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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pookara Pookara

From Citizen · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Shankar Mahadevan, Vasundhara Das
Music director
Deva
Details
Citizen2001

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Chikkuchan chanChikkuchan chan
Chikkuchan chikkuchan (Overlaying)Chikkuchan chikkuchan (Overlaying)
Chorus
Pennukkoru perinbamA supreme bliss for a woman
Ingingae kannaalaaHere, my beloved
Vazhnthidu angangaeLive right over there
Vazhnthidu angangaeLive right over there
{Vekkangal valainthathu paar ingae{Look here, shyness has surrendered
Vekkathaal thodaithidu vaa ingae} (2)Come wipe it away with shyness} (2)
Chorus
Chikkuchan chanChikkuchan chan
Chikkuchan chikkuchanChikkuchan chikkuchan
Chorus
{Glulsey gulsey gulsey..{Glulsey gulsey gulsey..
Glulsey gulsey gulsey..Glulsey gulsey gulsey..
Poo poo pooFlower flower flower
Glulsey gulsey gulsey..Glulsey gulsey gulsey..
Glulsey gulsey gulsey..Glulsey gulsey gulsey..
Poo poo poo} (2)Flower flower flower} (2)
Female
Pookaara...Chorus :Hu hu huO flower-man... Chorus: Hu hu hu
Hey pookara…Chorus :Hu hu huHey flower-man... Chorus: Hu hu hu
En pookal mothamTell me how many flowers
Ethanai solli vidu…uuuuhuuI have in total... uuuuhuu
Female
EnnikaiChorus :Hu hu huWithout reducing Chorus: Hu hu hu
KuraiyaamalChorus :Hu hu huThe count Chorus: Hu hu hu
Nee ellaam poovaiPinch each and every flower
Oru murai killi vidu..ooo…Just once.. ooo…
Female
Poonkodikku kattu pattuBound to the flower creeper
Pattu kattum mottu koottamA cluster of buds wearing silk
Poopathenna oru murai thaanWhy blossom only once?
Thaan thaan thaanOnly once, once, once
Female
Poo padainthu pinnum koodaEven after flowering
Meendum meendum pookum pookkalThe flowers that bloom again and again
Pengal pengal pengal mattumthaanAre women, women, only women
Male
PookaariChorus :Hu hu huO flower-girl Chorus: Hu hu hu
Hey pookariChorus :Hu hu huHey flower-girl Chorus: Hu hu hu
Unn pookal mothamI do not know
Ethanai theriyavillaiThe total count of your flowers
Male
Poo koodaiChorus :Hu hu huWithout looking Chorus: Hu hu hu
PaaramalChorus :Hu hu huAt the flower basket Chorus: Hu hu hu
Unn pookal enni solvathuTo count and tell your flowers
Sulabam illaiIs not easy
Chorus
{Sa sa re{Sa sa re
Ra sa sa reRa sa sa re
Sa sa ri ma ga ri saSa sa ri ma ga ri sa
Sa ni dha ni saa} (2)Sa ni dha ni saa} (2)
Hu hu hu…Hu hu hu…
Sa sa reSa sa re
Ra sa sa reRa sa sa re
Sa sa ri ma ga ri saSa sa ri ma ga ri sa
Sa ni dha ni saaSa ni dha ni saa
Female
Minnal paambai kaiyil suttrumI am one who wraps a lightning snake
Ullam kondaval naanAround my hand in spirit
Kili konjam puli konjamA little parrot, a little tiger
Kalavai naanA mixture am I
Chorus
KaadhalukkaethuWhy calculate days like
Sunday… MondaySunday… Monday for love?
Kanakku pannungaCalculate it right now,
Indrae indraeToday itself, today itself
Chorus
Made for each otherSaying we are 'made for each other'
Endrae endraeForever and ever,
Melam kottungalBeat the wedding drums
Indrae indraeToday itself, today itself
Male
Ohh ettu dhisayai maatri podumOh, I am a clever man who can turning
Kettikaaran naanAll eight directions around
Suriyanil koodu kattumI am a bird that builds
Paravai naanA nest in the sun
Chorus
Nee ottrai mudiyaalWith a single strand of hair,
Thaerai iluppaaiYou can pull a temple chariot
Kattaiviral asaivilWith a twitch of your thumb,
Kaariyam mudippaaiYou accomplish tasks
Male
IlamaiyinaalaaeWith your youthfulness,
Imayathai udaippaaiYou can break the Himalayas
ValaivugalaalaeWith your curves,
Vaanathai valaippaaiYou can bend the sky
Female
Pathinetthu varudamUpon the land that has been parched
Kaainthulla nilathilFor eighteen long years
Paruvamae mazhai poligaLet youth pour down like rain
Male
Ohooo..pannirendu maathamOhooo.. creating nights
Iravugal seidhuFor twelve whole months
Palliyarai sugam perugaLet bedchamber bliss multiply
Female
Oooooo…ooooo…Oooooo… ooooo…
Pookaara…Chorus :Hu hu huO flower-man... Chorus: Hu hu hu
Hey pookara…Chorus :Hu hu huHey flower-man... Chorus: Hu hu hu
En pookal mothamTell me how many flowers
Ethanai solli vidu…uuuuhuuI have in total... uuuuhuu
Female
EnnikaiChorus :Hu hu huWithout reducing Chorus: Hu hu hu
KuraiyaamalChorus :Hu hu huThe count Chorus: Hu hu hu
Nee ellaam poovaiPinch each and every flower
Oru murai killi vidu..ooo…Just once.. ooo…
Chorus
Hu hu hu..huhuhuhu hu hu huHu hu hu.. huhuhuhu hu hu hu
Hu hu hu..hu hu hu hu huuu hu hu huHu hu hu.. hu hu hu hu huuu hu hu hu
Sa sa reSa sa re
Ra sa sa reRa sa sa re
Sa sa ri ma ga ri saSa sa ri ma ga ri sa
Sa ni dha ni saaSa ni dha ni saa
Male
Venba kettaal pennba sollumIf asked a classical stanza, I utter feminine poetry,
Mukkaal kavignan naanI am three-fourths a poet
Sanyaasi samsaaariAn ascetic and a householder,
Rendum naanI am both
Chorus
Nee ottrai mudiyaalWith a single strand of hair,
Thaerai iluppaaiYou can pull a temple chariot
Kattaiviral asaivilWith a twitch of your thumb,
Kaariyam mudippaaiYou accomplish tasks
Male
IlamaiyinaalaaeWith your youthfulness,
Imayathai udaippaaiYou can break the Himalayas
ValaivugalaalaeWith your curves,
Vaanathai valaippaaiYou can bend the sky
Female
Ohh vayasu payal melOh, upon a young guy
Maiyam kollumI center myself like
Vanga puyalum naanA Bay of Bengal cyclone
Munivargalum thuruvaathaA kiss that even sages
Mutham naanHave not explored
Chorus
KaadhalukkaethuWhy calculate days like
Sunday… MondaySunday… Monday for love?
Kanakku pannungaCalculate it right now,
Indrae indraeToday itself, today itself
Chorus
Made for each otherSaying we are 'made for each other'
Endrae endraeForever and ever,
Melam kottungalBeat the wedding drums
Indrae indraeToday itself, today itself
Male
Kaattukkul vilunthaLike a raindrop that fell
Malai thuli polaInside the dense forest,
Unakkullae tholainthu vittenI got lost inside you
Female
Paattinil kalanthaLike melodies blended
Raagangal polaInto a song,
Unakkullae karainthu vittenI dissolved inside you
Male
PookaariChorus :Hu hu huO flower-girl Chorus: Hu hu hu
Hey pookariChorus :Hu hu huHey flower-girl Chorus: Hu hu hu
Unn pookal mothamI do not know
Ethanai theriyavillaiThe total count of your flowers
Male
Poo koodaiChorus :Hu hu huWithout looking Chorus: Hu hu hu
PaaramalChorus :Hu hu huAt the flower basket Chorus: Hu hu hu
Unn pookal enni solvathuTo count and tell your flowers
Sulabam illaiIs not easy
Male
Poovai maari dhegathukkulIn a body that is like a blossom,
Poovillaatha baagam yethuWhich part is without a flower?
Sonnavargal kandathillaiyaeThose who spoke have never seen it
Yae yae yae yaeYae yae yae yae
Male
Kaalai nera pookkal veru,Morning flowers are different,
Maalai nera pookkal veruEvening flowers are different
Kandavargal sonnathillaiyae……Those who saw it have never told……
Chorus
{Sa sa re{Sa sa re
Ra sa sa reRa sa sa re
Sa sa ri ma ga ri saSa sa ri ma ga ri sa
Sa ni dha ni saa} (2)Sa ni dha ni saa} (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Pookaara is a playful and romantic duet from the film Citizen (2001), composed by Deva with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song centers around extended floral metaphors where the heroine challenges the hero—metaphorically addressed as a flower seller—to count the endless 'flowers' of her beauty and charm. The hero responds in admiration, expressing how impossible it is to quantify her radiance, comparing her alluring body and presence to blooming blossoms that renew continuously.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Metaphor / Simile)

Kaattukkul viluntha malai thuli pola

Comparing feminine beauty and curves to blooming flowers, and passion to a Bay of Bengal storm ('Vanga puyal') or raindrops lost in a forest ('Kaattukkul viluntha malai thuli pola').

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

Poonkodikku kattu pattu / Pattu kattum mottu koottam

Rhyming second consonants across lines to create rhythmic flow ('Poonkodikku' / 'Pattu kattum').

Anaphora / Repetition

Indrae indrae

Rhythmic repetition of phrases such as 'Indrae indrae' and 'Glulsey gulsey' for energetic musicality.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 2001 Tamil blockbuster Citizen starring Ajith Kumar and Vasundhara Das, the soundtrack was composed by Deva. Vasundhara Das provided her own vocals for this track alongside Shankar Mahadevan, making it one of the hit dance duets of the early 2000s.

Keep listening

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