Pookal Endrom
From Virudhagiri · 2010
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singer
- Sadhana Sargam
- Music director
- Sundar C Babu
- Details
- Virudhagiri2010
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Pookkal endrom pengal | We say women are like flowers, |
| Pookkal endrum pariththu | Is it only to pluck the flowers always, |
| Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana | And watch them wither away? |
| Female | |
| Dheepam endrom pengal | We say women are like lamps, |
| Dheepam endrom | We say they are lamps, |
| Theeyil thallivittu erikkaththaanaaa | Is it only to push them into fire and burn them? |
| Female | |
| Nilavendrom theya | We call her the moon, is it just to wane? |
| Nadhiyendrom kaaya | We call her a river, is it just to dry up? |
| Silaiyendrom yaenadaa | We call her a statue, why, oh man? |
| Kadaththavethaanadaa | Is it only to abduct her? |
| Female | |
| Pookkal endrom pengal | We say women are like flowers, |
| Pookkal endrum pariththu | Is it only to pluck the flowers always, |
| Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana | And watch them wither away? |
| Female | |
| Piranthathum pugunthathum | Both her birth home and marital home, |
| Perumaiyai koottuvaal | She brings honor to them both. |
| Pasiyena varugaiyil | When someone comes hungry, |
| Paasaththai oottuvaal | She feeds them with love. |
| Thanakkena edhaiyumae | Anything for herself, |
| Yaerkkavae maruppaval | She refuses to accept. |
| Thannuyuir thanthuthaan | Giving her own life, |
| Unnuyir kaappaval | She protects your life. |
| Female | |
| Pookkal endrom pengal | We say women are like flowers, |
| Pookkal endrum pariththu | Is it only to pluck the flowers always, |
| Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana | And watch them wither away? |
| Female | |
| Thaayavalin maarpagam | A mother's breast, |
| Paal tharum paaththiram | Is a vessel that provides milk. |
| Kaamaththudan paarppathaal | Looking at it with lust, |
| Kalanguthae sariththiram | Stains our very history. |
| Female | |
| Karuvarai paalamthaan | The bridge to the womb, |
| Thoppulin kodiyadaa | Is the umbilical cord, man! |
| Kavarchchiyaai rasippavan | To him who views it with lust, |
| Kaigalai udaiyadaa | Break his hands! |
| Female | |
| Pookkal endrom pengal | We say women are like flowers, |
| Pookkal endrum pariththu | Is it only to pluck the flowers always, |
| Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana | And watch them wither away? |
| Female | |
| Dheepam endrom pengal | We say women are like lamps, |
| Dheepam endrom | We say they are lamps, |
| Theeyil thallivittu erikkaththaanaaa | Is it only to push them into fire and burn them? |
| Female | |
| Thangam endrom | We call women gold, |
| Pengal vairam endrom | We call women diamonds, |
| Karppai vilai pesi virkkirom | Yet we bargain and sell her chastity, |
| Penmaiyai viyaapaaram seigirom | We commercialize womanhood! |
பூக்கள் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
பூக்கள் என்றும் பறித்து
வாடவிட்டு பார்க்கத்தானா
We say women are like flowers,
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
And watch them wither away?
தீபம் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
தீபம் என்றோம்
தீயில் தள்ளிவிட்டு எரிக்கதானா
We say women are like lamps,
We say they are lamps,
Is it only to push them into fire and burn them?
நிலவென்றோம் தேய
நதியென்றோம் காய
சிலையென்றோம் ஏனடா
கடத்தவேதானடா
We call her the moon, is it just to wane?
We call her a river, is it just to dry up?
We call her a statue, why, oh man?
Is it only to abduct her?
பூக்கள் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
பூக்கள் என்றும் பறித்து
வாடவிட்டு பார்க்கத்தானா
We say women are like flowers,
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
And watch them wither away?
பிறந்ததும் புகுந்ததும்
பெருமையை கூட்டுவாள்
பசியென வருகையில்
பாசத்தை ஊட்டுவாள்
தனக்கென எதையுமே
ஏற்க்கவே மறுப்பவள்
தன்னுயிர் தந்துதான்
உன்னுயிர் காப்பவள்
Both her birth home and marital home,
She brings honor to them both.
When someone comes hungry,
She feeds them with love.
Anything for herself,
She refuses to accept.
Giving her own life,
She protects your life.
பூக்கள் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
பூக்கள் என்றும் பறித்து
வாடவிட்டு பார்க்கத்தானா
We say women are like flowers,
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
And watch them wither away?
தாயவளின் மார்பகம்
பால் தரும் பாத்திரம்
காமத்துடன் பார்ப்பதால்
கலங்குதே சரித்திரம்
A mother's breast,
Is a vessel that provides milk.
Looking at it with lust,
Stains our very history.
கருவறை பாலம்தான்
தொப்புளின் கொடியடா
கவர்ச்சியாய் ரசிப்பவன்
கைகளை உடையடா
The bridge to the womb,
Is the umbilical cord, man!
To him who views it with lust,
Break his hands!
பூக்கள் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
பூக்கள் என்றும் பறித்து
வாடவிட்டு பார்க்கத்தானா
We say women are like flowers,
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
And watch them wither away?
தீபம் என்றோம் பெண்கள்
தீபம் என்றோம் தீயில்
தள்ளிவிட்டு எரிக்கதானா
We say women are like lamps,
We say they are lamps,
Is it only to push them into fire and burn them?
தங்கம் என்றோம்
பெண்கள் வைரம் என்றோம்
கற்ப்பை விலை பேசி விற்கிறோம்
பெண்மையை வியாபாரம் செய்கிறோம்
We call women gold,
We call women diamonds,
Yet we bargain and sell her chastity,
We commercialize womanhood!
Pookkal endrom pengal
We say women are like flowers,
Pookkal endrum pariththu
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana
And watch them wither away?
Dheepam endrom pengal
We say women are like lamps,
Dheepam endrom
We say they are lamps,
Theeyil thallivittu erikkaththaanaaa
Is it only to push them into fire and burn them?
Nilavendrom theya
We call her the moon, is it just to wane?
Nadhiyendrom kaaya
We call her a river, is it just to dry up?
Silaiyendrom yaenadaa
We call her a statue, why, oh man?
Kadaththavethaanadaa
Is it only to abduct her?
Pookkal endrom pengal
We say women are like flowers,
Pookkal endrum pariththu
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana
And watch them wither away?
Piranthathum pugunthathum
Both her birth home and marital home,
Perumaiyai koottuvaal
She brings honor to them both.
Pasiyena varugaiyil
When someone comes hungry,
Paasaththai oottuvaal
She feeds them with love.
Thanakkena edhaiyumae
Anything for herself,
Yaerkkavae maruppaval
She refuses to accept.
Thannuyuir thanthuthaan
Giving her own life,
Unnuyir kaappaval
She protects your life.
Pookkal endrom pengal
We say women are like flowers,
Pookkal endrum pariththu
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana
And watch them wither away?
Thaayavalin maarpagam
A mother's breast,
Paal tharum paaththiram
Is a vessel that provides milk.
Kaamaththudan paarppathaal
Looking at it with lust,
Kalanguthae sariththiram
Stains our very history.
Karuvarai paalamthaan
The bridge to the womb,
Thoppulin kodiyadaa
Is the umbilical cord, man!
Kavarchchiyaai rasippavan
To him who views it with lust,
Kaigalai udaiyadaa
Break his hands!
Pookkal endrom pengal
We say women are like flowers,
Pookkal endrum pariththu
Is it only to pluck the flowers always,
Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana
And watch them wither away?
Dheepam endrom pengal
We say women are like lamps,
Dheepam endrom
We say they are lamps,
Theeyil thallivittu erikkaththaanaaa
Is it only to push them into fire and burn them?
Thangam endrom
We call women gold,
Pengal vairam endrom
We call women diamonds,
Karppai vilai pesi virkkirom
Yet we bargain and sell her chastity,
Penmaiyai viyaapaaram seigirom
We commercialize womanhood!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This hard-hitting song serves as a powerful social commentary on society's hypocrisy towards women. Written by Na. Muthu Kumar, the lyrics contrast how society poetically exalts women as flowers, lamps, rivers, gold, and statues, yet systematically subjects them to objectification, domestic abuse, sexualization, and commercial degradation. The song forcefully demands an end to the exploitation of women and calls out the loss of respect for motherhood and female dignity in modern society.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம் - Uruvagam)
“Pookkal endrom pengal / Dheepam endrom pengal / Thangam endrom”
Comparing women to various natural elements and precious items such as flowers, lamps, gold, and diamonds to contrast their inherent value with their mistreatment.
Monai (மோனை - Initial Assonance)
“Piranthathum pugunthathum / Perumaiyai koottuvaal”
Repetition of the initial consonant 'P' sound across lines to create poetic rhythm and emphasis.
Rhetorical Questioning
“Vaadavittu paarkkaththaana / Theeyil thallivittu erikkaththaanaaa”
Using persistent questions to challenge societal hypocrisy and force reflection on why women are praised poetically but mistreated in reality.
Did you know?
Trivia
Virudhagiri (2010) marked the directorial debut of veteran Tamil actor and politician Captain Vijayakanth. The lyrics written by two-time National Award winner Na. Muthu Kumar were widely praised for their bold stance against gender violence and objectification.
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