Ponna Pola
From Ennai Vittu Pogaathe · 1988
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Ennai Vittu Pogaathe1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ponna pola aathaa | Mother who is like precious gold, |
| Enna pethu pottaa | Gave birth to me, |
| Enna petha aathaa | The mother who birthed me, |
| Kanneera thaan paathaa | Saw only tears. |
| Solli cholli aaraadhu | Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound, |
| Sonna thuyar theeraadhu | Expressing it won't end the sorrow. |
| Solli cholli aaraadhu | Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound, |
| Sonna thuyar theeraadhu | Expressing it won't end the sorrow. |
| Male | |
| Ponna pola aathaa | Mother who is like precious gold, |
| Enna pethu pottaa | Gave birth to me, |
| Adi enna petha aathaa | Oh, the mother who birthed me, |
| Kanneera thaan paathaa | Saw only tears. |
| Male | |
| Oo….ooo…ooo..hooo…ooo…ooo | Oo....ooo...ooo..hooo...ooo...ooo |
| Thitti thitti pesinaalum | Even if she scolds me harshly, |
| Vattiyila soru veppaa | She serves rice on a plate for me. |
| Otti pona odambunaalum | Even if her body is emaciated, |
| Usura vittu paasam veppaa | She showers love till her last breath. |
| Thinna vaayil thittinaalum | Even if she scolds me while eating, |
| Ennaiyava nondhadhilla | She never felt hurt towards me in her heart. |
| Kandhal thuni kattinaalum | Even if she wears tattered clothes, |
| Kan kasanga paarthadhilla | She never let me shed tears. |
| Male | |
| Ponna kekkum vaayil | With a mouth worthy of asking for gold, |
| Oru saela kaetta aathaa | Mother only asked for a simple saree. |
| Noola kooda naanum | Not even a piece of thread, |
| Onakku vaangi thandhadhilla | Have I bought for you. |
| Adi aatthaa… aa… aa… aa… haaa haa haa haa… | Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa... |
| Male | |
| Ponna pola aathaa | Mother who is like precious gold, |
| Enna pethu pottaa | Gave birth to me, |
| Adi enna petha aathaa | Oh, the mother who birthed me, |
| Kanneera thaan paathaa | Saw only tears. |
| Male | |
| Vettiyila oora chuthum | Roaming the town aimlessly, |
| Vaelaiyatha maganum undu | There are useless sons. |
| Vetti paya ennap pola | Like me, a useless fellow, |
| Ethanaiyo perum undu | There are so many people. |
| Kettu pona magalum undu | There are ruined daughters too, |
| Thattu ketta thangaiyum undu | There are astray sisters too. |
| Kaedu ketta thandhaiyum undu | There are evil fathers too, |
| Kooru ketta thaaramum undu | There are foolish wives too. |
| Male | |
| Kettu pona thaayi illaiyadi aathaa | But there is no ruined mother, oh mother! |
| Kettu pona thaayi engum illavae illa | Nowhere is there a mother who has gone bad! |
| Adi aathaa… aa… aa… aa… haaa haa haa haa… | Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa... |
| Male | |
| Ponna pola aathaa | Mother who is like precious gold, |
| Enna pethu pottaa | Gave birth to me, |
| Adi enna petha aathaa | Oh, the mother who birthed me, |
| Kanneera thaan paathaa | Saw only tears. |
| Solli cholli aaraadhu | Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound, |
| Sonna thuyar theeraadhu | Expressing it won't end the sorrow. |
| Solli cholli aaraadhu | Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound, |
| Sonna thuyar theeraadhu | Expressing it won't end the sorrow. |
| Male | |
| Ponna pola aathaa | Mother who is like precious gold, |
| Enna pethu pottaa | Gave birth to me, |
| Adi enna petha aathaa | Oh, the mother who birthed me, |
| Kanneera thaan paathaa | Saw only tears. |
உன்னைப்போல ஆத்தா
என்னை பெத்து போட்டா
அடி என்னைப் பெத்த ஆத்தா
கண்ணீரைத்தான் பாத்தா
சொல்லி சொல்லி ஆறாது
சொன்னால் துயர் தீராது
சொல்லி சொல்லி ஆறாது
சொன்னால் துயர் தீராது
Mother who is like precious gold,
Gave birth to me,
The mother who birthed me,
Saw only tears.
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
உன்னைப்போல ஆத்தா
என்னை பெத்து போட்டா
அடி என்னைப் பெத்த ஆத்தா
கண்ணீரைத்தான் பாத்தா
Mother who is like precious gold,
Gave birth to me,
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Saw only tears.
ஓ......ஓ......ஓஓ.....ஹோ....ஓஒ.....ஓஒ
திட்டித்திட்டி பேசினாலும்
வட்டியிலே சோறு வைப்பா
ஒட்டிப் போன ஒடம்புனாலும்
உசுர விட்டு பாசம் வைப்பா
Oo....ooo...ooo..hooo...ooo...ooo
Even if she scolds me harshly,
She serves rice on a plate for me.
Even if her body is emaciated,
She showers love till her last breath.
Even if she scolds me while eating,
She never felt hurt towards me in her heart.
Even if she wears tattered clothes,
She never let me shed tears.
தின்ன வாயில் திட்டினாலும்
என்னை அவ நொந்ததில்லை
கந்தல் துணி கட்டினாலும்
கண் கசங்க பார்த்ததில்லை
With a mouth worthy of asking for gold,
Mother only asked for a simple saree.
Not even a piece of thread,
Have I bought for you.
Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa...
பொன்னைக் கேட்கும் வாயில்
ஒரு சேலை கேட்ட ஆத்தா
நூலை கூட நானும்
உனக்கு வாங்கி தந்ததில்லை
அடி ஆத்தா....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ...ஹா....ஹா ஹா ஹா...
Mother who is like precious gold,
Gave birth to me,
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Saw only tears.
உன்னைப்போல ஆத்தா
என்னை பெத்து போட்டா
அடி என்னைப் பெத்த ஆத்தா
கண்ணீரைத்தான் பாத்தா
Roaming the town aimlessly,
There are useless sons.
Like me, a useless fellow,
There are so many people.
There are ruined daughters too,
There are astray sisters too.
There are evil fathers too,
There are foolish wives too.
வெட்டியில ஊர சுத்தும்
வேலையத்த மகனும் உண்டு
வெட்டி பய என்னைப்போலே
எத்தனையோ பேரும் உண்டு
But there is no ruined mother, oh mother!
Nowhere is there a mother who has gone bad!
Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa...
கெட்டு போன மகளும் உண்டு
தட்டுக் கெட்ட தங்கையும் உண்டு
கேடு கெட்ட தந்தையும் உண்டு
கூறு கெட்ட தாரமும் உண்டு
Mother who is like precious gold,
Gave birth to me,
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Saw only tears.
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
கெட்டு போன தாயி இல்லையடி ஆத்தா
கெட்டு போன தாயி எங்கும் இல்லவேயில்லை
அடி......ஆத்தா....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ...ஹா....ஹா ஹா ஹா...
Mother who is like precious gold,
Gave birth to me,
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Saw only tears.
உன்னைப்போல ஆத்தா
என்னை பெத்து போட்டா
அடி என்னைப் பெத்த ஆத்தா
கண்ணீரைத்தான் பாத்தா
சொல்லி சொல்லி ஆறாது
சொன்னால் துயர் தீராது
சொல்லி சொல்லி ஆறாது
சொன்னால் துயர் தீராது
உன்னைப்போல ஆத்தா
என்னை பெத்து போட்டா
அடி என்னைப் பெத்த ஆத்தா
கண்ணீரைத்தான் பாத்தா
Ponna pola aathaa
Mother who is like precious gold,
Enna pethu pottaa
Gave birth to me,
Enna petha aathaa
The mother who birthed me,
Kanneera thaan paathaa
Saw only tears.
Solli cholli aaraadhu
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Sonna thuyar theeraadhu
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Solli cholli aaraadhu
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Sonna thuyar theeraadhu
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Ponna pola aathaa
Mother who is like precious gold,
Enna pethu pottaa
Gave birth to me,
Adi enna petha aathaa
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Kanneera thaan paathaa
Saw only tears.
Oo….ooo…ooo..hooo…ooo…ooo
Oo....ooo...ooo..hooo...ooo...ooo
Thitti thitti pesinaalum
Even if she scolds me harshly,
Vattiyila soru veppaa
She serves rice on a plate for me.
Otti pona odambunaalum
Even if her body is emaciated,
Usura vittu paasam veppaa
She showers love till her last breath.
Thinna vaayil thittinaalum
Even if she scolds me while eating,
Ennaiyava nondhadhilla
She never felt hurt towards me in her heart.
Kandhal thuni kattinaalum
Even if she wears tattered clothes,
Kan kasanga paarthadhilla
She never let me shed tears.
Ponna kekkum vaayil
With a mouth worthy of asking for gold,
Oru saela kaetta aathaa
Mother only asked for a simple saree.
Noola kooda naanum
Not even a piece of thread,
Onakku vaangi thandhadhilla
Have I bought for you.
Adi aatthaa… aa… aa… aa… haaa haa haa haa…
Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa...
Ponna pola aathaa
Mother who is like precious gold,
Enna pethu pottaa
Gave birth to me,
Adi enna petha aathaa
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Kanneera thaan paathaa
Saw only tears.
Vettiyila oora chuthum
Roaming the town aimlessly,
Vaelaiyatha maganum undu
There are useless sons.
Vetti paya ennap pola
Like me, a useless fellow,
Ethanaiyo perum undu
There are so many people.
Kettu pona magalum undu
There are ruined daughters too,
Thattu ketta thangaiyum undu
There are astray sisters too.
Kaedu ketta thandhaiyum undu
There are evil fathers too,
Kooru ketta thaaramum undu
There are foolish wives too.
Kettu pona thaayi illaiyadi aathaa
But there is no ruined mother, oh mother!
Kettu pona thaayi engum illavae illa
Nowhere is there a mother who has gone bad!
Adi aathaa… aa… aa… aa… haaa haa haa haa…
Oh mother... aa... aa... aa... haaa haa haa haa...
Ponna pola aathaa
Mother who is like precious gold,
Enna pethu pottaa
Gave birth to me,
Adi enna petha aathaa
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Kanneera thaan paathaa
Saw only tears.
Solli cholli aaraadhu
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Sonna thuyar theeraadhu
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Solli cholli aaraadhu
Repeatedly speaking of it won't heal the wound,
Sonna thuyar theeraadhu
Expressing it won't end the sorrow.
Ponna pola aathaa
Mother who is like precious gold,
Enna pethu pottaa
Gave birth to me,
Adi enna petha aathaa
Oh, the mother who birthed me,
Kanneera thaan paathaa
Saw only tears.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Ponna Pola Aathaa is a poignant tribute to maternal sacrifice and unconditional love. The narrator reflects with deep remorse on his failure to care for his mother, who endured extreme hardship, weariness, and poverty, yet gave him pure affection without ever seeking anything in return.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai Ani)
“Ponna pola aathaa”
Compares the mother's pure, precious nature to gold.
Repetition / Emphasis (Adukkuthodar)
“Solli cholli aaraadhu”
Uses repeated words to express the magnitude of unceasing grief.
Contrast / Parallelism (Edhir-nilai)
“Kettu pona magalum undu... Kettu pona thaayi illaiyadi aathaa”
Lists various flawed family relations to contrast them with the pure, unblemished nature of a mother's love.
Did you know?
Trivia
This emotional song features lyrics penned by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja himself, demonstrating his mastery over evocative folk poetry and deep understanding of rural maternal sentiment.
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