Palakkattu Pakkaththile
From Vietnam Veedu · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Vietnam Veedu1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| { Paalakaatu | In Palakkad |
| Pakkathilae oru | Nearby, an |
| Appavi raja | Innocent king, |
| Female | |
| Avar | He, |
| Pazhakathilae | In his behavior, |
| Kuzhanthaiyai | Is like a child, |
| Poloru ammanji raja } (2) | A simple, naive king. |
| Female | |
| { Yarammaa | Who is that, my friend? |
| Adhu yarammaa } (2) | Who is that? |
| Male | |
| { Paalakaatu | For the Palakkad |
| Rajavuku oru appavi | King, an innocent |
| Rani ava selai katta | Queen, her saree draping |
| Paatha pothum | Just to look at, |
| Ammami baani } (2) | Is in traditional Brahmin style. |
| Male | |
| { Yaramma | Who is that, my friend? |
| Adhu yaramma } (2) | Who is that? |
| Female | |
| Paalirukum | There is milk, |
| Pazhamirukum | There are fruits, |
| Palliyaraiyilae andha | In the nuptial bedroom for that |
| Paapavukum rajavukum | Innocent girl and the king, |
| Santhi mugurtham | The auspicious first night ceremony. |
| Female | |
| Santhi | 'Santhi' (Nuptial peace), |
| Endral ennavendru | What does it mean? |
| Raniyai kettaram | He asked the queen. |
| Rani thaanum andha | The queen herself |
| Kelviyai rajavai kettalam | Asked the king the same question! |
| Female | |
| { Yenamma | Why, my friend? |
| Adhu yenamma } (2) | Why is that? |
| Male | |
| Avar paditha | In the books he read, |
| Buthagathil santhi illaiyae | There was no mention of nuptials; |
| Indha anubavathai solli | To teach this experience, |
| Thara palli illaiyae | There was no school. |
| Male | |
| Kavidhaiyilum | In poetry |
| Kalaigalilum pazhakamillaiyae | And arts, he had no experience; |
| Avar kaadhalika netru | For him to love, until yesterday, |
| Varai oruthi illaiyae | There was no woman. |
| Male | |
| { Yenamma | Why, my friend? |
| Adhu yenamma } (2) | Why is that? |
| Female | |
| Pookalilae | In flowers, |
| Vandurangum poigaiyai | A pond where bees sleep, |
| Kandaram devi poojaiyilae | He saw; in goddess worship, |
| Eshwaranin palliyai kandaram | He saw Lord Shiva's sacred presence; |
| Female | |
| Mara | On a tree |
| Kilaiyil anil irandu | Branch, two squirrels |
| Aadida kandaram | Playing, he saw; |
| Raja manasukullae | Inside the king's heart, |
| Puthiyadhoru anubavam kondaram | He brought a new feeling! |
| Female | |
| { Yenamma | Why, my friend? |
| Adhu yenamma } (2) | Why is that? |
| Male | |
| Paramasivan | Lord Shiva |
| Sakthiyai oar paathiyil | Kept Shakti in one half of himself; |
| Vaithaar andha paramaguru | That supreme guru |
| Rendu pakkam deviyai vaithaar | Kept the goddess on both sides; |
| Male | |
| Paarkadalil | In the Milky Ocean, |
| Madhavano pakkathil | Lord Vishnu kept her beside him; |
| Vaithaar raja pathmanaaban | King Padmanaban |
| Raniyai than nenjinil vaithaar | Placed his queen in his heart. |
| Male | |
| { Yaramma | Who is that, my friend? |
| Adhu naanamma } (2) | That is me! |
| Female | |
| Paalakaatu | In Palakkad |
| Pakkathilae oru | Nearby, an |
| Appavi raja | Innocent king, |
| Female | |
| Avar | He, |
| Pazhakathilae | In his behavior, |
| Kuzhanthaiyai | Is like a child, |
| Poloru ammanji raja | A simple, naive king. |
| Male | |
| Paalakaatu | For the Palakkad |
| Rajavuku oru appavi | King, an innocent |
| Rani ava selai katta | Queen, her saree draping |
| Paatha pothum | Just to look at, |
| Ammami baani | Is in traditional Brahmin style. |
{ பாலக்காட்டு
பக்கத்திலே ஒரு
அப்பாவி ராஜா
In Palakkad
Nearby, an
Innocent king,
அவர் பழக்கத்திலே
குழந்தையைப் போல்
ஒரு அம்மான்ஜி ராஜா } (2)
He,
In his behavior,
Is like a child,
A simple, naive king.
{ யாரம்மா
அது யாரம்மா } (2)
Who is that, my friend?
Who is that?
{ பாலக்காட்டு ராஜாவுக்கு
ஒரு அப்பாவி ராணி அவ சேலை
கட்ட பாத்தா போதும் அம்மாமி
பானி } (2)
For the Palakkad
King, an innocent
Queen, her saree draping
Just to look at,
Is in traditional Brahmin style.
{ யாரம்மா
அது யாரம்மா } (2)
Who is that, my friend?
Who is that?
பாலிருக்கும்
பழமிருக்கும் பள்ளி
அறையிலே அந்த
பாப்பாவுக்கும் ராஜாவுக்கும்
சாந்தி முகூர்த்தம்
There is milk,
There are fruits,
In the nuptial bedroom for that
Innocent girl and the king,
The auspicious first night ceremony.
சாந்தி என்றால்
என்னவென்று ராணியை
கேட்டாராம் ராணி தானும்
அந்த கேள்வியை ராஜாவை
கேட்டாளாம்
'Santhi' (Nuptial peace),
What does it mean?
He asked the queen.
The queen herself
Asked the king the same question!
{ ஏனம்மா
அது ஏனம்மா } (2)
Why, my friend?
Why is that?
அவர் படித்த
புத்தகத்தில் சாந்தி
இல்லையே இந்த
அனுபவத்தை சொல்லி
தர பள்ளியில்லையே
In the books he read,
There was no mention of nuptials;
To teach this experience,
There was no school.
கவிதையிலும்
கலைகளிலும் பழக்கம்
இல்லையே அவர் காதலிக்க
நேற்று வரை ஒருத்தி
இல்லையே
In poetry
And arts, he had no experience;
For him to love, until yesterday,
There was no woman.
{ ஏனம்மா
அது ஏனம்மா } (2)
Why, my friend?
Why is that?
பூக்களிலே வண்டு
உறங்கும் பொய்கையை
கண்டாராம் தேவி பூஜையிலே
ஈஸ்வரனின் பள்ளியை
கண்டாராம்
In flowers,
A pond where bees sleep,
He saw; in goddess worship,
He saw Lord Shiva's sacred presence;
மரக்கிளையில்
அணில் இரண்டு ஆடிட
கண்டாராம் ராஜா
மனசுக்குள்ளே புதியதொரு
அனுபவம் கொண்டாராம்
On a tree
Branch, two squirrels
Playing, he saw;
Inside the king's heart,
He brought a new feeling!
{ ஏனம்மா
அது ஏனம்மா } (2)
Why, my friend?
Why is that?
பரமசிவன் சக்தியை
ஓர் பாதியில் வைத்தாா் அந்த
பரமகுரு ரெண்டு பக்கம்
தேவியை வைத்தாா்
Lord Shiva
Kept Shakti in one half of himself;
That supreme guru
Kept the goddess on both sides;
பாா் கடலில் மாதவனோ
பக்கத்தில் வைத்தாா் ராஜா
பத்மநாபன் ராணியை தன்
நெஞ்சினில் வைத்தாா்
In the Milky Ocean,
Lord Vishnu kept her beside him;
King Padmanaban
Placed his queen in his heart.
{ யாரம்மா
அது நானம்மா } (2)
Who is that, my friend?
That is me!
பாலக்காட்டு
பக்கத்திலே ஒரு
அப்பாவி ராஜா
In Palakkad
Nearby, an
Innocent king,
அவர் பழக்கத்திலே
குழந்தையைப் போல்
ஒரு அம்மான்ஜி ராஜா
He,
In his behavior,
Is like a child,
A simple, naive king.
பாலக்காட்டு ராஜாவுக்கு
ஒரு அப்பாவி ராணி அவ சேலை
கட்ட பாத்தா போதும் அம்மாமி
பானி
For the Palakkad
King, an innocent
Queen, her saree draping
Just to look at,
Is in traditional Brahmin style.
ஆண் & பெண் :
{ யாரம்மா
அது யாரம்மா } (2)
{ Paalakaatu
In Palakkad
Pakkathilae oru
Nearby, an
Appavi raja
Innocent king,
Avar
He,
Pazhakathilae
In his behavior,
Kuzhanthaiyai
Is like a child,
Poloru ammanji raja } (2)
A simple, naive king.
{ Yarammaa
Who is that, my friend?
Adhu yarammaa } (2)
Who is that?
{ Paalakaatu
For the Palakkad
Rajavuku oru appavi
King, an innocent
Rani ava selai katta
Queen, her saree draping
Paatha pothum
Just to look at,
Ammami baani } (2)
Is in traditional Brahmin style.
{ Yaramma
Who is that, my friend?
Adhu yaramma } (2)
Who is that?
Paalirukum
There is milk,
Pazhamirukum
There are fruits,
Palliyaraiyilae andha
In the nuptial bedroom for that
Paapavukum rajavukum
Innocent girl and the king,
Santhi mugurtham
The auspicious first night ceremony.
Santhi
'Santhi' (Nuptial peace),
Endral ennavendru
What does it mean?
Raniyai kettaram
He asked the queen.
Rani thaanum andha
The queen herself
Kelviyai rajavai kettalam
Asked the king the same question!
{ Yenamma
Why, my friend?
Adhu yenamma } (2)
Why is that?
Avar paditha
In the books he read,
Buthagathil santhi illaiyae
There was no mention of nuptials;
Indha anubavathai solli
To teach this experience,
Thara palli illaiyae
There was no school.
Kavidhaiyilum
In poetry
Kalaigalilum pazhakamillaiyae
And arts, he had no experience;
Avar kaadhalika netru
For him to love, until yesterday,
Varai oruthi illaiyae
There was no woman.
{ Yenamma
Why, my friend?
Adhu yenamma } (2)
Why is that?
Pookalilae
In flowers,
Vandurangum poigaiyai
A pond where bees sleep,
Kandaram devi poojaiyilae
He saw; in goddess worship,
Eshwaranin palliyai kandaram
He saw Lord Shiva's sacred presence;
Mara
On a tree
Kilaiyil anil irandu
Branch, two squirrels
Aadida kandaram
Playing, he saw;
Raja manasukullae
Inside the king's heart,
Puthiyadhoru anubavam kondaram
He brought a new feeling!
{ Yenamma
Why, my friend?
Adhu yenamma } (2)
Why is that?
Paramasivan
Lord Shiva
Sakthiyai oar paathiyil
Kept Shakti in one half of himself;
Vaithaar andha paramaguru
That supreme guru
Rendu pakkam deviyai vaithaar
Kept the goddess on both sides;
Paarkadalil
In the Milky Ocean,
Madhavano pakkathil
Lord Vishnu kept her beside him;
Vaithaar raja pathmanaaban
King Padmanaban
Raniyai than nenjinil vaithaar
Placed his queen in his heart.
{ Yaramma
Who is that, my friend?
Adhu naanamma } (2)
That is me!
Paalakaatu
In Palakkad
Pakkathilae oru
Nearby, an
Appavi raja
Innocent king,
Avar
He,
Pazhakathilae
In his behavior,
Kuzhanthaiyai
Is like a child,
Poloru ammanji raja
A simple, naive king.
Paalakaatu
For the Palakkad
Rajavuku oru appavi
King, an innocent
Rani ava selai katta
Queen, her saree draping
Paatha pothum
Just to look at,
Ammami baani
Is in traditional Brahmin style.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful song from the classic movie Vietnam Veedu depicts a lighthearted banter between female companions celebrating a newly wedded couple. The lyrics whimsically highlight the groom's innocence and complete lack of romantic experience, describing him as a naive, childlike man from the Palakkad region who had only focused on books and duties without knowing anything about love or nuptial traditions. Through gentle references to nature and divine couples like Shiva-Parvati and Vishnu-Lakshmi, the song celebrates how love naturally awakens in the heart of the innocent groom as he embraces his new bride. Kannadasan crafts a delightful, culturally rich portrait of traditional South Indian Brahmin life and marriage rituals.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Paalirukum / Pazhamirukum / Palliyaraiyilae / Paapavukum”
Repetition of the initial 'Pa' consonant sound across lines creating a rhythmic, musical flow typical in Tamil poetry.
Edugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Paalirukum / Pazhamirukum”
Repetition of the second letter 'ri' sound in consecutive lines enhancing melodic continuity.
Nature Imagery
“Mara Kilaiyil anil irandu Aadida kandaram”
Using natural sights like squirrels playing on branches and bees resting in flower-laden ponds to symbolize the subtle awakening of romantic feelings.
Divine Allusion (Upamana)
“Paramasivan Sakthiyai oar paathiyil Vaithaar”
Comparing the couple's bond to sacred divine unions of Lord Shiva-Shakti and Vishnu-Lakshmi to elevate conjugal love to a spiritual plane.
Did you know?
Trivia
Vietnam Veedu (1970), starring Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini, features music composed by K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics by Kannadasan. This song, sung by P. Susheela and L. R. Eswari, became extremely popular for its catchy Palakkad Brahmin dialect and lighthearted humor.
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