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Rayilukku Neramachu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Poravale Ponnuthayi

From Rayilukku Neramachu · 1988

Lyricist
S. A. Rajkumar
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Swarnalatha
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Movie name
Rayilukku Neramachu
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
29 Mar 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Thedi vantha sodik kili
Odi vittaal aaaathadi
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Kallodu kadal urasa
Kadalu thanniya meenu urasa
Unnodu naanurasa
Oorukkellaam theriyumadi
Mookkuththi muththazhagi
Vaakku maranthathenna
Poovellaam needhaanae
Pozhuthellaam nenaichchenae
Thottu pesi vittu ponaa
Ketta peru yaarukku
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Thedi vantha sodik kili
Odi vittaal aaaathadi
Aaraaro aariraaro kannmaniyae
Onn aaththaalum paatteduththaen kannurangu
Suruththa puliya maram kannmaniyae
Nee soodhaadum Nanthavana kannmaniyae…ae….
Maiyala thanthuvittu maraiyaathae ponmayilae
Vellariya veyyil pada viduveno kannmaniyae
Nadhi mela varum odam nadhikku sontham aagaathadi
Kanneera kandaalumae karaiyaatho en theagamae
Santhegam kollaathae antha saami kaaththidum
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Poravalae ponnuththaayi
Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi
Thedi vantha sodik kili
Odi vittaal aaaathadi
O Ponnuthaayi, walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
O Ponnuthaayi, walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
When your pair-parrot comes searching for you,
It is not fair if you run away!
O Ponnuthaayi, walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
As the sea brushes against the rocks,
As the fish glides through the sea water,
When I get close and brush against you,
The whole village will surely know!
O pearl-like beauty with the nose ring,
Why did you forget your promise?
You are every flower to me,
I thought of you through every single hour.
If you touch, sweet-talk, and walk away,
Who will get the bad name?
O Ponnuthaayi... walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
When your pair-parrot comes searching for you,
It is not fair if you run away!
Aararo Aariraro, my precious darling,
Like your mother, I sang a lullaby, now go to sleep.
Near the shady tamarind tree, my darling,
In the flower garden where you playfully roam, my darling...
Do not stir my love and vanish, my golden peacock,
Would I ever let a tender cucumber wither in the sun, my darling?
A boat floating on the river never belongs to the river,
Won't my whole being melt if I see your tears?
Do not doubt, that God above will protect us.
O Ponnuthaayi, walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
O Ponnuthaayi, walking away,
Wait for me, girl, I am coming too!
When your pair-parrot comes searching for you,
It is not fair if you run away...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Poravalae Ponnuththaayi' is a soulful, folk-infused romantic track from the 1988 film 'Rayilukku Neramachu'. The song captures the raw emotions of a lover addressing his beloved, Ponnuthayi, as she prepares to depart. Through tender appeals and rural expressions, he implores her to stay or let him accompany her, reminding her of their promises and how deeply embedded she is in his everyday life. The lyrics rely heavily on pastoral metaphors—comparing emotional closeness to waves crashing against rocks and fish moving through sea waters. The singer reassures his beloved of his devotion, promising to protect her from life's hardships while pleading against the pain of separation and misunderstandings.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Poravalae ponnuththaayi / Naanum vaaraen nillu thaayi”

The lines end with identical rhyming suffixes 'ponnuththaayi' and 'nillu thaayi', giving the refrain a rhythmic folk cadence.

Metaphor (Uvamai)

“Thedi vantha sodik kili”

The beloved is affectionately compared to a 'sodik kili' (paired companion parrot) that searched for love.

Visual Imagery (Katchi Bimbam)

“Kallodu kadal urasa / Kadalu thanniya meenu urasa”

Paints vivid natural images of waves rubbing against coastal rocks and fish swimming in sea water to evoke natural intimacy.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Rayilukku Neramachu' (1988) featured lyricist S. A. Rajkumar in his early career phase. Rajkumar later transitioned into a highly successful and award-winning music composer in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada cinema during the 1990s and 2000s.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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Yelamala Kaathu Veesuthadi1988
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