Paarthu Sirikithu Bommai
From Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi · 1987
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
| Female | |
| Thadumaarum nilai kandu | Seeing her faltering state, |
| Thannaippol ivalum | Thinking that she too, like itself, |
| Bommai inam endru | Belongs to the breed of dolls, |
| Female | |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
| Female | |
| {Puththiyulla aangalukku sakthiyillai | {Men who possess intelligence lack power, |
| Adhanaalae kudumbaththil kuzhappam | Therefore, there is confusion in the family; |
| Sakthiyulla aangalukku puththiyillai | Men who possess power lack intelligence, |
| Adhanaalae kudumpaththil mayakkam} (2) | Therefore, there is delusion in the family.} (2) |
| Female | |
| Pirarkkaaga vaazhum pergal | When people who live for others |
| Pitchai kondu vaazhumpothu | End up living on alms, |
| Thanakkaga vaazhum vaazhkkai | A life lived for oneself |
| Thavarendru aagaathu | Cannot be called wrong. |
| Female | |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
| Female | |
| {Sattam ennum vattaththukkul kattuppattu | {Bound within the circle called law, |
| Sila yaanaigal poonaigal aagum | Some elephants turn into cats; |
| Sattaththaiyae sattappaiyil vaiththukkondu | Keeping the law in their pocket, |
| Sila poonaigal yaanaigal aagum}(2) | Some cats turn into elephants.} (2) |
| Female | |
| Arichandhiran thunbam kondaan | Harishchandra suffered great hardship, |
| Adhu romba paavamthaan | That was truly a pity; |
| Oru poiyai solli irunthaal | If he had uttered a single lie, |
| Adhu kooda niyayanthaan | Even that would have been justified. |
| Female | |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
| Female | |
| Thadumaarum nilai kandu | Seeing her faltering state, |
| Thannaippol ivalum | Thinking that she too, like itself, |
| Bommai inam endru | Belongs to the breed of dolls, |
| Female | |
| Paarththu sirikkithu bommai | The doll looks on and laughs, |
| Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai | Here, womanhood sings and acts. |
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
தடுமாறும் நிலைக் கண்டு
தன்னைப்போல் இவளும்
பொம்மை இனம் என்று
Seeing her faltering state,
Thinking that she too, like itself,
Belongs to the breed of dolls,
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை...
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
{புத்தியுள்ள ஆண்களுக்கு சக்தியில்லை
அதனாலே குடும்பத்தில் குழப்பம்
சக்தியுள்ள ஆண்களுக்கு புத்தியில்லை
அதனாலே குடும்பத்தில் மயக்கம்} ( 2 )
{Men who possess intelligence lack power,
Therefore, there is confusion in the family;
Men who possess power lack intelligence,
Therefore, there is delusion in the family.} (2)
பிறர்க்காக வாழும் பேர்கள்
பிச்சைக் கொண்டு வாழும்போது
தனக்காக வாழும் வாழ்க்கை
தவறென்று ஆகாது
When people who live for others
End up living on alms,
A life lived for oneself
Cannot be called wrong.
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
{சட்டம் என்னும் வட்டத்துக்குள் கட்டுப்பட்டு
சில யானைகள் பூனைகள் ஆகும்
சட்டத்தையே சட்டைப்பையில் வைத்துக்கொண்டு
சில பூனைகள் யானைகள் ஆகும்} ( 2 )
{Bound within the circle called law,
Some elephants turn into cats;
Keeping the law in their pocket,
Some cats turn into elephants.} (2)
அரிச்சந்திரன் துன்பம் கொண்டான்
அது ரொம்ப பாவம்தான்
ஒரு பொய்யை சொல்லி இருந்தால்
அது கூட நியாயந்தான்...
Harishchandra suffered great hardship,
That was truly a pity;
If he had uttered a single lie,
Even that would have been justified.
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை...
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
தடுமாறும் நிலைக் கண்டு
தன்னைப்போல் இவளும்
பொம்மை இனம் என்று
Seeing her faltering state,
Thinking that she too, like itself,
Belongs to the breed of dolls,
பார்த்து சிரிக்கிது பொம்மை
இங்கு பாடி நடிக்கிது பெண்மை...
The doll looks on and laughs,
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
Thadumaarum nilai kandu
Seeing her faltering state,
Thannaippol ivalum
Thinking that she too, like itself,
Bommai inam endru
Belongs to the breed of dolls,
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
{Puththiyulla aangalukku sakthiyillai
{Men who possess intelligence lack power,
Adhanaalae kudumbaththil kuzhappam
Therefore, there is confusion in the family;
Sakthiyulla aangalukku puththiyillai
Men who possess power lack intelligence,
Adhanaalae kudumpaththil mayakkam} (2)
Therefore, there is delusion in the family.} (2)
Pirarkkaaga vaazhum pergal
When people who live for others
Pitchai kondu vaazhumpothu
End up living on alms,
Thanakkaga vaazhum vaazhkkai
A life lived for oneself
Thavarendru aagaathu
Cannot be called wrong.
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
{Sattam ennum vattaththukkul kattuppattu
{Bound within the circle called law,
Sila yaanaigal poonaigal aagum
Some elephants turn into cats;
Sattaththaiyae sattappaiyil vaiththukkondu
Keeping the law in their pocket,
Sila poonaigal yaanaigal aagum}(2)
Some cats turn into elephants.} (2)
Arichandhiran thunbam kondaan
Harishchandra suffered great hardship,
Adhu romba paavamthaan
That was truly a pity;
Oru poiyai solli irunthaal
If he had uttered a single lie,
Adhu kooda niyayanthaan
Even that would have been justified.
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
Thadumaarum nilai kandu
Seeing her faltering state,
Thannaippol ivalum
Thinking that she too, like itself,
Bommai inam endru
Belongs to the breed of dolls,
Paarththu sirikkithu bommai
The doll looks on and laughs,
Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai
Here, womanhood sings and acts.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Paarththu Sirikkithu Bommai is a poignant philosophical song from the 1987 Tamil film Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi, penned by lyricist Vairamuthu and composed by Shankar-Ganesh. The song uses the metaphor of a lifeless doll watching a woman forced to pretend and act to keep her household together, mocking how humans are ultimately reduced to lifeless puppets controlled by circumstances and societal expectations. The lyrics offer sharp social commentary on domestic life, highlighting how imbalance—such as wise men lacking authority or powerful men lacking sense—causes chaos within families. It also critiques legal hypocrisy and blind adherence to ideals, pointing out how laws bend for the powerful while making the weak powerless. By questioning even the tragic plight of King Harishchandra, the song realistically argues that self-preservation and pragmatic survival are sometimes necessary over unyielding martyrdom.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification / Metaphor (Uruvakam)
“Paarththu sirikkithu bommai / Ingu paadi nadikkithu penmai”
The lifeless doll ('bommai') is personified as watching and laughing at human plight, symbolizing how society treats human beings—especially women—as mere puppets.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyme)
“Puththiyulla aangalukku sakthiyillai / Sakthiyulla aangalukku puththiyillai”
The second consonant sound 'th' rhymes between 'Puththiyulla' and 'Sakthiyulla', creating rhythmic Tamil verse harmony.
Contrast / Antithesis
“Puththiyulla aangalukku sakthiyillai... Sakthiyulla aangalukku puththiyillai”
Contrasts intelligence without power against power without intelligence to reflect household imbalance.
Metaphor (Yaanaigal / Poonaigal)
“Sila yaanaigal poonaigal aagum / Sila poonaigal yaanaigal aagum”
Elephants and cats represent the powerful and weak, showing how legal loopholes invert authority.
Allusion (Purana Reference)
“Arichandhiran thunbam kondaan / Adhu romba paavamthaan”
Alludes to King Harishchandra's absolute commitment to truth to discuss moral pragmatism in modern survival.
Did you know?
Trivia
Thirumathi Oru Vegumathi (1987) was directed by Visu, famous for his iconic domestic drama films featuring quick-witted, morally resonant dialogues. The soundtrack was composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, and this song stands out as one of Vairamuthu's finest reflective compositions addressing family dynamics and social realpolitik.
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