Chinna Kutti Nathanaa
From Aaravalli · 1957
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singer
- Tiruchi Loganathan
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Aaravalli1957
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil | On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi |
| Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa | Loaded the entire family |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil | On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi |
| Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa | Loaded the entire family |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Male | |
| Kuluradikkira kozhanthai melae | Over the shivering child |
| Thunaiyao pottu poththunaa | She covered a towel/cloth |
| Kuluradikkira kozhanthai melae | Over the shivering child |
| Thunaiyao pottu poththunaa | She covered a towel/cloth |
| Male | |
| Kuvaakuvaannu kaththinathaala | Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa' |
| Mudhugula rendu saaththunaa | She slapped twice on its back |
| Kuvaakuvaannu kaththinathaala | Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa' |
| Mudhugula rendu saaththunaa | She slapped twice on its back |
| Male | |
| Kilukilupaiyak kaiyil koduththu | Handing a rattle toy in its hand |
| Azhutha pullaiyai thaeththunaa | She comforted the crying child |
| Kilukilupaiyak kaiyil koduththu | Handing a rattle toy in its hand |
| Azhutha pullaiyai thaeththunaa | She comforted the crying child |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil | On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi |
| Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa | Loaded the entire family |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Male | |
| Pannappatti gramaththilae pazhaiya | In Pannappatti village, old fermented |
| Sorum thinnukittaa | Rice she ate |
| Pannappatti gramaththilae pazhaiya | In Pannappatti village, old fermented |
| Sorum thinnukittaa | Rice she ate |
| Male | |
| Pangaali oottu singaaraththoda | With Singaram of the relative's house |
| Pazhaiya kadhaiyum pesikittaa | She chatted about old stories |
| Pangaali oottu singaaraththoda | With Singaram of the relative's house |
| Pazhaiya kadhaiyum pesikittaa | She chatted about old stories |
| Male | |
| Kannukkuttiyae mallukkattiyae | Wrestling with the calf |
| Kayaththai pottu pidichchukittaa | She caught it using a rope |
| Kannukkuttiyae mallukkattiyae | Wrestling with the calf |
| Kayaththai pottu pidichchukittaa | She caught it using a rope |
| Male | |
| Mannukkattiyaal maangaa adichchu | Knocking down a mango with a mud clod |
| Vaayila pttu kadichchukittaa | She bit into it with her mouth |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
| Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil | On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi |
| Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa | Loaded the entire family |
| Male | |
| Chinna kutti naaththanaa | The little sister-in-law |
| Sillaraiyae maaththunaa | Exchanged the money for loose change |
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
குன்னக்குடி போற வண்டியில்
குடும்பம் பூரா ஏத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Loaded the entire family
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
குன்னக்குடி போற வண்டியில்
குடும்பம் பூரா ஏத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Loaded the entire family
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
குளுரடிக்கிற கொழந்த மேலே
துணியைப் போட்டுப் போத்துனா
குளுரடிக்கிற கொளந்த மேலே
துணியைப் போட்டுப் போத்துனா
Over the shivering child
She covered a towel/cloth
Over the shivering child
She covered a towel/cloth
குவாகுவான்னு கத்தினதால
முதுகுல ரெண்டு சாத்துனா
குவாகுவான்னு கத்தினதால
முதுகுல ரெண்டு சாத்துனா
Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa'
She slapped twice on its back
Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa'
She slapped twice on its back
கிலுகிலுப்பையக் கையில கொடுத்து
அழுத புள்ளையைத் தேத்துனா
கிலுகிலுப்பையக் கையில கொடுத்து
அழுத புள்ளையைத் தேத்துனா
Handing a rattle toy in its hand
She comforted the crying child
Handing a rattle toy in its hand
She comforted the crying child
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
குன்னக்குடி போற வண்டியில்
குடும்பம் பூரா ஏத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Loaded the entire family
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
பன்னப்பட்டி கிராமத்திலே பழைய
சோறும் தின்னுக்கிட்டா
பன்னப்பட்டி கிராமத்திலே பழைய
சோறும் தின்னுக்கிட்டா
In Pannappatti village, old fermented
Rice she ate
In Pannappatti village, old fermented
Rice she ate
பங்காளி ஊட்டு சிங்காரத்தோட பழைய
கதையும் பேசிக்கிட்டா
பங்காளி ஊட்டு சிங்காரத்தோட பழைய
கதையும் பேசிக்கிட்டா
With Singaram of the relative's house
She chatted about old stories
With Singaram of the relative's house
She chatted about old stories
கன்னுக்குட்டியே மல்லுக்கட்டியே
கயத்தைப் போட்டுப் பிடிச்சுக்கிட்டா
கன்னுக்குட்டியே மல்லுக்கட்டியே
கயத்தைப் போட்டுப் பிடிச்சுக்கிட்டா
Wrestling with the calf
She caught it using a rope
Wrestling with the calf
She caught it using a rope
மண்ணுக்கட்டியால் மாங்கா அடிச்சு
வாயில போட்டு கடிச்சுகிட்டா
Knocking down a mango with a mud clod
She bit into it with her mouth
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
குன்னக்குடி போற வண்டியில்
குடும்பம் பூரா ஏத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Loaded the entire family
சின்னக் குட்டி நாத்தனா
சில்லரையே மாத்துனா
The little sister-in-law
Exchanged the money for loose change
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa
Loaded the entire family
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa
Loaded the entire family
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Kuluradikkira kozhanthai melae
Over the shivering child
Thunaiyao pottu poththunaa
She covered a towel/cloth
Kuluradikkira kozhanthai melae
Over the shivering child
Thunaiyao pottu poththunaa
She covered a towel/cloth
Kuvaakuvaannu kaththinathaala
Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa'
Mudhugula rendu saaththunaa
She slapped twice on its back
Kuvaakuvaannu kaththinathaala
Because it cried out loudly 'kuvaa kuvaa'
Mudhugula rendu saaththunaa
She slapped twice on its back
Kilukilupaiyak kaiyil koduththu
Handing a rattle toy in its hand
Azhutha pullaiyai thaeththunaa
She comforted the crying child
Kilukilupaiyak kaiyil koduththu
Handing a rattle toy in its hand
Azhutha pullaiyai thaeththunaa
She comforted the crying child
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa
Loaded the entire family
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Pannappatti gramaththilae pazhaiya
In Pannappatti village, old fermented
Sorum thinnukittaa
Rice she ate
Pannappatti gramaththilae pazhaiya
In Pannappatti village, old fermented
Sorum thinnukittaa
Rice she ate
Pangaali oottu singaaraththoda
With Singaram of the relative's house
Pazhaiya kadhaiyum pesikittaa
She chatted about old stories
Pangaali oottu singaaraththoda
With Singaram of the relative's house
Pazhaiya kadhaiyum pesikittaa
She chatted about old stories
Kannukkuttiyae mallukkattiyae
Wrestling with the calf
Kayaththai pottu pidichchukittaa
She caught it using a rope
Kannukkuttiyae mallukkattiyae
Wrestling with the calf
Kayaththai pottu pidichchukittaa
She caught it using a rope
Mannukkattiyaal maangaa adichchu
Knocking down a mango with a mud clod
Vaayila pttu kadichchukittaa
She bit into it with her mouth
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Kunnakkudi pora vandiyil
On the cart heading to Kunnakkudi
Kudumbam pooraa yaeththunaa
Loaded the entire family
Chinna kutti naaththanaa
The little sister-in-law
Sillaraiyae maaththunaa
Exchanged the money for loose change
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic folk-style song from the 1957 Tamil film Aaravalli vividly depicts the vibrant escapades and playful antics of a young sister-in-law (naaththanaar). She breaks currency into loose change for travel expenses and packs the entire family into a bullock cart bound for the pilgrimage town of Kunnakkudi. Along the journey, she attends to a cold baby—disciplining it with a light swat when it screams and soothing it with a toy rattle. Upon reaching Pannappatti village, her lively spirit shines as she relishes humble fermented rice, reminisces with relatives, wrestles a young calf to tether it with rope, and hurls mud clods to knock down mangoes from trees. Written by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, the lyrics paint an authentic, joyful portrait of rural Tamil domestic life and rustic camaraderie.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Onomatopoeia (Oliyakkurippu)
“Kuvaakuvaannu kaththinathaala”
'Kuvaakuvaannu' mimics the sound of a crying baby, adding realistic auditory imagery to the scene.
Second-letter Rhyme (Edukai)
“Chinna kutti naaththanaa / Sillaraiyae maaththunaa”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Chinna' / 'Sillarai' / 'Kunnakkudi') creates a natural rhythmic flow characteristic of Tamil folk poetry.
Initial Consonant Rhyme (Moonaay / Alliteration)
“Pannappatti gramaththilae pazhaiya”
Repetition of the 'Pa' sound ('Pannappatti' / 'Pazhaiya' / 'Pangaali') enhances the song's oral storytelling tempo.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by legendary music director G. Ramanathan and written by the iconic poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, 'Chinna Kutti Naaththanaa' is celebrated for capturing rural Tamil vernacular idioms. Trichy Loganathan's spirited vocal performance made the song a lasting classic in Tamil cinema's folk genre.
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