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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Poomalai Aagaamal

From Raasi · 1997

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singer
Hariharan
Music director
Sirpy
Details
Raasi1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Poomaalai aagaamalWithout turning into a garland of flowers,
Pookkal rendu vegutheTwo flowers are scorching in pain.
Kadhalin thaagaththilIn the thirst of love,
Kangal eeram aaguthaeMy eyes are becoming moist.
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyireTell me, my life.
Male
Poomaalai aagaamalWithout turning into a garland of flowers,
Pookkal rendu vegutheTwo flowers are scorching in pain.
Kadhalin thaagaththilIn the thirst of love,
Kangal eeram aaguthaeMy eyes are becoming moist.
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyireTell me, my life.
Male
Dhisaiyedhum theriyaamal vizhumFalling without knowing any direction,
Megam pol aanaenI became like a drifting cloud.
Un valaiyal thundugalaaiLike the shattered pieces of your bangles,
Naan udainthu thool aanaenI broke into fine dust.
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyireTell me, my life.
Male
Nee thantha nesam kannukkul neenthiyathuThe love you gave swam within my eyes,
Thaai thantha paasam imaiyaaga maariyathuThe affection mother gave turned into eyelids.
Kannukkingae imaigalHere for the eyes, the eyelids
Aanathu enna sumaigalHave become such heavy burdens.
Paasam ellaam ingaeAll affection here has turned into
Vettaveli siraigalOpen-air prisons.
Sogangalai sollaTo express all these sorrows,
Mozhi ondrum illa…….ooo……There is no language at all...
Male
Un kadhal muththathilIn your romantic kiss,
Naan kannam nanainthaenMy cheeks were soaked.
Thaai paalin eeraththilIn the warmth of mother's milk,
En ullam karainthaenMy heart melted.
Yaar pakkam niyaayamoOn whose side lies justice?
Nee sollu uyiraeTell me, my life.
Male
Poomaalai aagaamalWithout turning into a garland of flowers,
Pookkal rendu vegutheTwo flowers are scorching in pain.
Kadhalin thaagaththilIn the thirst of love,
Kangal eeram aaguthaeMy eyes are becoming moist.
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyireTell me, my life.
Male
Kanneerin eeramWill the wetness of tear drops
Kannaththil kaayaathaaNot dry up on the cheek?
Munthaanai oramWill the edge of the saree
Kaikkuttai aagaathaaNot serve as a handkerchief?
Ullam endra ondruWhen the heart, which is one,
Unnai saerum velaiSeeks to unite with you,
Thaayin kaigal thaduththaalIf mother's hands stop it,
Enna seivaen yaezhaiWhat can this poor soul do?
Unmai solla ponaalTo tell you the truth,
Naanae enakkillai….ooo….I do not even belong to myself...
Male
Adi paasa koondukkulOh, inside a cage of affection,
Naan maattikkondaenaaDid I get myself trapped?
En vaazhkkai koppaikkulInto the cup of my own life,
Visham oottri kondaenaaDid I pour poison myself?
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyireTell me, my life.
Male
Poomaalai aagaamalWithout turning into a garland of flowers,
Pookkal rendu vegutheTwo flowers are scorching in pain.
Kadhalin thaagaththilIn the thirst of love,
Kangal eeram aaguthaeMy eyes are becoming moist.
Yaar thantha saabamoWhose curse is this?
Nee sollu uyire….Tell me, my life...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Poomaalai Aagaamal from Raasi (1997) is a soulful, melancholic track capturing the agonizing conflict between romantic love and maternal affection. The protagonist laments that two loving souls, represented as flowers destined to form a garland, are instead burning in emotional anguish. He feels trapped when maternal love, usually a source of comfort, unexpectedly becomes a barrier to his romance. Struggling with helplessness and despair, the lover questions destiny and searches for justice in his conflicted life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvameyam)

Poomaalai aagaamal pookkal rendu veguthe

The lovers are metaphorically depicted as two flowers burning in emotional pain rather than coming together to form a united garland.

Simile (Uvamai)

Dhisaiyedhum theriyaamal vizhum megam pol aanaen

The protagonist compares his lost, aimless state to a cloud drifting and falling without direction.

Oxymoron / Paradox

Vettaveli siraigal

The term 'Vettaveli siraigal' translates to 'open-air prisons', beautifully highlighting how smothering affection feels like a cage despite having no physical boundaries.

Rhyme / Monai-Etukai

Kannukkingae imaigal / Aanathu enna sumaigal

The lines use Second-letter Rhyme (Etukai) with matching consonant sounds ('nn' in Kannukkingae / Aanathu).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Sirpy and rendered expressively by Hariharan, Poomaalai Aagaamal is one of the key emotional highlights in Raasi (1997), starring Ajith Kumar and Rambha. The song's evocative lyricism by Pazhani Bharathi earned critical acclaim for beautifully translating personal dilemma into poetic metaphor.

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