Poonthotta Kavalkara
From Kungumam · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Suseela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Kungumam1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa | O guard of the flower garden, |
| Poo parikka ithanai naalaa | did it take you this many days to pluck a flower? |
| Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa | O guard of the flower garden, |
| Poo parikka ithanai naalaa | did it take you this many days to pluck a flower? |
| Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa… | O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah... |
| Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget the mango fruit? |
| Marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget? |
| Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget the mango fruit? |
| Marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget? |
| Female | |
| Thaer yeri varuvaai endru | Believing you would arrive riding a chariot, |
| Theru veedhi valam vandhaal | she walked around the street lanes. |
| Thaer yeri varuvaai endru | Believing you would arrive riding a chariot, |
| Theru veedhi valam vandhaal | she walked around the street lanes. |
| Thaer kandaal thaerae kandaal | She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot, |
| Silaiyadhilae illaiyae raajaa | but the idol was not inside it, my king! |
| Thaer kandaal thaerae kandaal | She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot, |
| Silaiyadhilae illaiyae raajaa | but the idol was not inside it, my king! |
| Female | |
| Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa | O guard of the flower garden, |
| Poo parikka itthanai naalaa | did it take you this many days to pluck a flower? |
| Female | |
| Malai melae mazhai vizhundhu | Rain fell upon the mountains, |
| Vaigaiyilae vellam vandhu | and floods rushed into the Vaigai river. |
| Malai maelae mazhai vizhundhu | Rain fell upon the mountains, |
| Vaigaiyilae vellam vandhu | and floods rushed into the Vaigai river. |
| Vayal yeri paayum munnae | Before it could overflow into the fields, |
| Vandha vellam ponadhae raajaa | the floodwaters drained away, my king. |
| Vayal yeri paayum munnae | Before it could overflow into the fields, |
| Vandha vellam ponadhae raajaa | the floodwaters drained away, my king. |
| Female | |
| Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa | O guard of the flower garden, |
| Poo parikka ithanai naalaa | did it take you this many days to pluck a flower? |
| Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa… | O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah... |
| Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget the mango fruit? |
| Marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget? |
| Male | |
| Paruthi kaattil… | In a cotton field... |
| Pazham kidaikkum… | expecting to find fruit... |
| Pasi theerum… endru yenni… | thinking her hunger would be satiated... |
| Oruthi ingae thaedugindraalae… | a woman is searching here... |
| Ohohoi | Ohohoi |
| Oru thalaiyaai paadugindraalae… | She sings with one-sided longing... |
| Paadugindraalae… | She is singing... |
| Male | |
| Nettriyilae pottu vaithaal | She placed a bindi on her forehead, |
| Nenjai adhil thottu vaittaal | and touched her heart with it. |
| Nettriyilae pottu vaithaal | She placed a bindi on her forehead, |
| Nenjai adhil thottu vaithaal | and touched her heart with it. |
| Thottu vaitha nenjukkullae | Inside that heart she touched, |
| Thoongubavar yevaro yaaro | who is it that slumbers? |
| Thottu vaitha nenjukkullae | Inside that heart she touched, |
| Thoongubavar yevaro yaaro | who is it that slumbers? |
| Female | |
| Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa | O guard of the flower garden, |
| Poo parikka ithanai naalaa | did it take you this many days to pluck a flower? |
| Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa… | O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah... |
| Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget the mango fruit? |
| Marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget? |
| Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget the mango fruit? |
| Marandhu vittaayaa | Did you forget? |
பூந்தோட்ட காவல்காரா
பூப்பறிக்க இத்தனை நாளா
பூந்தோட்ட காவல்காரா
பூப்பறிக்க இத்தனை நாளா
மாந்தோப்பு காவல்காரா ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ....
மாம்பழத்தை மறந்து விட்டாயா
மறந்து விட்டாயா
மாம்பழத்தை மறந்து விட்டாயா
மறந்து விட்டாயா
O guard of the flower garden,
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
O guard of the flower garden,
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Did you forget?
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Did you forget?
தேர் ஏறி வருவாய் என்று
தெரு வீதி வலம் வந்தாள்
தேர் ஏறி வருவாய் என்று
தெரு வீதி வலம் வந்தாள்
தேர் கண்டாள் தேரே கண்டாள்
சிலை அதிலே இல்லையே ராஜா
தேர் கண்டாள் தேரே கண்டாள்
சிலை அதிலே இல்லையே ராஜா
Believing you would arrive riding a chariot,
she walked around the street lanes.
Believing you would arrive riding a chariot,
she walked around the street lanes.
She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot,
but the idol was not inside it, my king!
She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot,
but the idol was not inside it, my king!
பூந்தோட்ட காவல்காரா
பூப்பறிக்க இத்தனை நாளா
O guard of the flower garden,
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
மலை மேலே மழை விழுந்து
வைகையிலே வெள்ளம் வந்து
மலை மேலே மழை விழுந்து
வைகையிலே வெள்ளம் வந்து
வயலேறி பாயும் முன்னே
வந்த வெள்ளம் போனது ராஜா
வயலேறி பாயும் முன்னே
வந்த வெள்ளம் போனது ராஜா
Rain fell upon the mountains,
and floods rushed into the Vaigai river.
Rain fell upon the mountains,
and floods rushed into the Vaigai river.
Before it could overflow into the fields,
the floodwaters drained away, my king.
Before it could overflow into the fields,
the floodwaters drained away, my king.
பூந்தோட்ட காவல்காரா
பூப்பறிக்க இத்தனை நாளா
மாந்தோப்பு காவல்காரா ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ....
மாம்பழத்தை மறந்து விட்டாயா
மறந்து விட்டாயா
O guard of the flower garden,
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Did you forget?
பருத்திக் காட்டில்...
பழம் கிடைக்கும்.....
பசி தீரும்..... என்று எண்ணி....
ஒருத்தி இங்கே தேடுகின்றாளே
ஓஓஹோய்
ஒருதலையாய் பாடுகின்றாளே
பாடுகின்றாளே
In a cotton field...
expecting to find fruit...
thinking her hunger would be satiated...
a woman is searching here...
Ohohoi
She sings with one-sided longing...
She is singing...
நெற்றியிலே பொட்டு வைத்தாள்
நெஞ்சை அதில் தொட்டு வைத்தாள்
நெற்றியிலே பொட்டு வைத்தாள்
நெஞ்சை அதில் தொட்டு வைத்தாள்
தொட்டு வைத்த நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே
தூங்குபவர் எவரோ யாரோ
தொட்டு வைத்த நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே
தூங்குபவர் எவரோ யாரோ
She placed a bindi on her forehead,
and touched her heart with it.
She placed a bindi on her forehead,
and touched her heart with it.
Inside that heart she touched,
who is it that slumbers?
Inside that heart she touched,
who is it that slumbers?
பூந்தோட்ட காவல்காரா
பூப்பறிக்க இத்தனை நாளா
மாந்தோப்பு காவல்காரா ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ....
மாம்பழத்தை மறந்து விட்டாயா
மறந்து விட்டாயா
மாம்பழத்தை மறந்து விட்டாயா
மறந்து விட்டாயா
O guard of the flower garden,
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Did you forget?
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Did you forget?
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa
O guard of the flower garden,
Poo parikka ithanai naalaa
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa
O guard of the flower garden,
Poo parikka ithanai naalaa
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa…
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget?
Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget?
Thaer yeri varuvaai endru
Believing you would arrive riding a chariot,
Theru veedhi valam vandhaal
she walked around the street lanes.
Thaer yeri varuvaai endru
Believing you would arrive riding a chariot,
Theru veedhi valam vandhaal
she walked around the street lanes.
Thaer kandaal thaerae kandaal
She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot,
Silaiyadhilae illaiyae raajaa
but the idol was not inside it, my king!
Thaer kandaal thaerae kandaal
She saw the chariot, oh she saw the chariot,
Silaiyadhilae illaiyae raajaa
but the idol was not inside it, my king!
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa
O guard of the flower garden,
Poo parikka itthanai naalaa
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
Malai melae mazhai vizhundhu
Rain fell upon the mountains,
Vaigaiyilae vellam vandhu
and floods rushed into the Vaigai river.
Malai maelae mazhai vizhundhu
Rain fell upon the mountains,
Vaigaiyilae vellam vandhu
and floods rushed into the Vaigai river.
Vayal yeri paayum munnae
Before it could overflow into the fields,
Vandha vellam ponadhae raajaa
the floodwaters drained away, my king.
Vayal yeri paayum munnae
Before it could overflow into the fields,
Vandha vellam ponadhae raajaa
the floodwaters drained away, my king.
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa
O guard of the flower garden,
Poo parikka ithanai naalaa
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa…
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget?
Paruthi kaattil…
In a cotton field...
Pazham kidaikkum…
expecting to find fruit...
Pasi theerum… endru yenni…
thinking her hunger would be satiated...
Oruthi ingae thaedugindraalae…
a woman is searching here...
Ohohoi
Ohohoi
Oru thalaiyaai paadugindraalae…
She sings with one-sided longing...
Paadugindraalae…
She is singing...
Nettriyilae pottu vaithaal
She placed a bindi on her forehead,
Nenjai adhil thottu vaittaal
and touched her heart with it.
Nettriyilae pottu vaithaal
She placed a bindi on her forehead,
Nenjai adhil thottu vaithaal
and touched her heart with it.
Thottu vaitha nenjukkullae
Inside that heart she touched,
Thoongubavar yevaro yaaro
who is it that slumbers?
Thottu vaitha nenjukkullae
Inside that heart she touched,
Thoongubavar yevaro yaaro
who is it that slumbers?
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa
O guard of the flower garden,
Poo parikka ithanai naalaa
did it take you this many days to pluck a flower?
Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa aa… aa…
O guard of the mango grove, ah... ah...
Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget?
Maambazhathai marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget the mango fruit?
Marandhu vittaayaa
Did you forget?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa from the 1963 film Kungumam is a poignant romantic track expressed through rich visual metaphors by master lyricist Kannadasan. The female protagonist yearningly addresses her lover, comparing him to a garden guardian who has neglected his blossoms or forgotten the sweet mangoes of his grove. She laments the frustration of unfulfilled waiting using allegories of a temple chariot procession devoid of its deity and river floods that recede before quenching the thirsty farm fields.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Poonthotta kaavalkaaraa / Maanthoppu kaavalkaaraa”
Comparing the beloved to the keeper of a flower garden and a mango grove to represent his role as protector and keeper of her affection.
Symbolism
“Thaer kandaal thaerae kandaal / Silaiyadhilae illaiyae raajaa”
The chariot lacking an idol symbolizes a life or heart empty of its beloved king.
Ethirai (Second letter rhyme)
“Malai melae mazhai vizhundhu / Vaigaiyilae vellam vandhu”
Rhyming scheme on second letters in Tamil poetry (Malai / Vaigai, Vayal / Vandha).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1963 Tamil movie Kungumam, starring Sivaji Ganesan and S. S. Rajendran. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan and the lyrics were penned by Kannadasan, showcasing his signature use of deep nature-based allegories for human emotions.
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