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Lyrics & meaning

Pullaiyaare Pullaiyaare

From Neram Vandhachu · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Vani Jairam, Chorus
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Neram Vandhachu1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO Lord Ganesha, O Lord Ganesha, O Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Pondaatti rendodu un thambi irukkaWhile your younger brother lives with two wives,
Nee kannaalam kattaatha kaaranamenna saamiWhat is the reason you didn't get married, O Lord?
Female
Pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO Lord Ganesha, O Lord Ganesha, O Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Female
Enakkoru kannaalam adhukku oru sampanthamA marriage for me, and a match for that,
Amaiyanum annaatchi unnaalaeMust be arranged by you, my master, by your grace!
Paniyaaramum kozhukkattaiyumPaniyaaram cakes and Kozhukkattai dumplings,
Pasiyaara naan aakki padaichchu vaippenyaaI shall cook and offer to you to satisfy your hunger, O Lord!
Chorus
Pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO Lord Ganesha, O Lord Ganesha, O Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Saami pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO God, Lord Ganesha, Lord Ganesha, Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Male
Naalthorum enakku naan podum sarakkuThe drink that I consume every single day,
Theeraamal oyaamal irukkum varaiyil eduththu viduUntil it stays without running out or ending, keep pouring it!
Poomaari pogum somaari naanthaanI am a lazy fellow showered with flowers,
Aanaalum saami nee nenaichcha sugaththa enakku koduEven so, O God, if you think of it, give me divine joy!
Chorus
Pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO Lord Ganesha, O Lord Ganesha, O Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Saami pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaaraeO God, Lord Ganesha, Lord Ganesha, Mukkuruni Ganesha!
Male
Sevalum illa kozhiyum illa rendungkettanthaanNeither a rooster nor a hen, caught right in the middle,
Ippadi irukku en kadhai eppadi irukku un kadhaiThis is how my story is; how is your story?
Adadaa needhaan aambalaiyaachchae ellaa jodiyumAh, you are a true man, with every pair...
Chorus
…………….....
Female
Naanthaan oru koondukkili thaangaathu naan pattappaaduI am a caged parrot, unable to bear the suffering I go through.
Naanthaan oru koondukkili thaangaathu naan pattappaaduI am a caged parrot, unable to bear the suffering I go through.
Ennappadi vannakkodi naanaada nee konjam vaazhththuWish me well so that I can dance gracefully like a colorful banner!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Pullaiyaarae Pullaiyaarae from the movie Neram Vandhachu (1982) is a playful folk-devotional track where characters address Lord Ganesha (Mukkuruni Pillaiyar) with witty banter and sincere pleas. The speaker playfully teases Ganesha about remaining unmarried while his younger brother Lord Murugan has two wives, offering delicacies like paniyaaram and kozhukkattai in exchange for finding a good spouse and ensuring a endless flow of life's spirits. The narrative blends comedic negotiation with underlying themes of personal hardship, metaphorically describing the speaker as a caged parrot yearning for divine blessings, relief from suffering, and the freedom to flourish like a fluttering banner.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Apostrophe / Direct Address

Pullaiyaarae pullaiyaarae mukkuruni pullaiyaarae

Directly addressing Lord Ganesha ('Pullaiyaarae', 'Annaatchi') with colloquial intimacy, treating the deity as an approachable, older companion.

Metaphor (Uvamaanam)

Naanthaan oru koondukkili thaangaathu naan pattappaadu

The speaker compares their trapped, restricted life state to a 'koondukkili' (caged parrot) suffering in captivity.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming in Tamil Prosody)

Paniyaaramum kozhukkattaiyum / Pasiyaara naan aakki padaichchu vaippenyaa

The second letters of 'Paniyaaramum' and 'Pasiyaara' share the consonant 'si/ni' family harmony, creating traditional Tamil acoustic rhythm.

Simile / Imagery

Ennappadi vannakkodi naanaada nee konjam vaazhththu

The wish to dance freely like a colorful flag ('vannakkodi') represents joy and liberation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Mukkuruni Pillaiyar refers to a giant icon of Lord Ganesha, famously enshrined at the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, where a huge measure of rice flour ('mukkuruni') is used to make a giant Kozhukkattai offering during Vinayagar Chaturthi. Lyricist Vaali adeptly combines this deity's traditional lore with rural folk humor for the music score composed by Shankar-Ganesh.

Keep listening

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