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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Chinna Chittu

From Sivagangai Seemai · 1959

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
K. Jamunarani, Chorus
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Details
Sivagangai Seemai1959

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Hohohoho hohooo hoooVocalizing sound
Hohohoho hohooo hoooVocalizing sound
Ho ho ho ho hoooooVocalizing sound
Chorus :Ho hoi ho hoi ho hoiChorus: Ho hoi ho hoi ho hoi
Female
Chinna chinna sittuOh little little sparrow,
Sivagangaiyai vittuLeaving Sivagangai,
Theduvathum yaarai adiWhom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Chorus
Chinna chinna sittuOh little little sparrow,
Sivagangaiyai vittuLeaving Sivagangai,
Theduvathum yaarai adiWhom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Aaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoiAaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoi
Female
Kann mayakkam maevuthadiMy eyes feel dazed and enchanted,
Kaal irandum thaavuthadiBoth my feet leap in joy!
Chorus :Kaal irandum thaavuthadiChorus: Both my feet leap in joy!
Female :Mann manakkum nerathilaeFemale: At the time when the soil smells fresh,
Mangai ullam vaaduthadiThis maiden's heart is yearning!
Chorus :Mangai ullam vaaduthadiChorus: This maiden's heart is yearning!
Chorus
Ammaan magal vanthalumaeEven if uncle's daughter arrives,
Immaan magal nillaladiThis girl of pride won't stand back!
Female :Theduvathum yaarai adiFemale: Whom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Chorus
Chinna chinna sittuOh little little sparrow,
Sivagangaiyai vittuLeaving Sivagangai,
Theduvathum yaarai adiWhom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Aaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoiAaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoi
Female
Papanan kottai thanaiIs it the brave hero standing guard,
Kaathu nirkkum veerandaiOver the fortress of Papanam?
Chorus :Kaathu nirkkum veerandaiChorus: Standing guard over the fortress!
Female :Paarvaiyilum thaen soriyumFemale: Whose mere look pours sweetness like honey,
Vagai naattu mannanadiThe king of the victorious land!
Chorus :Vagai naattu mannanadiChorus: The king of the victorious land!
Chorus
Ammaan magal vanthalumaeEven if uncle's daughter arrives,
Immaan magal nillaladiThis girl of pride won't stand back!
Female :Theduvathum yaarai adiFemale: Whom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Chorus
Chinna chinna sittuOh little little sparrow,
Sivagangaiyai vittuLeaving Sivagangai,
Theduvathum yaarai adiWhom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Aaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoiAaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoi
Female
Paal manakkum kaatinilaeIn the milk-scented lush forest,
Pandiyanaar seemaiyilaeIn the realm of the Pandyan king,
Chorus :Pandiyanaar seemaiyilaeChorus: In the realm of the Pandyan king,
Female :Vel eduthu paaithavanaIs it the one who hurled the spear,
Vellaiyarai saaithavanaThe one who brought down the British colonizers?
Chorus :Vellaiyarai saaithavanaChorus: The one who brought down the British colonizers!
Chorus
Ammaan magal vanthalumaeEven if uncle's daughter arrives,
Immaan magal nillaladiThis girl of pride won't stand back!
Female :Theduvathum yaarai adiFemale: Whom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Chorus
Chinna chinna sittuOh little little sparrow,
Sivagangaiyai vittuLeaving Sivagangai,
Theduvathum yaarai adiWhom are you searching for, girl,
Anna nadai pottuWalking with a swan-like gait?
Aaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoiAaa hoi…aahoi aahoi aahoi

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This folk-style chorus song from 'Sivagangai Seemai' features maidens teasing a young woman as she sets off from Sivagangai. They admire her graceful walk and inquire about the hero she longs for, blending romantic yearning with regional pride and historical heroism. The lyrics praise the heroic figure as a brave guardian of the kingdom who fought courageously against the British colonial forces.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Metaphor)

Anna nadai pottu

Compares the maiden's graceful walking style to that of a swan ('Anna nadai').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Chinna chinna sittu / Sivagangaiyai vittu

Repetition of the 'S' sound in 'Chinna', 'Sittu', and 'Sivagangaiyai'.

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Vel eduthu paaithavana / Vellaiyarai saaithavana

Repetition of the second consonant sound 'l' in 'Vel' and 'Vellaiyarai'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Sivagangai Seemai (1959) was written and produced by poet Kannadasan himself to commemorate the resistance of the Maruthu Pandiyar brothers against British rule. The music for the film was composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy.

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