Punnagai Puriyatha
From Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (1989 Film) · 1989
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- K. J. Jesudass, S. P. Shailaja
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (1989 Film)1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai | There are no words to express love |
| Female :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Female: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai | There are no words to express love |
| Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Male | |
| Ullam koyilaai kanal dheepamaai | With my heart as a temple and a flame as the sacred light |
| Mannila vaazhven unakkaaga | I shall live on this earth just for you |
| Female :Mulli thoonguven theeyil neenthuven | Female: I will sleep on thorns and swim across fire |
| Uyir konda penmai unakkaaga | This living womanhood of mine exists solely for you |
| Male | |
| Puyal varumpothum mazhai varumpothm | Even when storms arrive and rain pours down |
| Mayil madi saainthu magizhnthiruppen | I will lean on the lap of my peacock and rejoice |
| Female | |
| Aahaa haa Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai | There are no words to express love |
| Male :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai | There are no words to express love |
| Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Female | |
| Paadhi thookkaththil vaazhum yaekkaththil | In half-sleep and in living yearning |
| Paarkkum nokkaththil thudiththaenae | I throbbed with passion at every glance |
| Male :Valaiyal oosaikkum kolusin paasaikkum | Male: For the jingling sound of bangles and the language of anklets |
| Thanimaiyil yaengi thaviththaenae | I yearned and suffered in my solitude |
| Female :Nilavukku ennai nee azhaiththaalum | Female: Even if you invite me up to the moon |
| Pudavaiyil yaeni amaiththirupaen | I would construct a ladder out of my saree |
| Male | |
| Aahaa haa Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai | There are no words to express love |
| Male :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
| Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai | There are no words to express love |
| Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa…. | Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings? |
புன்னகை புரியாதா........
புன்னகை புரியாதா........
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தையில்லை
புன்னகை புரியாதா
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தைகள் இல்லை
இருவர் :
புன்னகை புரியாதா.....
Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Female: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
உள்ளம் கோயிலாய் கண்கள் தீபமாய்
மண்ணில் வாழுவேன் உனக்காக
முள்ளில் தூங்குவேன் தீயில் நீந்துவேன்
உயிர் கொண்ட பெண்மை உனக்காக
With my heart as a temple and a flame as the sacred light
I shall live on this earth just for you
Female: I will sleep on thorns and swim across fire
This living womanhood of mine exists solely for you
புயல் வரும்போதும் மழை வரும்போதும்
மயில் மடி சாய்ந்து மகிழ்ந்திருப்பேன்
Even when storms arrive and rain pours down
I will lean on the lap of my peacock and rejoice
ஆஹா ஹா புன்னகை புரியாதா
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தையில்லை
புன்னகை புரியாதா
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தைகள் இல்லை
இருவர் :
புன்னகை புரியாதா.....
Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
பாதி தூக்கத்தில் வாழும் ஏக்கத்தில்
பார்க்கும் நோக்கத்தில் துடித்தேனே
வளையல் ஓசைக்கும் கொலுசின் பாஷைக்கும்
தனிமையில் ஏங்கி தவித்தேனே
நிலவுக்கு என்னை நீ அழைத்தாலும்
புடவையில் ஏணி அமைத்திருப்பேன்
In half-sleep and in living yearning
I throbbed with passion at every glance
Male: For the jingling sound of bangles and the language of anklets
I yearned and suffered in my solitude
Female: Even if you invite me up to the moon
I would construct a ladder out of my saree
ஆஹாஹ் புன்னகை புரியாதா
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தையில்லை
புன்னகை புரியாதா
காதலை சொல்ல வார்த்தைகள் இல்லை
இருவர் :
புன்னகை புரியாதா.....
Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
There are no words to express love
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai
There are no words to express love
Female :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Female: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai
There are no words to express love
Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Ullam koyilaai kanal dheepamaai
With my heart as a temple and a flame as the sacred light
Mannila vaazhven unakkaaga
I shall live on this earth just for you
Female :Mulli thoonguven theeyil neenthuven
Female: I will sleep on thorns and swim across fire
Uyir konda penmai unakkaaga
This living womanhood of mine exists solely for you
Puyal varumpothum mazhai varumpothm
Even when storms arrive and rain pours down
Mayil madi saainthu magizhnthiruppen
I will lean on the lap of my peacock and rejoice
Aahaa haa Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai
There are no words to express love
Male :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai
There are no words to express love
Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Paadhi thookkaththil vaazhum yaekkaththil
In half-sleep and in living yearning
Paarkkum nokkaththil thudiththaenae
I throbbed with passion at every glance
Male :Valaiyal oosaikkum kolusin paasaikkum
Male: For the jingling sound of bangles and the language of anklets
Thanimaiyil yaengi thaviththaenae
I yearned and suffered in my solitude
Female :Nilavukku ennai nee azhaiththaalum
Female: Even if you invite me up to the moon
Pudavaiyil yaeni amaiththirupaen
I would construct a ladder out of my saree
Aahaa haa Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Aahaa haa, won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaiyillai
There are no words to express love
Male :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Male: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Kadhalai solla vaarththaigal illai
There are no words to express love
Both :Punnagai puriyaathaa….
Both: Won't a smile convey my feelings?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This romantic duet centers around the idea that words are insufficient to articulate the depth of true love, making a gentle smile the ultimate language of emotion. Both lovers express their unconditional surrender to each other through vivid imagery—promising to endure extreme hardships, overcome storms, and cross impossible distances just to be together.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Ullam koyilaai kanal dheepamaai”
Compares the heart to a temple ('Ullam koyilaai') and inner passion/life to a sacred lamp ('kanal dheepamaai').
Uyarvu Navirtchi (Hyperbole)
“Pudavaiyil yaeni amaiththirupaen”
Uses poetic exaggeration of making a ladder out of a saree to reach the moon to illustrate absolute devotion.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Mulli thoonguven theeyil neenthuven”
Rhyming of the second consonants 'll' in 'Mulli' and 'Uyir' (l/r liquid consonant harmony) and rhythm in stanza structure.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by acclaimed lyricist Vairamuthu, this song features classical Sangam-style imagery adapted for modern Tamil film music, using extreme romantic devotion tropes such as sleeping on thorns and building ladders to the moon.
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