Ponaley
From Needhikku Pin Paasam · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Needhikku Pin Paasam1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Maanae mayilae manjal kungumamae | Deer, peacock, auspicious turmeric and vermilion... |
| Thaenae dhiraviyamae selvamae karpagamae | Honey, precious liquid, wealth, wish-fulfilling tree... |
| Endru yaarai azhaippen yaaridathil thunaiyiruppen | Whom shall I call with these names now, and who will be my companion? |
| Kaadhalitha kanmaniyai kaivittu vandhenae | I abandoned the darling of my eyes whom I loved and came away. |
| Poo mudikka nindravalum purappattu ponaalae… | She who stood waiting to wear flowers on her hair has departed... |
| Male | |
| Ponaalae… ponaalae …. | She went away... she went away... |
| Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae | She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead. |
| Ponaalae… ponaalae …. | She went away... she went away... |
| Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae | She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead. |
| Ponaalae…ae….. | She went away... |
| Male | |
| Kannin maniyil nel mani polae | Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye, |
| Kaadhal maniyaai irundhaalae | She remained as the precious gem of my love. |
| Kannin maniyil nel mani polae | Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye, |
| Kaadhal maniyaai irundhaalae | She remained as the precious gem of my love. |
| Aval kaadhalai veruthu kadamaiyai ninaithaen | I foresook her love and thought only of my duty, |
| Kaathirukkaamal parandhaalae… | Without waiting for me, she flew away... |
| Male | |
| Ponaalae… ponaalae… | She went away... she went away... |
| Male | |
| Nenjinil irundha koyiliyae oru | In the temple that resided deep inside my heart, |
| Vanjiyai silaiyaai vaithaenae | I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol. |
| Nenjinil irundha koyiliyae oru | In the temple that resided deep inside my heart, |
| Vanjiyai silaiyaai vaithaenae | I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol. |
| Andha vanjiyin kaadhalai vanjithadhaalae | Because I betrayed the pure love of that maiden, |
| Konjum kuyilum maraindhaalae… | The sweet cooing cuckoo bird has vanished... |
| Male | |
| Ponaalae… ponaalae …. | She went away... she went away... |
| Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae | She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead. |
| Ponaalae… ponaalae… ponaalae… | She went away... she went away... she went away... |
மானே மயிலே மஞ்சளே குங்குமமே
தேனே திரவியமே செல்வமே கற்பகமே
என்று யாரை அழைப்பேன் யாரிடத்தில் துணையிருப்பேன்
காதலித்த கண்மணியைக் கைவிட்டு வந்தேனே
பூ முடிக்க நின்றவளும் புறப்பட்டுப் போனாளே....
Deer, peacock, auspicious turmeric and vermilion...
Honey, precious liquid, wealth, wish-fulfilling tree...
Whom shall I call with these names now, and who will be my companion?
I abandoned the darling of my eyes whom I loved and came away.
She who stood waiting to wear flowers on her hair has departed...
போனாளே........போனாளே.....
ஒரு பூவும் இல்லாமல் பொட்டும் இல்லாமல் போனாளே
போனாளே........போனாளே ......
ஒரு பூவும் இல்லாமல் பொட்டும் இல்லாமல் போனாளே
போனாளே.......ஏ......
She went away... she went away...
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
She went away... she went away...
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
She went away...
கண்ணின் மணியில் நெல்மணி போலே
காதல் மணியாய் இருந்தாளே
கண்ணின் மணியில் நெல்மணி போலே
காதல் மணியாய் இருந்தாளே
அவள் காதலை வெறுத்து கடமையை நினைத்தேன்
காத்திருக்காமல் பறந்தாளே.....
Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye,
She remained as the precious gem of my love.
Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye,
She remained as the precious gem of my love.
I foresook her love and thought only of my duty,
Without waiting for me, she flew away...
போனாளே.....போனாளே.......
She went away... she went away...
நெஞ்சினில் இருந்த கோயிலிலே ஒரு
வஞ்சியை சிலையாய் வைத்தேனே
நெஞ்சினில் இருந்த கோயிலிலே ஒரு
வஞ்சியை சிலையாய் வைத்தேனே
அந்த வஞ்சியின் காதலை வஞ்சித்ததாலே
கொஞ்சும் குயிலும் மறைந்தாளே.....
In the temple that resided deep inside my heart,
I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol.
In the temple that resided deep inside my heart,
I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol.
Because I betrayed the pure love of that maiden,
The sweet cooing cuckoo bird has vanished...
போனாளே......போனாளே.....
ஒரு பூவும் இல்லாமல் பொட்டும் இல்லாமல் போனாளே
போனாளே.....போனாளே......போனாளே......
She went away... she went away...
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
She went away... she went away... she went away...
Maanae mayilae manjal kungumamae
Deer, peacock, auspicious turmeric and vermilion...
Thaenae dhiraviyamae selvamae karpagamae
Honey, precious liquid, wealth, wish-fulfilling tree...
Endru yaarai azhaippen yaaridathil thunaiyiruppen
Whom shall I call with these names now, and who will be my companion?
Kaadhalitha kanmaniyai kaivittu vandhenae
I abandoned the darling of my eyes whom I loved and came away.
Poo mudikka nindravalum purappattu ponaalae…
She who stood waiting to wear flowers on her hair has departed...
Ponaalae… ponaalae ….
She went away... she went away...
Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
Ponaalae… ponaalae ….
She went away... she went away...
Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
Ponaalae…ae…..
She went away...
Kannin maniyil nel mani polae
Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye,
Kaadhal maniyaai irundhaalae
She remained as the precious gem of my love.
Kannin maniyil nel mani polae
Like the vital grain within the pupil of the eye,
Kaadhal maniyaai irundhaalae
She remained as the precious gem of my love.
Aval kaadhalai veruthu kadamaiyai ninaithaen
I foresook her love and thought only of my duty,
Kaathirukkaamal parandhaalae…
Without waiting for me, she flew away...
Ponaalae… ponaalae…
She went away... she went away...
Nenjinil irundha koyiliyae oru
In the temple that resided deep inside my heart,
Vanjiyai silaiyaai vaithaenae
I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol.
Nenjinil irundha koyiliyae oru
In the temple that resided deep inside my heart,
Vanjiyai silaiyaai vaithaenae
I enshrined a beautiful maiden like a sacred idol.
Andha vanjiyin kaadhalai vanjithadhaalae
Because I betrayed the pure love of that maiden,
Konjum kuyilum maraindhaalae…
The sweet cooing cuckoo bird has vanished...
Ponaalae… ponaalae ….
She went away... she went away...
Oru poovumillaamal pottumillaamal ponaalae
She went away without a single flower or a bindi on her forehead.
Ponaalae… ponaalae… ponaalae…
She went away... she went away... she went away...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song expresses the deep agony and remorse of a protagonist who prioritized his duty over his love. He reflects on how he used to fondly address his beloved with terms of endearment, comparing her to sacred symbols of fortune, sweet honey, and nature's beauty. By leaving her behind for the sake of duty, he caused her immense despair, leading her to leave stripped of all traditional marks of happiness like flowers and the auspicious bindi.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Maanae mayilae manjal kungumamae”
The lyrics address the beloved with multiple rich metaphors representing auspiciousness and beauty ('Maanae', 'Mayilae', 'Karpagamae').
Simile (Upama)
“Kannin maniyil nel mani polae”
Compares the preciousness of love to the pupil of an eye containing a grain of rice ('nel mani polae').
Repetition / Anaphora (Ettugai / Porul Pinvarunilai)
“Ponaalae… ponaalae… ponaalae…”
The word 'Ponaalae' (she went away) is repeatedly emphasized to accentuate the permanent pain of loss and abandonment.
Wordplay / Pun (Sleidai / Ethukai)
“Andha vanjiyin kaadhalai vanjithadhaalae”
Clever juxtaposition of 'Vanji' (a maiden/woman) and 'Vanjithadhaalae' (because of betraying), showing Kannadasan's command over Tamil diction.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Needhikku Pin Paasam' (1963) stars M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi. The song features music composed by K. V. Mahadevan with vocals by T. M. Soundararajan, set to lyricist Kannadasan's emotive verses detailing the central theme of duty vs. affection.
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