Chinna Chinna Kannile
From Then Nilavu · 1961
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- A. M. Rajah, P. Susheela
- Music director
- A. M. Rajah
- Details
- Then Nilavu1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Male | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
| Female | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Female | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
| Male | |
| { Alli thandu | { Like a lotus stem |
| Polavae thulliyaadum | Playfully dancing and leaping |
| Meniyai velli nila alli | Did the silver moon embrace the body? |
| Kondadho adhil pulli | In that, did the spotted |
| Mayil palli kondadho } (2) | Peacock find its rest? } (2) |
| Female | |
| Pulli | The spotted |
| Podum thogaiyai | Peacock with its majestic fan-tail |
| Velli vanna paavaiyai | The silver-hued doll |
| Alli kondu pogalaagumo | Can one scoop her up and carry her away? |
| Neeyum kalvanaaga maaralaguma | Can you also transform into a thief? |
| Female | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Female | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
| Male | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Male | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
| Male | |
| { Pinni vaitha | { In the braided |
| Koondhalil mullai | Hair, if jasmine |
| Poovai soodinaal alli | Flowers are adorned, lily-like |
| Nadai pinnal poduma | Will her graceful gait stumble/stagger? |
| Siru minnal idai poovai thaanguma } (2) | Can her lightning-slender waist bear the weight of flowers? } (2) |
| Female | |
| Minnal | If the lightning |
| Idai vaadinaal kanni | Waist grows weary, this maiden |
| Undhan kaiyilae annam | Into your arms, like a swan |
| Polae saaindhu kolluven | I will lean and rest |
| Adhil andhi pagal palli kolluven | There, day and night, I will make my abode |
| Female | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Female | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
| Male | |
| Chinna | Little |
| Chinna kannilae | In the small eyes |
| Vanna vanna oviyam | A colorful painting |
| Male | |
| Angum | There |
| Ingum yaar varavai | And here, whose arrival |
| Theduthu thunai | Does the companion seek? |
| Ingiruka yaarai | While staying here, thinking of whom |
| Enni paaduthu | Does it sing? |
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
{ அல்லித்தண்டு
போலவே துள்ளி ஆடும்
மேனியை வெள்ளி நிலா
அள்ளிக்கொண்டதோ
அதில் புள்ளி மயில்
பள்ளி கொண்டதோ } (2)
{ Like a lotus stem
Playfully dancing and leaping
Did the silver moon embrace the body?
In that, did the spotted
Peacock find its rest? } (2)
புள்ளி போடும்
தோகையை வெள்ளி
வண்ண பாவையை
அள்ளிக்கொண்டு
போகலாகுமோ நீயும்
கள்வனாக மாறலாகுமா
The spotted
Peacock with its majestic fan-tail
The silver-hued doll
Can one scoop her up and carry her away?
Can you also transform into a thief?
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
{ பின்னி வைத்த
கூந்தலில் முல்லை
பூவை சூடினால் அல்லி
நடை பின்னல் போடுமா
சிறு மின்னலிடை பூவை
தாங்குமா } (2)
{ In the braided
Hair, if jasmine
Flowers are adorned, lily-like
Will her graceful gait stumble/stagger?
Can her lightning-slender waist bear the weight of flowers? } (2)
மின்னலிடை
வாடினால் கன்னி
உந்தன் கையிலே
அன்னம் போல சாய்ந்து
கொள்ளுவேன் அதில்
அந்தி பகல் பள்ளி கொள்ளுவேன்
If the lightning
Waist grows weary, this maiden
Into your arms, like a swan
I will lean and rest
There, day and night, I will make my abode
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
சின்ன சின்ன
கண்ணிலே வண்ண
வண்ண ஓவியம்
Little
In the small eyes
A colorful painting
அங்கும் இங்கும்
யார் வரவை தேடுது
துணை இங்கிருக்க
யாரை எண்ணி பாடுது
There
And here, whose arrival
Does the companion seek?
While staying here, thinking of whom
Does it sing?
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
{ Alli thandu
{ Like a lotus stem
Polavae thulliyaadum
Playfully dancing and leaping
Meniyai velli nila alli
Did the silver moon embrace the body?
Kondadho adhil pulli
In that, did the spotted
Mayil palli kondadho } (2)
Peacock find its rest? } (2)
Pulli
The spotted
Podum thogaiyai
Peacock with its majestic fan-tail
Velli vanna paavaiyai
The silver-hued doll
Alli kondu pogalaagumo
Can one scoop her up and carry her away?
Neeyum kalvanaaga maaralaguma
Can you also transform into a thief?
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
{ Pinni vaitha
{ In the braided
Koondhalil mullai
Hair, if jasmine
Poovai soodinaal alli
Flowers are adorned, lily-like
Nadai pinnal poduma
Will her graceful gait stumble/stagger?
Siru minnal idai poovai thaanguma } (2)
Can her lightning-slender waist bear the weight of flowers? } (2)
Minnal
If the lightning
Idai vaadinaal kanni
Waist grows weary, this maiden
Undhan kaiyilae annam
Into your arms, like a swan
Polae saaindhu kolluven
I will lean and rest
Adhil andhi pagal palli kolluven
There, day and night, I will make my abode
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
Chinna
Little
Chinna kannilae
In the small eyes
Vanna vanna oviyam
A colorful painting
Angum
There
Ingum yaar varavai
And here, whose arrival
Theduthu thunai
Does the companion seek?
Ingiruka yaarai
While staying here, thinking of whom
Enni paaduthu
Does it sing?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This playful romance duet from 'Then Nilavu' expresses the sweet tease and tender intimacy between lovers. The song opens by admiring the vibrant expressions in the heroine's small eyes, describing them as colorful paintings searching eagerly for her beloved's arrival. The lovers exchange poetic metaphors comparing her body to a supple lotus stem dancing under silver moonlight and her grace to a resting peacock.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Adukku Thodar (Reduplication / Repetition)
“Chinna Chinna kannilae / Vanna vanna oviyam”
Words like 'Chinna Chinna' and 'Vanna vanna' are repeated sequentially to emphasize delicacy and beauty.
Uvamai (Simile)
“Alli thandu Polavae thulliyaadum”
Comparing the heroine's supple, dancing body to a flexible lotus stem using the comparative word 'polavae'.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Siru minnal idai poovai thaanguma”
Describing the woman's extremely slender waist directly as a flash of lightning ('minnal idai').
Monai and Edhugai (Tamil Rhyme Schemes)
“Angum / Ingum yaar varavai”
Use of matching initial consonants ('Angum' / 'Ingum') and secondary letter rhyming ('Minnal' / 'Annam').
Did you know?
Trivia
Released in 1961, 'Then Nilavu' was directed by C. V. Sridhar and was notable for being one of the earliest Tamil feature films extensively shot on location in Kashmir. The soundtrack was composed by singer-composer A. M. Rajah with iconic lyrics by Kannadasan, starring Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala.
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