Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Harkara album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Poiyala Poiyala (Kaali vs Graamam)

From Harkara · 2023

Lyricist
Ramshanker
Singers
Ramshanker, N. Pavithira
Music director
Ramshanker
Movie name
Harkara
Movie release year
2023
Lyrics added on
22 Jul 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala
Maiya poosi kutha vechenae
Sarkkaaru vela kettu ponenunga
Enna karkaalam koottikittu poraanunga
Ada illadha illadha oora vittu oda poren
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
Aa…durr
Varaaru vandhuttaaru thabakaararu
Enga natta nilam ooda ninnum thangakaararu
Unnattum emma theda yaarum illaeannen
Neenga illangatti emma theda yaarum illae annen
Aiyaa siru
Aiyaa siru
Naiyandiyaa thondharava koduthuputta
Mannichi marandhu pongangaa
Aiyaa siru
Unna naanga
Sondhamunnu nenachirukkum
Ippa porendu sonna nyaayama
Emma mothathukkum nee illaama
Adress illayae
Aiyoo pochae…
Indha oorula en vaazhkaikku
Oru signal illaiyae
Aa…
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala
Maiya poosi kutha vechenae
Thakkala thalathanna pakkatha annen
Pinnala pasanthatti povinganna
Aiyoo emmadi aathadi
Sikkamatta indha kaali
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
Aa…durr
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna..(4)
Pogthannan pogathannan
All :Pogthannan pogathannan
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna
Hey, spinning tall tales,
I took the whole town for a ride!
With nothing in my bare hands,
I fooled them all and made them squat!
I went asking for a government job, sir,
And they are dragging me back to the Stone Age!
Ah, I'm going to run away from this godforsaken place!
Hey, spinning tall tales,
I took the whole town for a ride!
Ah... brrr!
Here he comes, the postman has arrived!
Standing right in the middle of our planted fields, our golden man!
No one comes looking for us except you, brother,
If not for you, no one in the world would seek us out!
Respected Sir...
Respected Sir...
If our playful teasing ever bothered you,
Please forgive us and let it go!
Respected Sir...
We all...
...thought of you as our own family!
Is it fair to say you're leaving now?
Without you, for every one of us,
We don't even have an address!
Oh no, I'm doomed...
In this village, for my life,
There isn't even a phone signal!
Ah...
Hey, spinning tall tales,
I took the whole town for a ride!
With nothing in my bare hands,
I fooled them all and made them squat!
Singing lively folk tunes right beside you,
If you try to touch my braids and flirt,
Oh goodness me, oh mother!
This fierce Kaali won't get caught by you!
Hey, spinning tall tales,
I took the whole town for a ride!
Ah... brrr!
Thinna thinna thakathinna thinna...
Moving along, moving along!
All: Moving along, moving along!
Thinna thinna thakathinna thinna...
Thinna thinna thakathinna thinna...
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from 'Harkara' captures the humorous yet emotional relationship between a newly posted postman and the residents of a remote, hilltop village in Tamil Nadu. The protagonist laments that taking up a government job in a place without cellular reception or modern infrastructure feels like being dragged back to the Stone Age.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition)

Yei poiyala poiyala

Words like 'poiyala poiyala' (liar, liar) and 'kaiyaala kaiyaala' (with hands, with hands) are repeated for rhythmic momentum and folk emphasis.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Maiya poosi kutha vechenae

End rhymes such as 'poiyala' and 'kaiyaala', as well as 'vittenae' and 'vechenae', structure the verse cadence.

Hyperbole (Uruvagamm / Atisayokti)

Enna karkaalam koottikittu poraanunga

Comparing a remote village without network connection to being taken back to the 'Stone Age' (Karkaalam).

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Enga natta nilam ooda ninnum thangakaararu

Calling the postman 'Thangakaararu' (a man made of gold) to express his invaluable presence and golden heart.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Harkara' (2023) is a Tamil historical drama film directed by Ramshanker that explores the legacy of India's postal runners (Harkaras). The song plays during scenes depicting the contrast between a modern postman's frustration with remote postings and the villagers' deep emotional dependence on him as their sole connection to the outside world.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Harkara

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.