Pachai Ilai Polae
From Alaigal · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Alaigal1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae | O birds with silky wings like green leaves, |
| Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae | Soaring into the sky! |
| Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae | O birds with silky wings like green leaves, |
| Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae | Soaring into the sky! |
| Female | |
| Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu | Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth, |
| Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae | O beauties parading in a sky procession! |
| Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu | Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth, |
| Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae | O beauties parading in a sky procession! |
| Female | |
| Achcham enpathillaiyae | You possess no fear, |
| Aasai kondathillaiyae | You harbour no greedy desires, |
| Endrum ungal vaazhvil | Forever in your life, |
| Viduthalaiyae | There is absolute freedom! |
| Female | |
| Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae | O birds with silky wings like green leaves, |
| Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae | Soaring into the sky! |
| Female | |
| Paadhaiyil medu pallangal | There are ups and downs on the path, |
| Paadhai polae ullangal | Human hearts are just like these paths. |
| Paadhaiyil medu pallangal | There are ups and downs on the path, |
| Paadhai polae ullangal | Human hearts are just like these paths. |
| Paasam kolvor ungalaipolae | Are there people on Earth who love like you do? |
| Bhoomiyil undo sollungal | Tell me, is there anyone? |
| Female | |
| Sattam enbathillaiyae | There are no restrictive laws for you, |
| Thittam enbathillaiyae | There are no rigid plans for you, |
| Endrum ungal geetham viduthalaiyae | Your anthem is forever freedom! |
| Female | |
| Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae | O birds with silky wings like green leaves, |
| Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae | Soaring into the sky! |
| Female | |
| Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal | Look down at the earth for a moment, |
| Saamiyidaththil kelungal | Ask God on high, |
| Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal | Look down at the earth for a moment, |
| Saamiyidaththil kelungal | Ask God on high, |
| Female | |
| Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum | Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart? |
| Nallavar undaa sollungal | Tell me, is there anyone? |
| Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum | Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart? |
| Nallavar undaa sollungal | Tell me, is there anyone? |
| Female | |
| Kadhal enbathennavo | What truly is love? |
| Paasam enbathennvo | What truly is affection? |
| Kandum kollum | The time to experience and realize it, |
| Neram varavillaiyae | Has not yet arrived for me. |
| Female | |
| Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae | O birds with silky wings like green leaves, |
| Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae | Soaring into the sky! |
பச்சை இலை போலே பட்டு சிறகாலே
ஆகாயம் செல்லும் பறவைகளே
பச்சை இலை போலே பட்டு சிறகாலே
ஆகாயம் செல்லும் பறவைகளே
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Soaring into the sky!
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Soaring into the sky!
உச்சி வரை பறந்து பூமியை மறந்து
ஊர்வலம் நடத்திடும் அழகுகளே
உச்சி வரை பறந்து பூமியை மறந்து
ஊர்வலம் நடத்திடும் அழகுகளே
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
O beauties parading in a sky procession!
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
O beauties parading in a sky procession!
அச்சம் என்பதில்லையே
ஆசை கொண்டதில்லையே
என்றும் உங்கள் வாழ்வில்
விடுதலையே...
You possess no fear,
You harbour no greedy desires,
Forever in your life,
There is absolute freedom!
பச்சை இலை போலே பட்டு சிறகாலே
ஆகாயம் செல்லும் பறவைகளே
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Soaring into the sky!
பாதையில் மேடு பள்ளங்கள்
பாதை போலே உள்ளங்கள்
பாதையில் மேடு பள்ளங்கள்
பாதை போலே உள்ளங்கள்
பாசம் கொள்வோர் உங்களைப்போலே
பூமியில் உண்டா சொல்லுங்கள்
There are ups and downs on the path,
Human hearts are just like these paths.
There are ups and downs on the path,
Human hearts are just like these paths.
Are there people on Earth who love like you do?
Tell me, is there anyone?
சட்டம் என்பதில்லையே
திட்டம் என்பதில்லையே
என்றும் உங்கள் கீதம் விடுதலையே
There are no restrictive laws for you,
There are no rigid plans for you,
Your anthem is forever freedom!
பச்சை இலை போலே பட்டு சிறகாலே
ஆகாயம் செல்லும் பறவைகளே
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Soaring into the sky!
பூமியை கொஞ்சம் பாருங்கள்
சாமியிடத்தில் கேளுங்கள்
பூமியை கொஞ்சம் பாருங்கள்
சாமியிடத்தில் கேளுங்கள்
Look down at the earth for a moment,
Ask God on high,
Look down at the earth for a moment,
Ask God on high,
ஏழை பெண்ணை நெஞ்சில் எடுக்கும்
நல்லவர் உண்டா சொல்லுங்கள்
ஏழை பெண்ணை நெஞ்சில் எடுக்கும்
நல்லவர் உண்டா சொல்லுங்கள்
Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart?
Tell me, is there anyone?
Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart?
Tell me, is there anyone?
காதல் என்பதென்னவோ
பாசம் என்பதென்னவோ
கண்டும் கொள்ளும்
நேரம் வரவில்லையே
What truly is love?
What truly is affection?
The time to experience and realize it,
Has not yet arrived for me.
பச்சை இலை போலே பட்டு சிறகாலே
ஆகாயம் செல்லும் பறவைகளே
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Soaring into the sky!
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Soaring into the sky!
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Soaring into the sky!
Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae
O beauties parading in a sky procession!
Uchchi varai paranthu bhoomiyai maranthu
Flying up to the heights, forgetting the earth,
Oorvalam nadanthidum azhagugalae
O beauties parading in a sky procession!
Achcham enpathillaiyae
You possess no fear,
Aasai kondathillaiyae
You harbour no greedy desires,
Endrum ungal vaazhvil
Forever in your life,
Viduthalaiyae
There is absolute freedom!
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Soaring into the sky!
Paadhaiyil medu pallangal
There are ups and downs on the path,
Paadhai polae ullangal
Human hearts are just like these paths.
Paadhaiyil medu pallangal
There are ups and downs on the path,
Paadhai polae ullangal
Human hearts are just like these paths.
Paasam kolvor ungalaipolae
Are there people on Earth who love like you do?
Bhoomiyil undo sollungal
Tell me, is there anyone?
Sattam enbathillaiyae
There are no restrictive laws for you,
Thittam enbathillaiyae
There are no rigid plans for you,
Endrum ungal geetham viduthalaiyae
Your anthem is forever freedom!
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Soaring into the sky!
Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal
Look down at the earth for a moment,
Saamiyidaththil kelungal
Ask God on high,
Bhoomiyai konjam paarungal
Look down at the earth for a moment,
Saamiyidaththil kelungal
Ask God on high,
Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum
Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart?
Nallavar undaa sollungal
Tell me, is there anyone?
Yaezhai pennai nenjil edukkum
Is there a good soul who will cherish a poor girl in his heart?
Nallavar undaa sollungal
Tell me, is there anyone?
Kadhal enbathennavo
What truly is love?
Paasam enbathennvo
What truly is affection?
Kandum kollum
The time to experience and realize it,
Neram varavillaiyae
Has not yet arrived for me.
Pachai ilai polae pattu sirakaalae
O birds with silky wings like green leaves,
Aagaayam sellum paravaigalae
Soaring into the sky!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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