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Poovizhi Vasalile album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Chinna Roja Poove

From Poovizhi Vasalile · 1987

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Poovizhi Vasalile
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
13 Aug 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Chinna chinna roja poovae
Chella kanane nee yaaru
Thappi vanthi sippi muththae
Unnai peththa thaai yaaru
Solli kolla vaayumillai
Alli kolla thaayumillai
Yaeno sodhanai ila nenjil vedhanai
Chinna chinna roja poovae
Chella kanane nee yaaru
Chinna pinju nenjukkulle
Enna enna aasaiyundo
Ullam thannai moodi vaiththa
Dheivam vanthaal sollum ingae
Oorum illai perum illai
Unmai solla yaarum illai
Neeyum ini naanum oru jeevanthaanadaa
Solai kili polae en tholil aadadaa
Idhu pesaa oviyam idhil sogam aayiram
Chinna chinna roja poovae
Chella kanane nee yaaru
Thappi vanthi sippi muththae
Unnai peththa thaai yaaru
Kannil unnai kaanumpothu
Ennam engo poguthaiyyaa
Ennai vittu pona pillai
Ingae unthan kolam kondu
Vanthathendru ennugindren
Vaazhththu solli paadugindren
Gangai nee endraal karai ingu naanadaa
Vaanam naan endraal vidi velli neeyadaa
En vaazhvil nimmathi athu unthan sannathi
Chinna chinna roja poovae
Chella kanane nee yaaru
Thappi vanthi sippi muththae
Unnai peththa thaai yaaru
Solli kolla vaayumillai
Alli kolla thaayumillai
Yaeno sodhanai ila nenjil vedhanai
Chinna chinna roja poovae
Chella kanane nee yaaru
O tiny little rose flower,
My precious darling child, who are you?
O pearl that slipped away from the oyster,
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
You have no voice to speak your story,
Nor a mother to gather you in her embrace.
Why this cruel test? Why such pain in your tender heart?
O tiny little rose flower,
My precious darling child, who are you?
Deep inside your tiny, innocent heart,
what longings might be hiding?
Only if the God who sealed your speech comes down,
can He reveal the truth here.
You have no hometown and no name,
There is no one around to tell the truth.
From now on, you and I share a single life, my child.
Come, play upon my shoulder like a garden parrot.
You are a silent painting holding a thousand sorrows.
O tiny little rose flower,
My precious darling child, who are you?
O pearl that slipped away from the oyster,
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
Whenever I look into your eyes,
my thoughts wander far into the past.
The child of mine who left me once,
has taken your very form
and returned to me, I believe,
and so I sing, showering you with blessings.
If you are the flowing river, I am the riverbank beside you, my child.
If I am the wide sky, you are the bright morning star.
All the peace in my life is found in your pure presence.
O tiny little rose flower,
My precious darling child, who are you?
O pearl that slipped away from the oyster,
Who is the mother that gave birth to you?
You have no voice to speak your story,
Nor a mother to gather you in her embrace.
Why this cruel test? Why such pain in your tender heart?
O tiny little rose flower,
My precious darling child, who are you?
Male
Male
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Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Chinna Chinna Roja Poove is a soul-stirring paternal lullaby from the movie Poovizhi Vasalile. The protagonist addresses an orphaned mute child with immense grief and tenderness, wondering about the unknown mother and origin of this precious child who has no voice to tell his story or family to embrace him. As the song progresses, the singer finds deep solace in the child's presence, seeing a reflection of a lost child of his own. He vows to protect the child, declaring that from now on they share a single soul. Through rich poetic imagery comparing their bond to a river and its bank, or the sky and the morning star, the song beautifully encapsulates redemption, healing, and unconditional love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Chinna chinna roja poovae / Thappi vanthi sippi muththae”

Comparing the innocent child to a delicate rose bud and a lost pearl from an oyster shell.

Etxai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Solli kolla vaayumillai / Alli kolla thaayumillai”

Rhyming of the second syllable 'lli' in adjacent lines for rhythmic harmony.

Analogy

“Gangai nee endraal karai ingu naanadaa / Vaanam naan endraal vidi velli neeyadaa”

Using complementary natural dualities (river & bank, sky & star) to express an inseparable guardian-child relationship.

Did you know?

Trivia

Poovizhi Vasalile (1987) was directed by Fazil and starred Sathyaraj, Suhasini, and Master Sujitha. The plot revolves around a protagonist protecting a deaf-mute child who witnessed a murder. Sung emotionally by K. J. Yesudas with music by Ilaiyaraaja, this track remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous emotional lullabies.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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Oru Kiliyin Thanimaiyilae (Duet)1987
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