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Lyrics & meaning

Pandarathi Puranam

From Karnan (2021 Film) · 2021

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singers
Thenisai Thendral Deva, Reetha Anthony
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Karnan (2021 Film)2021

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
En aalu pandarathiMy girl Pandarathi
Eduppaana sembaruthiVibrant like a blooming hibiscus blossom
Kannala ennai kothiPecking at me with her captivating gaze
Kalangadicha sakkalathiThe sweetheart who left me stirred and restless
En aalu pandarathiMy girl Pandarathi
Eduppaana sembaruthiVibrant like a blooming hibiscus blossom
Kannala ennai kothiPecking at me with her captivating gaze
Kalangadicha sakkalathiThe sweetheart who left me stirred and restless
Male
En kakkathulaUnder my armpit
En kakkathula vecha thundaThe towel kept under my armpit
Thozhu mela pottuvuttaShe tossed it over my shoulder
Thoranaiya naanum nadakkaSo I could walk with proud posture
Vaalibatha yethivuttaIgniting my youthful vigor
Male
En kakkathulaUnder my armpit
En kakkathula vecha thundaThe towel kept under my armpit
Thozhu mela pottuvuttaShe tossed it over my shoulder
Thoranaiya naanum nadakkaSo I could walk with proud posture
Vaalibatha yethivuttaIgniting my youthful vigor
Male
Andha sittazhagiThat little beauty
Andha sittazhagiThat little beauty
Andha sittazhagi sottazhagiThat little beauty dripping with charm
Kadhaiya kelu ravuttu vandukkuListen to her story, oh nocturnal beetle
Ravuttu vandukku ravuttu vandukkuOh nocturnal beetle, nocturnal beetle
Male
En aalu pandarathiMy girl Pandarathi
Eduppaana sembaruthiVibrant like a blooming hibiscus blossom
Kannala ennai kothiPecking at me with her captivating gaze
Kalangadicha sakkalathiThe sweetheart who left me stirred and restless
En aalu pandarathi …ee..My girl Pandarathi...
Male
Vallanattu malaiyoramAlong the mountain slopes of Vallanadu
Vaaram oru tharam paathomWe met once every week
Mullukkaattu moottoramNear the edge of the thorny forest
Moochu mutta thaeneduthomWe gathered honey until we were out of breath
Kakkulathu pakkathulaNear the Kakkulam pond
Kaalasamy koiyililaIn the temple of Kaalasamy
Saadhiyathaan palikoduthuSacrificing caste itself
Sandhanam kungumam poosikittomWe adorned ourselves with sandalwood and vermilion
Male
En pandarathiMy Pandarathi
En pandaarathiMy Pandarathi
Yemanoda veettu velakka yethunaShe lit a lamp in the house of Yama, the God of Death
Erumaiyaattam thirinja payalaA fellow who wandered around like a stray buffalo
Yaanai mela yethunaShe elevated him atop an elephant
Male
Andha mottazhagiThat budding beauty
Andha mottazhagiThat budding beauty
Andha mottazhagi pottazhagiThat budding beauty adorned with a bindi
Kadhaiya kelu ravuttu vandukkuListen to her story, oh nocturnal beetle
Ravuttu vandukku ravuttu vandukkuOh nocturnal beetle, nocturnal beetle
Female
Yei…yei podu podu riththaHey... beat the rhythm, play it loud
Yei podu podu riththaHey beat it, play the rhythm
Yei poduHey play it
Yei poduHey play it
Yei poduHey play it
Yei poduHey play it
Yei riththa riththa poduHey beat the rhythm, play it
Yei riththa riththa poduHey beat the rhythm, play it
Yei riththa yei riththaHey rhythm, hey rhythm
Yei riththa yei riththa yei poduHey rhythm, hey rhythm, play it
Yei podu podu podu podu podu podu podu poduHey beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
Riththa yei riththa yei riththaRhythm, hey rhythm, hey rhythm
Male
Karuppandhorai manneduthuTaking mud from Karuppandhorai
Kaara veedu kattikkittomWe built ourselves a strong plastered house
Naayikutty naaleduthuTaking in four stray puppies
Kozhandhayaakki konjikkittomWe pampered them like our own children
Paadhagathi saathisanamExpecting the villainous caste-minded people
Veleduthu vaarumunnuTo attack us with spears
Vaaleduthu sandayidaTo fight back with a sword
Vaasalila kaathirundhenI stood waiting at the doorway
Male
En pandarathiMy Pandarathi
En pandarathiMy Pandarathi
En pandarathi odabukkullaInside my Pandarathi's body
Enna ezhavu poondhuchoWhat tragic curse crept in?
Cholera-nu vandha noyiA disease called cholera came along
Yeman kannedhire thinniduchaeAnd devoured her right in front of Yaman's eyes
Male
En mottazhagi pottazhagiMy budding beauty adorned with a bindi
Kadhaiya keli ravuttu vandukkuListen to her story, oh nocturnal beetle
Ravut ravuNight beetle, night
Male
Hei yeman azha koodathu azha koodathuHey, Yaman shouldn't weep, shouldn't cry
Adiyaa melathaaBeat the drum!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Pandarathi Purani from the 2021 film Karnan is a poignant folk lament sung by an elderly man remembering his beloved late wife, Pandarathi. He reminisces about her striking beauty, their secret meetings along the mountain slopes, and how her love transformed him from an aimless outcast into a man walking with pride and dignity. Together, they defied caste norms, built a home, and nurtured simple joys like raising stray puppies.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Eduppaana sembaruthi

Comparing the vibrant beauty of Pandarathi to a bright, fresh hibiscus flower.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Erumaiyaattam thirinja payala / Yaanai mela yethuna

Metaphorically describing how her love elevated a low-status man (wandering like a buffalo) into someone of high dignity (seated on an elephant).

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Vallanattu malaiyoram / Vaaram oru tharam paathom

Repetition of the initial sound 'Va' across consecutive words in the line.

Did you know?

Trivia

Following a legal suit filed prior to the film's release alleging that the name 'Pandarathi' demeaned a specific community, director Mari Selvaraj altered the character name in the theatrical audio track to 'Manjanathi', though the original version composed by Santhosh Narayanan and sung by Deva remains popular.

Keep listening

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