Pothi Vacha (Sad)
From Mann Vasanai · 1983
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Mann Vasanai1983
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Pothivecha malliga mottu | The jasmine bud kept hidden away, |
| Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu | Is fading away, longing for its fragrance. |
| Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae… | It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet... |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda | The evening luck filled with desire, |
| Aalaanadhae | That had come into being, |
| Indru paalanadhae | Has turned into waste today. |
| Female | |
| Pothivecha malliga mottu | The jasmine bud kept hidden away, |
| Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu | Is fading away, longing for its fragrance. |
| Female | |
| Chinna kili naalum | Does the little parrot every day, |
| Yenguvilaiyya | Not yearn for you, my dear? |
| Seiya sonna thaali | The sacred thread ordered to be crafted, |
| Vangavillaiyaa | Was it not bought for me? |
| Female | |
| Ithu maari ponadhaa | Has this course changed completely? |
| Dhesai maari ponadhaa | Has it lost its true direction? |
| Ithu neethaana | Is this really you? |
| Ini vazhvenaa | Will I have a life anymore? |
| Intha aathu meedu satchi solluma | Will this riverbank stand as my witness? |
| Female | |
| Pothivecha malliga mottu | The jasmine bud kept hidden away, |
| Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu | Is fading away, longing for its fragrance. |
| Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae… | It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet... |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda | The evening luck filled with desire, |
| Aalaanadhae | That had come into being, |
| Indru paalanadhae | Has turned into waste today. |
| Female | |
| Unna enni thaanae | Thinking only of your thoughts, |
| Manjal kulichen | I bathed in sacred turmeric, |
| Rettai jadai pottu | Plaiting my double braids, |
| Pinni mudichen | I neatly tied my hair. |
| Female | |
| Athu kalanji ponadhu | All of it got disheveled, |
| Konjam karanji ponadhu | And faded away a bit. |
| Manam paaradhu | The heart feels heavily burdened, |
| Unnai cheradhu | It will never unite with you. |
| Ival kolam poda vaasal illaiyae | There is no doorway left for her to draw a welcoming pattern. |
| Female | |
| Pothivecha malliga mottu | The jasmine bud kept hidden away, |
| Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu | Is fading away, longing for its fragrance. |
| Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae… | It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet... |
| Female | |
| Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda | The evening luck filled with desire, |
| Aalaanadhae..hmmm..mmmm | That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm |
| Indru paalanadhae…mmm…mmm | Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm |
| Aalaanadhae..hmmm..mmmm | That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm |
| Indru paalanadhae…mmm…mmm | Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm |
பொத்திவெச்ச
மல்லிக மொட்டு வாடுதடி
வாசனை கெட்டு மாலையோட
சேர வில்லையே
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
மாலையோகம்
ஆசையோட ஆளானதே
இன்று பாலானதே
The evening luck filled with desire,
That had come into being,
Has turned into waste today.
பொத்திவெச்ச
மல்லிக மொட்டு வாடுதடி
வாசனை கெட்டு
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
சின்ன கிளி நாளும்
ஏங்கவில்லையா செய்ய
சொன்ன தாலி வாங்க
வில்லையா
Does the little parrot every day,
Not yearn for you, my dear?
The sacred thread ordered to be crafted,
Was it not bought for me?
இது மாறி போனதா
திசை மாறி போனதா இது
நீதானா இனி வாழ்வேனா
இந்த ஆத்து மேடு சாட்சி
சொல்லுமா
Has this course changed completely?
Has it lost its true direction?
Is this really you?
Will I have a life anymore?
Will this riverbank stand as my witness?
பொத்திவெச்ச
மல்லிக மொட்டு வாடுதடி
வாசனை கெட்டு மாலையோட
சேர வில்லையே
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
மாலையோகம்
ஆசையோட ஆளானதே
இன்று பாலானதே
The evening luck filled with desire,
That had come into being,
Has turned into waste today.
உன்ன எண்ணி
தானே மஞ்சள் குளிச்சேன்
ரெட்டை ஜடை போட்டு
பின்னி முடிச்சேன்
Thinking only of your thoughts,
I bathed in sacred turmeric,
Plaiting my double braids,
I neatly tied my hair.
அது கலைஞ்சி
போனது கொஞ்சம் கரைஞ்சி
போனது மனம் பாராது உன்னை
சேராது இவள் கோலம் போட
வாசல் இல்லையே
All of it got disheveled,
And faded away a bit.
The heart feels heavily burdened,
It will never unite with you.
There is no doorway left for her to draw a welcoming pattern.
பொத்திவெச்ச
மல்லிக மொட்டு வாடுதடி
வாசனை கெட்டு மாலையோட
சேர வில்லையே
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
மாலையோகம்
ஆசையோட ஆளானதே
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம் இன்று
பாலானதே ம்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
ஆளானதே ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
இன்று பாலானதே ம்ம்ம்
ம்ம்ம்
The evening luck filled with desire,
That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm
Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm
That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm
Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm
Pothivecha malliga mottu
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae…
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda
The evening luck filled with desire,
Aalaanadhae
That had come into being,
Indru paalanadhae
Has turned into waste today.
Pothivecha malliga mottu
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
Chinna kili naalum
Does the little parrot every day,
Yenguvilaiyya
Not yearn for you, my dear?
Seiya sonna thaali
The sacred thread ordered to be crafted,
Vangavillaiyaa
Was it not bought for me?
Ithu maari ponadhaa
Has this course changed completely?
Dhesai maari ponadhaa
Has it lost its true direction?
Ithu neethaana
Is this really you?
Ini vazhvenaa
Will I have a life anymore?
Intha aathu meedu satchi solluma
Will this riverbank stand as my witness?
Pothivecha malliga mottu
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae…
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda
The evening luck filled with desire,
Aalaanadhae
That had come into being,
Indru paalanadhae
Has turned into waste today.
Unna enni thaanae
Thinking only of your thoughts,
Manjal kulichen
I bathed in sacred turmeric,
Rettai jadai pottu
Plaiting my double braids,
Pinni mudichen
I neatly tied my hair.
Athu kalanji ponadhu
All of it got disheveled,
Konjam karanji ponadhu
And faded away a bit.
Manam paaradhu
The heart feels heavily burdened,
Unnai cheradhu
It will never unite with you.
Ival kolam poda vaasal illaiyae
There is no doorway left for her to draw a welcoming pattern.
Pothivecha malliga mottu
The jasmine bud kept hidden away,
Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu
Is fading away, longing for its fragrance.
Maalaiyoda sera villaiyae..ae…
It hasn't joined the wedding garland yet...
Maalaiyogam aasaiyoda
The evening luck filled with desire,
Aalaanadhae..hmmm..mmmm
That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm
Indru paalanadhae…mmm…mmm
Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm
Aalaanadhae..hmmm..mmmm
That had come into being..hmmm..mmmm
Indru paalanadhae…mmm…mmm
Has turned into waste today…mmm…mmm
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Pothi Vecha Malliga Mottu from the movie Mann Vasanai is a poignant Tamil song expressing heartbreak, longing, and grief over unfulfilled love. The female protagonist compares her youthful devotion and innocence to a hidden jasmine bud that wilts away without ever becoming part of a marital garland. She laments how all her traditional preparations for a shared future—decorating herself, wearing turmeric, and dreaming of marriage—have dissolved into despair.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Pothivecha malliga mottu / Vaadudhadi vasanai kettu”
The 'pothivecha malliga mottu' (wrapped jasmine bud) is a central metaphor representing the female protagonist's purity, blossoming youth, and unfulfilled romantic desires.
Rhyme (Edhukai/Iyaibu)
“Aalaanadhae / Indru paalanadhae”
The usage of end-rhymes and structural Tamil sound patterns like 'Aalaanadhae' paired with 'Paalanadhae', and 'Kulichen' with 'Mudichen'.
Rural Imagery (Kaatchi Inbam)
“Intha aathu meedu satchi solluma”
Vivid cultural and pastoral imagery such as turmeric baths, double-plaited hair, riverbanks, and doorstep patterns (kolam) ground the emotional heartbreak in authentic village life.
Did you know?
Trivia
Mann Vasanai (1983), directed by P. Bharathiraja, marked the iconic debut of actress Revathi and actor Pandiyan. The soundtrack composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, featuring lyrics by Vairamuthu, was a monumental success and remains a classic of 1980s Tamil cinema.
Keep listening
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