Penmani Ava Kanmani
From Penmani Aval Kanmani · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Penmani Aval Kanmani1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Male | |
| Paththu maasam somanthirunthu | Carrying for ten months in her womb, |
| Peththiduvaa pennmani | A woman gives birth. |
| Peththavana soththukkaaga | For the sake of property, the darling girl |
| Viththiduvaa kannmani | Will even sell out her own father. |
| Puruzhanukku thannuyira | For her husband, her own life |
| Koduththiduvaa pennmani | A woman will give away. |
| Adhukku munnae | But even before that, |
| Avan ushira eduththiduvaa kannmani | The darling girl might snatch his life away! |
| Male | |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Male | |
| Seeru senaththi serum varaikkum | Until dowry and gifts arrive, |
| Viduvaalaa pennmani | Will a woman let things go? |
| Naaththu molaichchaa paaththu thaduppaa | If a sapling sprouts, she watches and controls it, |
| Valaiyaatha kannmani | The unyielding darling girl. |
| Maamiyaar soraakum paaviyaa aayaachchu | The mother-in-law who cooks food became a sinner, |
| Maamanaar maanasthan aaviyaa poyaachchu | The honorable father-in-law lost his spirit and passed away. |
| Male | |
| Pennukkingu pennaalathaan | Is it because of a woman that here |
| Sothanaigal nerumaa | Trials and tribulations happen to a woman? |
| Kannukkingu kannaalathaan | Can an eye itself cause |
| Kaayam vara koodumaa | An injury to the eye? |
| Purinjaaththaan pennmani | Only if she understands is she a virtuous woman, |
| Valanchaaththaan kannmani | Only if she adapts is she a darling girl. |
| Male | |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Male | |
| Konda kanavan niththam kudichchum | Even if the wedded husband drinks daily, |
| Kulang kaakkum pennmani | A woman protects the dignity of her family. |
| Peththa maganum thanniyadichchaa | Even if her born son becomes an alcoholic, |
| Kalangaathae kannmani | The darling girl does not lose heart. |
| Naayagan konjamaa naalellaam poyaachchu | The husband has slipped away little by little over time, |
| Vaaduraa poongothai vaalibam veenaachchu | The flower-like lady wilts, her youth wasted. |
| Male | |
| Kattukkulla vachchidanum | She must keep under control |
| Kanvanaththaan pennmani | Her husband, that virtuous woman. |
| Kattupattum nadanthidanum | She must also live with discipline, |
| Avathaanae kannmani | For she herself is the darling girl. |
| Pasiyidum vaaduvaa | Will she wither putting up with hunger? |
| Rushiyodum vaazhvaa | Or will she live enjoying the sweetness of life? |
| Male | |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Male | |
| Paththu maasam somanthirunthu | Carrying for ten months in her womb, |
| Peththiduvaa pennmani | A woman gives birth. |
| Peththavana soththukkaaga | For the sake of property, the darling girl |
| Viththiduvaa kannmani | Will even sell out her own father. |
| Puruzhanukku thann uyira | For her husband, her own life |
| Koduththiduvaa pennmani | A woman will give away. |
| Adhukku munnae | But even before that, |
| Avan ushira eduththiduvaa kannmani | The darling girl might snatch his life away! |
| Male | |
| Pennmani ava kannmani | A woman is precious like the eye's apple. |
| Pennmani ava kannmani…. | A woman is precious like the eye's apple.... |
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
பத்து மாசம் சொமந்திருந்து
பெத்திடுவா பெண்மணி
பெத்தவன சொத்துக்காக
வித்திடுவா கண்மணி
புருஷனுக்கு தன்னுயிர
கொடுத்திடுவா பெண்மணி
அதுக்கு முன்னே
அவன் உசிர எடுத்திடுவா கண்மணி
Carrying for ten months in her womb,
A woman gives birth.
For the sake of property, the darling girl
Will even sell out her own father.
For her husband, her own life
A woman will give away.
But even before that,
The darling girl might snatch his life away!
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
சீரு செனத்தி சேரும் வரைக்கும்
விடுவாளா பெண்மணி
நாத்து மொளச்சா பாத்து தடுப்பா
வளையாத கண்மணி
மாமியார் சொல்லத்தான் மீறினா ராசாத்தி
அடிபட்ட பாம்பாட்டம் சீறுமே இவ புத்தி
Until dowry and gifts arrive,
Will a woman let things go?
If a sapling sprouts, she watches and controls it,
The unyielding darling girl.
The mother-in-law who cooks food became a sinner,
The honorable father-in-law lost his spirit and passed away.
பெண்ணினத்தின் விடுதலைக்கு
கொடி பிடிக்கும் பெண்மணி
பாரதத்தில் இன்னும் உண்டு அவதானே கண்மணி
பூவாகத் தோணுறா புயலாவும் மாறுவா
Is it because of a woman that here
Trials and tribulations happen to a woman?
Can an eye itself cause
An injury to the eye?
Only if she understands is she a virtuous woman,
Only if she adapts is she a darling girl.
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
மெத்த படிச்சி வேல கிடச்சி
தொழில் பார்க்கும் பெண்மணி
வந்த இடத்தில் சொந்த பலத்தில்
அரசாளும் கண்மணி
மாமியார் சோறாக்கும் பாவியா ஆயாச்சு
மாமனார் மானஸ்தன் ஆவியா போயாச்சு
Even if the wedded husband drinks daily,
A woman protects the dignity of her family.
Even if her born son becomes an alcoholic,
The darling girl does not lose heart.
The husband has slipped away little by little over time,
The flower-like lady wilts, her youth wasted.
பெண்ணுக்கிங்கு பெண்ணாலதான்
சோதனைகள் நேருமா
கண்ணுக்கிங்கு கண்ணாலதான்
காயம் வரக் கூடுமா
புரிஞ்சாத்தான் பெண்மணி
வளஞ்சாத்தான் கண்மணி
She must keep under control
Her husband, that virtuous woman.
She must also live with discipline,
For she herself is the darling girl.
Will she wither putting up with hunger?
Or will she live enjoying the sweetness of life?
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
கொண்ட கணவன் நித்தம் குடிச்சும்
குலங்காக்கும் பெண்மணி
பெத்த மகனும் தண்ணியடிச்சா
கலங்காதோ கண்மணி
நாயகன் கொஞ்சாம நாளெல்லாம் போயாச்சு
வாடுறா பூங்கோதை வாலிபம் வீணாச்சு
Carrying for ten months in her womb,
A woman gives birth.
For the sake of property, the darling girl
Will even sell out her own father.
For her husband, her own life
A woman will give away.
But even before that,
The darling girl might snatch his life away!
கட்டுக்குள்ள வச்சிடணும்
கணவனத்தான் பெண்மணி
கட்டுப்பட்டும் நடந்திடணும்
அவதானே கண்மணி
பசியோடும் வாடுவா
ருசியோடும் வாழுவா
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
A woman is precious like the eye's apple....
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பத்து மாசம் சொமந்திருந்து
பெத்திடுவா பெண்மணி
பெத்தவன சொத்துக்காக
வித்திடுவா கண்மணி
புருஷனுக்கு தன்னுயிர
கொடுத்திடுவா பெண்மணி
அதுக்கு முன்னே
அவன் உசிர எடுத்திடுவா கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி
பெண்மணி அவ கண்மணி....
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Paththu maasam somanthirunthu
Carrying for ten months in her womb,
Peththiduvaa pennmani
A woman gives birth.
Peththavana soththukkaaga
For the sake of property, the darling girl
Viththiduvaa kannmani
Will even sell out her own father.
Puruzhanukku thannuyira
For her husband, her own life
Koduththiduvaa pennmani
A woman will give away.
Adhukku munnae
But even before that,
Avan ushira eduththiduvaa kannmani
The darling girl might snatch his life away!
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Seeru senaththi serum varaikkum
Until dowry and gifts arrive,
Viduvaalaa pennmani
Will a woman let things go?
Naaththu molaichchaa paaththu thaduppaa
If a sapling sprouts, she watches and controls it,
Valaiyaatha kannmani
The unyielding darling girl.
Maamiyaar soraakum paaviyaa aayaachchu
The mother-in-law who cooks food became a sinner,
Maamanaar maanasthan aaviyaa poyaachchu
The honorable father-in-law lost his spirit and passed away.
Pennukkingu pennaalathaan
Is it because of a woman that here
Sothanaigal nerumaa
Trials and tribulations happen to a woman?
Kannukkingu kannaalathaan
Can an eye itself cause
Kaayam vara koodumaa
An injury to the eye?
Purinjaaththaan pennmani
Only if she understands is she a virtuous woman,
Valanchaaththaan kannmani
Only if she adapts is she a darling girl.
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Konda kanavan niththam kudichchum
Even if the wedded husband drinks daily,
Kulang kaakkum pennmani
A woman protects the dignity of her family.
Peththa maganum thanniyadichchaa
Even if her born son becomes an alcoholic,
Kalangaathae kannmani
The darling girl does not lose heart.
Naayagan konjamaa naalellaam poyaachchu
The husband has slipped away little by little over time,
Vaaduraa poongothai vaalibam veenaachchu
The flower-like lady wilts, her youth wasted.
Kattukkulla vachchidanum
She must keep under control
Kanvanaththaan pennmani
Her husband, that virtuous woman.
Kattupattum nadanthidanum
She must also live with discipline,
Avathaanae kannmani
For she herself is the darling girl.
Pasiyidum vaaduvaa
Will she wither putting up with hunger?
Rushiyodum vaazhvaa
Or will she live enjoying the sweetness of life?
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Paththu maasam somanthirunthu
Carrying for ten months in her womb,
Peththiduvaa pennmani
A woman gives birth.
Peththavana soththukkaaga
For the sake of property, the darling girl
Viththiduvaa kannmani
Will even sell out her own father.
Puruzhanukku thann uyira
For her husband, her own life
Koduththiduvaa pennmani
A woman will give away.
Adhukku munnae
But even before that,
Avan ushira eduththiduvaa kannmani
The darling girl might snatch his life away!
Pennmani ava kannmani
A woman is precious like the eye's apple.
Pennmani ava kannmani….
A woman is precious like the eye's apple....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the movie Pennmani Aval Kannmani (1988), written by lyricist Vaali, offers a satirical yet poignant commentary on the complex dualities and social dynamics surrounding women in contemporary Indian society. It juxtaposes the ideal, self-sacrificing mother and wife—who endures labor, protects family dignity against hardship, and bears immense pain—with humorous and sharp observations on domestic power struggles, property greed, and family feuds.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Pennmani ava kannmani”
Matching second consonants across words to create rhythmic harmony.
Paradox / Irony
“Puruzhanukku thannuyira Koduththiduvaa pennmani / Adhukku munnae Avan ushira eduththiduvaa kannmani”
Contrasting extreme acts of devotion with extreme acts of conflict within adjacent lines.
Metaphor
“Pennmani ava kannmani”
Comparing a woman directly to 'kannmani' (the pupil or apple of the eye), highlighting her value and sensitivity.
Rhetorical Question
“Kannukkingu kannaalathaan Kaayam vara koodumaa”
Using questions to prompt reflection on intra-gender conflicts and societal ironies.
Did you know?
Trivia
Pennmani Aval Kannmani (1988) is a social drama film directed by famous actor-director Visu, known for highlighting middle-class domestic issues, women's empowerment, and family politics. The lyrics by Vaali perfectly embody Visu's signature cinematic blend of sharp dialogue, humor, and moral realism.
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