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Maattukara Velan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Poovaitha Poovaikku

From Maattukara Velan · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Maattukara Velan
Movie release year
1970
Lyrics added on
14 Jul 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Poo vaiththa poovaikku
Pookkal sonthamaa
Female :Poovukkum thaenukkum
Poo sinthum bodhaikkum
Eekkal sonthamaa
I love you
Female :I love you
Male :I love love you
Poo vaiththa poovaikku
Pookkal sonthamaa
Male :Poovukkum thaenukkum
Poo sinthum bodhaikkum
Eekkal sonthamaa
I love you
Male: I love you
Female :I love love you
{Muththu simizhaa
Vanna thaththai kuralaa
Un velli thandai osai enna
Pillaai thamizhaa} (2)
Kan pattu
Male :Aaahaa
Female :Ungal kai pattu
Male :Ohoo
Female :Ingu kattu vittu sirippadhu
Thamizh paattu
Kan pattu
Ungal kai pattu
Ingu kattu vittu sirippadhu
Thamizh paattu
Pachchai vaazhai marathukku
Selai katti pottu vaitha panthalo
Pasum paalo pazhathudan
Thaen kalanthu kanni
Vaitha pongaloo
Sonnaal therivadhillai
Edhuvum
Male :Aahaa
Female :Adhai unnaal therinthu
Kolla udhavum
Male :Hoo
Sonnaal therivadhillai
Edhuvum
Adhai unnaal therinthu
Kolla udhavum
Kanda pinnaal eduthu
Solla mudiyum
{Palli kanakku konjam
Solli pazhakku
Nee illaiyendraal naan thoduppen
Kaadhal vazhakku} (2)
Podungal
Male :Aahaa
Female :Koondil yerungal
Male :Yae
Podungal
Koondil yerungal
Ungal pon manathai
Saatchi vaithu vettri kollungal
Poonthottam mella vanthu
Kannadithu kai kodukkum jaalamo
Adhu kaattum jaadai enna
Thaali kattum podhadikkum melamo
Nandra irukkudhintha uvamai
Male :Ohoo
Female :Intha pennae unadhu
Sontha udamai
Male :Hohohoho
Nandra irukkudhintha uvamai
Intha pennae unadhu
Sontha udamai
Ini ellaam pazhaguvadhu urimai
To the flower-adorned girl,
Do the flowers belong?
Female: To the flower, to the honey,
And to the sweet intoxication spilled by the flower,
Do the bees have a claim?
I love you!
Female: I love you!
Male: I love, love you!
To the flower-adorned girl,
Do the flowers belong?
Male: To the flower, to the honey,
And to the sweet intoxication spilled by the flower,
Do the bees have a claim?
I love you!
Male: I love you!
Female: I love, love you!
Are you a pearl casket?
Or the sweet voice of a colorful parrot?
What is this sound of your silver anklets?
Is it sweet, childlike Tamil poetry?
Touched by your gaze,
Male: Aha!
Female: And touched by your hands,
Male: Oho!
Female: What laughs here without restraint
Is a Tamil song!
Touched by your gaze,
And touched by your hands,
What laughs here without restraint
Is a Tamil song!
For a green banana tree,
Is it a wedding canopy draped in a sari and wearing a bindi?
Is it fresh cow's milk, or sweet pongal
Cooked with fruits and honey
By a young girl?
Nothing can be understood
Just by words...
Male: Aha!
Female: ...but through you, it helps
To understand it all!
Male: Hoo!
Nothing can be understood
Just by words;
Through you, it helps
To understand it all,
And only after seeing it
Can it be explained!
Teach me a little school math
And train me well;
If you don't, I will file
A case of love against you!
Go ahead and file it!
Male: Aha!
Female: Step into the witness box!
Male: Yeah!
Go ahead and file it!
Step into the witness box!
Make your golden heart the witness,
And win the case!
Is it the magic of a flower garden gently approaching,
Winking and offering a hand?
What is this gesture it makes?
Is it the beat of the wedding drum as the thaali (sacred thread) is tied?
How wonderful this comparison is!
Male: Oho!
Female: This girl is your very own
Belonging!
Male: Ho ho ho ho!
How wonderful this comparison is!
This girl is your very own
Belonging,
And from now on, sharing everything is your right!
Male
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Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful duet features romantic banter between two lovers expressing their mutual affection through poetic comparisons and lighthearted teasing. The song weaves classical Tamil imagery of nature—comparing the heroine to sweet milk, honey, flowers, and parrots—with humorous courtly metaphors like filing a 'lawsuit of love' and taking the witness stand.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)

Vanna thaththai kuralaa / Un velli thandai osai enna / Pillaai thamizhaa

Compares the heroine's voice to a parrot and her anklet sounds to sweet child Tamil literature.

Legal Metaphor / Metonymy

Nee illaiyendraal naan thoduppen Kaadhal vazhakku / Koondil yerungal

Uses court trial terminology playfully to express romantic impatience.

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Poo vaiththa poovaikku / Pookkal sonthamaa

Rhythmic repetition of initial consonant sounds enhancing the song's musical flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Maattukara Velan (1970) stars M. G. Ramachandran in a dual role alongside Jayalalithaa and Lakshmi. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics penned by Kannadasan, sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela.

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