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Thalai Magan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pollathavan Purushankaran

From Thalai Magan · 1983

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Thalai Magan
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
18 Jan 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Rathiriyil oothikuvaan
Bodhaithaan yaethikuvaan
Paduthara paadu thaangala saami
Pombala odambu porukala saami
Romba pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Rathiriyil oothikuvaan
Bodhaithaan yaethikuvaan
Dosa vachcha aappam ketpaan
Aappam vecha thotu paappan
Dosa vachcha aappam ketpaan
Aappam vecha thotu paappan
Soodathaan ilaennu kaalala othappaan
Soodathaan ilaennu kaalala othappaan
Kunijaalum adipaan nimirunthaalum idippaan
Kudikara paiyathan korangaatam kuthippaan
Ammamaa appapaa ennatha solluvaen
Pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Rathiriyil oothikuvaan
Bodhaithaan yaethikuvaan
Kaithu kattil poda sollvaan
Vaa machan vaa paada sollvaan
Kaithu kattil poda sollvaan
Vaa machan vaa paada sollvaan
Silukkatatam aadanum selaiye izhupaan
Silukkatatam aadanum selaiye izhupaan
Munthaana viripean mamannu azhaipaen
Vidinjaalum madayan tharai melae kidapaan
Vetkatha thukatha yaar melae soluvaen
Pollathavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Rathiriyil oothikuvaan
Bodhaithaan yaethikuvaan
Vootta uttu odi vanthaen
Aaru kulam theadi vanthen
Vootta uttu odi vanthaen
Aaru kulam theadi vanthen
Avan kooda porada ennala aavaathu
Avan kooda porada ennala aavaathu
Othavaatha purushan sagavaasam edhuku
Odnjichachu idupu avanaala enaku
Kanaalam kattithaan ennatha kandaenga
Pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
Rathiriyil oothikuvaan
Bodhaithaan yaethikuvaan
Paduthura padu thangala sami
Pombala udambu porukala sami
Romba pollathaavan purshankaaran
En purshankaaran
My husband is a wicked man,
My husband...
My husband is a wicked man,
My husband...
At night, he pours himself drinks,
And gets completely drunk!
The misery he causes is unbearable, oh Lord,
A woman's body cannot endure it, oh God!
He is such a wicked man, my husband,
My husband...
At night, he pours himself drinks,
And gets completely drunk!
If I serve dosa, he asks for appam,
If I serve appam, he touches it to check;
If I serve dosa, he asks for appam,
If I serve appam, he touches it to check;
Complaining it is not hot, he kicks it away with his foot!
Complaining it is not hot, he kicks it away with his foot!
If I bend down he hits me, if I stand up he bumps into me,
That drunkard jumps around just like a monkey!
Oh my, oh dear, what can I even say?
My husband is a wicked man,
My husband...
At night, he pours himself drinks,
And gets completely drunk!
He tells me to lay out the rope cot,
He tells me to sing, "Come on, darling, come!"
He tells me to lay out the rope cot,
He tells me to sing, "Come on, darling, come!"
Telling me to dance like Silk, he pulls at my sari!
Telling me to dance like Silk, he pulls at my sari!
I spread the edge of my sari and call out to him,
Yet come morning, that fool is lying passed out on the floor!
To whom can I tell my shame and grief?
My husband is a wicked man,
My husband...
At night, he pours himself drinks,
And gets completely drunk!
I ran away from home,
Searching for a river or pond!
I ran away from home,
Searching for a river or pond!
I cannot struggle with him anymore,
I cannot struggle with him anymore!
Why keep company with a good-for-nothing husband?
My back is broken because of him!
What did I ever gain by getting married?
My husband is a wicked man,
My husband...
At night, he pours himself drinks,
And gets completely drunk!
The misery he causes is unbearable, oh Lord,
A woman's body cannot endure it, oh God!
He is such a wicked man, my husband,
My husband...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk-style song from the 1983 film 'Thalai Magan' portrays a frustrated wife lamenting her marital grief caused by her alcoholic, unreasonable husband. She humorously yet tragically details his absurd night-time antics—ranging from demanding different food only to kick her, asking her to perform seductive dances like Silk Smitha, and then falling unconscious on the floor till morning due to intoxication. Overwhelmed by physical suffering, embarrassment, and despair, she flees her home seeking relief near water bodies. The lyrics capture the harsh social reality of domestic distress mixed with folk humor, expressing a woman's exasperation at marriage to an unreliable partner.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Kudikara paiyathan korangaatam kuthippaan

Comparing the intoxicated husband's erratic jumping and behavior to that of a monkey ('korangaatam kuthippaan').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Paduthara paadu thaangala saami / Pombala odambu porukala saami

The second letters 'd' ('ti') in 'Paduthara' and 'Pombala' rhyme, creating rhythmic coherence.

Monaai (Alliteration / First-letter Rhyme)

Silukkatatam aadanum selaiye izhupaan

Repetition of the initial sound 'S' in 'Soodathaan', 'Silukkatatam', and 'selaiye'.

Pop Culture Allusion

Silukkatatam aadanum selaiye izhupaan

Direct reference to contemporary pop icons and songs ('Silk Smitha' and the hit song 'Vaa Machan Vaa') to ground the song in popular contemporary cinema culture.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song references 'Silk Smitha', who was an immensely popular dance icon in Tamil cinema during the early 1980s. Mentioning her name in folk/gaana styled movie tracks was a popular comedic trope used by lyricist Vaali to evoke instant audience familiarity and humor.

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