Chinna Kuyil Oru
From Chinna Kuyil Paaduthu · 1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Enna seiyum indha kuyil kannammaa | What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma? |
| Paavamadi chinna kuyil ammammaa | Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo! |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Male | |
| Annai kuyil thannai | Its mother cuckoo itself, |
| Indha pillai kuyil paarkkalae | This child cuckoo could not see |
| Pillai kuyil yekkam thannai | The longing of this child cuckoo, |
| Thandhai kuyil theerkkalae | The father cuckoo cannot fulfill |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil thaayin anbai | The little cuckoo missing its mother's love |
| Dhinam dhinam kaanaamae | Day after day without seeing it |
| Ullathilae vaattam kondu | With a heavy and grieving heart, |
| Urugudhu thoongaamae | It melts away without any sleep |
| Thandhai ullam eppodhum boomiyilae | A father's love on this earth |
| Pongi varum thaai ullam aagaadhae | Can never match the overflowing heart of a mother |
| Endha thunai aanaalum vaazhkkaiyilae | No matter what companion one finds in life, |
| Sondha thunai thaai pola kidaiyaadhae | There is no true companion like a mother |
| Thaayai pola pesum dheivam yedhum illae | There is no living god like a mother |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Male | |
| Pillai kuyil vaazhum koottil | In the nest where the child cuckoo lives, |
| Peththa kuyil vaazhndhadhu | The mother cuckoo once lived |
| Peththa kuyil koottai vittu | The mother cuckoo left the nest |
| Kaattu pakkam parandhadhu | And flew away toward the forest |
| Male | |
| Annai kuyil koottil veror | Into the mother cuckoo's nest, |
| Aasai kuyil vandhadhu | Another desired cuckoo came |
| Thandhai kuyil ullam noga | Hurting the father cuckoo's heart, |
| Sandai ittu ponadhu | She fought and flew away |
| Aadharavu illaadha siru kuyilum | The helpless little cuckoo |
| Vaadudhammaa neer illaa vayal pola | Is wilting like a waterless field |
| Thaayin madi kaanaadha pillai kuyil | The child cuckoo deprived of its mother's lap |
| Sindhudhammaa kanneerai nadhi pola | Is shedding tears like a flowing river |
| Yekkam theerum naalum | The day when this yearning will end, |
| Endru thaan varumo | When indeed will that day arrive? |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
| Enna seiyum indha kuyil kannammaa | What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma? |
| Paavamadi chinna kuyil ammammaa | Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo! |
| Male | |
| Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu | A little cuckoo is singing a song |
| Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu | It searches for where its mother cuckoo is |
சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
{சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது} (2)
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma?
Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo!
என்ன செய்யும் இந்தக்
குயில் கண்ணம்மா
பாவமடி சின்னக் குயில் அம்மம்மா…
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது
Its mother cuckoo itself,
This child cuckoo could not see
The longing of this child cuckoo,
The father cuckoo cannot fulfill
அன்னைக் குயில் தன்னை இந்த
பிள்ளைக் குயில் பார்க்கலே
பிள்ளைக் குயில் ஏக்கம் தன்னை
தந்தைக் குயில் தீர்க்கலே
The little cuckoo missing its mother's love
Day after day without seeing it
With a heavy and grieving heart,
It melts away without any sleep
A father's love on this earth
Can never match the overflowing heart of a mother
No matter what companion one finds in life,
There is no true companion like a mother
There is no living god like a mother
சின்னக்குயில் தாயின் அன்பை
தினம் தினம் காணாமே
உள்ளத்திலே வாட்டம் கொண்டு
உருகுது தூங்காமே
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
தந்தை உள்ளம்
எப்போதும் பூமியிலே.....ஏ...
பொங்கி வரும்
தாய் உள்ளம் ஆகாதே....
எந்தத் துணை
ஆனாலும் வாழ்க்கையிலே
சொந்தத் துணை
தாய் போல கிடையாதே....
தாயைப் போல பேசும்
தெய்வம் ஏதும் இல்லே....
In the nest where the child cuckoo lives,
The mother cuckoo once lived
The mother cuckoo left the nest
And flew away toward the forest
சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது
Into the mother cuckoo's nest,
Another desired cuckoo came
Hurting the father cuckoo's heart,
She fought and flew away
The helpless little cuckoo
Is wilting like a waterless field
The child cuckoo deprived of its mother's lap
Is shedding tears like a flowing river
The day when this yearning will end,
When indeed will that day arrive?
பிள்ளைக்குயில்
வாழும் கூட்டில்
பெத்தக்குயில் வாழ்ந்தது
பெத்தக்குயில் கூட்டை விட்டு
காட்டுப் பக்கம் பறந்தது
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma?
Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo!
அன்னைக்குயில்
கூட்டில் வேறோர்
ஆசைக்குயில் வந்தது
தந்தைக்குயில் உள்ளம் நோக
சண்டை இட்டுப் போனது
A little cuckoo is singing a song
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
ஆதரவு இல்லாத
சிறு குயிலும்...ம்ம்...
வாடுதம்மா நீர் இல்லா
வயல் போல
தாயின் மடி காணாத
பிள்ளைக் குயில்....
சிந்துதம்மா கண்ணீரை நதி போல
ஏக்கம் தீரும்
நாளும் என்றுதான் வருமோ
சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது.....
என்ன செய்யும் இந்தக்
குயில் கண்ணம்மா
பாவமடி சின்னக்குயில் அம்மம்மா…
சின்னக்குயில் ஒரு பாட்டு பாடுது
தன் அம்மா குயில் எங்கேன்னு தேடுது
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Enna seiyum indha kuyil kannammaa
What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma?
Paavamadi chinna kuyil ammammaa
Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo!
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Annai kuyil thannai
Its mother cuckoo itself,
Indha pillai kuyil paarkkalae
This child cuckoo could not see
Pillai kuyil yekkam thannai
The longing of this child cuckoo,
Thandhai kuyil theerkkalae
The father cuckoo cannot fulfill
Chinna kuyil thaayin anbai
The little cuckoo missing its mother's love
Dhinam dhinam kaanaamae
Day after day without seeing it
Ullathilae vaattam kondu
With a heavy and grieving heart,
Urugudhu thoongaamae
It melts away without any sleep
Thandhai ullam eppodhum boomiyilae
A father's love on this earth
Pongi varum thaai ullam aagaadhae
Can never match the overflowing heart of a mother
Endha thunai aanaalum vaazhkkaiyilae
No matter what companion one finds in life,
Sondha thunai thaai pola kidaiyaadhae
There is no true companion like a mother
Thaayai pola pesum dheivam yedhum illae
There is no living god like a mother
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Pillai kuyil vaazhum koottil
In the nest where the child cuckoo lives,
Peththa kuyil vaazhndhadhu
The mother cuckoo once lived
Peththa kuyil koottai vittu
The mother cuckoo left the nest
Kaattu pakkam parandhadhu
And flew away toward the forest
Annai kuyil koottil veror
Into the mother cuckoo's nest,
Aasai kuyil vandhadhu
Another desired cuckoo came
Thandhai kuyil ullam noga
Hurting the father cuckoo's heart,
Sandai ittu ponadhu
She fought and flew away
Aadharavu illaadha siru kuyilum
The helpless little cuckoo
Vaadudhammaa neer illaa vayal pola
Is wilting like a waterless field
Thaayin madi kaanaadha pillai kuyil
The child cuckoo deprived of its mother's lap
Sindhudhammaa kanneerai nadhi pola
Is shedding tears like a flowing river
Yekkam theerum naalum
The day when this yearning will end,
Endru thaan varumo
When indeed will that day arrive?
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Enna seiyum indha kuyil kannammaa
What can this cuckoo do, my dear Kannamma?
Paavamadi chinna kuyil ammammaa
Oh, what a pity for this little cuckoo!
Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu
A little cuckoo is singing a song
Than ammaa kuyil engaennu thedudhu
It searches for where its mother cuckoo is
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional song uses the metaphor of a young bird (chinna kuyil) searching for its missing mother bird. The child bird is filled with immense sorrow, missing the warmth and love of its mother, which even the caring father bird cannot fully replace. It highlights the irreplaceable nature of maternal affection, declaring that no deity or worldly companion can compare to a mother's love. The lyrics narrate how another bird entered the nest, leading to conflict and the mother's departure into the wild. Deprived of a mother's lap, the young bird's life feels like a dry, waterless crop field, weeping tears like a river as it waits and wonders when its aching longing will finally end.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Chinna kuyil oru paattu paadudhu”
The young child longing for motherly affection is poetically portrayed as a 'chinna kuyil' (little cuckoo) searching for its 'ammaa kuyil'.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vaadudhammaa neer illaa vayal pola”
Comparing the helpless child bird's suffering to a field parched without water ('neer illaa vayal pola').
Simile (Uvamai)
“Sindhudhammaa kanneerai nadhi pola”
Comparing the child's continuous flow of tears to a river ('nadhi pola').
Monoreyme / Repetition (Emonai & Anaphora)
“Pillai kuyil vaazhum koottil / Peththa kuyil vaazhndhadhu”
Repeated use of 'kuyil' across lines creates a musical and rhythmic motif emphasizing the central subject.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song uses the 'Kuyil' (cuckoo) imagery, a traditional motif in classical and modern Tamil poetry used to symbolize soft emotion, sweet voice, and deep emotional longing.
Keep listening
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