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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ponni Nadhi Orathile

From Kuruvi Koodu · 1980

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Kuruvi Koodu
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
26 Oct 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
Pakththila avan irunthum paarkka kooda mudiyalayae
Vetkaththukku vetkkam illa yaelaelo
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
Naalaa pala pozhuthaa
Ava aalaanathum thaalaamala
Naalu viral elachchuvittaa yaelaelo
Paalaa idhu pazhamaa idai noolaa
Kannu velaannu
Paavipaya thudichchu ninnaan yaelaelo
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
Nenaikku konjam sirakkum
Adhu thudikkum vayasu
Anaikkum thalaiyanaiyai
Adhil irukkum manasu
Avalum ada avanum antha rendum sirusu
Sirusaa adhu irunthaalenna manaso perusu
Vaayaal solli kelaathathu
Paayil palli kollaathathu
Vattamittu odumadaa yaelaelo
Thaayo illa neeyo solli kelaathathu
Aasai ennum thaththuvaththin velaiyadaa yaelaelo
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
Mananthaa unna manappaen
Ena thavikkum vizhigal
Arinjo thanna marantho
Adhai thadukkum vazhigal
Irandum thani thaniyae
Dhinam padukkum kiligal
Irunthaalenna kannaa
Illa pesum mozhigal
Mama konjalaamaa
Ada yaemmaa pakkam vaamaa ena
Naanaththaiyum vittu vittu yaelaelo
Raja adi rani enthan kooja malarmaeni ena
Nenjukulla konjuthadaa yaelaelo
Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo
Ponnu onnu kaaththirukku yaelaelo
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
Even with him right beside her, she cannot even look at him
Her shyness knows no shame, elelo...
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
For days and countless hours,
unable to bear her blossoming youth,
she has grown four fingers slimmer from yearning, elelo!
Is she milk? Is she fruit? Is her waist slender like a thread?
Are her eyes sharp as spears?
Wondering this, the poor fellow stood trembling in longing, elelo...
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
She remembers and smiles a little,
for this is the restless age of youth.
She tightly hugs her pillow,
and her heart stays lost in it.
She and he, both of them are young,
so what if they are young? Their hearts are vast!
It does not listen to spoken words,
it finds no sleep upon the mat,
it simply runs around in circles, elelo!
It will not listen to a mother, nor to you,
this is the strange working of desire, elelo!
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
"If I marry, I will marry only you,"
so yearn those longing eyes.
Whether knowingly or forgetting themselves,
the world blocks their path.
Both are like two sweet parrots
that must sleep apart every night.
So what, my dear?
Don't they have unspoken languages of love?
"My darling, can we cuddle?"
"Hey girl, come close to me,"
casting all their shyness away, elelo!
"My king!" "Oh my queen, my flower-soft beauty!"
so they whisper sweet love inside their hearts, elelo...
On the banks of the Ponni river, elelo
A girl is waiting, elelo
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk-infused romantic song from Kuruvi Koodu (1980) portrays the intense romantic longing and tender bashfulness of a young woman waiting by the riverbank for her lover. Set along the Kaveri (Ponni) river, the lyrics express how youthful love creates restlessness, making one unable to sleep or listen to reason, as desire takes over the mind and body.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Folk Refrain (Aatruppaattu / Folk Rhythm)

“Ponni nadhi oraththilae yaelaelo”

The repetitive use of 'Yaelaelo' anchors the song in traditional Tamil riverboat and agrarian folk music styles.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

“Naalu viral elachchuvittaa yaelaelo”

Exaggerating the weight loss caused by romantic yearning ('grew thin by four finger-widths').

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Paalaa idhu pazhamaa idai noolaa”

Comparing the heroine's slender waist to a thin thread and her eyes to sharp spears.

Monai / Rhyme Scheme

“Vaayaal solli kelaathathu / Paayil palli kollaathathu”

Use of end-rhyme and rhythm across lines to show the restless nature of love ('kelaathathu / kollaathathu').

Did you know?

Trivia

The term 'Ponni' is an ancient Tamil poetic name for the Kaveri River, named after the golden silt ('pon') it carries. Kannadasan uses traditional rural folk rhythmic structures ('yaelaelo') combined with K. V. Mahadevan's melodic arrangement to evoke the authentic atmosphere of riverbank folk songs of Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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Ponnukkenna Azhagu1974
En MaganPlayful RomanceRomantic
Sangam Muzhangi1960
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Vaa Kadhal Seidhu1968
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Sakkarakatti Sakkarakatti1993
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