Porumai Orunaal Pongi
From Rathinapuri Ilavarasi · 1960
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singer
- T. R. Mahalingam
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Rathinapuri Ilavarasi1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Yen endru ketkavae | Just because there is no person |
| aal illai enbathaalae | To stand up and ask 'Why?' |
| Thaan endra agangaaram | Egotism and arrogance |
| thalai virithu aaduthada | Dances wild and unchecked! |
| Oonuruga ezhaigalin | While the hearts of the poor, melting their flesh, |
| ullam ellaam punaaga | Turn completely into painful wounds, |
| Uyirodu kolbavanai kaalam | The one who kills them while they live—time |
| uyarvaai madhikuthada…aa..aa.. | Highly honors him! Ah... Ah... |
| Male | |
| Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal | If patience boils over one day, |
| boomi nadungumada | The earth will tremble! |
| Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai | The villain who commits evil atrocities, |
| avan kuraigal vizhungamada | His own shortcomings will swallow him! |
| Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai | The villain who commits evil atrocities, |
| avan kuraigal vizhungamada | His own shortcomings will swallow him! |
| Male | |
| Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal | If patience boils over one day, |
| boomi nadungumada | The earth will tremble! |
| Male | |
| Kaalaiyaagi madhiyamaagi maalaiyaanadhu pala poludhu | Mornings turned to afternoons and became evenings for many times, |
| Maalaiyaagi pagalum mudinthu | Evenings passed, days ended, |
| Irulum ponadhu pala iravu | And dark nights went by for many nights. |
| Gnyaalam muluvadhumae | Even the sun that rules over |
| aalgindra kadhiron | The entire world, |
| Vaazhvellam oru naal vaazhvadhendraal | If his life is only meant for a single day, |
| Dhinam theeradha veriyodu | With an insatiable frenzy every day, |
| Poraadum manidhan | Man who keeps fighting— |
| Per aasai nilaithanai enendru solven | How shall I describe the state of his extreme greed? |
| Male | |
| Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal | If patience boils over one day, |
| boomi nadungumada | The earth will tremble! |
| Male | |
| Maanam endrae mangai azhudhaal | If a woman cries pleading for her dignity, |
| Inbamendrae nagaippaanae | He laughs treating it as pleasure. |
| Vazhavayadhil seidha vinaiyai | The karma committed during his prime youth, |
| Vaazhvu mudivil ninaipaanae | He will recall at the end of his life. |
| Male | |
| Thaanaaga sirippaan thaanaaga aluvaan | He will laugh by himself, he will cry by himself, |
| Kaanadha kanavum kaanbaanae | He will see dreams he has never seen before. |
| Avan aanaandha vaazhvendru eenangal thedi | Seeking vile pleasures calling it a blissful life, |
| Koonaagi oonaagi koodaagi poovaan | He will become hunchbacked, skeletal, a mere frame, and fade away. |
| Male | |
| Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal | If patience boils over one day, |
| boomi nadungumada | The earth will tremble! |
| Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai | The villain who commits evil atrocities, |
| avan kuraigal vizhungamada | His own shortcomings will swallow him! |
ஏனென்று கேட்கவே
ஆளில்லை என்பதாலே
தானென்ற அகங்காரம்
தலைவிரித்து ஆடுதடா
ஊனுருக ஏழைகளின்
உள்ளமெல்லாம் புண்ணாக
உயிரோடு கொல்பவனைக் காலம்
உயர்வாய் மதிக்குதடா.ஆஅ ..
Just because there is no person
To stand up and ask 'Why?'
Egotism and arrogance
Dances wild and unchecked!
While the hearts of the poor, melting their flesh,
Turn completely into painful wounds,
The one who kills them while they live—time
Highly honors him! Ah... Ah...
பொறுமை ஒருநாள்
பொங்கி எழுந்தால் பூமி நடுங்குமடா
கொடுமை புரியும் பாதகனை
அவன் குறைகள் விழுங்குமடா
கொடுமை புரியும் பாதகனை
அவன் குறைகள் விழுங்குமடா
If patience boils over one day,
The earth will tremble!
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
பொறுமை ஒருநாள்
பொங்கி எழுந்தால் பூமி நடுங்குமடா
If patience boils over one day,
The earth will tremble!
காலையாகி மதியமாகி
மாலையானது பல பொழுது,
மாலையாகி பகலும் முடிந்து
இருளும் போனது பல இரவு
ஞாலம் முழுவதுமே ஆள்கின்ற கதிரோன்
வாழ்வெல்லாம்
ஒரு நாள் வாழ்வென்றதால்
தினம் தீராத வெறியோடு
போராடும் மனிதன்
பேராசை நிலைதனை
என்னென்று சொல்வேன்!
Mornings turned to afternoons and became evenings for many times,
Evenings passed, days ended,
And dark nights went by for many nights.
Even the sun that rules over
The entire world,
If his life is only meant for a single day,
With an insatiable frenzy every day,
Man who keeps fighting—
How shall I describe the state of his extreme greed?
பொறுமை ஒருநாள்
பொங்கி எழுந்தால் பூமி நடுங்குமடா
If patience boils over one day,
The earth will tremble!
மானம் என்றே மங்கை அழுதால்
இன்பமென்றே நகைப்பானே
வால வயதில் செய்த வினையை
வாழ்வு முடிவில் நினைப்பானே
If a woman cries pleading for her dignity,
He laughs treating it as pleasure.
The karma committed during his prime youth,
He will recall at the end of his life.
தானாகச் சிரிப்பான் தானாக அழுவான்
காணாத கனவும் காண்பானே
அவன் ஆனந்த வாழ்வென்று ஈனங்கள் தேடித்
கூனாகி ஊனாகிக் கூடாகிப் போவானே
He will laugh by himself, he will cry by himself,
He will see dreams he has never seen before.
Seeking vile pleasures calling it a blissful life,
He will become hunchbacked, skeletal, a mere frame, and fade away.
பொறுமை ஒருநாள்
பொங்கி எழுந்தால் பூமி நடுங்குமடா
கொடுமை புரியும் பாதகனை
அவன் குறைகள் விழுங்குமடா
If patience boils over one day,
The earth will tremble!
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
Yen endru ketkavae
Just because there is no person
aal illai enbathaalae
To stand up and ask 'Why?'
Thaan endra agangaaram
Egotism and arrogance
thalai virithu aaduthada
Dances wild and unchecked!
Oonuruga ezhaigalin
While the hearts of the poor, melting their flesh,
ullam ellaam punaaga
Turn completely into painful wounds,
Uyirodu kolbavanai kaalam
The one who kills them while they live—time
uyarvaai madhikuthada…aa..aa..
Highly honors him! Ah... Ah...
Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal
If patience boils over one day,
boomi nadungumada
The earth will tremble!
Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
avan kuraigal vizhungamada
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
avan kuraigal vizhungamada
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal
If patience boils over one day,
boomi nadungumada
The earth will tremble!
Kaalaiyaagi madhiyamaagi maalaiyaanadhu pala poludhu
Mornings turned to afternoons and became evenings for many times,
Maalaiyaagi pagalum mudinthu
Evenings passed, days ended,
Irulum ponadhu pala iravu
And dark nights went by for many nights.
Gnyaalam muluvadhumae
Even the sun that rules over
aalgindra kadhiron
The entire world,
Vaazhvellam oru naal vaazhvadhendraal
If his life is only meant for a single day,
Dhinam theeradha veriyodu
With an insatiable frenzy every day,
Poraadum manidhan
Man who keeps fighting—
Per aasai nilaithanai enendru solven
How shall I describe the state of his extreme greed?
Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal
If patience boils over one day,
boomi nadungumada
The earth will tremble!
Maanam endrae mangai azhudhaal
If a woman cries pleading for her dignity,
Inbamendrae nagaippaanae
He laughs treating it as pleasure.
Vazhavayadhil seidha vinaiyai
The karma committed during his prime youth,
Vaazhvu mudivil ninaipaanae
He will recall at the end of his life.
Thaanaaga sirippaan thaanaaga aluvaan
He will laugh by himself, he will cry by himself,
Kaanadha kanavum kaanbaanae
He will see dreams he has never seen before.
Avan aanaandha vaazhvendru eenangal thedi
Seeking vile pleasures calling it a blissful life,
Koonaagi oonaagi koodaagi poovaan
He will become hunchbacked, skeletal, a mere frame, and fade away.
Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal
If patience boils over one day,
boomi nadungumada
The earth will tremble!
Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai
The villain who commits evil atrocities,
avan kuraigal vizhungamada
His own shortcomings will swallow him!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic philosophical Tamil song composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and penned by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram serves as a stern warning against tyranny, greed, and arrogance. It depicts how oppressors act ruthlessly when there is no opposition, causing severe suffering to the poor and disrespecting the dignity of women. However, the song reminds us that justice and time are relentless; when the tolerance of the oppressed finally breaks, it creates a powerful upheaval that brings down tyrants. Ultimately, men who act with unchecked greed and commit sins in their youth face psychological ruin, physical decay, and retribution in their old age, consumed by their own misdeeds.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal / Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai”
Matching of second consonants across lines ('Porumai' and 'Kodumai') creates a rhythmic cadence in the chorus.
Monai (Alliteration)
“Porumai orunaal pongi ezhundhaal”
Repetition of the initial letter 'P' in 'Porumai' and 'pongi' adds oral resonance.
Personification
“Kodumai puriyum paadhaganai avan kuraigal vizhungamada”
Attributes the human action of 'swallowing' to abstract faults/sins ('kuraigal vizhungamada').
Visual Imagery & Gradation
“Koonaagi oonaagi koodaagi poovaan”
Describes physical aging and decay progressively using vivid imagery ('Koonaagi' - hunchbacked, 'oonaagi' - emaciated, 'koodaagi' - reduced to a shell).
Did you know?
Trivia
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, popularly known as 'Makkal Kavignar' (People's Poet), was famous for embedding leftist and egalitarian philosophy into mainstream film songs. Delivered in T. R. Mahalingam's powerful high-pitched voice, 'Porumai Orunaal' remains one of the most celebrated moral and social critique songs in Tamil cinema.
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