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Veera Thalattu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pattapagal

From Veera Thalattu · 1998

Lyricist
Kasthuri Raja
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Veera Thalattu
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
15 Oct 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Patta pagal nerathula
Singaarichu minukki vanthaa
Kaadu kara vela aaguma
Ada naachi muthu
Pombalaikku nyaayamaaguma
Hey patta pagal nerathula
Singaarichu minukki vanthaa
Kaadu kara vela aaguma
Ada naachi muthu
Pombalaikku nyaayamaaguma
Akkam pakkam kannu pottu
Aasaiyathaan alaiya vittu
Male :Eppadi eppadi
Akkam pakkam kannu pottu
Aasaiyathaan alaiya vittu
Pombalaiya paakkuravuga
Male :Adi aaththi
Meesa mela kaiya pottu
Rosamaaga murukki kittu
Aambalainu peethalaaguma
Ada pechiamma
Sabala buththi vittu pogumaa
Paliya mattum enga mela podalaaguma
Purushan kitta konji pesa
Veedu vaasal illaiyaa
Female :Nerangetta nerathula
Neenga mattum vallaiyaa
Ada vetti pechu pesa venam
Pozhuthu saayuthu ikllaiyaa
Female :Raathirikku kitta vandhaa
Appa theriyavillaiyaa
Vela vetti seiyalainna
Payiru pakka velaiyalainna
Sothu sugam vanthu serumaa
Ada naachimuthu mathathu ellaam
Odi poguma
Kitta vandhu konja neram
Thottu pesavillainga
Male :Etti ninnu paartha pothum
Ekku thappa sollalainnga
Naanga onnum singaarichu
Aal mayakka vallainga
Male :Naanga kooda velai kettu
Suthi suthi vallainga
Velai velainnu solli
Pondaatiya kaakka vechu
Mm…velai velainnu solli
Pondaatiya kaakka vechu
Sambaaricha mattum podhuma
{Adi pechiyamma kaasu panam
Kudumbam aaguma} (2)
Adi ippathaandi unmai
Purinjuchu pondaati thaayae
Unnaala thaan buththi vandhuchu
In broad daylight,
If you come all decked up and glowing,
Will the work in the fields ever get done?
Hey Nachimuthu,
Is this fair of a woman?
Hey, in broad daylight,
If you come all decked up and glowing,
Will the work in the fields ever get done?
Hey Nachimuthu,
Is this fair of a woman?
Casting glances all around,
Letting desires wander free,
Male: Tell me, how?
Casting glances all around,
Letting desires wander free,
Those men who leer at women,
Male: Oh my!
Putting their hand to their mustache,
And twirling it with pride,
Can they boast of being real men?
Hey Pechiyamma,
Will men's restless desires ever go away?
Should you put all the blame on us?
To talk sweetly with your husband,
Don't you have a house of your own?
Female: At this odd hour,
Didn't you also come here?
Hey, stop this idle chatter,
The sun is setting, isn't it?
Female: When you come close at night,
Don't you realize it then?
If we don't do hard work,
If we don't tend to the crops,
Will food and comfort ever come our way?
Hey Nachimuthu, will everything else
Simply run away?
Coming close for a short while,
I didn't even touch you and talk.
Male: Even though I stood far and looked,
I didn't say anything improper.
We didn't dress up,
To charm and captivate men.
Male: We didn't neglect our work either,
To wander around following you.
Always saying "work, work,"
And making your wife wait,
Mmm... always saying "work, work,"
And making your wife wait,
Is it enough just to earn money?
Hey Pechiyamma, can money and wealth
Ever make a family?
Only now have I learned the truth,
I understand now, my dear wife.
You are the one who brought me to my senses.
Male
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Female
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Male
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Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk-style duet features playful banter between a husband and wife working in rural agricultural fields. The song begins with friendly teasing about dressing up during working hours and letting romantic distractions interfere with agricultural labor. The conversation shifts as both partners exchange humorous arguments about manhood, female vanity, hard work, and romantic affection. As the song progresses, the dialogue deepens into a meaningful message about marital balance. The wife reminds the husband that while hard work and money are necessary to sustain a household, spending time together and nurturing love are equally vital. The husband ultimately realizes his mistake, acknowledging that wealth alone cannot build a true family, concluding with affection and mutual understanding.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Patta pagal nerathula

Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'p' across adjacent words ('Patta pagal').

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Akkam pakkam kannu pottu

Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'kk' across consecutive lines ('Akkam' and 'Eppadi').

Conversational Folk Structure (Santham)

Purushan kitta konji pesa

Rhythmic call-and-response pattern typical of Tamil village folk work songs (Ettappattu / Karagattam style).

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics were written by Kasthuri Raja, known for his rustic rural storytelling and folk-influenced songwriting in Tamil cinema. 'Veera Thalattu' (1998) stars Murali, Rajkiran, and Vineetha, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

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