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Isaimozhi
Pick Pocket album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Poovum Thendral Katrum

From Pick Pocket · 1989

Lyricist
Ilaiyaraja
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Pick Pocket
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
30 Dec 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Poovum thendral kaatrum
Endrum oodal kollalaamo
Thaenum chinna poovum
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamo
Ondrai ondru koodum
Ullam maaralaamo
Unmai kanda yaarum
Ellai meeralaamo
Poovum thendral kaatrum
Endrum oodal kollalaamo
Thaenum chinna poovum
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamo
Vidhi yaar arivaar
Vinai yaar arivaar
Yedhu thaan mudivu
Avan thaan arivaar
Manam endra maayaveedu
Puriyaadha ondru
Viral meettum
Veenai ondru
Sudhi maari paaduthu
Maaraadhadhu mayakkam mayakkam
Poovum thendral kaatrum
Endrum oodal kollalaamo
Thaenum chinna poovum
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamo
Ulagai purindhum
Manadhil mayakkam
Vidindhaal kooda iravai thedum
Oru paadhai pona kaalgal
Dhisai maarip povadhen
Kadal moozhgi pona odam
Karai sera paarppadhenna
Yaar solvadho vilakkam vilakkam
Poovum thendral kaatrum
Endrum oodal kollalaamo
Thaenum chinna poovum
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamo
Ondrai ondru koodum
Ullam maaralaamo
Unmai kanda yaarum
Ellai meeralaamo
Poovum thendral kaatrum
Endrum oodal kollalaamo
Thaenum chinna poovum
Dhisai marandhae pogalaamo
Can the flower and the gentle breeze
ever quarrel with each other?
Can the sweet honey and the little flower
ever lose their way and part?
Hearts that come together as one,
could they ever change?
Anyone who knows the truth,
could they ever cross the line?
Can the flower and the gentle breeze
ever quarrel with each other?
Can the sweet honey and the little flower
ever lose their way and part?
Who knows what fate holds?
Who knows how destiny unfolds?
What the final outcome will be,
only God knows.
The mysterious house called the mind
is impossible to understand.
Plucked by fingers,
a veena
is playing out of tune.
What never fades is this lingering confusion.
Can the flower and the gentle breeze
ever quarrel with each other?
Can the sweet honey and the little flower
ever lose their way and part?
Even after understanding the world,
there is confusion in the heart.
Even after dawn arrives, it searches for the night.
The feet that walked along one path,
why do they lose their direction?
A boat that has sunk into the sea,
why does it still try to reach the shore?
Who can ever explain this mystery?
Can the flower and the gentle breeze
ever quarrel with each other?
Can the sweet honey and the little flower
ever lose their way and part?
Hearts that come together as one,
could they ever change?
Anyone who knows the truth,
could they ever cross the line?
Can the flower and the gentle breeze
ever quarrel with each other?
Can the sweet honey and the little flower
ever lose their way and part?
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

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