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Isaimozhi
Sevvanthi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Punnai Vana Poonguyile

From Sevvanthi · 1994

Lyricist
Piraisoodan
Singers
Arun Mozhi, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Sevvanthi
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
19 Dec 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aa….aah….aah….aaa…..
Aa….aah….aah….aaa…..aa….aa….
Aa….aah….aah….aa…..
Punnai vana poonguyilae poo magalae vaa
Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa
Poo pookkum pozhuthaachchu
Poo vizhiyum pooththaachchu
Alainthaaduthae manam alainthaaduthae
Kanavaanathae pala kanavaanathae
Punnai vana poonguyilae poo magalae vaa
Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa
Ennodu pesum ilam thendral kooda
En kelvikkendru padhil kooruthu
Sonnaalae puriyum un kannin mozhiyum
Munnaalae vanthu padhil kooru nee
En kangal sollum….mm….haa….
En kangal sollum mozhi kadhalae
Endrendrum sellum vilagaamalae
Thaniyaaga nindraalum un thaagamae
Thunaiyaaga vanthaalum thaniyaathathu
Punnai vana poonguyilae poo magalae vaa
Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa
Agal ennum dheepam anaiyaamal veesum
Azhagaaga aadum maruththenna pesum
Thoondaatha vilakku naam konda kadhal
Yaettraamal oliyai ennaalum veesum
Alai ointhu pogum….mm….hoi
Alai ointhu pogum kadal meedhi;ae
Nilaiyaana kadhal ooyaathammaa
Yaezhaelu jenmangal eduththaalumae
Ennodu nee thaanae en jeevamae
Punnai vana poonguyilae poo magalae vaa
Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa
Female :Poo pookkum pozhuthaachchu
Poo vizhiyum pooththaachchu
Alainthaaduthae manam alainthaaduthae
Kanavaanathae pala kanavaanathae
Punnai vana poonguyilae poo magalae vaa
Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa….aa….
Aa... aah... aah... aaaa...
Aa... aah... aah... aaaa... aa... aa...
Aa... aah... aah... aa...
Cuckoo of the punnai grove, flower-like girl, come to me!
Sweet as young Tamil and Kaveri, honey-voiced one, come!
It is time for flowers to bloom,
And flower-like eyes have blossomed too.
My heart wanders and sways,
So many hopes have turned into dreams.
Cuckoo of the punnai grove, flower-like girl, come to me!
Sweet as young Tamil and Kaveri, honey-voiced one, come!
Even the gentle breeze that speaks with me
Offers an answer to my question.
The language of your eyes is clear once spoken;
Come before me and give your answer.
What my eyes say... mm... ha...
The language my eyes speak is love,
Enduring forever without ever parting.
Even when standing alone, my longing is for you,
And even when you are near, this thirst never fades.
Cuckoo of the punnai grove, flower-like girl, come to me!
Sweet as young Tamil and Kaveri, honey-voiced one, come!
The little clay lamp glows without dying out,
What does the gracefully dancing breeze whisper?
The love we share is a lamp that needs no trimming,
Spreading light every day without even being lit.
The waves will quiet down... mm... hoy,
The waves upon the sea will eventually rest,
Yet our enduring love will never cease.
Even across seven times seven lifetimes,
You are the one who stays with me, my very life!
Cuckoo of the punnai grove, flower-like girl, come to me!
Sweet as young Tamil and Kaveri, honey-voiced one, come!
It is time for flowers to bloom,
And flower-like eyes have blossomed too.
My heart wanders and sways,
So many hopes have turned into dreams.
Cuckoo of the punnai grove, flower-like girl, come to me!
Sweet as young Tamil and Kaveri, honey-voiced one, come to me... aa...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Punnai Vana Poonguyilae is a deeply poetic love song from the film Sevvanthi (1994). The song portrays an intense emotional yearning and devotion, where the lover addresses his beloved with classical metaphors—comparing her to the sweet cuckoo of coastal Punnai groves and the pure, honeyed essence of the Kaveri river. The lyrics articulate a love that transcends ordinary worldly limits, describing it as an eternal lamp that shines bright without needing to be lit, and a bond that endures endlessly across seven births.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvam (Metaphor)

Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae vaa

Comparing the beloved's speech to Tamil and Kaveri river honey ('Kanni thamizh kaveriyaethaen mozhiyae').

Uvamai (Simile / Imagery)

Thoondaatha vilakku naam konda kadhal

Comparing eternal love to a self-sustaining, un-tended lamp ('Thoondaatha vilakku').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Thaniyaaga nindraalum un thaagamae / Thunaiyaaga vanthaalum thaniyaathathu

Rhyming of second letters 'ni' in 'Thaniyaaga' and 'Thunaiyaaga'.

Anuprasa / Repetition

Alainthaaduthae manam alainthaaduthae

Repetition of words like 'poo' and 'alainthaaduthae' to enhance rhythmic musicality.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by renowned lyricist Piraisoodan, the lyrics invoke rich Sangam-style imagery such as 'Punnai Vana' (groves of Alexandrian laurel trees commonly found near coastal regions) and references to the Kaveri river, seamlessly weaving classical Tamil literary motifs into 1990s film music.

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