Poiyala Poiyala (Kaali vs Graamam)
From Harkara · 2023
- Lyricist
- Ramshanker
- Singers
- Ramshanker, N. Pavithira
- Music director
- Ramshanker
- Details
- Harkara2023
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Yei poiyala poiyala | Oh, liar! Oh, liar! |
| Oora suthi vandi vittenae | I drove my vehicle all around the town! |
| Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala | With bare hands, bare hands, |
| Maiya poosi kutha vechenae | I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints! |
| Male | |
| Sarkkaaru vela kettu ponenunga | I went asking for a government job, people! |
| Enna karkaalam koottikittu poraanunga | They are taking me back to the Stone Age! |
| Ada illadha illadha oora vittu oda poren | Ah, I am going to run away from this desolate town! |
| Male | |
| Yei poiyala poiyala | Oh, liar! Oh, liar! |
| Oora suthi vandi vittenae | I drove my vehicle around the town! |
| Aa…durr | Ah... durr! |
| Female | |
| Varaaru vandhuttaaru thabakaararu | He is coming, here comes the postman! |
| Enga natta nilam ooda ninnum thangakaararu | A golden-hearted man who stands by our dry, rustic land! |
| Unnattum emma theda yaarum illaeannen | Besides you, brother, there is no one to check on us! |
| Neenga illangatti emma theda yaarum illae annen | If you aren't here, brother, no one cares to look for us! |
| Female | |
| Aiyaa siru | Dear gentleman, |
| Female | |
| Aiyaa siru | Dear gentleman, |
| Naiyandiyaa thondharava koduthuputta | If I caused trouble while playfully mocking you, |
| Mannichi marandhu pongangaa | Please forgive me and forget about it! |
| Female | |
| Aiyaa siru | Dear gentleman, |
| Unna naanga | You... we... |
| Sondhamunnu nenachirukkum | ...have considered as our own family! |
| Ippa porendu sonna nyaayama | Is it fair now for you to say you're leaving? |
| Emma mothathukkum nee illaama | For all of us, without you, |
| Adress illayae | There is no address at all! |
| Female | |
| Aiyoo pochae… | Oh no, everything is ruined... |
| Male | |
| Indha oorula en vaazhkaikku | For my life in this town, |
| Oru signal illaiyae | There isn't even a single signal! |
| Aa… | Ah... |
| Male | |
| Yei poiyala poiyala | Oh, liar! Oh, liar! |
| Oora suthi vandi vittenae | I drove my vehicle around the town! |
| Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala | With bare hands, bare hands, |
| Maiya poosi kutha vechenae | I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints! |
| Female | |
| Thakkala thalathanna pakkatha annen | Look at him rhythmically moving around, brother! |
| Pinnala pasanthatti povinganna | You go patting and comforting the folks behind, brother! |
| Male | |
| Aiyoo emmadi aathadi | Oh goodness gracious! |
| Sikkamatta indha kaali | This fierce woman will not get trapped! |
| Male | |
| Yei poiyala poiyala | Oh, liar! Oh, liar! |
| Oora suthi vandi vittenae | I drove my vehicle around the town! |
| Aa…durr | Ah... durr! |
| Chorus | |
| Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna..(4) | Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain) |
| Male | |
| Pogthannan pogathannan | He is going away, going away... |
| All :Pogthannan pogathannan | All: He is going away, going away... |
| Chorus | |
| Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna | Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain) |
| Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna | Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain) |
யேய்.. பொய்யால பொய்யால
ஊர சுத்தி வண்டி விட்டேனே
வெறும் கையால கையால
மையப் பூசி குத்த வைச்சேனே
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
I drove my vehicle all around the town!
With bare hands, bare hands,
I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints!
சர்க்காரு வேல கேட்டு போனேனுங்க
என்ன கற்காலம் கூட்டிக்கிட்டு போறானுங்க
அட இல்லாத இல்லாத ஊர விட்டு ஓடப் போறேன்
I went asking for a government job, people!
They are taking me back to the Stone Age!
Ah, I am going to run away from this desolate town!
யேய்.. பொய்யால பொய்யால
ஊர சுத்தி வண்டி விட்டேனே
அ டுர்….
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
I drove my vehicle around the town!
Ah... durr!
வாராரு வந்துட்டாரு தவாகாரரு
எங்க நட்ட நிலம் ஊட நின்னும் தங்கக்காரரு
உன்னாட்டும் எம்ம தேட யாரும் இல்லண்ணன்
நீங்க இல்லாகாட்டி எம்ம தேட யாரும் இல்லண்ணன்
He is coming, here comes the postman!
A golden-hearted man who stands by our dry, rustic land!
Besides you, brother, there is no one to check on us!
If you aren't here, brother, no one cares to look for us!
அய்யா சாரு….
Dear gentleman,
அய்யா சாரு
நையாண்டியா தொந்தரவ கொடுத்துபுட்டா
மன்னிச்சி மறந்து போங்கங்கங்க
Dear gentleman,
If I caused trouble while playfully mocking you,
Please forgive me and forget about it!
அய்யா சாரு
சொந்தமுன்னு நெனச்சிருக்கும்
இப்ப ரெண்டு சொன்னா நியாயமா
எம்ம மொத்தத்துக்கும் நீ இல்லாம
அட்ரஸ் இல்லயே
Dear gentleman,
You... we...
...have considered as our own family!
Is it fair now for you to say you're leaving?
For all of us, without you,
There is no address at all!
ஐயோ போச்சே
Oh no, everything is ruined...
இந்த ஊருல என் வாழ்கைக்கு
ஒரு சிக்னல் இல்லையே..
ஆஅ ..
For my life in this town,
There isn't even a single signal!
Ah...
பொய்யால பொய்யால
ஊர சுத்தி வண்டி விட்டேனே
வெறும் கையால கையால
மையப் பூசி குத்த வைச்சேனே
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
I drove my vehicle around the town!
With bare hands, bare hands,
I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints!
தக்காள தாலத்தன்ன பாக்கதென்ன
பின்னால பாசந்தட்டி போவிங்கண்ண
Look at him rhythmically moving around, brother!
You go patting and comforting the folks behind, brother!
ஐயாடி அம்மாடி
சிக்கமாட்டா இந்த காளி
Oh goodness gracious!
This fierce woman will not get trapped!
யேய்.. பொய்யால பொய்யால
ஊர சுத்தி வண்டி விட்டேனே
அ டுர்….
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
I drove my vehicle around the town!
Ah... durr!
தின்னா தின்னா தகதின்னா தின்னா..(4)
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
பாேகாதண்ணன் பாேகாதண்ணன்
He is going away, going away...
All: He is going away, going away...
பாேகாதண்ணன் பாேகாதண்ணன்
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
தின்னா தின்னா தகதின்னா தின்னா
தின்னா தின்னா தகதின்னா தின்னா
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
I drove my vehicle all around the town!
Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala
With bare hands, bare hands,
Maiya poosi kutha vechenae
I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints!
Sarkkaaru vela kettu ponenunga
I went asking for a government job, people!
Enna karkaalam koottikittu poraanunga
They are taking me back to the Stone Age!
Ada illadha illadha oora vittu oda poren
Ah, I am going to run away from this desolate town!
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
I drove my vehicle around the town!
Aa…durr
Ah... durr!
Varaaru vandhuttaaru thabakaararu
He is coming, here comes the postman!
Enga natta nilam ooda ninnum thangakaararu
A golden-hearted man who stands by our dry, rustic land!
Unnattum emma theda yaarum illaeannen
Besides you, brother, there is no one to check on us!
Neenga illangatti emma theda yaarum illae annen
If you aren't here, brother, no one cares to look for us!
Aiyaa siru
Dear gentleman,
Aiyaa siru
Dear gentleman,
Naiyandiyaa thondharava koduthuputta
If I caused trouble while playfully mocking you,
Mannichi marandhu pongangaa
Please forgive me and forget about it!
Aiyaa siru
Dear gentleman,
Unna naanga
You... we...
Sondhamunnu nenachirukkum
...have considered as our own family!
Ippa porendu sonna nyaayama
Is it fair now for you to say you're leaving?
Emma mothathukkum nee illaama
For all of us, without you,
Adress illayae
There is no address at all!
Aiyoo pochae…
Oh no, everything is ruined...
Indha oorula en vaazhkaikku
For my life in this town,
Oru signal illaiyae
There isn't even a single signal!
Aa…
Ah...
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
I drove my vehicle around the town!
Verum kaiyaala kaiyaala
With bare hands, bare hands,
Maiya poosi kutha vechenae
I applied ink and made them leave thumbprints!
Thakkala thalathanna pakkatha annen
Look at him rhythmically moving around, brother!
Pinnala pasanthatti povinganna
You go patting and comforting the folks behind, brother!
Aiyoo emmadi aathadi
Oh goodness gracious!
Sikkamatta indha kaali
This fierce woman will not get trapped!
Yei poiyala poiyala
Oh, liar! Oh, liar!
Oora suthi vandi vittenae
I drove my vehicle around the town!
Aa…durr
Ah... durr!
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna..(4)
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
Pogthannan pogathannan
He is going away, going away...
All :Pogthannan pogathannan
All: He is going away, going away...
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna
Thinna thinna thagathinna thinna (rhythmic folk refrain)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
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