Chinna Chinna
From Sakthivel · 1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aaa…aaa….aaa…. | Ah... ah... ah... |
| Aaa…aaa….aaa…aaa… | Ah... ah... ah... ah... |
| Female | |
| Chinna chinna rathinamae | Oh tiny little gem! |
| Sembavala chithirmae | Oh portrait of red coral! |
| Vanna vanna thaamaraiyae | Oh colorful lotus! |
| Vaasal vandha vaigaraiyae | Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep! |
| Dharama thaai thoonguvadhaal | Because the mother of righteousness is asleep, |
| Thandanai ezhaikkadaa | Does punishment call out to you? |
| Thangamae nee thoonga naan paadinen | My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep. |
| Nenjamae thaangaadhu thaalaattinen | My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby. |
| Female | |
| Chinna chinna rathinamae | Oh tiny little gem! |
| Sembavala chithirmae | Oh portrait of red coral! |
| Female | |
| Theeyavargal kodumai seidhaal | If evil people commit cruelties, |
| Dheivathidam muraiyiduvom | We complain to God. |
| Dheivam ingu kodumai seidhaal | If God Himself commits cruelty here, |
| Yaaridathil poyi azhuvom | To whom shall we go and cry? |
| Sondham indri vandha idam | The place entered without any relations, |
| Sondha idam aanadho | Has it now become our own home? |
| Mandhai aattu koottathilae | Among the herd of sheep, |
| Vindhai vilaiyaadudho | Is a strange game playing out? |
| Kalangudhae mayangudhae | My mind is troubled and confused, |
| Kaalamae badhil sollu | Oh Time, give me an answer! |
| Female | |
| Chinna chinna rathinamae | Oh tiny little gem! |
| Sembavala chithirmae | Oh portrait of red coral! |
| Female | |
| Vanjam illai nenjukkullae | There is no malice inside the heart, |
| Vaazhkkai enna baaram ammaa | Why is life such a burden, dear child? |
| Vaasal vandhu serndha pinnae | After reaching the doorstep, |
| Innum enna vaattam ammaa | Why still this sadness, dear child? |
| Female | |
| Kaiyil ulla oli vilakku | The lamp of light held in hand |
| Kaal nadakka podhumae | Is enough for the feet to walk. |
| Nenjil ulla vidivilakku | The lamp of hope in the heart |
| Thakka thunai aagumae | Will become a fitting companion. |
| Kalakkam yen thayakkam yen | Why worry? Why hesitate? |
| Kaalam un kaiyilae | Time is in your hands! |
| Female | |
| Chinna chinna rathinamae | Oh tiny little gem! |
| Sembavala chithirmae | Oh portrait of red coral! |
| Vanna vanna thaamaraiyae | Oh colorful lotus! |
| Vaasal vandha vaigaraiyae | Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep! |
| Dharama thaai thoonguvadhaal | Because the mother of righteousness is asleep, |
| Thandanai ezhaikkadaa | Does punishment call out to you? |
| Thangamae nee thoonga naan paadinen | My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep. |
| Nenjamae thaangaadhu thaalaattinen | My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby. |
| Female | |
| Chinna chinna rathinamae | Oh tiny little gem! |
| Sembavala chithirmae | Oh portrait of red coral! |
ஹா....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.
ஆஅ.....ஆஆஅ.....ஆஅ....
Ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
சின்னச் சின்ன ரத்தினமே
செம்பவளச் சித்திரமே
வண்ண வண்ணத் தாமரையே
வாசல் வந்த வைகறையே
தர்மத் தாய் தூங்குவதால்
தண்டனை ஏழைக்கடா
தங்கமே நீ தூங்க நான் பாடினேன்
நெஞ்சமே தாங்காது தாலாட்டினேன்....
Oh tiny little gem!
Oh portrait of red coral!
Oh colorful lotus!
Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep!
Because the mother of righteousness is asleep,
Does punishment call out to you?
My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep.
My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby.
தீயவர்கள் கொடுமை செய்தால்
தெய்வத்திடம் முறையிடுவோம்
தெய்வம் இங்கு கொடுமை செய்தால்
யாரிடத்தில் போய் அழுவோம்
Oh tiny little gem!
Oh portrait of red coral!
சொந்தம் இன்றி வந்த இடம்
சொந்த இடம் ஆனதோ
மந்தை ஆட்டுக் கூட்டத்திலே
விந்தை விளையாடுதோ
கலங்குதே மயங்குதே
காலமே பதில் சொல்லு
If evil people commit cruelties,
We complain to God.
If God Himself commits cruelty here,
To whom shall we go and cry?
The place entered without any relations,
Has it now become our own home?
Among the herd of sheep,
Is a strange game playing out?
My mind is troubled and confused,
Oh Time, give me an answer!
சின்னச் சின்ன ரத்தினமே
செம்பவளச் சித்திரமே
Oh tiny little gem!
Oh portrait of red coral!
வஞ்சம் இல்லை நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே
வாழ்க்கை என்ன பாரமம்மா
வாசல் வந்து சேர்ந்த பின்னே
இன்னும் என்ன வாட்டமம்மா
There is no malice inside the heart,
Why is life such a burden, dear child?
After reaching the doorstep,
Why still this sadness, dear child?
கையில் உள்ள ஒளி விளக்கு
கால் நடக்கப் போகுமே
நெஞ்சில் உள்ள விடிவிளக்கு
தக்க துணை ஆகுமே
கலக்கம் ஏன் தயக்கம் ஏன்
காலம் உன் கையிலே
The lamp of light held in hand
Is enough for the feet to walk.
The lamp of hope in the heart
Will become a fitting companion.
Why worry? Why hesitate?
Time is in your hands!
சின்னச் சின்ன ரத்தினமே
செம்பவளச் சித்திரமே
வண்ண வண்ணத் தாமரையே
வாசல் வந்த வைகறையே
தர்மத் தாய் தூங்குவதால்
தண்டனை ஏழைக்கடா
தங்கமே நீ தூங்க நான் பாடினேன்
நெஞ்சமே தாங்காது தாலாட்டினேன்....
Oh tiny little gem!
Oh portrait of red coral!
Oh colorful lotus!
Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep!
Because the mother of righteousness is asleep,
Does punishment call out to you?
My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep.
My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby.
சின்னச் சின்ன ரத்தினமே....
செம்பவளச் சித்திரமே.....
Oh tiny little gem!
Oh portrait of red coral!
Aaa…aaa….aaa….
Ah... ah... ah...
Aaa…aaa….aaa…aaa…
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Chinna chinna rathinamae
Oh tiny little gem!
Sembavala chithirmae
Oh portrait of red coral!
Vanna vanna thaamaraiyae
Oh colorful lotus!
Vaasal vandha vaigaraiyae
Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep!
Dharama thaai thoonguvadhaal
Because the mother of righteousness is asleep,
Thandanai ezhaikkadaa
Does punishment call out to you?
Thangamae nee thoonga naan paadinen
My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep.
Nenjamae thaangaadhu thaalaattinen
My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby.
Chinna chinna rathinamae
Oh tiny little gem!
Sembavala chithirmae
Oh portrait of red coral!
Theeyavargal kodumai seidhaal
If evil people commit cruelties,
Dheivathidam muraiyiduvom
We complain to God.
Dheivam ingu kodumai seidhaal
If God Himself commits cruelty here,
Yaaridathil poyi azhuvom
To whom shall we go and cry?
Sondham indri vandha idam
The place entered without any relations,
Sondha idam aanadho
Has it now become our own home?
Mandhai aattu koottathilae
Among the herd of sheep,
Vindhai vilaiyaadudho
Is a strange game playing out?
Kalangudhae mayangudhae
My mind is troubled and confused,
Kaalamae badhil sollu
Oh Time, give me an answer!
Chinna chinna rathinamae
Oh tiny little gem!
Sembavala chithirmae
Oh portrait of red coral!
Vanjam illai nenjukkullae
There is no malice inside the heart,
Vaazhkkai enna baaram ammaa
Why is life such a burden, dear child?
Vaasal vandhu serndha pinnae
After reaching the doorstep,
Innum enna vaattam ammaa
Why still this sadness, dear child?
Kaiyil ulla oli vilakku
The lamp of light held in hand
Kaal nadakka podhumae
Is enough for the feet to walk.
Nenjil ulla vidivilakku
The lamp of hope in the heart
Thakka thunai aagumae
Will become a fitting companion.
Kalakkam yen thayakkam yen
Why worry? Why hesitate?
Kaalam un kaiyilae
Time is in your hands!
Chinna chinna rathinamae
Oh tiny little gem!
Sembavala chithirmae
Oh portrait of red coral!
Vanna vanna thaamaraiyae
Oh colorful lotus!
Vaasal vandha vaigaraiyae
Oh dawn that has arrived at the doorstep!
Dharama thaai thoonguvadhaal
Because the mother of righteousness is asleep,
Thandanai ezhaikkadaa
Does punishment call out to you?
Thangamae nee thoonga naan paadinen
My precious gold, I sang so you could sleep.
Nenjamae thaangaadhu thaalaattinen
My heart could not bear it, so I sang a lullaby.
Chinna chinna rathinamae
Oh tiny little gem!
Sembavala chithirmae
Oh portrait of red coral!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Chinna Chinna Rathinamae is a poignant and philosophical lullaby from the Tamil film Sakthivel (1994). Penned by poet Mu. Metha, the song expresses a deep emotional warmth toward a young child while lamenting the bitter ironies and cruelties of life. It questions the unfairness of fate when even righteousness seems to sleep and God Himself inflicts pain, yet ultimately offers courage, reminding the child that inner light, patience, and time will guide them through adversity.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Chinna chinna rathinamae / Sembavala chithirmae”
The child is tenderly addressed as a precious gem (rathinam), red coral (sembavala chithirame), and dawn (vaigarai), beautifying the bond and value of the child.
Personification
“Dharama thaai thoonguvadhaal / Thandanai ezhaikkadaa”
Righteousness (Dharmam) is personified as a sleeping mother (Dharama thaai) to explain the prevailing injustice.
Rhetorical Question
“Dheivam ingu kodumai seidhaal / Yaaridathil poyi azhuvom”
A haunting philosophical question asked to highlight utter helplessness when destiny itself turns cruel.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Kaiyil ulla oli vilakku / Kaal nadakka podhumae”
Repetition of initial phonetic sounds across lines like 'Kaiyil' and 'Kaal', or 'Kalakkam' and 'Kaalam', enhancing the rhythmic cadence of the lullaby.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sakthivel (1994) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. The lyrics were written by the acclaimed modern Tamil poet and Sahitya Akademi awardee Mu. Metha, known for infusing deep social commentary and imagery into lyrical poetry.
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