Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Poovum Thendral Katrum

From Pick Pocket · 1989

Lyricist
Ilaiyaraja
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Pick Pocket1989

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Poovum thendral kaatrumCan the flower and the gentle breeze
Endrum oodal kollalaamoAlways engage in a lovers' quarrel?
Thaenum chinna poovumCan the honey and the little flower
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamoForget their direction and lose their way?
Ondrai ondru koodumJoining with one another,
Ullam maaralaamoCan the heart ever change?
Unmai kanda yaarumCan anyone who has realized the truth
Ellai meeralaamoEver cross their boundaries?
Male
Poovum thendral kaatrumCan the flower and the gentle breeze
Endrum oodal kollalaamoAlways engage in a lovers' quarrel?
Thaenum chinna poovumCan the honey and the little flower
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamoForget their direction and lose their way?
Male
Vidhi yaar arivaarWho can know destiny?
Vinai yaar arivaarWho can know karma?
Yedhu thaan mudivuWhat the final outcome will be,
Avan thaan arivaarOnly God knows.
Manam endra maayaveeduThe house of illusion called the mind
Puriyaadha ondruIs an incomprehensible thing.
Female
Viral meettumA veena plucked by fingers,
Veenai ondruA single veena,
Sudhi maari paaduthuSings out of pitch.
Maaraadhadhu mayakkam mayakkamWhat remains unchanged is this illusion and fascination.
Female
Poovum thendral kaatrumCan the flower and the gentle breeze
Endrum oodal kollalaamoAlways engage in a lovers' quarrel?
Male
Thaenum chinna poovumCan the honey and the little flower
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamoForget their direction and lose their way?
Female
Ulagai purindhumEven after understanding the world,
Manadhil mayakkamThere is illusion in the mind.
Vidindhaal kooda iravai thedumEven when dawn breaks, it searches for the night.
Oru paadhai pona kaalgalWhy do feet that walked on one path
Dhisai maarip povadhenChange their direction and go astray?
Male
Kadal moozhgi pona odamA boat that has sunk into the ocean,
Karai sera paarppadhennaWhy does it try to reach the shore?
Yaar solvadho vilakkam vilakkamWho can offer an explanation for this?
Female
Poovum thendral kaatrumCan the flower and the gentle breeze
Endrum oodal kollalaamoAlways engage in a lovers' quarrel?
Thaenum chinna poovumCan the honey and the little flower
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamoForget their direction and lose their way?
Ondrai ondru koodumJoining with one another,
Ullam maaralaamoCan the heart ever change?
Unmai kanda yaarumCan anyone who has realized the truth
Ellai meeralaamoEver cross their boundaries?
Female
Poovum thendral kaatrumCan the flower and the gentle breeze
Endrum oodal kollalaamoAlways engage in a lovers' quarrel?
Thaenum chinna poovumCan the honey and the little flower
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamoForget their direction and lose their way?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Poovum Thendral Kaatrum' is a reflective and philosophical track exploring the complexities of human affection, destiny, and mental illusion. Through rich imagery of flowers, breezes, and honey, the lyrics ponder whether two interconnected souls can truly remain separated by misunderstandings or if they are bound to find their path back to each other. It questions the limits of human understanding when faced with fate and karma. The song highlights the paradoxical nature of human emotions, describing the mind as a house of illusion that strays out of pitch like an unrefined veena tone. Despite realizing truth and worldly wisdom, human nature continues to seek lingering darkness and unattainable desires, leaving destiny in the hands of the divine.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Manam endra maayaveedu

Compares the human mind directly to an illusory or mysterious house ('Manam endra maayaveedu').

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Vidhi yaar arivaar / Vinai yaar arivaar

Repetition of the initial sound 'Vi' in consecutive lines ('Vidhi' and 'Vinai').

Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Maaraadhadhu mayakkam mayakkam

Emphatic repetition of words like 'mayakkam' and 'vilakkam' to intensify the sense of intoxication/illusion and clarity.

Rhetorical Question

Poovum thendral kaatrum / Endrum oodal kollalaamo

Posing rhetorical queries using elements of nature to symbolize emotional dilemmas.

Did you know?

Trivia

Pick Pocket is a 1989 Tamil film starring Sathyaraj and Radha, with music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, who also wrote the lyrics for this song. The track blends deep philosophical introspections about fate and human weakness within a sweet, melodic romantic composition.

Keep listening

More from Pick Pocket