Poongathu Veesum Adhikalai
From Ondru Engal Jadhiye · 1987
- Lyricist
- Muthulingam
- Singer
- Gangai Amaran
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Ondru Engal Jadhiye1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| ……………………………. | |
| Male | |
| Poongathu vesum adhigaalai neram | In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows |
| Kadal melae naanga vala veesa porom | We are going to cast our nets upon the sea |
| Namma pozhappu nalla nadakka | For our livelihood to go well |
| Chorus :Namba saami varatha kodukkum | Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon |
| Male :Andha saami varatha koduthaa | Male: If that God grants us a boon |
| Chorus :Namma kudumbam nalla irukkum | Chorus: Our family will be prosperous |
| Male | |
| Poongathu vesum …adhigaalai neram | In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows |
| Kadal melae naanga…. vala veesa porom | We are going to cast our nets upon the sea |
| Chorus | |
| ……………………. | |
| Chorus | |
| Kattu | Log |
| Male :Maratha katti | Male: Tying the wooden logs |
| Chorus :Povom | Chorus: We will go |
| Male :Kadalukkuklla | Male: Into the sea |
| Chorus :Meenu | Chorus: Fish |
| Male :Kedachudhunna kondattam thaan | Male: If we catch fish, it will be a celebration |
| Chorus | |
| Pongi | Surging |
| Male :Adikkum alai | Male: The crashing waves |
| Chorus :Meendum | Chorus: Again |
| Male :Karaiyil namma | Male: Us on the shore |
| Chorus :Vandhu | Chorus: Having come |
| Male :Irakki vittaa sandhosam thaan | Male: If they drop us safely, it is pure joy |
| Kadal devi namma kaapathuvaa | The Sea Goddess will protect us |
| Petha thaaiya pola sooru oottuvaa | She will feed us food like a birth mother |
| Male | |
| Nammoda paadhai thanneeru mela | Our path is over the water |
| Nammoda vazhkkai kaathadi polae | Our life is like a kite |
| Chorus :Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana | Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana |
| Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana | Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana |
| Male | |
| Poongathu vesum ..adhigaalai neram | In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows |
| Kadal melae naanga… vala veesa porom | We are going to cast our nets upon the sea |
| Chorus | |
| Utchi | Peak |
| Male :Marathula ellam | Male: On all the wooden posts |
| Chorus :Katchi | Chorus: Party |
| Male :Kodi parakka | Male: Flags fly |
| Chorus :Kootam | Chorus: Gathering |
| Male :Nadakkuthappa oorukkulla | Male: Is taking place inside the town |
| Chorus | |
| Endha | Which |
| Male :Kuberan vandhu | Male: Wealthy Kuberan comes |
| Chorus :Aandaa | Chorus: Rules |
| Male :Namakku enna | Male: What does it matter to us |
| Chorus :Namma | Chorus: Our |
| Male :Pozhappu indha neerukkullae | Male: Livelihood is within this water |
| Ada thoni thaanda namma sothu | Hey, the boat is our real wealth |
| Adha nambi vaazhvom paaduppattu | Relying on it, we will work hard and live |
| Male | |
| Nambikkai thaanda nammoda selvam | Faith alone is our true fortune |
| Naam ellaam onna munnaeri selvom | We all will move forward together |
| Chorus :Thandhana thanndhana thandhana thandhana | Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana |
| Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana | Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana |
| Male | |
| Poongathu vesum adhigaalai neram | In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows |
| Kadal melae naanga vala veesa porom | We are going to cast our nets upon the sea |
| Namma pozhappu nalla nadakka | For our livelihood to go well |
| Chorus :Namba saami varatha kodukkum | Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon |
| Male :Andha saami varatha koduthaa | Male: If that God grants us a boon |
| Chorus :Namma kudumbam nalla irukkum | Chorus: Our family will be prosperous |
| Male | |
| Poongathu vesum …adhigaalai neram | In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows |
| Kadal melae naanga…. vala veesa porom | We are going to cast our nets upon the sea |
...........................
பூங்காத்து வீசும் அதிகாலை நேரம்
கடல் மேலே நாங்க வல வீசப் போறோம்
நம்ம பொழப்பு நல்லா நடக்க
குழு :
நம்ப சாமி வரத்த கொடுக்கும்
அந்த சாமி வரத்த கொடுத்தா
குழு :
நம்ப குடும்பம் நல்லா இருக்கும்
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
For our livelihood to go well
Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon
Male: If that God grants us a boon
Chorus: Our family will be prosperous
பூங்காத்து வீசும் அதிகாலை நேரம்
கடல் மேலே நாங்க வல வீசப் போறோம்
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
...........................
கட்டு
மரத்தை கட்டி
குழு :
போவோம்
கடலுக்குள்ளே
குழு :
மீனு
கெடச்சதுன்னா கொண்டாட்டம்தான்
Log
Male: Tying the wooden logs
Chorus: We will go
Male: Into the sea
Chorus: Fish
Male: If we catch fish, it will be a celebration
பொங்கி
அடிக்கும் அலை
குழு :
மீண்டும்
கரையில் நம்ம
குழு :
வந்து
இறக்கி விட்டா சந்தோஷம்தான்
கடல் தேவி நம்ம காப்பாத்துவா
பெத்த தாயப் போல சோறூட்டுவா
Surging
Male: The crashing waves
Chorus: Again
Male: Us on the shore
Chorus: Having come
Male: If they drop us safely, it is pure joy
The Sea Goddess will protect us
She will feed us food like a birth mother
நம்மோட பாதை தண்ணீரு மேலே
நம்மோட வாழ்க்கை காத்தாடி போலே
குழு :
னனனனனன னனனனனன...
Our path is over the water
Our life is like a kite
Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
பூங்காத்து வீசும் அதிகாலை நேரம்
கடல் மேலே நாங்க வல வீசப் போறோம்
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
உச்சி
மரத்துலெல்லாம்
குழு :
கட்சி
கொடிப் பறக்க
குழு :
கூட்டம்
நடக்குதப்பா ஊருக்குள்ள
Peak
Male: On all the wooden posts
Chorus: Party
Male: Flags fly
Chorus: Gathering
Male: Is taking place inside the town
எந்த
குபேரன் வந்து
குழு :
ஆண்டா
நமக்கு என்ன
குழு :
நம்ம
பொழப்பு இந்த நீருக்குள்ளே
அட தோணி தான்டா நம்ம சொத்து
அத நம்பி வாழ்வோம் பாடுபட்டு
Which
Male: Wealthy Kuberan comes
Chorus: Rules
Male: What does it matter to us
Chorus: Our
Male: Livelihood is within this water
Hey, the boat is our real wealth
Relying on it, we will work hard and live
நம்பிக்கைதான்டா நம்மோட செல்வம்
நாமெல்லாம் ஒண்ணா முன்னேறி செல்வோம்
Faith alone is our true fortune
We all will move forward together
Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
தந்தனதந்தன தந்தனதந்தன தந்தனதந்தன
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
For our livelihood to go well
Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon
Male: If that God grants us a boon
Chorus: Our family will be prosperous
பூங்காத்து வீசும் அதிகாலை நேரம்
கடல் மேலே நாங்க வல வீசப் போறோம்
நம்ம பொழப்பு நல்லா நடக்க
குழு :
நம்ப சாமி வரத்த கொடுக்கும்
அந்த சாமி வரத்த கொடுத்தா
குழு :
நம்ப குடும்பம் நல்லா இருக்கும்
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
பூங்காத்து வீசும் அதிகாலை நேரம்
கடல் மேலே நாங்க வல வீசப் போறோம்
…………………………….
Poongathu vesum adhigaalai neram
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
Kadal melae naanga vala veesa porom
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
Namma pozhappu nalla nadakka
For our livelihood to go well
Chorus :Namba saami varatha kodukkum
Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon
Male :Andha saami varatha koduthaa
Male: If that God grants us a boon
Chorus :Namma kudumbam nalla irukkum
Chorus: Our family will be prosperous
Poongathu vesum …adhigaalai neram
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
Kadal melae naanga…. vala veesa porom
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
…………………….
Kattu
Log
Male :Maratha katti
Male: Tying the wooden logs
Chorus :Povom
Chorus: We will go
Male :Kadalukkuklla
Male: Into the sea
Chorus :Meenu
Chorus: Fish
Male :Kedachudhunna kondattam thaan
Male: If we catch fish, it will be a celebration
Pongi
Surging
Male :Adikkum alai
Male: The crashing waves
Chorus :Meendum
Chorus: Again
Male :Karaiyil namma
Male: Us on the shore
Chorus :Vandhu
Chorus: Having come
Male :Irakki vittaa sandhosam thaan
Male: If they drop us safely, it is pure joy
Kadal devi namma kaapathuvaa
The Sea Goddess will protect us
Petha thaaiya pola sooru oottuvaa
She will feed us food like a birth mother
Nammoda paadhai thanneeru mela
Our path is over the water
Nammoda vazhkkai kaathadi polae
Our life is like a kite
Chorus :Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Poongathu vesum ..adhigaalai neram
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
Kadal melae naanga… vala veesa porom
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
Utchi
Peak
Male :Marathula ellam
Male: On all the wooden posts
Chorus :Katchi
Chorus: Party
Male :Kodi parakka
Male: Flags fly
Chorus :Kootam
Chorus: Gathering
Male :Nadakkuthappa oorukkulla
Male: Is taking place inside the town
Endha
Which
Male :Kuberan vandhu
Male: Wealthy Kuberan comes
Chorus :Aandaa
Chorus: Rules
Male :Namakku enna
Male: What does it matter to us
Chorus :Namma
Chorus: Our
Male :Pozhappu indha neerukkullae
Male: Livelihood is within this water
Ada thoni thaanda namma sothu
Hey, the boat is our real wealth
Adha nambi vaazhvom paaduppattu
Relying on it, we will work hard and live
Nambikkai thaanda nammoda selvam
Faith alone is our true fortune
Naam ellaam onna munnaeri selvom
We all will move forward together
Chorus :Thandhana thanndhana thandhana thandhana
Chorus: Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Thandhana thandhana thandhana thandhana
Poongathu vesum adhigaalai neram
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
Kadal melae naanga vala veesa porom
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
Namma pozhappu nalla nadakka
For our livelihood to go well
Chorus :Namba saami varatha kodukkum
Chorus: Our God will grant us a boon
Male :Andha saami varatha koduthaa
Male: If that God grants us a boon
Chorus :Namma kudumbam nalla irukkum
Chorus: Our family will be prosperous
Poongathu vesum …adhigaalai neram
In the early morning time when a gentle breeze blows
Kadal melae naanga…. vala veesa porom
We are going to cast our nets upon the sea
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song vividly captures the daily routine, resilience, and spiritual faith of coastal fishermen. Starting in the early dawn, the fishermen venture out to sea praying for a bountiful catch to sustain their families. They revere the sea as a maternal goddess who nurtures and protects them, even as they acknowledge the fragile, unpredictable nature of their existence, which hangs in the wind like a kite. In the second movement, the lyrics contrast the fishermen's simple life with the political noise on land, asserting that regardless of who rules or holds wealth, their true fortune lies in their boats, hard work, unity, and unwavering hope.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Petha thaaiya pola sooru oottuvaa”
Compares the Sea Goddess to a birth mother who feeds her children.
Simile (Upamai)
“Nammoda vazhkkai kaathadi polae”
Compares their precarious life adrift on the sea to a kite swaying in the wind.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nambikkai thaanda nammoda selvam”
Directly equates faith and confidence to real wealth/fortune.
Antiphonal Call and Response
“Utchi / Male :Marathula ellam / Chorus :Katchi”
Interactive folk song structure where the lead singer sets up lines and the chorus completes them.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed and sung by Gangai Amaran with lyrics by Muthulingam for the 1987 film Ondru Engal Jadhiye, this song uses traditional coastal Tamil folk rhythms (Amba paattu) to authentically render the life and vernacular of Tamil Nadu's fishing community.
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