Tea Podu
From Anjala · 2016
- Lyricist
- Lalithanand
- Singer
- Deva
- Music director
- Gopi Sundar
- Details
- Anjala2016
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Strong-ah tea podu | Make strong tea |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Light-ah tea podu | Make light tea |
| Male | |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Medium tea podu | Make medium tea |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Inji tea podu | Make ginger tea |
| Saadha tea china tea | Plain tea, small tea |
| Single tea parcel tea | Single tea, parcel tea |
| Patti thotti city ellaam | In hamlets, villages, and all cities |
| Tea kadaithaandaa | The tea shop reigns supreme! |
| Male | |
| Nee fifty naan fifty | You take fifty, I take fifty |
| One by two sharing tea | One-by-two shared tea |
| Natpu ulla ellaarukkum | For everyone with friendship in their heart |
| Nanpanthaandaa tea | Tea is the ultimate friend! |
| Male | |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Strong-ah tea podu | Make strong tea |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Light-ah tea podu | Make light tea |
| Male | |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Medium tea podu | Make medium tea |
| Tea podu | Make tea |
| Inji tea podu | Make ginger tea |
| Male | |
| Benchula kuththa vachchu | Squatting on the bench |
| Antha kadhai intha kadhai | Talking about this story and that story |
| Vettiyaa pesurappaa | Chatting away idly |
| tea tea tea | Tea, tea, tea |
| Male | |
| Uppukku thooththukkudi | Thoothukudi is famous for salt |
| Violin kunnakkudi | Kunnakkudi is famous for the violin |
| Yaezhaikku yaeththa kudi | Tea is the ideal drink for the poor |
| Tea tea tea | Tea, tea, tea |
| Male | |
| Super star style-ah kaatti | Showing off in Superstar style |
| Master aaththum tea | As the tea master pours the tea |
| Old boys-u world-u news-u | Old men discussing world news |
| Aaththi ooththum tea | While pouring tea back and forth |
| Male | |
| My sweety you hearty | My sweet, you are hearty |
| My beauty you tasty | My beauty, you are tasty |
| Sight adikka bench pottu | Setting up a bench to scope out people |
| Sangam vaikkum tea | Tea brings people together |
| Male | |
| Karuppatti namma tea | Palm jaggery tea is our tea |
| Health-thithaan tea party | A healthy tea party |
| Raththathula oduthunga | Running in the bloodstream |
| Eththanaiyo tea | So many kinds of tea! |
| Male | |
| Buddhanum sonnathilla | Never taught by Buddha |
| Puththagaththil kandathilla | Never seen in any book |
| Thaththuva paadam sollum | It teaches a philosophical lesson |
| Tea tea tea | Tea, tea, tea |
| Male | |
| Nenjamae tumbler-udaa | The heart is the tumbler |
| Ennangalae sakkaraidaa | Thoughts are the sugar |
| Unmaiyae paalaagum | Truth becomes the milk |
| Tea tea tea | Tea, tea, tea |
| Male | |
| Maattu paalil | Brewed in cow's milk |
| Pottu paaru | Try making it |
| Theernthu pogum tea | It will eventually run out |
| Nyaana paalil | Brewed in the milk of wisdom |
| Pottu paaru | Try making it |
| Theernthidaatha tea | It is a tea that never ends |
| Male | |
| Friends-oda meeting-ah | A meeting with friends |
| Figure-oda date-ing-ah | A date with a girl |
| Santhosamo kondaattamo | Whether in happiness or celebration |
| Vanthum nikkum tea | Tea always stands by you |
| Male | |
| Tea mattum illaatti | Without tea |
| Odaathu namm duty | Our work duty will not move |
| Pattai potta boiler-ula | Inside the boiler marked with holy ash |
| Deivamthaandaa tea… | Tea is truly God! |
டீ போடு
ஸ்ட்ராங்கா டீ போடு
டீ போடு
லைட்டா டீ போடு
Make tea
Make strong tea
Make tea
Make light tea
டீ போடு
மீடியம் டீ போடு
டீ போடு
இஞ்சி டீ போடு
சாதா டீ சைனா டீ
சிங்கிள் டீ பார்சல் டீ
பட்டி தொட்டி சிட்டி எல்லாம்
டீ கடை தாண்டா
Make tea
Make medium tea
Make tea
Make ginger tea
Plain tea, small tea
Single tea, parcel tea
In hamlets, villages, and all cities
The tea shop reigns supreme!
நீ பிப்ட்டி நான் பிப்ட்டி
ஒன் பை டூ ஷேரிங் டீ
நட்பு உள்ள எல்லாருக்கும்
நண்பன் தாண்டா டீ
You take fifty, I take fifty
One-by-two shared tea
For everyone with friendship in their heart
Tea is the ultimate friend!
டீ போடு
ஸ்ட்ராங்கா டீ போடு
டீ போடு
லைட்டா டீ போடு
Make tea
Make strong tea
Make tea
Make light tea
டீ போடு
மீடியம் டீ போடு
டீ போடு
இஞ்சி டீ போடு
Make tea
Make medium tea
Make tea
Make ginger tea
பெஞ்சுல குத்த வச்சு
அந்த கதை இந்த கதை
வெட்டியா பேசுறப்பா
டீ டீ டீ
Squatting on the bench
Talking about this story and that story
Chatting away idly
Tea, tea, tea
உப்புக்கு தூத்துக்குடி
வயலினுக்கு குன்னக்குடி
ஏழைக்கு ஏத்த குடி
டீ டீ டீ
Thoothukudi is famous for salt
Kunnakkudi is famous for the violin
Tea is the ideal drink for the poor
Tea, tea, tea
சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ஸ்டைல்ல காட்டி
மாஸ்டர் ஆத்தும் டீ
ஓல்டு பாய்ஸ்சு வேர்ல்டு நியூஸ்சு
ஆத்தி ஊத்தும் டீ
Showing off in Superstar style
As the tea master pours the tea
Old men discussing world news
While pouring tea back and forth
மை ஸ்வீட்டி யூ ஹார்ட்டி
மை பியூட்டி யூ டேஸ்டி
சைட் அடிக்க பெஞ்சு போட்டு
சங்கம் வைக்கும் டீ
My sweet, you are hearty
My beauty, you are tasty
Setting up a bench to scope out people
Tea brings people together
கருப்பட்டி நம்ம டீ
ஹெல்த்திதான் டீ பார்ட்டி
ரத்தத்துல ஓடுதுங்க
எத்தனையோ டீ
Palm jaggery tea is our tea
A healthy tea party
Running in the bloodstream
So many kinds of tea!
புத்தனும் சொன்னதில்ல
புத்தகத்தில் கண்டதில்ல
தத்துவ பாடம் சொல்லும்
டீ டீ டீ
Never taught by Buddha
Never seen in any book
It teaches a philosophical lesson
Tea, tea, tea
நெஞ்சமே டம்ளருடா
எண்ணங்களே சக்கரைடா
உண்மையே பால்லாகும்
டீ டீ டீ
The heart is the tumbler
Thoughts are the sugar
Truth becomes the milk
Tea, tea, tea
மாட்டு பாலில்
போட்டு பாரு
தீர்ந்து போகும் டீ
ஞானப் பாலில்
போட்டு பாரு
தீர்ந்திடாத டீ
Brewed in cow's milk
Try making it
It will eventually run out
Brewed in the milk of wisdom
Try making it
It is a tea that never ends
பிரண்ட்ஸ்சோட மீட்டிங்கா
பிகர்ரோட டேட்டிங்கா
சந்தோசமோ கொண்டாட்டமோ
வந்து நிக்கும் டீ
A meeting with friends
A date with a girl
Whether in happiness or celebration
Tea always stands by you
டீ மட்டும் இல்லாட்டி
ஓடாது நம் டுயூட்டி
பட்டை போட்ட பய்லருல
தெய்வம்தாண்டா டீ
Without tea
Our work duty will not move
Inside the boiler marked with holy ash
Tea is truly God!
Tea podu
Make tea
Strong-ah tea podu
Make strong tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Light-ah tea podu
Make light tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Medium tea podu
Make medium tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Inji tea podu
Make ginger tea
Saadha tea china tea
Plain tea, small tea
Single tea parcel tea
Single tea, parcel tea
Patti thotti city ellaam
In hamlets, villages, and all cities
Tea kadaithaandaa
The tea shop reigns supreme!
Nee fifty naan fifty
You take fifty, I take fifty
One by two sharing tea
One-by-two shared tea
Natpu ulla ellaarukkum
For everyone with friendship in their heart
Nanpanthaandaa tea
Tea is the ultimate friend!
Tea podu
Make tea
Strong-ah tea podu
Make strong tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Light-ah tea podu
Make light tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Medium tea podu
Make medium tea
Tea podu
Make tea
Inji tea podu
Make ginger tea
Benchula kuththa vachchu
Squatting on the bench
Antha kadhai intha kadhai
Talking about this story and that story
Vettiyaa pesurappaa
Chatting away idly
tea tea tea
Tea, tea, tea
Uppukku thooththukkudi
Thoothukudi is famous for salt
Violin kunnakkudi
Kunnakkudi is famous for the violin
Yaezhaikku yaeththa kudi
Tea is the ideal drink for the poor
Tea tea tea
Tea, tea, tea
Super star style-ah kaatti
Showing off in Superstar style
Master aaththum tea
As the tea master pours the tea
Old boys-u world-u news-u
Old men discussing world news
Aaththi ooththum tea
While pouring tea back and forth
My sweety you hearty
My sweet, you are hearty
My beauty you tasty
My beauty, you are tasty
Sight adikka bench pottu
Setting up a bench to scope out people
Sangam vaikkum tea
Tea brings people together
Karuppatti namma tea
Palm jaggery tea is our tea
Health-thithaan tea party
A healthy tea party
Raththathula oduthunga
Running in the bloodstream
Eththanaiyo tea
So many kinds of tea!
Buddhanum sonnathilla
Never taught by Buddha
Puththagaththil kandathilla
Never seen in any book
Thaththuva paadam sollum
It teaches a philosophical lesson
Tea tea tea
Tea, tea, tea
Nenjamae tumbler-udaa
The heart is the tumbler
Ennangalae sakkaraidaa
Thoughts are the sugar
Unmaiyae paalaagum
Truth becomes the milk
Tea tea tea
Tea, tea, tea
Maattu paalil
Brewed in cow's milk
Pottu paaru
Try making it
Theernthu pogum tea
It will eventually run out
Nyaana paalil
Brewed in the milk of wisdom
Pottu paaru
Try making it
Theernthidaatha tea
It is a tea that never ends
Friends-oda meeting-ah
A meeting with friends
Figure-oda date-ing-ah
A date with a girl
Santhosamo kondaattamo
Whether in happiness or celebration
Vanthum nikkum tea
Tea always stands by you
Tea mattum illaatti
Without tea
Odaathu namm duty
Our work duty will not move
Pattai potta boiler-ula
Inside the boiler marked with holy ash
Deivamthaandaa tea…
Tea is truly God!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Tea Podu' from the 2016 film Anjala is a vibrant, upbeat anthem celebrating Tamil Nadu's rich tea shop culture. Sung by veteran Gaana artist Deva with music by Gopi Sunder, the song pays homage to tea as a unifier across all social classes, connecting people in rural hamlets and bustling cities alike. From quick breaks and idle gossip to romantic dates and philosophical debates, the tea stall serves as the social heart of everyday life. The lyricist Lalithanand elevates the humble beverage using playful yet deep metaphors, comparing the heart to a tumbler, thoughts to sugar, and truth to milk. Portraying the tea master's shop boiler as a sacred shrine, the song humorously and affectionately deifies tea as an indispensable daily ritual and an eternal friend.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (Rhyme)
“Uppukku thooththukkudi / Violin kunnakkudi / Yaezhaikku yaeththa kudi”
Rhyming end words 'thooththukkudi', 'kunnakkudi', and 'yaeththa kudi' create a rhythmic, catchy musical flow.
Uruvagathal (Metaphor)
“Nenjamae tumbler-udaa / Ennangalae sakkaraidaa / Unmaiyae paalaagum”
Directly equates elements of human consciousness and virtue to the ingredients of tea (Heart = tumbler, Thoughts = sugar, Truth = milk).
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Pattai potta boiler-ula Deivamthaandaa tea”
Exaggerates the tea shop boiler adorned with sacred ash (pattai) into a place housing a deity, humorously deifying tea itself.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Anjala revolves around a 50-year-old tea shop that acts as the focal point for a small town's community. Singing this energetic track, Deva brings his iconic 'Gaana' style, perfectly capturing the grassroots local flavor of Tamil tea stall culture.
Keep listening