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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pulveli Pulveli (Male)

From Aasai · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Unnikrishnan
Music director
Deva
Details
Aasai1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ahh…na na nana nana naa naa..Ahh…na na nana nana naa naa..
Thana naa naa naana naana naa naaThana naa naa naana naana naa naa
Na na nana nana naa naa..Na na nana nana naa naa..
Thana naa naa naana naana naa naaThana naa naa naana naana naa naa
Male
Pulveli pulveli thannilOn the grassy lawn,
Panithuli panithuli ondruA single dewdrop
Thoongudhu thoongudhu paarammaaIs sleeping, look Mother!
Adhai sooriyan sooriyan vandhuThe sun comes,
Chellamaai chellamaai killiAffectionately pinches it,
Ezhupudhu ezhupudhu yenammaa..And wakes it up—why is that, Mother?
Male
Idhayam paravai pol aagumaa..Will my heart become like a bird?
Parandhaal vaanamae podhumaa..If it flies, will even the vast sky be enough?
Naan pullil irangavaa..Shall I land on the grass?
Ilai poovil urangavaaa…Shall I sleep inside a leaf and a flower?
Male
Pulveli pulveli thannilOn the grassy lawn,
Panithuli panithuli ondruA single dewdrop
Thoongudhu thoongudhuIs sleeping, sleeping,
Paarammaa..aaa…Look Mother!
Chorus
Rurururuuu..ruruuuRurururuuu..ruruuu
Ru…ru..ru…Ru…ru..ru…
Rurururuuu..ruruuu ru…Rurururuuu..ruruuu ru…
Male
ChitchitchitchitchitchitChirp-chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!
ChittukkuruviO little sparrow!
Chittaaga chellum siragaiWho gave you wings
Thandhadhu yaaruThat dart away so fast?
PatpatpatpatpatpatpatFlutter-flutter-flutter-flutter!
PattaamboochchiO butterfly!
Palanooru vannam unnilWho gave you hundreds of colors
Thandhadhu yaaruUpon your wings?
Male
Ilaigalil oligindra poo koottamClusters of flowers hiding among the leaves
Enaikkandu enaikkandu thalaiyaattumNod their heads upon seeing me.
Kilaigalil oligindra kuyil koottamGroups of cuckoos hiding in the branches
Enaikkandu enaikkandu isai meettumPlay musical notes upon seeing me.
Poovanamae endhan manam..My heart is a flower garden..
Punnagaiyae endhan madhamMy religion is a smile!
Male
Ammammaa…aaa…Oh dear Mother!...
Male & Female :Male & Female chorus:
Vaanam thirandhirukku paarungalLook, the sky is wide open!
Enai vaanil yetrivida vaarungalCome to lift me up into the sky!
Male
Pulveli pulveli thannilOn the grassy lawn,
Panithuli panithuli ondruA single dewdrop
Thoongudhu thoongudhuIs sleeping, sleeping,
Paarammaa….aaa….Look Mother!...
Male
HaaaaahhaaaaaaHaaaaahhaaaaaa
Haaaahaaaa haaaaHaaaahaaaa haaaa
Haaa aaa haaaaa aaah…haaa…aa…aaah….Haaa aaa haaaaa aaah…haaa…aa…aaah….
Male
ThulthulthulthulthulthulHop-hop-hop-hop-hop-hop!
Thullum anilaeO frisking squirrel!
Minnalpol pogum vegamWho gave you the speed
Thandhadhu yaaruThat moves like lightning?
JaljaljaljaljalJingle-jingle-jingle-jingle!
Jallena oodum nadhiyaeO river running with a tinkling sound,
Sangeedha nyaanam petruWho gave you this musical knowledge
Thandhadhu yaaruAnd blessed you with it?
Male
Malaiyannai tharugindraGiven by Mother Mountain,
Thaaipaal polLike mother's milk,
Vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhu vellai aruviThe white waterfall overflows and streams down.
Aruviyai muzhuvadhum parugividaTo drink up the entire waterfall,
Aasaiyil parakkudhu chinnakuruviA tiny bird flies with eager longing.
Poovanamae endhan manam .My heart is a flower garden.
Punnagaiyae endhan madhamMy religion is a smile!
Male
Ammammaa..aaa….Oh dear Mother!...
Male & Female :Male & Female chorus:
Vaanam thirandhirukku paarungalLook, the sky is wide open!
Enai vaanil yetrivida vaarungalCome to lift me up into the sky!
Male
Pulveli pulveli thannilOn the grassy lawn,
Panithuli panithuli ondruA single dewdrop
Thoongudhu thoongudhu paarammaaIs sleeping, look Mother!
Adhai sooriyan sooriyan vandhuThe sun comes,
Chellamaai chellamaai killiAffectionately pinches it,
Ezhupudhu ezhupudhu yenammaa..And wakes it up—why is that, Mother?
Male
Idhayam paravai pol aagumaa..Will my heart become like a bird?
Parandhaal vaanamae podhumaa..If it flies, will even the vast sky be enough?
Naan pullil irangavaa..Shall I land on the grass?
Ilai poovil urangavaaa…aaa….aa….Shall I sleep inside a leaf and a flower?
Chorus
{Pa papa pa papa ma gha{Pa papa pa papa ma gha
Ma mama ma mama gha riMa mama ma mama gha ri
Ga gagha ga gagha ri sa ri} (2)Ga gagha ga gagha ri sa ri} (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Pulveli Pulveli' from the film Aasai (1995) is a joyous celebration of nature, innocence, and childlike wonder. The song captures the protagonist's marvel at the natural world around her—observing dewdrops asleep on grass blades, sunrays gently waking them, squirrels leaping like lightning, rivers flowing with innate musicality, and colorful butterflies fluttering in the breeze. Through these vibrant images, she expresses a feeling of blissful oneness with nature, declaring her heart to be a flower garden and a smile to be her true religion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Rhythm/Emphasis)

Pulveli pulveli thannil / Panithuli panithuli ondru / Thoongudhu thoongudhu paarammaa

Tamil poetic tradition uses doubled words (adukkuthodar) to build rhythm and imitate gentle motion or lingering affection.

Personification (Tharkiropam)

Adhai sooriyan sooriyan vandhu / Chellamaai chellamaai killi / Ezhupudhu ezhupudhu yenammaa..

The sun is personified as a loving caregiver who gently pinches the sleeping dewdrop to wake it up in the morning.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Poovanamae endhan manam.. / Punnagaiyae endhan madham

The singer directly equates her inner emotional state and worldview to nature and pure joy without using comparative words.

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kurippu Sol)

Chitchitchitchitchitchit / Patpatpatpatpatpatpat / Thulthulthulthulthulthul / Jaljaljaljaljal

Imitative words capture the specific movements and sounds of sparrows, butterflies, squirrels, and flowing streams.

Simile (Uvamai)

Malaiyannai tharugindra / Thaaipaal pol / Vazhiyudhu vazhiyudhu vellai aruvi

The cascading white waterfall is compared to nourishing milk flowing directly from Mother Mountain.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Deva with lyrics by Vairamuthu for Vasanth's hit romantic thriller 'Aasai' (1995), produced by Mani Ratnam. Sung primarily by K. S. Chithra, the song earned immense popularity for its refreshing use of natural sound imitations and playful rhythmic folk-classical phrasing.

Keep listening

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