- Lyricist
- Udumalai Narayanakavi
- Singers
- P. Susheela, Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- Master Venu
- Movie name
- Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Apr 2022
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pattanam thaan pogalaamadi pombalae
Panangkaasu thedalaamadi
Nalla kattani muthae en kannatti neeyum
Vaadi pondaatti thaayae
Townu pakkam pogathingha maapillae
Downaai poyiduvingha
Andha daambeegam ezhaikku thangaadhu Payanam
Vendaanna kelu maama
Kettvanga pattanathai
Ottikonum enbadhaalae
Kettvanga pattanathai
Ottikonum enbadhaalae
Pattikattai vittu pottu
Pala perum povadhaalae
Kattu sothai katti kolladi pombalae
Thatti sonnaa kekka mattendi
Nalla kattani muthae en kannatti neeyum
Vaadi pondaatti thaayae
Velai yedhungha?
Kooli yedhungha?
Vetka kettai solren kelungha
Angae velai yedhungha?
Kooli yedhungha?
Vetka kettai solren kelungha
College padipu kaappiyaathuthaam
B. A. padippu benchu thudaikkudhaam
Aalai yeichu aalu polachukudhaam
Anjukku rendu kanjikalaiyudhaam
Melae ponadhu noothila onnaam
Micham ulladhu lottery adikuthaam
Eppadi
Onnaana saami ellam onnumae
Ennaama thavikaiyilae ..maapillai
Onnaana saami ellam onnumae
Ennaama thavikaiyilae .
Unnalae ennaagum ennama ponaa
Pinnalae kedu maama
Raathiri pagala rickshaw iluppen
Naisa pesi paisa izhuppen
Raathiri pagala rickshaw iluppen
Naisa pesi paisa izhuppen
Drama cinema circus paarppen
Raaja maadhiri cigarettum pidippen
Verthu puzhunguna beachuku poven
Meendha panathjilae meenu vaanguven
Aathaadi un kaiyilae kuduppen
Aakka solliyae sappitu paduppen..
Female :Melae
Ithukku melae solla mattenadi pomblae
Indha ooril irukka mattendi
Naan ippodhae povonum
Ungappaavai kettu
Yedhaachum vaanghi vaadi
Pattanam thaan pogalaamadi pombalae
Panangkaasu thedalaamadi
Nalla kattani muthae en kannatti neeyum
Vaadi pondaatti thaayae
Townu pakkam pogathingha maapillae
Downaai poyiduvingha
Andha daambeegam ezhaikku thangaadhu Payanam
Vendaanna kelu maama
Manushanai manushan izhukkura velai
Vayiru kainjavan seiyura velai
Manushanai manushan izhukkura velai
Vayiru kainjavan seiyura velai
Kanakkum meeri panam vandha podhu
Manushanai summa irukk vidathu
Ennai maranthu unnai maranthu
Ella velaiyum seiyavae thuninju
Iravu raanigal valaiyilae vizhundhu
Emaanthu povae innum kelu…
Appuram
Police puli pudikkum maappilae
Purraavai peyrthedukkum
Angae povadhae veenaaga saavadhae maama
Pen saadhi pechai kelu
Male :Appadiyaa aahaa
Nee ulagam arinja pomnaatti
Naan onnumae theriyaa kammunaatti
Nee ulagam arinja pomnaatti
Naan onnumae theriyaa kammunaatti
Ooru vittu ooru ponaa seeru kettu pogum innu
Ooru vittu ooru ponaa seeru kettu pogum innu
Unmaiyoda sonna sollu
Nanmaiyaga thonudhu
Pattanam poga mattendi
Unnaiyum payanamaaga solla mattendi
Nalla kattani muthae en kannai thorandhava
Nee dhaan pondaatti thaayae
Female :Maama..Male :Yemma?
Ennai thaniya vidave mattennu
En thalai mel adichu sathiyam pannu
Male :Engappanaanae sathiyam sathiyam sathiyam
Woman, let's go to the city!
We can earn good money and wealth!
My fine pearl, my sweetheart, you too,
Come along, my dear wife!
Don't head towards the town, husband!
You will only end up ruined!
The poor can't handle that flashy show; this trip—
Listen to me when I say no, dear husband!
They say those who are ruined
Must cling to the city,
They say those who are ruined
Must cling to the city,
And leaving their village behind,
Because so many people go there,
Pack some travel food, woman!
I won't listen if you try to stop me!
My fine pearl, my sweetheart, you too,
Come along, my dear wife!
Where is the work there?
Where are the wages?
Listen as I tell you the shameful truth!
Where is the work there?
Where are the wages?
Listen as I tell you the shameful truth!
College graduates just pour coffee, they say!
B.A. degree holders wipe benches, they say!
People survive by cheating one another!
Barely two out of five manage to make porridge!
Only one in a hundred makes it to the top!
The rest just try their luck on lotteries!
How about that?
When even great, capable folks
Struggle terribly with nothing, husband...
When even great, capable folks
Struggle terribly with nothing,
What could you possibly achieve? If you go like this,
Only ruin will follow, dear husband!
I will pull a rickshaw day and night!
I will talk sweetly and bring in the coins!
I will pull a rickshaw day and night!
I will talk sweetly and bring in the coins!
I will watch plays, movies, and the circus!
I will smoke cigarettes like a king!
If it gets hot and sweaty, I'll go to the beach!
With the leftover money, I will buy fish!
Oh dear, I will place it in your hands,
Ask you to cook it, eat, and go to sleep!
Female: And then?
I won't say anything beyond this, woman!
I won't stay in this village!
I have to leave right away!
Go ask your father,
And bring some money!
Woman, let's go to the city!
We can earn good money and wealth!
My fine pearl, my sweetheart, you too,
Come along, my dear wife!
Don't head towards the town, husband!
You will only end up ruined!
The poor can't handle that flashy show; this trip—
Listen to me when I say no, dear husband!
A job where a man pulls another man—
That is work done only by the starving!
A job where a man pulls another man—
That is work done only by the starving!
When money pours in beyond control,
It won't let a person live in peace.
Forgetting me and forgetting yourself,
Daring to do all kinds of reckless things,
Falling into the trap of queens of the night,
You will be cheated! Listen to what else...
And then?
The police will pounce like a tiger, husband,
And pluck you clean like a pigeon!
Going there is nothing but dying in vain, dear husband;
Listen to your wife's words!
Male: Is that so? Aha!
You are a woman who understands the world,
And I am just an ignorant fool!
You are a woman who understands the world,
And I am just an ignorant fool!
Leaving one's home town ruins one's well-being—
Leaving one's home town ruins one's well-being—
These honest words that you spoke
Truly seem right and wise to me now.
I won't go to the city!
Nor will I ask you to make the journey!
My fine pearl, the one who opened my eyes,
You truly are my dear wife!
Female: Dear husband... Male: Yes, dear?
Promise that you will never leave me alone—
Swear upon my head!
Male: I swear on my father! I swear, swear, swear!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic musical dialogue song from the film 'Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi' (1957) features a playful yet social debate between a husband wanting to migrate to the city (Madras/Chennai) and his practical wife advising him against it. The husband dreams of making quick money, smoking cigarettes, visiting the beach, and enjoying urban entertainment. His wife realistically counters his naive dreams by highlighting urban poverty, unemployment among educated youth, human exploitation (like hand-pulled rickshaws), and moral pitfalls in big cities.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pattanam thaan pogalaamadi pombalae / Panangkaasu thedalaamadi”
Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Pattanam' and 'Panangkaasu' (tt/na harmony) or 'College' / 'B.A.' rhyming structures in folk style.
Monaai (Alliteration)
“Townu pakkam pogathingha maapillae / Downaai poyiduvingha”
Initial consonant matching, such as 'Townu' and 'Downaai' playing on sound parallelism.
Metaphor & Imagery
“Manushanai manushan izhukkura velai”
Comparing human-drawn rickshaws to extreme poverty and degradation ('manushanai manushan izhukkura velai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary rationalist reformer lyricist Udumalai Narayanakavi, this song reflects the 1950s rural-to-urban migration debate in Tamil Nadu, warning against urban disillusionment.
Keep listening
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From the same album
More songs from Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi
View albumNaattukku Porutham Naame1957
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Pala Kalam Vedhanaithan1957
Enga Veettu MahalaskhmiTender
Aadi Paadi Velai Senja1957
Enga Veettu MahalaskhmiCelebratory
Manna Nambi1957
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Kaathadi Kaathadi Vinodhamana1957
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