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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Poovae Poochudava Female

From Poove Poochooda Vaa · 1985

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Poove Poochooda Vaa1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
La la la la la la laa laa laaLa la la la la la laa laa laa
La la la la la la laa laa laaLa la la la la la laa laa laa
La la la la la la la laa laa laa laa laaLa la la la la la la laa laa laa laa laa
Female
{ Poovae poo chooda vaa{ Oh flower, come to adorn yourself with flowers
Enthan nenjil paal vaarka vaa } (2)Come to pour comforting milk in my heart } (2)
Vaasal paarthu kangal poothuMy eyes grew weary watching the doorway
Paarthu nindren vaaI stood waiting endlessly, come
Female
Poovae poo chooda vaaOh flower, come to adorn yourself with flowers
Enthan nenjil paal vaarka vaaCome to pour comforting milk in my heart
Female
Azhaipu mani endha veetil ketaalumWhenever a doorbell rang in any house nearby
Oodi naan vanthu paarpenI would rush eagerly to see if it was you
Thendral envaasal theendavae illaiyet no gentle breeze touched my doorstep
Kannil vennerai vaarpenI poured scalding tears from my eyes
Kangalum oointhathuMy eyes grew exhausted
Jeevanum theinthathuMy life force steadily waned
Female
Jeeva deepangal ooyum neramAt the moment when the lamps of life were about to go out
Neeyum neiyaaga vanthaaiYou arrived like ghee to rekindle the flame
Intha kanneril sogam illai indruThere is no sorrow in these tears today
Aanantham thanthaaiYou have bestowed pure bliss upon me
Pethi yendraalum neeyum en thaaiThough you are my granddaughter, you are my mother
Female
Poovae poo chooda vaaOh flower, come to adorn yourself with flowers
Enthan nenjil paal vaarka vaaCome to pour comforting milk in my heart
Female
Kaalam karaindhaalum kolam sithaindhaalumEven if time dissolves and life's patterns break apart
Paasam velukaathu maanaeAffection never fades, my dear one
Neeril kulidhaalum nerupil eridhaalumWhether washed in water or tested in fire
Thangam karukaathu thaayaeGold never tarnishes or turns black, my mother
Pon mugam paarkiren athilI look at your golden face, and in it
En mugam paarkirenI see my own reflection
Female
Intha pon maanai paarthukondaeWhile gazing continuously at this golden deer
Sendru naan sera vendumI wish to take my final rest and depart
Meendum jenmangal maarumpothumEven as rebirths cycle through time
Naan un magalaaga vendumI wish to be born as your daughter
Paasa raagangal paada vendumTo sing melodies of pure love
Female
Poovae poo chooda vaaOh flower, come to adorn yourself with flowers
{ Enthan nenjil paal vaarka vaa } (2){ Come to pour comforting milk in my heart } (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This emotionally charged song expresses the deep bond between an elderly grandmother and her granddaughter. The elderly woman recounts her long, lonely wait for love and companionship, describing how her fading life was reignited by the granddaughter's arrival. Although the girl is biologically her grandchild, the grandmother reveres her as a maternal figure who brought warmth and light into her twilight years. The lyrics celebrate the enduring, untarnished nature of pure love across time and rebirths, concluding with a wish to be reborn as the granddaughter's child in future lives.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyam)

Jeeva deepangal ooyum neram / Neeyum neiyaaga vanthaai

Comparing the granddaughter to 'ghee' (Neiyaaga) that feeds the fading lamp of life (Jeeva deepangal), symbolizing how she revived the speaker's dying spirits.

Contrast / Paradox

Pethi yendraalum neeyum en thaai

Reversing traditional family roles by addressing a granddaughter as 'thaai' (mother), emphasizing maternal comfort over chronological age.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kaalam karaindhaalum kolam sithaindhaalum / Paasam velukaathu maanae

The second consonant 'r' matches across words like 'Kaalam' / 'Paasam' or 'Neeril' / 'Thangam' in Tamil poetic structure.

Anaphora / Repetition

Neeril kulidhaalum nerupil eridhaalum

Repetition of conditional clauses ending in '-aalum' to emphasize unshakeable devotion despite destructive circumstances.

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song features in the 1985 drama film 'Poove Poochooda Vaa', directed by Fazil, which marked the Tamil debut of actress Nadia Moidu alongside veteran actress Padmini and actor S. Ve. Shekher. The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and the emotional melody sung by K. J. Yesudas and K. S. Chithra remains one of Tamil cinema's definitive songs on familial affection.

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