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Themmangu Paattukaaran album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Chinna Varthaiyile

From Themmangu Paattukaaran · 1997

Lyricist
Pavalar Varadarajan
Singer
Gangai Amaran
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Themmangu Paattukaaran
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
3 Jan 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thandhaanana pottu vechu
Manasu konjam urasa konjam
Kaikulla pudichu vechu
Adi ammamammammaaa
Adi ammamammammaaa
Chinna chinna vaarthaiyilae
Enna enna solli vechaan
Thangam pola vairam pola
Intha themaangu paattu
Kastathilae vaadi ninna
Thottu unna thokki vidum
Ezhudhunavan yaarum illa
Idhu themaangu paattu
Kaadha konjam kodudi
En thangachi ponnumani
Kaiyai thatti padidaa
En thambiyae vairamani
Chinna chinna vaarthaiyilae
Enna enna solli vechaan
Thangam pola vairam pola
Intha themaangu paattu
Kastathilae vaadi ninna
Thottu unna thokki vidum
Ezhudhunavan yaarum illa
Idhu themaangu paattu
Aatta katti maatta katti
Veetakatti kaattakatti
Natta kooda katti izhupavan
Paatta sonnavan thaan
Nalla paatta sonnavan thaan
Paattan poottan selvam ellaam
Thotti katti iruttukullae
Pooti vecha potta udachathu
Paatta sonnavan thaan
Nalla paatta sonnavan thaan
Valluvan avvaiyum kambanum
Bharathi illaama poyirundhaa
Sol kondu arivodu porul thantha
Selvangal illaama poyirukkum
Antha paattu mattum
Ilaiyina kaattu mirandinga thaan
Naama ellam kaattu mirandinga thaan
Chinna chinna vaarthaiyilae
Enna enna solli vechaan
Thangam pola vairam pola
Intha themaangu paattu
Nee kastathilae vaadi ninna
Thottu unna thokki vidum
Ezhudhunavan yaarum illa
Idhu themaangu paattu
Wearing a folk tune like a bindi,
gently brushing against the heart,
holding it tenderly in its grasp,
oh my goodness, oh my!
Oh my goodness, oh my!
In small, simple words,
look at all the truths he shared!
Precious like gold, like diamonds,
is this sweet folk song.
If you stand broken in hardship,
it will reach out and lift you up.
No one knows who wrote it,
this is a rustic folk song.
Lend an ear to this,
my dear sister Ponnumani!
Clap your hands and sing along,
my dear brother Vairamani!
In small, simple words,
look at all the truths he shared!
Precious like gold, like diamonds,
is this sweet folk song.
If you stand broken in hardship,
it will reach out and lift you up.
No one knows who wrote it,
this is a rustic folk song.
Tying up the goats, herding the cattle,
building homes and clearing the fields,
hauling heavy burdens through every hardship—
he was the one who sang these songs,
yes, he was the one who gave us these fine songs!
All the wealth of our ancestors,
locked away in a chest in the dark,
the one who broke it wide open
was the one who sang these songs,
yes, he was the one who gave us these fine songs!
If Valluvar, Avvaiyar, and Kamban,
and Bharathi had never lived,
the treasures of wisdom and meaning brought by words
would have never been ours.
If not for those songs,
we would only be savages,
all of us would just be savages!
In small, simple words,
look at all the truths he shared!
Precious like gold, like diamonds,
is this sweet folk song.
If you stand broken in hardship,
it will reach out and lift you up.
No one knows who wrote it,
this is a rustic folk song.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a grand celebration of oral folk traditions (Themmangu Paattu) and the rich literary heritage of Tamil Nadu. It emphasizes that traditional folk songs do not have a single known author; instead, they originate organically from working-class people—farmers, laborers, and rural folk who toil on the land. The song highlights how music acts as a comforting companion during times of distress, lifting people out of sorrow.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

“Thangam pola vairam pola”

Compares the timeless value and brilliance of the folk lyrics to gold and diamonds.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Aatta katti maatta katti / Veetakatti kaattakatti”

Use of matching second consonants 'tta' across consecutive short phrases creating a rhythmic folk beat.

Allusion (Historical/Literary Reference)

“Valluvan avvaiyum kambanum / Bharathi illaama poyirundhaa”

Directly refers to legendary Tamil poets Thiruvalluvar, Avvaiyar, Kambar, and Subramania Bharati to showcase how poetry elevates civilization.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist credited for this track, Pavalar Varadarajan, was the legendary eldest brother of music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, Gangai Amaran, and R.D. Bhaskar. He was a pioneering communist folk singer and activist whose grassroots songwriting profoundly influenced Ilaiyaraaja's musical ethos.

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