Poovagi Kaayagi
From Annai · 1962
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Bhanumathi
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Details
- Annai1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Having flowered and borne fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | There is one tree that ripened. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Having flowered and borne fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | There is one tree that ripened. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Female | |
| Kaaikkaadha marathadiyil | Beneath the tree that does not bear fruit, |
| Thaenaaru paayudhadaa… | A river of honey flows... |
| Kanindhu vitta chinna maram | The small tree that ripened, |
| Kanneeril aadudhadaa | Is bathing in tears. |
| Kanneeril aadudhadaa | Is bathing in tears. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Having flowered and borne fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | There is one tree that ripened. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Female | |
| Pettredukka manam irundhum | Though there is a heart yearning to give birth, |
| Pillai kani illai | There is no fruit of a child. |
| Pettredutha mara kilaikku | For the branch of the tree that gave birth, |
| Mattra sugam illai | There is no other comfort or joy. |
| Female | |
| Pettredukka manam irundhum | Though there is a heart yearning to give birth, |
| Pillai kani illai | There is no fruit of a child. |
| Pettredutha mara kilaikku | For the branch of the tree that gave birth, |
| Mattra sugam illai | There is no other comfort or joy. |
| Female | |
| Sutramennum paravai ellaam | In the house where all birds called relatives |
| Kudi irukkum veettil | Reside together, |
| Thottil katti thaalaattum | To tie a cradle and sing a lullaby, |
| Peru mattum illai | Only that privilege is missing. |
| Peru mattum illai | Only that privilege is missing. |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Having flowered and borne fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | There is one tree that ripened. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Female | |
| Vendum endru ketpavarkku | To those who ask and desire, |
| Illai illai enbaar | He says, 'No, no.' |
| Veruppavarkkum maruppavarkkum | To those who despise and reject, |
| Alli alli tharuvaar | He gives generously in abundance. |
| Female | |
| Aandavanaar thiruvullaththai | The divine will of the Almighty, |
| Yaar arindhaar kannae | Who can truly comprehend, my dear? |
| Yaar vayittril yaar pirappaar | Who will be born in whose womb, |
| Yaararivaar kannae | Who can ever know, my dear? |
| Yaararivaar kannae | Who can ever know, my dear? |
| Female | |
| Poovaagi kaayaagi | Having flowered and borne fruit, |
| Kanindha maram ondru | There is one tree that ripened. |
| Poovaamal kaaikkaamal | Without flowering, without bearing fruit, |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
| Kidandha maram ondru | There lies another tree. |
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Having flowered and borne fruit,
There is one tree that ripened.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lies another tree.
There lies another tree.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Having flowered and borne fruit,
There is one tree that ripened.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lies another tree.
There lies another tree.
காய்க்காத மரத்தடியில்
தேனாறு பாயுதடா....
கனிந்துவிட்ட சின்ன மரம்
கண்ணீரில் வாடுதடா
கண்ணீரில் வாடுதடா
Beneath the tree that does not bear fruit,
A river of honey flows...
The small tree that ripened,
Is bathing in tears.
Is bathing in tears.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Having flowered and borne fruit,
There is one tree that ripened.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lies another tree.
There lies another tree.
பெற்றெடுக்க மனம் இருந்தும்
பிள்ளைக் கனி இல்லை
பெற்றெடுத்த மரக்கிளைக்கு
மற்ற சுகம் இல்லை
Though there is a heart yearning to give birth,
There is no fruit of a child.
For the branch of the tree that gave birth,
There is no other comfort or joy.
பெற்றெடுக்க மனம் இருந்தும்
பிள்ளைக் கனி இல்லை
பெற்றெடுத்த மரக்கிளைக்கு
மற்ற சுகம் இல்லை
Though there is a heart yearning to give birth,
There is no fruit of a child.
For the branch of the tree that gave birth,
There is no other comfort or joy.
சுற்றமென்னும் பறவையெல்லாம்
குடியிருக்கும் வீட்டில்
தொட்டில் கட்டி தாலாட்டும்
பேறு மட்டும் இல்லை
பேறு மட்டும் இல்லை
In the house where all birds called relatives
Reside together,
To tie a cradle and sing a lullaby,
Only that privilege is missing.
Only that privilege is missing.
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Having flowered and borne fruit,
There is one tree that ripened.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lies another tree.
There lies another tree.
வேண்டும் என்று கேட்பவர்க்கு
இல்லை இல்லை என்பார்
வெறுப்பவர்க்கும் மறுப்பவர்க்கும்
அள்ளி அள்ளித் தருவார்
To those who ask and desire,
He says, 'No, no.'
To those who despise and reject,
He gives generously in abundance.
ஆண்டவனார் திருவுளத்தை
யாரறிந்தார் கண்ணே
யார் வயிற்றில் யார் பிறப்பார்
யார் அறிவார் கண்ணே
யார் அறிவார் கண்ணே
The divine will of the Almighty,
Who can truly comprehend, my dear?
Who will be born in whose womb,
Who can ever know, my dear?
Who can ever know, my dear?
பூவாகி காயாகி
கனிந்த மரம் ஒன்று
பூவாமல் காய்க்காமல்
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
கிடந்த மரம் ஒன்று
Having flowered and borne fruit,
There is one tree that ripened.
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
There lies another tree.
There lies another tree.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Having flowered and borne fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
There is one tree that ripened.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Having flowered and borne fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
There is one tree that ripened.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kaaikkaadha marathadiyil
Beneath the tree that does not bear fruit,
Thaenaaru paayudhadaa…
A river of honey flows...
Kanindhu vitta chinna maram
The small tree that ripened,
Kanneeril aadudhadaa
Is bathing in tears.
Kanneeril aadudhadaa
Is bathing in tears.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Having flowered and borne fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
There is one tree that ripened.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Pettredukka manam irundhum
Though there is a heart yearning to give birth,
Pillai kani illai
There is no fruit of a child.
Pettredutha mara kilaikku
For the branch of the tree that gave birth,
Mattra sugam illai
There is no other comfort or joy.
Pettredukka manam irundhum
Though there is a heart yearning to give birth,
Pillai kani illai
There is no fruit of a child.
Pettredutha mara kilaikku
For the branch of the tree that gave birth,
Mattra sugam illai
There is no other comfort or joy.
Sutramennum paravai ellaam
In the house where all birds called relatives
Kudi irukkum veettil
Reside together,
Thottil katti thaalaattum
To tie a cradle and sing a lullaby,
Peru mattum illai
Only that privilege is missing.
Peru mattum illai
Only that privilege is missing.
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Having flowered and borne fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
There is one tree that ripened.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Vendum endru ketpavarkku
To those who ask and desire,
Illai illai enbaar
He says, 'No, no.'
Veruppavarkkum maruppavarkkum
To those who despise and reject,
Alli alli tharuvaar
He gives generously in abundance.
Aandavanaar thiruvullaththai
The divine will of the Almighty,
Yaar arindhaar kannae
Who can truly comprehend, my dear?
Yaar vayittril yaar pirappaar
Who will be born in whose womb,
Yaararivaar kannae
Who can ever know, my dear?
Yaararivaar kannae
Who can ever know, my dear?
Poovaagi kaayaagi
Having flowered and borne fruit,
Kanindha maram ondru
There is one tree that ripened.
Poovaamal kaaikkaamal
Without flowering, without bearing fruit,
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Kidandha maram ondru
There lies another tree.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant track from Annai (1962) uses an extended botanical metaphor to reflect on motherhood, destiny, and divine irony. Kannadasan compares two women to two distinct trees: one tree blossoms and bears fruit (a mother who gives birth) yet suffers in tears without other life comforts, while the other tree remains barren (a childless woman) despite being surrounded by wealth ('a river of honey') and kin.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagam (Extended Metaphor)
“Kanindha maram ondru / Pillai kani illai”
Compares a mother to a fruit-bearing tree ('maram') and a child to a fruit ('pillai kani').
Muran (Anthesis / Contrast)
“Poovaagi kaayaagi vs Poovaamal kaaikkaamal”
Contrasts the states of flowering/fruiting with being barren to highlight life's ironies.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pettredukka / Pettredutha”
The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Pettredukka manam irundhum / Pillai kani illai”
Matching initial sounds in words within the line.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by R. Sudarsanam for the film Annai (1962), this song was sung by the versatile actress and singer P. Bhanumathi herself, who played the lead role of the childless foster mother in the movie.
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