Sledai / Polysemy (Puns / Double Meaning)

Margazhi mathaththu paniyum / Intha mangaiyai kandathum paniyum

The word 'paniyum' is cleverly used twice: first referring to winter dew ('pani') in Margazhi, and second meaning to bow down or yield ('paniyum') in awe of the maiden's beauty.

Uvamai (Simile)

Alai thanil varum azhagu padagu / Ival udal ena anaithu pazhagu

Compares the curves and movement of her body to a graceful boat riding waves on the ocean.

Swaraksharam / Musical Integration

Male :Kamathaa / Female :Naadagam podavum

Interspersing classic Carnatic solfège notes (Ga Ma Dha, Ri Ga Pa) into lyric lines as melodic responses during romantic banter.

Did you know?

Trivia

Manidhanum Dheivamagalam (1975) featured iconic actor Sivaji Ganesan in dual roles. The music director Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, a legendary Carnatic violinist, was renowned for seamlessly weaving classical ragas and swara patterns into mainstream Tamil film songs, as brilliantly demonstrated in this duet.

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