Poovagi Kaayagi Sad
From Annai · 1962
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Bhanumathi
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Details
- Annai1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | One tree blossomed into ripe fruit. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | One tree blossomed into ripe fruit. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Female | |
| Kaaikkaadha marathadiyil | Beneath the tree that bore no fruit, |
| Thaenaaru paayudhadaa… | A river of honey flows... |
| Kanindhu vitta chinna maram | The small tree that matured, |
| Kanneeril aadudhadaa | Is now bathing in tears. |
| Kanneeril aadudhadaa | Is now bathing in tears. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | One tree blossomed into ripe fruit. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Female | |
| Oorukkellaam naan koduthaen | I gave to the entire village, |
| Thiruppi ketkavillai | I never asked for anything in return. |
| Uravai ellaam vaazha vaithaen | I nurtured and supported all my relatives, |
| Kadanai ketkavillai | I never demanded my debts back. |
| Female | |
| Oorukkellaam naan koduthaen | I gave to the entire village, |
| Thiruppi ketkavillai | I never asked for anything in return. |
| Uravai ellaam vaazha vaithaen | I nurtured and supported all my relatives, |
| Kadanai ketkavillai | I never demanded my debts back. |
| Female | |
| Enakku thandha selvathaiyae | The treasure that they gave me, |
| Thiruppi ketka vandhaar | They have come back to demand it in return. |
| Enakku thandha selvathaiyae | The treasure that they gave me, |
| Thiruppi ketka vandhaar | They have come back to demand it in return. |
| Indha selvam thiruppi tharum | But this treasure is not something |
| Selvam illai kannae | That can be returned, my dear child. |
| Selvam illai kannae | That can be returned, my dear child. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | One tree blossomed into ripe fruit. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | One tree blossomed into ripe fruit. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lay another tree. |
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lay another tree.
There lay another tree.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lay another tree.
There lay another tree.
காய்க்காத மரத்தடியில்
தேனாறு பாயுதடா....
கனிந்துவிட்ட சின்ன மரம்
கண்ணீரில் வாடுதடா
கண்ணீரில் வாடுதடா
Beneath the tree that bore no fruit,
A river of honey flows...
The small tree that matured,
Is now bathing in tears.
Is now bathing in tears.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lay another tree.
There lay another tree.
ஊருக்கெல்லாம் நான் கொடுத்தேன்
திருப்பிக் கேட்கவில்லை
உறவையெல்லாம் வாழவைத்தேன்
கடனைக் கேட்கவில்லை
I gave to the entire village,
I never asked for anything in return.
I nurtured and supported all my relatives,
I never demanded my debts back.
ஊருக்கெல்லாம் நான் கொடுத்தேன்
திருப்பிக் கேட்கவில்லை
உறவையெல்லாம் வாழவைத்தேன்
கடனைக் கேட்கவில்லை
I gave to the entire village,
I never asked for anything in return.
I nurtured and supported all my relatives,
I never demanded my debts back.
எனக்குத் தந்த செல்வத்தையே
திருப்பிக் கேட்க வந்தார்
எனக்குத் தந்த செல்வத்தையே
திருப்பிக் கேட்க வந்தார்
இந்தச் செல்வம் திருப்பித் தரும்
செல்வமில்லை கண்ணே
செல்வமில்லை கண்ணே
The treasure that they gave me,
They have come back to demand it in return.
The treasure that they gave me,
They have come back to demand it in return.
But this treasure is not something
That can be returned, my dear child.
That can be returned, my dear child.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lay another tree.
There lay another tree.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lay another tree.
There lay another tree.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kaaikkaadha marathadiyil
Beneath the tree that bore no fruit,
Thaenaaru paayudhadaa…
A river of honey flows...
Kanindhu vitta chinna maram
The small tree that matured,
Kanneeril aadudhadaa
Is now bathing in tears.
Kanneeril aadudhadaa
Is now bathing in tears.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Oorukkellaam naan koduthaen
I gave to the entire village,
Thiruppi ketkavillai
I never asked for anything in return.
Uravai ellaam vaazha vaithaen
I nurtured and supported all my relatives,
Kadanai ketkavillai
I never demanded my debts back.
Oorukkellaam naan koduthaen
I gave to the entire village,
Thiruppi ketkavillai
I never asked for anything in return.
Uravai ellaam vaazha vaithaen
I nurtured and supported all my relatives,
Kadanai ketkavillai
I never demanded my debts back.
Enakku thandha selvathaiyae
The treasure that they gave me,
Thiruppi ketka vandhaar
They have come back to demand it in return.
Enakku thandha selvathaiyae
The treasure that they gave me,
Thiruppi ketka vandhaar
They have come back to demand it in return.
Indha selvam thiruppi tharum
But this treasure is not something
Selvam illai kannae
That can be returned, my dear child.
Selvam illai kannae
That can be returned, my dear child.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Becoming a flower, becoming an unripe fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
One tree blossomed into ripe fruit.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lay another tree.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Poovaagi Kaayaagi' from the movie Annai (1962) uses a poignant metaphor of two trees—one that bore fruit and another that remained childless—to represent biological and adoptive motherhood. The adoptive mother, symbolized by the barren tree, showers unconditional sweetness and love ('a river of honey') onto her foster child. In contrast, the biological mother grieves in tears, seeking her child back after circumstances separated them. The adoptive mother reflects on a lifetime of selfless giving where she asked for nothing in return, yet agonizes over the demand to give back her child, affirming that maternal bond is an unreturnable treasure rather than material property.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Poovaagi kaayaagi kanindha maram ondru... poovaamal kaaikkaamal kidandha maram ondru”
Compares biological and foster mothers to a fruit-bearing tree and a barren tree, symbolizing fertility, affection, and grief.
Antithesis / Contrast (Etirnilai)
“Poovaagi kaayaagi ... Poovaamal kaaikkaamal”
Contrasts the tree that flowered and bore fruit with the tree that remained childless to highlight contrasting life fates.
Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Oorukkellaam naan koduthaen ... Uravai ellaam vaazha vaithaen”
Presents initial-line structural harmony with second letter rhyme across parallel couplets.
Did you know?
Trivia
Annai (1962) was a landmark drama film produced by AVM Productions and directed by Krishnan-Panju. The film featured music composed by R. Sudarsanam with lyrics by Kannadasan. P. Bhanumathi, who played the lead role of the adoptive mother, sang this emotionally charged song herself, delivering one of the most iconic performances in Tamil cinema history.
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