Pongalo Pongal
From Mahanadhi · 1994
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- K. S. Chithra, Chorus
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Mahanadhi1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thai pongalum vandhadhu | The Thai Pongal festival has arrived, |
| Paalum pongudhu | The milk is boiling over, |
| Paattu solladiyo | Sing a song, my dear girl! |
| Vanna mangaiyar aadidum | Where colorful maidens dance, |
| Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo | Sing in praise of the great river! |
| Indha ponni enbaval thennaattavarkku | This river Ponni, for the people of the South, |
| Anbin annaiyadi | Is a mother of love! |
| Ival thanneer endroru aadai kattidum | She drapes herself in a garment of water, |
| Dheiva mangaiyadi | She is a divine maiden! |
| Chorus | |
| Thai pongalum vandhadhu | The Thai Pongal festival has arrived, |
| Paalum pongudhu | The milk is boiling over, |
| Paattu solladiyo | Sing a song, my dear girl! |
| Vanna mangaiyar aadidum | Where colorful maidens dance, |
| Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo | Sing in praise of the great river! |
| Female | |
| Muppaattan kaalam thottu | Since the times of our forefathers, |
| Muppogam yaaraala | Why do we reap three harvests? |
| Kal maedu thaandi varum | Crossing stony hills, it flows— |
| Kaaveri neeraala | Because of the waters of Kaveri! |
| Saethoda serndha vidha | Doesn't the sown seed sprout, |
| Naathu vidaadhaa | Merged with the mud? |
| Naathodu seidhi solla | To deliver news alongside the sapling, |
| Kaathu varaadhaa | Won't the wind come blowing? |
| Female | |
| Sevvaazha sengarumbu | Red bananas, sugarcane, |
| Jaadhi malli thottam thaan | And gardens of Jasmine flowers, |
| Ellaamae ingirukka | With everything available right here, |
| Yedhum illa vaattam thaan | There is no reason for sadness! |
| Chorus | |
| Namma sorgam enbadhu | Our heaven lies right here, |
| Mannil ulladhu | On this very land, |
| Vaanil illaiyadi | Not up in the sky! |
| Namma inbam enbadhu kannil ulladhu | Our true happiness lies in front of our eyes, |
| Kanavil illaiyadi | Not in mere dreams! |
| Female | |
| Thai pongalum vandhadhu | The Thai Pongal festival has arrived, |
| Paalum pongudhu | The milk is boiling over, |
| Paattu solladiyo | Sing a song, my dear girl! |
| Vanna mangaiyar aadidum | Where colorful maidens dance, |
| Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo | Sing in praise of the great river! |
| Indha ponni enbaval thennaattavarkku | This river Ponni, for the people of the South, |
| Anbin annaiyadi | Is a mother of love! |
| Ival thanneer endroru aadai kattidum | She drapes herself in a garment of water, |
| Dheiva mangaiyadi | She is a divine maiden! |
பெண் குழு :
லுலுலூலுலுலூ.........
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
The milk is boiling over,
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Where colorful maidens dance,
Sing in praise of the great river!
This river Ponni, for the people of the South,
Is a mother of love!
She drapes herself in a garment of water,
She is a divine maiden!
ஆண் குழு :
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்.......
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
The milk is boiling over,
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Where colorful maidens dance,
Sing in praise of the great river!
பெண் குழு :
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்......
Since the times of our forefathers,
Why do we reap three harvests?
Crossing stony hills, it flows—
Because of the waters of Kaveri!
Doesn't the sown seed sprout,
Merged with the mud?
To deliver news alongside the sapling,
Won't the wind come blowing?
ஆண் குழு :
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்.......
Red bananas, sugarcane,
And gardens of Jasmine flowers,
With everything available right here,
There is no reason for sadness!
பெண் குழு :
பொங்கலோ பொங்கல்......
Our heaven lies right here,
On this very land,
Not up in the sky!
Our true happiness lies in front of our eyes,
Not in mere dreams!
தை பொங்கலும் வந்தது
பாலும் பொங்குது
பாட்டு சொல்லடியோ
வண்ண மங்கையர் ஆடிடும்
மகாநதியை போற்றி சொல்லடியோ
இந்த பொன்னி என்பவள் தென்னாட்டவர்க்கு
அன்பின் அன்னையடி
இவள் தண்ணீர் என்றொரு ஆடை கட்டிடும்
தெய்வ மங்கையடி
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
The milk is boiling over,
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Where colorful maidens dance,
Sing in praise of the great river!
This river Ponni, for the people of the South,
Is a mother of love!
She drapes herself in a garment of water,
She is a divine maiden!
ஆண் குழு :
ஹே தையம் தீயம் தக்கு
தீயம் தக்கு
பெண் குழு :
ஹே தையம் தீயம் தக்கு
தீயம் தக்கு
ஆண் குழு :
ஹே தையம் தீயம் தக்கு
தீயம் தக்கு
பெண் குழு :
ஹே தையம் தீயம் தக்கு
தீயம் தக்கு
தை பொங்கலும் வந்தது
பாலும் பொங்குது
பாட்டு சொல்லடியோ
வண்ண மங்கையர் ஆடிடும்
மகாநதியை போற்றி சொல்லடியோ
முப்பாட்டன் காலம் தொட்டு
முப்போகம் யாரால
கல் மேடு தாண்டி வரும்
காவேரி நீரால
சேத்தோட சேர்ந்த விதை
நாத்து விடாதா
நாத்தோடு செய்தி சொல்ல
காத்து வராதா
செவ்வாழ செங்கரும்பு
ஜாதி மல்லி தோட்டம்தான்
எல்லாமே இங்கிருக்க
ஏதும் இல்லை வாட்டம்தான்
நம்ம சொர்க்கம் என்பது
மண்ணில் உள்ளது
வானில் இல்லையடி
நம்ம இன்பம் என்பது
கண்ணில் உள்ளது
கனவில் இல்லையடி
தை பொங்கலும் வந்தது
பாலும் பொங்குது
பாட்டு சொல்லடியோ
வண்ண மங்கையர் ஆடிடும்
மகாநதியை போற்றி சொல்லடியோ
இந்த பொன்னி என்பவள் தென்னாட்டவர்க்கு
அன்பின் அன்னையடி
இவள் தண்ணீர் என்றொரு ஆடை கட்டிடும்
தெய்வ மங்கையடி
Thai pongalum vandhadhu
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
Paalum pongudhu
The milk is boiling over,
Paattu solladiyo
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Vanna mangaiyar aadidum
Where colorful maidens dance,
Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo
Sing in praise of the great river!
Indha ponni enbaval thennaattavarkku
This river Ponni, for the people of the South,
Anbin annaiyadi
Is a mother of love!
Ival thanneer endroru aadai kattidum
She drapes herself in a garment of water,
Dheiva mangaiyadi
She is a divine maiden!
Thai pongalum vandhadhu
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
Paalum pongudhu
The milk is boiling over,
Paattu solladiyo
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Vanna mangaiyar aadidum
Where colorful maidens dance,
Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo
Sing in praise of the great river!
Muppaattan kaalam thottu
Since the times of our forefathers,
Muppogam yaaraala
Why do we reap three harvests?
Kal maedu thaandi varum
Crossing stony hills, it flows—
Kaaveri neeraala
Because of the waters of Kaveri!
Saethoda serndha vidha
Doesn't the sown seed sprout,
Naathu vidaadhaa
Merged with the mud?
Naathodu seidhi solla
To deliver news alongside the sapling,
Kaathu varaadhaa
Won't the wind come blowing?
Sevvaazha sengarumbu
Red bananas, sugarcane,
Jaadhi malli thottam thaan
And gardens of Jasmine flowers,
Ellaamae ingirukka
With everything available right here,
Yedhum illa vaattam thaan
There is no reason for sadness!
Namma sorgam enbadhu
Our heaven lies right here,
Mannil ulladhu
On this very land,
Vaanil illaiyadi
Not up in the sky!
Namma inbam enbadhu kannil ulladhu
Our true happiness lies in front of our eyes,
Kanavil illaiyadi
Not in mere dreams!
Thai pongalum vandhadhu
The Thai Pongal festival has arrived,
Paalum pongudhu
The milk is boiling over,
Paattu solladiyo
Sing a song, my dear girl!
Vanna mangaiyar aadidum
Where colorful maidens dance,
Mahaanadhiyai potri solladiyo
Sing in praise of the great river!
Indha ponni enbaval thennaattavarkku
This river Ponni, for the people of the South,
Anbin annaiyadi
Is a mother of love!
Ival thanneer endroru aadai kattidum
She drapes herself in a garment of water,
Dheiva mangaiyadi
She is a divine maiden!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This vibrant song from the film Mahanadhi (1994) celebrates the auspicious harvest festival of Thai Pongal and pays homage to the River Kaveri (Ponni). The lyrics paint a rich picture of rural Tamil Nadu, praising the river as a divine, loving mother who nurtures the land to yield three bountiful harvests every year.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Ival thanneer endroru aadai kattidum”
The River Kaveri is personified as a divine woman who wears water as a garment (aadai) and loves her children like a mother.
Metaphor
“Namma sorgam enbadhu Mannil ulladhu”
The lyrics metaphorically equate the earthly soil and idyllic village life to heaven itself, highlighting the theme of finding contentment in reality rather than distant dreams.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Saethoda serndha vidha / Naathu vidaadhaa”
The second consonant sound 'th' repeats in 'Saethoda' and 'Naathu', creating a natural Tamil poetic rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and written by Vaali, 'Thai Pongalum Vandhadhu' depicts an idyllic, prosperous village atmosphere in the film Mahanadhi, serving as a poignant contrast to the tragic events that unfold later in the story.
Keep listening
More from Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi
Mahanadhi