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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Punnakunnu

From Arul · 2004

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singers
Manikka Vinayagam, Tippu, Sriram Parthasarathy
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Movie name
Arul
Movie release year
2004
Lyrics added on
20 Jun 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha
Appan engada
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
En appan thaanae sonnaan
Ippo adhukku ennadaa
Naina saabu thittinaalum
Kavalai illadaa
Nee aina sabhai pola
Kaathil pottukollendaa
Sonthamunna sothanaiyinnu
Therinjukoyenda
Un appanaiyum avanga appan
Medhuchiruppaan da hoi
Enna paathu sonna
En kanna paathu sonna
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa
Adichu norukkuven
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha
Appan engada
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
En appan thaanae sonnaan
Ippo adhukku ennadaa
Aadi maasam kaathadicha
Ammi kooda parakkum
Appanukko kirukku vandha
Kannu rendum iruttum
Kaara pasu kannu kuttiya
Etti etti odhaikum
Valichaalum kannu kutti
Ammaa-nu thaan katharum
Unnai yethum sonnaakaa
Ullukullae valikkum
Anji bottle oothikittum
Bodhai illai enakkum…oh…oh….
Thandavaalam thadam purandaa
Rayilu vandi sarukkum
Thagappanai madhikkalaina
Vaazhkai pooraa vazhukkum
Enna paathu sonna
En kanna paathu sonna
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa
Adichu norukkuven
Punnaakunu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
Chorus :Slave-ah
Male :Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha
Appan engada
Chorus :Slow-ah
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
Chorus :Slave-ah
En appan thaanae sonnaan
Ippo adhukku ennadaa
Kallula sirantha kallu
Oththa marathu kallu
Chorus :Appanunga appadithaan
Machan vittu thallu
Villula periya villu
Arjunaru villu
Sollula nalla sollu
Petha appan sollu
Tyre-ula periya tyre-u
Lorry-oda tyre-u
Chorus : Yappa
Thimirila periya thimiru
Unga appan thimiru
Enakkum engappanukkum
Aayiram thaan irukkum
Thappa pesuravan
Pallu ellaam parakkum
Enna paathu sonna
En kanna paathu sonna
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa
Adichu norukkuven
Thanna nannae thanna nannae….
Thanana naananae
Thana thanna nannae thanna nannae
Thanana naananae
Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda
Kavalai illadaa
En appan thaanae sonnaan
Ippo adhukku ennadaa
Naina saabu thittinaalum
Kavalai illadaa
Nee aina sabhai pola
Kaathil pottukollendaa
Aaaahaaaa……
Sonthamunna sothanaiyinnu
Therinjukoyenda
Un appanaiyum avanga appan
Medhuchiruppaan da hoi
Enna paathu sonna
En kanna paathu sonna
Avan appanaagha illaiyinaa
Adichu norukkuven
Even if he calls me good-for-nothing,
I don't care at all, man!
Where can you find a father
who never scolds his child, man?
Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
I don't care at all, man!
It's only my father who said it,
so what does it matter now?
Even if your dad scolds you,
don't worry about it, buddy!
Just like at the UN assembly,
just take it in through your ears and let it pass!
Understand that having family
always brings tests and trials, man!
Even your father must have been stepped on
by his own father back in the day, hey!
He looked right at me and said it,
he looked into my eyes and said it!
If he weren't my father,
I would have beaten him to a pulp!
Even if he calls me good-for-nothing,
I don't care at all, man!
Where can you find a father
who never scolds his child, man?
Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
I don't care at all, man!
It's only my father who said it,
so what does it matter now?
When the wind blows hard in the month of Aadi,
even a heavy grinding stone will fly!
When a father loses his temper in rage,
both his eyes turn pitch black!
A fierce cow might repeatedly
kick away its own little calf,
yet even through the pain, that calf
still cries out "Mother!"
If anyone says a word against you,
it hurts deep inside my heart!
Even after downing five whole bottles,
I still can't feel any buzz... oh... oh...
If a train track gets derailed,
the whole train goes sliding off course!
If you fail to respect your father,
your entire life will slip away!
He looked right at me and said it,
he looked into my eyes and said it!
If he weren't my father,
I would have beaten him to a pulp!
Even if he calls me good-for-nothing,
I don't care at all, man!
Chorus: Slay-va!
Male: Where can you find a father
who never scolds his child, man?
Chorus: Slow-va!
Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
I don't care at all, man!
Chorus: Slay-va!
It's only my father who said it,
so what does it matter now?
Of all the palm toddy, the best toddy
is tapped from a single palm tree!
Chorus: Fathers are always like that,
buddy, just let it go!
Of all the mighty bows,
the greatest is Arjuna's bow!
Of all the good advice,
the best is from the father who raised you!
Of all the big tyres,
the biggest is a lorry tyre!
Chorus: Oh man!
Of all the fiery attitudes,
the biggest is your father's pride!
Between me and my father,
there may be a thousand fights,
but if anyone speaks ill of him,
all their teeth will get knocked out!
He looked right at me and said it,
he looked into my eyes and said it!
If he weren't my father,
I would have beaten him to a pulp!
Thanna nanne thanna nanne...
Thanana naanane
Thana thanna nanne thanna nanne
Thanana naanane
Even if he calls me a lump of clay,
I don't care at all, man!
It's only my father who said it,
so what does it matter now?
Even if your dad scolds you,
don't worry about it, buddy!
Just like at the UN assembly,
just take it in through your ears and let it pass!
Aaaahaaaa...
Understand that having family
always brings tests and trials, man!
Even your father must have been stepped on
by his own father back in the day, hey!
He looked right at me and said it,
he looked into my eyes and said it!
If he weren't my father,
I would have beaten him to a pulp!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
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Male
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Male
Male
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Male
Male
Male
Male
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Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Punnaakunu Sonnaakooda' from the movie 'Arul' (2004) explores the complex yet unconditional love and reverence a son holds for his father despite harsh scoldings and arguments. The protagonist explains to his friends that a father's rebukes are born out of right and affection; thus, being called useless or worthless by one's father should never be taken to heart. He draws analogies to a cow kicking its calf or traditional proverbs about tough love to illustrate that a father's harshness carries no real malice. Simultaneously, the protagonist asserts his fierce loyalty: while he tolerates any insult from his own father, he will not tolerate a single word against his father or himself from an outsider. The song captures the raw, rustic familial bond typical of rural Tamil Nadu, blending comedic rhyming folk verse with deep filial devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Punnaakunu sonnaakooda / Mannaangattinu sonnaakooda

Matching second consonants in successive lines, e.g., 'Punnaakunu' and 'Mannaangattinu' (nn), 'Aadi' and 'Appanukko' (d/p patterns).

Monaai (Alliteration / Initial Rhyme)

Thandavaalam thadam purandaa

Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds in lines like 'Thandavaalam thadam purandaa' (Th- sound).

Analogy / Metaphor (Uvamai)

Kaara pasu kannu kuttiya etti etti odhaikum / Valichaalum kannu kutti Ammaa-nu thaan katharum

Comparing a father's harsh actions to a mother cow kicking its calf, which still cries out only for its mother.

Rhetorical Question

Oru pullaiyathaan venjidaatha appan engada

Using questions like 'Appan engada' (Where is a father who doesn't...?) to emphasize the universality of parental scolding.

Keep listening

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View album

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