Poonkatre Poonkatre
From Bharathi Kannamma · 1997
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Bharathi Kannamma1997
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower. |
| Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu | Tell her in her ear the message I whisper. |
| Kaadhalargal vaazhvathillai kallarai solgirathu | The graveyards say that lovers do not survive. |
| Kaadhal mattum saavathillai kaaviyam solgirathu | Epics say that love alone never dies. |
| Adi bharathi kannammaa manam kalanguvathenamma…. | Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled? |
| Male | |
| Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower. |
| Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu | Tell her in her ear the message I whisper. |
| Male | |
| Verum koyil ingae yaemmaa vilakkettrinaai | Why did you light a lamp in an empty temple, my dear? |
| Vilangaatha kadhal paattai arangaetrinaai | Why did you premiere an incomprehensible song of love? |
| Vilaiyaatha mannil yaemmaa vidhai thoovinaai | Why did you sow seeds in infertile soil, my dear? |
| Veyirkaala kaanal neeril valai veesinaai | Why did you cast a net in a summer mirage? |
| Ariyaamal pizhai seithaai manalaalae silai seithaai | You made a mistake unwittingly, making a statue out of sand. |
| Adi bharathi kannammaa idhu paazh patta mannamma…. | Oh Bharathi Kannamma, this is ruined land, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower. |
| Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu | Tell her in her ear the message I whisper. |
| Male | |
| Varum jenmam naanum neeyum uravaadalaam | In the next birth, you and I can unite in love. |
| Valaiyaadum kaigal thottu vilaiyaadalaam | Touching bangled hands, we can play together. |
| Idaivelai polae intha pirivaagalaam | Let this separation be merely like an intermission. |
| Ippothu kadhal vendaam vidai kooralaam | Let us avoid love for now, let us bid farewell. |
| Ilam poovae varunthathae ulagamthaan thirunthaathae | Do not grieve, young flower; this world will never reform. |
| Adi bharathi kannammaa nee bharatha pennamma…. | Oh Bharathi Kannamma, you are a daughter of Bharath. |
| Male | |
| Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu | O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower. |
| Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu | Tell her in her ear the message I whisper. |
| Kaadhalargal vaazhvathillai kallarai solgirathu | The graveyards say that lovers do not survive. |
| Kaadhal mattum saavathillai kaaviyam solgirathu | Epics say that love alone never dies. |
| Adi bharathi kannammaa manam kalanguvathenamma…. | Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled? |
பூங்காற்றே பூங்காற்றே பூவிடம் நீ செல்லு
காதோரம் நான் கூறும் சேதியை நீ சொல்லு
காதலர்கள் வாழ்வதில்லை கல்லறை சொல்கிறது
காதல் மட்டும் சாவதில்லை காவியம் சொல்கிறது
அடி பாரதி கண்ணம்மா மணம் கலங்குவதேனம்மா......
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
The graveyards say that lovers do not survive.
Epics say that love alone never dies.
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled?
பூங்காற்றே பூங்காற்றே பூவிடம் நீ செல்லு
காதோரம் நான் கூறும் சேதியை நீ சொல்லு
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
வெறும் கோயில் இங்கே ஏம்மா விளக்கேற்றினாய்
விளங்காத காதல் பாட்டை அரங்கேற்றினாய்
விளையாத மண்ணில் ஏம்மா விதை தூவினாய்
வெயிற்கால கானல் நீரில் வலை வீசினாய்
அறியாமல் பிழை செய்தாய் மணலாலே சிலை செய்தாய்
அடி பாரதி கண்ணம்மா இது பாழ்பட்ட மண்ணம்மா.....
Why did you light a lamp in an empty temple, my dear?
Why did you premiere an incomprehensible song of love?
Why did you sow seeds in infertile soil, my dear?
Why did you cast a net in a summer mirage?
You made a mistake unwittingly, making a statue out of sand.
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, this is ruined land, my dear.
பூங்காற்றே பூங்காற்றே பூவிடம் நீ செல்லு
காதோரம் நான் கூறும் சேதியை நீ சொல்லு
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
வரும் ஜென்மம் நானும் நீயும் உறவாடலாம்
வளையாடும் கைகள் தொட்டு விளையாடலாம்
இடைவேளை போலே இந்த பிரிவாகலாம்
இப்போது காதல் வேண்டாம் விடை கூறலாம்
இளம்பூவே வருந்தாதே உலகம் தான் திருந்தாதே
அடி பாரதி கண்ணம்மா நீ பாரத பெண்ணம்மா......
In the next birth, you and I can unite in love.
Touching bangled hands, we can play together.
Let this separation be merely like an intermission.
Let us avoid love for now, let us bid farewell.
Do not grieve, young flower; this world will never reform.
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, you are a daughter of Bharath.
பூங்காற்றே பூங்காற்றே பூவிடம் நீ செல்லு
காதோரம் நான் கூறும் சேதியை நீ சொல்லு
காதலர்கள் வாழ்வதில்லை கல்லறை சொல்கிறது
காதல் மட்டும் சாவதில்லை காவியம் சொல்கிறது
அடி பாரதி கண்ணம்மா மணம் கலங்குவதேனம்மா......
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
The graveyards say that lovers do not survive.
Epics say that love alone never dies.
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled?
Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
Kaadhalargal vaazhvathillai kallarai solgirathu
The graveyards say that lovers do not survive.
Kaadhal mattum saavathillai kaaviyam solgirathu
Epics say that love alone never dies.
Adi bharathi kannammaa manam kalanguvathenamma….
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled?
Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
Verum koyil ingae yaemmaa vilakkettrinaai
Why did you light a lamp in an empty temple, my dear?
Vilangaatha kadhal paattai arangaetrinaai
Why did you premiere an incomprehensible song of love?
Vilaiyaatha mannil yaemmaa vidhai thoovinaai
Why did you sow seeds in infertile soil, my dear?
Veyirkaala kaanal neeril valai veesinaai
Why did you cast a net in a summer mirage?
Ariyaamal pizhai seithaai manalaalae silai seithaai
You made a mistake unwittingly, making a statue out of sand.
Adi bharathi kannammaa idhu paazh patta mannamma….
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, this is ruined land, my dear.
Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
Varum jenmam naanum neeyum uravaadalaam
In the next birth, you and I can unite in love.
Valaiyaadum kaigal thottu vilaiyaadalaam
Touching bangled hands, we can play together.
Idaivelai polae intha pirivaagalaam
Let this separation be merely like an intermission.
Ippothu kadhal vendaam vidai kooralaam
Let us avoid love for now, let us bid farewell.
Ilam poovae varunthathae ulagamthaan thirunthaathae
Do not grieve, young flower; this world will never reform.
Adi bharathi kannammaa nee bharatha pennamma….
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, you are a daughter of Bharath.
Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu
O gentle breeze, O gentle breeze, go to the flower.
Kaathoram naan koorum sedhiyai nee sollu
Tell her in her ear the message I whisper.
Kaadhalargal vaazhvathillai kallarai solgirathu
The graveyards say that lovers do not survive.
Kaadhal mattum saavathillai kaaviyam solgirathu
Epics say that love alone never dies.
Adi bharathi kannammaa manam kalanguvathenamma….
Oh Bharathi Kannamma, why is your heart troubled?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from the film 'Bharathi Kannamma' is a heart-wrenching expression of tragic love constrained by deep-seated societal barriers. The protagonist addresses the gentle breeze, asking it to carry a tender message to his beloved Kannamma. He reflects on the harsh reality that while societal oppression and death may claim the lives of individual lovers, true love itself remains immortal and lives forever in stories and epics. He laments the futility of their affection in a rigid, regressive world, drawing vivid imagery such as lighting a lamp in a deserted temple, sowing seeds in barren soil, or trying to catch fish in a mirage. Consoling her, he asks her not to grieve over a world that refuses to change, suggesting that they treat their current separation as a temporary intermission and hold out hope for a union in their next birth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification / Breeze Messenger (Thoodhu)
“Poongaattrae poongaattrae poovidam nee sellu”
Addressing the gentle breeze ('Poongaattrae') as a sentient messenger capable of taking a secret message to the lover, a classic Sangam Tamil literary trope known as 'Thoodhu'.
Antithesis / Paradox (Muran)
“Kaadhalargal vaazhvathillai kallarai solgirathu / Kaadhal mattum saavathillai kaaviyam solgirathu”
Juxtaposition of physical mortality ('graveyards say lovers don't live') against spiritual immortality ('epics say love never dies') to highlight the enduring nature of true love.
Extended Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Veyirkaala kaanal neeril valai veesinaai”
Comparing unrequited or socially forbidden efforts of love to futile acts like lighting lamps in empty temples, sowing seeds on barren ground, or fishing in a mirage.
Analogy (Upamai)
“Idaivelai polae intha pirivaagalaam”
Comparing their painful lifelong separation to a brief theatrical intermission ('Idaivelai'), offering solace through hope of reunification in the next birth.
Did you know?
Trivia
Directed by Cheran, 'Bharathi Kannamma' (1997) is a critically acclaimed film centered around southern Tamil Nadu's caste dynamics and social inequality. The song, set to Deva's soulful music and sung by K.J. Yesudas, became one of the most famous tragedy anthems of late 1990s Tamil cinema, winning praise for Vaali's evocative lyrics.
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