Chinna Ponnu Selai
From Malaiyoor Mambattiyan · 1983
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Malaiyoor Mambattiyan1983
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu selai | A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu selai | A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Engae maaraapu | Where is the pallu covering? |
| Mayilae nee po…. | Peacock, you please leave... |
| Venaam veeraappu.. | No need for stubbornness.. |
| Female | |
| Chinna ponnu selai | A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Chinna ponnu selai | A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Kaiyae maaraappu | Hands act as the pallu |
| Varuvaen nee vaa | I will come, you come too |
| Venaam Veeraappu.. | No need for stubbornness.. |
| Female | |
| Neer pogum vazhiyodu | Along the path where water flows |
| Thaanpogum en selai | My saree goes on its own |
| Nee pogum vazhi thedi | Seeking the path you walk |
| Varuvaenae pinnaala | I will follow right behind you |
| Male | |
| Vazhi theriyaatha aaru idhu | This is a river that knows no path |
| Idha nambiththaana ooduvathu | Is it believing this that it flows? |
| Female | |
| Pudhu vellam searumpothu | When new floodwaters join |
| Vazhi enna paadhai enna | What matters the route or path? |
| Kaattraagi veesum pothu | When blowing like the wind |
| Thasai enna desam enna | What matters direction or country? |
| Male | |
| Manasa thaazh pottu | Lock up your heart |
| Mayilae nee po…. | Peacock, you please leave... |
| Venaam vilaiyaattu | No games now |
| Female | |
| Ahaa…..Chinna ponnu selai | Aha... A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Kaiyae maaraappu | Hands act as the pallu |
| Male :Mayilae nee po…. | Male: Peacock, you please leave... |
| Venaam veeraappu.. | No need for stubbornness.. |
| Female | |
| ……………….. | ................ |
| Male | |
| En meala nee aasai | You having desire for me |
| Kondaalum thappilla | Is not a mistake |
| Endraalum kuyilukku | Even so, for the cuckoo |
| Nindraada koppilla | There is no branch to sit and sway |
| Female | |
| Nee thantha thaali mudinju vachchen | I tied and kept the sacred thread you gave |
| Unna nambithaanae olichchu vachchen | Believing in you, I hid myself away |
| Male | |
| Pollaappu vaenaa pulla | Don't cause trouble, girl |
| Poochchoodum kaalam valla | The time to wear flowers hasn't arrived |
| Naan thoonga paayum illa | I don't even have a mat to sleep on |
| Nee vanthaa niyaayam illa | It isn't right for you to come along |
| Veenaa koopaadu veruvaen | Useless noise, I will come |
| Nee vaa rosaa poo soodu | You come, wear a rose flower |
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu selai | A young girl's saree |
| Shenbagappoo pola | Is like a Shenbagam flower |
| Female :Naanaa naa naanaa | Female: Naanaa naa naanaa |
| Lallaa llaa laa laalaa laallaa | Lallaa llaa laa laalaa laallaa |
சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
எங்கே மாராப்பு......
மயிலே நீ போ வேணாம் வீராப்பு.....
A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Where is the pallu covering?
Peacock, you please leave...
No need for stubbornness..
சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
கையே மாராப்பு....
வருவேன் நீ வா வேணா வீராப்பு....
A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Hands act as the pallu
I will come, you come too
No need for stubbornness..
நீர் போகும் வழியோடு
தான் போகும் என் சேலை
நீ போகும் வழி தேடி
வருவேனே பின்னால
Along the path where water flows
My saree goes on its own
Seeking the path you walk
I will follow right behind you
வழி தெரியாத ஆறு இது
இத நம்பித்தானா ஓடுவது
This is a river that knows no path
Is it believing this that it flows?
புது வெள்ளம் சேரும்போது
வழி என்ன பாதை என்ன
காற்றாகி வீசும் போது
தசை என்ன தேசம் என்ன
When new floodwaters join
What matters the route or path?
When blowing like the wind
What matters direction or country?
மனச தாழ் போட்டு
மயிலே நீ போ வேணாம் விளையாட்டு..
Lock up your heart
Peacock, you please leave...
No games now
அஹா....சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
கையே மாராப்பு....
மயிலே நீ போ வேணாம் வீராப்பு.....
Aha... A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Hands act as the pallu
Male: Peacock, you please leave...
No need for stubbornness..
ஓஒ......ஓஓஹோ....ஓ....
ஓஒ......ஓஒ.....ஓ.....
................
என் மேல நீ ஆசை
கொண்டாலும் தப்பில்ல..
என்றாலும் குயிலுக்கு
நின்றாட கொப்பில்ல..
You having desire for me
Is not a mistake
Even so, for the cuckoo
There is no branch to sit and sway
நீ தந்த தாலி முடிஞ்சு வச்சேன்
உன்ன நம்பி தானே ஒளிச்சு வச்சேன்
I tied and kept the sacred thread you gave
Believing in you, I hid myself away
பொல்லாப்பு வேணா புள்ள
பூச்சூடும் காலம் வல்ல
நான் தூங்க பாயும் இல்ல
நீ வந்த நியாயம் இல்ல
வீணா கூப்பாடு வருவேன்
நீ வா ரோசா பூ சூடு.....
Don't cause trouble, girl
The time to wear flowers hasn't arrived
I don't even have a mat to sleep on
It isn't right for you to come along
Useless noise, I will come
You come, wear a rose flower
சின்ன பொண்ணு சேலை
செண்பக பூ போல
நானா நா னானா
லல்லா ல்லா லா லாலா லால்லா
A young girl's saree
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Female: Naanaa naa naanaa
Lallaa llaa laa laalaa laallaa
Chinna ponnu selai
A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Chinna ponnu selai
A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Engae maaraapu
Where is the pallu covering?
Mayilae nee po….
Peacock, you please leave...
Venaam veeraappu..
No need for stubbornness..
Chinna ponnu selai
A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Chinna ponnu selai
A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Kaiyae maaraappu
Hands act as the pallu
Varuvaen nee vaa
I will come, you come too
Venaam Veeraappu..
No need for stubbornness..
Neer pogum vazhiyodu
Along the path where water flows
Thaanpogum en selai
My saree goes on its own
Nee pogum vazhi thedi
Seeking the path you walk
Varuvaenae pinnaala
I will follow right behind you
Vazhi theriyaatha aaru idhu
This is a river that knows no path
Idha nambiththaana ooduvathu
Is it believing this that it flows?
Pudhu vellam searumpothu
When new floodwaters join
Vazhi enna paadhai enna
What matters the route or path?
Kaattraagi veesum pothu
When blowing like the wind
Thasai enna desam enna
What matters direction or country?
Manasa thaazh pottu
Lock up your heart
Mayilae nee po….
Peacock, you please leave...
Venaam vilaiyaattu
No games now
Ahaa…..Chinna ponnu selai
Aha... A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Kaiyae maaraappu
Hands act as the pallu
Male :Mayilae nee po….
Male: Peacock, you please leave...
Venaam veeraappu..
No need for stubbornness..
………………..
................
En meala nee aasai
You having desire for me
Kondaalum thappilla
Is not a mistake
Endraalum kuyilukku
Even so, for the cuckoo
Nindraada koppilla
There is no branch to sit and sway
Nee thantha thaali mudinju vachchen
I tied and kept the sacred thread you gave
Unna nambithaanae olichchu vachchen
Believing in you, I hid myself away
Pollaappu vaenaa pulla
Don't cause trouble, girl
Poochchoodum kaalam valla
The time to wear flowers hasn't arrived
Naan thoonga paayum illa
I don't even have a mat to sleep on
Nee vanthaa niyaayam illa
It isn't right for you to come along
Veenaa koopaadu veruvaen
Useless noise, I will come
Nee vaa rosaa poo soodu
You come, wear a rose flower
Chinna ponnu selai
A young girl's saree
Shenbagappoo pola
Is like a Shenbagam flower
Female :Naanaa naa naanaa
Female: Naanaa naa naanaa
Lallaa llaa laa laalaa laallaa
Lallaa llaa laa laalaa laallaa
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Chinna Ponnu Selai from the 1983 Tamil movie Malaiyoor Mambattiyan captures a romantic banter between a village outlaw and his lover. The heroine expresses her unconditional devotion, comparing her love to a river flowing without boundaries, ready to follow him anywhere despite the risks. The hero, conscious of his dangerous and unpredictable life on the run, tries to dissuade her, reminding her that he does not even have a peaceful place to rest or a mat to sleep on. Despite his practical resistance, her persistent affection and charm soften his stance. The song beautifully blends rustic romanticism with the poignant reality of an outlaw's life, using nature-based metaphors to illustrate love, freedom, and emotional vulnerability.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Shenbagappoo pola”
Compares the delicate saree of the young girl to the fragrance and beauty of a Shenbagam flower.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vazhi theriyaatha aaru idhu”
Compares life and unguided love to an uncharted river flowing freely without knowing its path.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Mayilae nee po….”
Compares the beloved woman to a graceful peacock ('Mayil').
Rhyme (Edhukai)
“Pudhu vellam searumpothu / Kaattraagi veesum pothu”
Matching secondary consonant sounds across lines ('searumpothu' and 'veesum pothu').
Did you know?
Trivia
Malaiyoor Mambattiyan (1983) is a classic Tamil action-drama film directed by Rajasekhar, based on the true life story of an infamous robin-hood-like outlaw from Tamil Nadu. Though listed as unknown in the prompt schema, the iconic soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The duet was originally rendered by Malaysia Vasudevan and S. Janaki and remains one of the most memorable folk-style melodies of 1980s Tamil cinema.
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