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Singaravelan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pudhu Cheri Katcheri (Sad)

From Singaravelan · 1992

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Singaravelan
Movie release year
1992
Lyrics added on
18 May 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Varacholli inneram
Vanakuyil azaiththadhu vandhen
Kurai solli ippodhu
Virattida theruvinil nindren
Azugayai kannodu adakkida
Ninaikkayil naanum
Yenakena kannerai
Vadikkidhu vadikkidhu vaanam
Unai ninaiththu
Uyir thudiththu
Dhinam dhinam naan
Isai padiththen
Unadhazagai vizhi irandaal
Azhagazhagaai silai vadiththen
Kalangam illadha kaadhal
Pizhaigal illadha paadal
Idayil undaana oodal
Nijangal aagaadhu kaanal
Vaarththai poiyaagum
Vaazhkkai poiyaagum
Kaadhal poiyaavadhaedhu
{Pudhucheri katcheri…
Pudhucheri katcheri
Ekkachakka party onnu pudichen
Pudhu tiger aachaari
Varadhaachaari pola padichen}
Asking me to come at this hour,
The cuckoo in the woods called, and so I came.
Blaming me and finding fault now,
She drove me out, and I stand on the street.
As I try to hold back the tears
Right inside my eyes,
Shedding tears for my sake,
The sky pours down its rain.
Thinking of you,
My heart aching with longing,
Day after day,
I sang my songs.
Looking at your beauty with both my eyes,
I sculpted a lovely idol.
A love without any blemish,
A song without any flaw,
This quarrel that arose between us—
A mirage can never be real.
Words may prove false,
Life itself may prove false,
How could love ever be false?
{A concert in Puducherry…
A concert in Puducherry,
I caught hold of a big-shot client,
Like a new Tiger Achari,
I sang just like Varadachari (legendary classical singer)!}
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Male
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Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song depicts the emotional pain of rejection contrasted against deep devotion to love and music. The protagonist laments being summoned by his beloved only to be turned away and left on the street. In his sorrow, he perceives the raining sky as weeping tears along with him, yet he holds firm to the belief that his artistic expression and love remain pure, unblemished, and eternal even if words and life prove deceptive.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

Yenakena kannerai vadikkidhu vadikkidhu vaanam

The sky is personified as crying tears of rain in empathy with the heartbroken protagonist.

Anaphora / Antistrophe (Iyaibu)

Vaarththai poiyaagum / Vaazhkkai poiyaagum

The repetition of 'poiyaagum' at the end of consecutive phrases creates poetic rhythm and emphasizes the contrast between worldly falsehoods and genuine love.

Metaphor

Nijangal aagaadhu kaanal

The misunderstanding between the lovers is metaphorically compared to a mirage ('kaanal') that can never hold true reality.

Did you know?

Trivia

The music for Singaravelan (1992) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Vaali. The song famously incorporates humorous classical music references ('Pudhucheri Katcheri' and 'Tiger Varadachari') contrasting with the deeply emotional melody.

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