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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pallikoodam Pogamale

From Vaigasi Poranthachu · 1990

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singer
Gangai Amaran
Music director
Deva
Details
Vaigasi Poranthachu1990

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Chorus
Aala maraththula paiya vechchiKeeping the bag under the banyan tree,
Arasa maraththula soththa vechchiKeeping the food under the sacred fig tree,
Puliya maraththula thoongi puttuSleeping off under the tamarind tree,
Pozhuthu saaya veedu povomWe head home as the sun sets.
Male
Pallikkoodam pogaamalaeWithout going to school,
Naanga paadam padikkaamalaeWithout studying our lessons,
Passaana koottamungaWe are a group that somehow passed!
Annanukku poomaalai pottu vidungaPlace a flower garland around big brother!
Male
Meththa padichchidathaanTo study extensively,
Medhaavi aayidaththaanAnd become a great genius,
Saththiyamaa puththi illaingaHonestly, we lack the brainpower, sir!
Male
Paththu varushamthaanFor ten whole years,
Kathi kathi vaaththiyaaruThe teacher kept shouting and screaming,
Kanda palan onnum illaenga haeiWith absolutely no result gained, hey!
Male
Pallikkoodam pogaamalaeWithout going to school,
Naanga paadam padikkaamalaeWithout studying our lessons,
Passaana koottamungaWe are a group that somehow passed!
Annanukku poomaalai pottu vidungaPlace a flower garland around big brother!
Hae haan…Hey haan…
Male
Haei saedhi ketkammaaHey, listen to the news, woman!
Sengamala paattiGrandma Sengamalam,
Unakku chennai pattanam kaattuI will show you around Chennai city,
Naan cinimavil saerkka poraenI am going to get you into the movies!
Haei haeiHey hey!
Male
Odi vilaiyaadum thaaththaavoda saeththuAlong with grandpa who runs around playing,
Oru oththai jadai pottuPutting a single braid on you,
Unna heroinnae maaththa poraenI will transform you into a heroine!
Haei haeiHey hey!
Female
…………….…
Male
Vayasukku meerithaanBeyond our age,
Nenappu vanthathuDesires popped up,
Antha nenapputhaanAnd those very desires,
Pala peru pozhappu keduththathuRuined the livelihoods of many people.
Ada ezhavi un kezhavanaaHey wretched woman, catch that old man of yours,
Nee viratti pudichchi kattikkadiChase him down and tie the knot with him!
Male
Pallikkoodam pogaamalaeWithout going to school,
Naanga paadam padikkaamalaeWithout studying our lessons,
Passaana koottamungaWe are a group that somehow passed!
Annanukku poomaalai pottu vidungaPlace a flower garland around big brother!
Haei haeiHey hey!
Chorus
………………
Male
Hae cut-taana cut adichchiHey, cutting classes,
Kanda kadhaiya padichchiReading random trash stories,
Adha mandaiyila nuzhaichchuStuffing all that into the head,
Dhinam kammaa karaiyil thoongiputtomWe slept on the lake embankment every day.
Male
Bit-taam bit adichchiCopying bit by bit using cheat sheets,
Parichchaiyaththaan mudichchiFinishing off the examination,
Oru kurukku vazhiya pudichchiBy taking a clever shortcut,
Ada pass mark-ku vaangi puttomHey, we somehow scored pass marks!
Male
Thaa tharigida thaam sabashThaa tharigida thaam, bravo!
Tham thaam tharigida thaamTham thaam tharigida thaam,
Palae palae tharigida thaamSplendid, splendid tharigida thaam,
Tharigida thaamTharigida thaam,
Tharigida thaamTharigida thaam,
Tharigida thaamTharigida thaam,
Tharigida thaamTharigida thaam,
Tharigida thaamTharigida thaam!
Male
Mazhaikkaaga odhunguvom pallikkoodamWe take shelter in school only when it rains,
Muzhu nera vilaiyaattu enga paadamFull-time playing sports is our real lesson,
Naanga varusham oru thadavaiOnly once a year,
Enga vaaththiyaara paarpomungaDo we ever get to see our school teacher!
Male
Pallikkoodam pogaamalaeWithout going to school,
Naanga paadam padikkaamalaeWithout studying our lessons,
Passaana koottamungaWe are a group that somehow passed!
Annanukku poomaalai pottu vidungaPlace a flower garland around big brother!
Male
Meththa padichchidaththaanTo study extensively,
Methaavi aayidathaanAnd become a great genius,
Saththiyamaa puthi illaingaHonestly, we lack the brainpower, sir!
Male
Paththu varushamthaanFor ten whole years,
Kathi kathi vaaththiyaaruThe teacher kept shouting and screaming,
Kanda palan onnum illaenga haeiWith absolutely no result gained, hey!
Male
Pallikkoodam pogaamalaeWithout going to school,
Naanga paadam padikkaamalaeWithout studying our lessons,
Passaana koottamungaWe are a group that somehow passed!
Annanukku poomaalai pottu vidungaPlace a flower garland around big brother!
Hae haan….Hey haan….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Pallikkoodam Pogaamale' (also known as 'Aala Maraththula') from the 1990 Tamil movie 'Vaigasi Poranthachu' is a humorous, upbeat folk anthem sung from the perspective of carefree village youths who pride themselves on passing school exams despite hardly attending class or studying. With playful sarcasm, the lyrics recount their daily routine of relaxing under banyan and tamarind trees, skipping classes, reading trashy pulp fiction, and resorting to last-minute exam shortcuts or cheat bits to get passing grades.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Aala maraththula paiya vechchi”

Matching second consonant 'l' sound in adjacent lines ('Aala' and 'Puliya' / 'Pallikkoodam' pattern).

Moonaa / Alliteration

“Pallikkoodam pogaamalae / Naanga paadam padikkaamalae”

Repetition of the 'P' sound at the beginning of words across consecutive lines (Pallikkoodam, Paadam, Passaana).

Sollukattu (Rhythmic Onomatopoeia)

“Thaa tharigida thaam sabash”

Use of traditional rhythmic vocal syllables common in Tamil folk and dance music to build excitement.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Vaigasi Poranthachu' marked the debut of actor Prashanth as well as music composer Deva. The song 'Pallikkoodam Pogaamale', sung with high energy by Gangai Amaran, became an instant youth anthem across Tamil Nadu in the early 1990s.

Keep listening

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