- Lyricist
- Muthulingam
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Thiramai
- Movie release year
- 1985
- Lyrics added on
- 6 Feb 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This emotional lullaby from the movie Thiramai (1985) carries a profound theme of maternal love intertwined with social awakening. A mother sings to her newborn daughter, reflecting on the historical hardships faced by women who are often treated like powerless puppets in a patriarchal society.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Ponmane poo maane thaalelo”
Addressing the child as 'Ponmaan' (golden deer) and 'Poomaan' (flower deer) uses affectionate nature metaphors typical of traditional Tamil lullabies.
Simile (Upamai)
“Aangalin kaiyil bommaigal polae aanomae”
Compares women to puppets ('bommaigal polae') in men's hands to highlight the lack of autonomy.
Repetition / Epizeuxis (Adukku Thodar)
“Pennae pennae naan petha pennae”
Repetition of 'Pennae pennae' adds rhythmic tender emphasis as the mother addresses her child directly.
Moral Maxim (Aravurai)
“Poraattamae illaamalae Pothuvaaga ellaarkkum kidaikaadhu needhi….”
Delivers a strong philosophical truth that justice cannot be attained without active struggle.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary duo Shankar-Ganesh and written by Muthulingam, this track stands out in 1980s Tamil cinema for turning a gentle lullaby format ('thaalattu') into an empowering song advocating social justice and female resilience.
Keep listening
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