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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pachai Ilai Polae

From Alaigal · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Alaigal
Movie release year
1973
Lyrics added on
8 Apr 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu
Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae
Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu
Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae
Achcham enpathillaiyae
Aasai kondathillaiyae
Endrum ungal vaazhvil
Viduthalaiyae
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Paadhaiyil medu pallangal
Paadhai polae ullangal
Paadhaiyil medu pallangal
Paadhai polae ullangal
Paasam kolvor ungalaipolae
Bhoomiyil undo sollungal
Sattam enbathillaiyae
Thittam enbathillaiyae
Endrum ungal geetham viduthalaiyae
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal
Saamiyidaththil kelungal
Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal
Saamiyidaththil kelungal
Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum
Nallavar undaa sollungal
Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum
Nallavar undaa sollungal
Kadhal enbathennavo
Paasam enbathennvo
Kandum kollum
Neram varavillaiyae
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
With silken wings like green leaves,
O birds flying into the sky!
With silken wings like green leaves,
O birds flying into the sky!
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
O beauties gliding in procession!
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
O beauties gliding in procession!
You have no fear,
you chase no selfish desires,
In your life, forever,
there is only freedom...
With silken wings like green leaves,
O birds flying into the sky!
The path has its ups and downs,
and human hearts are just like the path.
The path has its ups and downs,
and human hearts are just like the path.
Are there people who love purely like you
on this earth? Tell me!
You have no rigid rules,
you have no strict plans,
Your song forever is one of freedom.
With silken wings like green leaves,
O birds flying into the sky!
Look down at this earth for a moment,
and ask God:
Look down at this earth for a moment,
and ask God:
Is there a good man who will take a poor girl into his heart?
Tell me, does anyone like that exist?
Is there a good man who will take a poor girl into his heart?
Tell me, does anyone like that exist?
What love truly is,
what affection really means,
The time to experience and understand them
has not yet come for me.
With silken wings like green leaves,
O birds flying into the sky!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

In this song from Alaigal (1973), the protagonist addresses birds flying freely in the sky, admiring their unburdened and carefree existence. She contrasts the blissful, lawless, and fear-free life of birds with human existence, which is fraught with emotional ups and downs, rigid rules, and societal obstacles. The lyricist Kannadasan uses birds as a metaphor for absolute freedom and innocence. Towards the latter part of the song, the singer expresses her personal anguish as a poor woman longing for genuine affection and love. She asks the birds to intercede with God on her behalf to inquire if there is any good human who will accept and love a poor girl unconditionally, highlighting her loneliness and yearning for emotional fulfillment.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae”

Compares soft bird wings to green leaves and silk ('Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae'), and human hearts to uneven paths with bumps and hollows ('Paadhai polae ullangal').

Second Letter Rhyming (Ethukai)

“Sattam enbathillaiyae / Thittam enbathillaiyae”

The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines, creating melodic symmetry ('Uchchi' / 'Oorvalam', 'Sattam' / 'Thittam').

Initial Rhyming (Moonaai)

“Paadhaiyil medu pallangal / Paadhai polae ullangal”

Repetition of the starting letter sound across adjacent words or line starts ('Paadhaiyil' / 'Paadhai', 'Achcham' / 'Aasai').

Personification

“Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae”

Attributing human actions to birds, such as holding a sky procession ('Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae') and singing anthems of liberty ('Ungal geetham viduthalaiyae').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Viswanathan for the movie Alaigal (1973) directed by C. V. Sridhar, this song features L. R. Eswari's expressive vocals. Known primarily for energetic high-tempo tracks, L. R. Eswari delivers a nuanced, melodic, and philosophical performance here, bringing Kannadasan's evocative metaphors about freedom and human yearning to life.

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