Poongatru Thirumbuma
From Muthal Mariyathai · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Muthal Mariyathai1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Poongaatru thirumbumaa | Will the gentle breeze return? |
| En paatta virumbumaa | Will it like my song? |
| Paaraatta madiyil vechu thaalaatta | To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap, |
| Enakkoru thaai madi kedaikumaa | Will I get a mother's lap? |
| Male | |
| Poongaatru thirumbumaa | Will the gentle breeze return? |
| En paatta virumbumaa | Will it like my song? |
| Female | |
| Raasaavae varuthamaa | Oh King, are you sad? |
| Raasaavae varuthamaa | Oh King, are you sad? |
| Aagaayam surungumaa | Will the sky shrink? |
| Yengaadhae adha olagham thaangaadhae | Do not yearn, the world cannot bear your grief. |
| Adukkumaa sooriyan karukkuma | Is it fair? Will the sun ever turn black? |
| Male | |
| Enna solluven.. ennullam thaangala | What can I say... my heart cannot bear it. |
| Metha vaanginen thookkatha vaangala | I bought a bed, but I couldn't buy sleep. |
| Female | |
| Indha vedhana yaarukuthaan illa | Who in this world doesn't have pain? |
| Unna meeravae oorukkul aal illa | There is no one in this village who can surpass you. |
| Male | |
| Yedho en paattuku naan paattu paadi | Just singing songs for my own sake, |
| Sollaadha sogatha sonnen adi | I expressed my unspoken sorrow, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Soga raagam sogam thaanae | A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it? |
| Soga raagam sogam thaanae | A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it? |
| Male :Yaaradhu poradhu | Male: Who is that walking past? |
| Female :Kuyil paadalaam than mugam kaatuma | Female: The cuckoo bird may sing, but will it show its face? |
| Male | |
| Poongaatru thirumbumaa | Will the gentle breeze return? |
| En paatta virumbumaa | Will it like my song? |
| Paaraatta madiyil vechu thaalaatta | To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap, |
| Enakkoru thaai madi kedaikumaa | Will I get a mother's lap? |
| Male | |
| Ulla azhuguren veliya sirikiren | I cry inside, but I smile on the outside. |
| Nalla veshamdhaan veluthu vaanguren | I play this good disguise exceedingly well. |
| Female | |
| Ungha veshamdhaan | Your disguise... |
| Konjam maaranum | ...needs to change a little bit. |
| Engha saamikku magudam yeranum | A crown must adorn our deity. |
| Male | |
| Maanae en nenjuku | Oh my deer-like girl, to my heart... |
| Paal vaartha thaenae | ...you are like honey poured with milk. |
| Munnae en paarvaikku vaavaa pennae | Come before my eyes, my girl. |
| Female | |
| Esa paattu padichen naanae | I sang a folk tune myself. |
| Esa paattu padichen naanae | I sang a folk tune myself. |
| Male | |
| Poonkuyil yaaradhu | Who is that sweet cuckoo bird? |
| Female :Konjam paarunga pen kuyil naanungha | Female: Look closer, I am that female cuckoo bird. |
| Male | |
| Adi needhaanaa andha kuyil | Ah, is it really you, that cuckoo bird? |
| Yaar veettu sondha kuyil | Whose household does this cuckoo belong to? |
| Aathaadi manasukulla kaathaadi | Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite... |
| Parandhadhae olaghamae marandhadhae | ...it flew away, forgetting the whole world! |
| Female | |
| Naandhaanae andha kuyil | I am indeed that cuckoo bird. |
| Thaanaagha vandha kuyil | The cuckoo that came on its own. |
| Aathaadi manasukulla kaathaadi | Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite... |
| Parandhadhaa olagham dhaan marandhadhaa | ...did it fly away, forgetting the whole world? |
பூங்காற்று
திரும்புமா என் பாட்ட
விரும்புமா பாராட்ட
மடியில் வெச்சுப் தாலாட்ட
எனக்கொரு தாய் மடி
கெடைக்குமா
Will the gentle breeze return?
Will it like my song?
To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap,
Will I get a mother's lap?
பூங்காற்று
திரும்புமா என் பாட்ட
விரும்புமா
Will the gentle breeze return?
Will it like my song?
ராசாவே
வருத்தமா ராசாவே
வருத்தமா ஆகாயம்
சுருங்குமா ஏங்காதே
அத ஒலகம் தாங்காதே
அடுக்குமா சூரியன்
கருக்குமா
Oh King, are you sad?
Oh King, are you sad?
Will the sky shrink?
Do not yearn, the world cannot bear your grief.
Is it fair? Will the sun ever turn black?
என்ன சொல்லுவேன்
என்னுள்ளம் தாங்கல
மெத்த வாங்கினேன்
தூக்கத்த வாங்கல
What can I say... my heart cannot bear it.
I bought a bed, but I couldn't buy sleep.
இந்த வேதனை
யாருக்குத்தான் இல்ல
ஒன்ன மீறவே ஊருக்குள்
ஆளில்ல
Who in this world doesn't have pain?
There is no one in this village who can surpass you.
ஏதோ என்பாட்டுக்கு
நான் பாட்டுப் பாடி
சொல்லாத சோகத்த
சொன்னேனடி
Just singing songs for my own sake,
I expressed my unspoken sorrow, my dear.
சோக ராகம்
சொகம் தானே சோக
ராகம் சொகம் தானே
யாரது போறது
குயில் பாடலாம்
தன் முகம் காட்டுமா
A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it?
A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it?
Male: Who is that walking past?
Female: The cuckoo bird may sing, but will it show its face?
பூங்காற்று
திரும்புமா என் பாட்ட
விரும்புமா பாராட்ட
மடியில் வெச்சுப் தாலாட்ட
எனக்கொரு தாய் மடி
கெடைக்குமா
Will the gentle breeze return?
Will it like my song?
To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap,
Will I get a mother's lap?
உள்ள அழுகுறேன்
வெளிய சிரிக்கிறேன்
நல்ல வேஷம்தான்
வெளுத்து வாங்குறேன்
I cry inside, but I smile on the outside.
I play this good disguise exceedingly well.
உங்க வேஷம்தான்
கொஞ்சம் மாறனும்
எங்க சாமிக்கு மகுடம்
ஏறனும்
Your disguise...
...needs to change a little bit.
A crown must adorn our deity.
மானே என்
நெஞ்சுக்குப் பால்
வார்த்த தேனே
முன்னே என்
பார்வைக்கு வாவா
பெண்ணே
Oh my deer-like girl, to my heart...
...you are like honey poured with milk.
Come before my eyes, my girl.
எசப் பாட்டு
படிச்சேன் நானே
எசப் பாட்டு
படிச்சேன் நானே
I sang a folk tune myself.
I sang a folk tune myself.
பூங்குயில் யாரது
கொஞ்சம் பாருங்க
பெண் குயில் நானுங்க
Who is that sweet cuckoo bird?
Female: Look closer, I am that female cuckoo bird.
அடி நீதானா
அந்தக் குயில் யார்
வீட்டு சொந்தக் குயில்
ஆத்தாடி மனசுக்குள்ள
காத்தாடி பறந்ததே
ஒலகமே மறந்ததே
Ah, is it really you, that cuckoo bird?
Whose household does this cuckoo belong to?
Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite...
...it flew away, forgetting the whole world!
நான்தானே
அந்தக் குயில் தானாக
வந்தக் குயில் ஆத்தாடி
மனசுக்குள்ள காத்தாடி
பறந்ததா ஒலகந்தான்
மறந்ததா
I am indeed that cuckoo bird.
The cuckoo that came on its own.
Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite...
...did it fly away, forgetting the whole world?
Poongaatru thirumbumaa
Will the gentle breeze return?
En paatta virumbumaa
Will it like my song?
Paaraatta madiyil vechu thaalaatta
To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap,
Enakkoru thaai madi kedaikumaa
Will I get a mother's lap?
Poongaatru thirumbumaa
Will the gentle breeze return?
En paatta virumbumaa
Will it like my song?
Raasaavae varuthamaa
Oh King, are you sad?
Raasaavae varuthamaa
Oh King, are you sad?
Aagaayam surungumaa
Will the sky shrink?
Yengaadhae adha olagham thaangaadhae
Do not yearn, the world cannot bear your grief.
Adukkumaa sooriyan karukkuma
Is it fair? Will the sun ever turn black?
Enna solluven.. ennullam thaangala
What can I say... my heart cannot bear it.
Metha vaanginen thookkatha vaangala
I bought a bed, but I couldn't buy sleep.
Indha vedhana yaarukuthaan illa
Who in this world doesn't have pain?
Unna meeravae oorukkul aal illa
There is no one in this village who can surpass you.
Yedho en paattuku naan paattu paadi
Just singing songs for my own sake,
Sollaadha sogatha sonnen adi
I expressed my unspoken sorrow, my dear.
Soga raagam sogam thaanae
A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it?
Soga raagam sogam thaanae
A sad tune is filled with sorrow, isn't it?
Male :Yaaradhu poradhu
Male: Who is that walking past?
Female :Kuyil paadalaam than mugam kaatuma
Female: The cuckoo bird may sing, but will it show its face?
Poongaatru thirumbumaa
Will the gentle breeze return?
En paatta virumbumaa
Will it like my song?
Paaraatta madiyil vechu thaalaatta
To appreciate and rock me to sleep on its lap,
Enakkoru thaai madi kedaikumaa
Will I get a mother's lap?
Ulla azhuguren veliya sirikiren
I cry inside, but I smile on the outside.
Nalla veshamdhaan veluthu vaanguren
I play this good disguise exceedingly well.
Ungha veshamdhaan
Your disguise...
Konjam maaranum
...needs to change a little bit.
Engha saamikku magudam yeranum
A crown must adorn our deity.
Maanae en nenjuku
Oh my deer-like girl, to my heart...
Paal vaartha thaenae
...you are like honey poured with milk.
Munnae en paarvaikku vaavaa pennae
Come before my eyes, my girl.
Esa paattu padichen naanae
I sang a folk tune myself.
Esa paattu padichen naanae
I sang a folk tune myself.
Poonkuyil yaaradhu
Who is that sweet cuckoo bird?
Female :Konjam paarunga pen kuyil naanungha
Female: Look closer, I am that female cuckoo bird.
Adi needhaanaa andha kuyil
Ah, is it really you, that cuckoo bird?
Yaar veettu sondha kuyil
Whose household does this cuckoo belong to?
Aathaadi manasukulla kaathaadi
Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite...
Parandhadhae olaghamae marandhadhae
...it flew away, forgetting the whole world!
Naandhaanae andha kuyil
I am indeed that cuckoo bird.
Thaanaagha vandha kuyil
The cuckoo that came on its own.
Aathaadi manasukulla kaathaadi
Oh my, inside my heart, like a kite...
Parandhadhaa olagham dhaan marandhadhaa
...did it fly away, forgetting the whole world?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic duet from the movie 'Muthal Mariyathai' portrays a poignant conversation between an elderly, respected village chief (Malaichami) and a young boatwoman (Kuyil). Malaichami expresses his deep internal loneliness and unfulfilled emotional needs, lamenting that despite his status, he lacks comforting love and sleep. Kuyil reassures him, offering respect and subtle affection while singing from behind the reeds. As they converse through song, their mutual affection blossoms into joy, metaphorically flying like a kite soaring freely in the sky, oblivious to social boundaries and the surrounding world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe / Personification
“Poongaatru thirumbumaa En paatta virumbumaa”
Addressing the gentle breeze ('Poongaatru') directly as an empathetic listener who might return and appreciate his songs.
Contrast / Irony
“Metha vaanginen thookkatha vaangala”
Contrasting physical wealth/comfort with mental peace; purchasing a luxury bed cannot buy true restful sleep.
Metaphor
“Aathaadi manasukulla kaathaadi Parandhadhae olaghamae marandhadhae”
Comparing the soaring feelings of joy and liberation in the heart to a kite flying freely in the sky.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Poongaatru thirumbumaa / En paatta virumbumaa”
Tamil poetic rhyming scheme where the second letter of consecutive lines match ('thirumbumaa' / 'virumbumaa').
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu, 'Poongaatru thirumbumaa' is one of the most iconic Tamil film songs from Bharathiraja's award-winning film 'Muthal Mariyathai' (1985). Sung by Malaysia Vasudevan and S. Janaki, the song highlights the subtle, unspoken bond between Sivaji Ganesan and Radha's characters along the banks of the Vaigai river.
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