Chinna Ponnu
From Aruvadai Naal · 1986
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, S. Janaki, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Aruvadai Naal1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu | Little girl, young girl, |
| Kannukkulla enna kannu | What is that in your eyes? |
| Sindhu nadhi adhu thaanaa | Is that the Sindhu river flowing? |
| Sindhuvadhaenadi veenaa | Why shed tears in vain? |
| Yaaru senja paavam eppadi thaan theerum | Whose sin is this, and how will it ever be redeemed? |
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu | Little girl, young girl, |
| Kannukkulla enna kannu | What is that in your eyes? |
| Female | |
| Sondham ellaam sondham illa | All relatives are no longer true kin, |
| Bandham ellaam bandham illa | All bonds hold no meaning anymore, |
| Vandha thunbam konjam illa | The suffering that has come is by no means small, |
| Indha nenjam thaangavilla | This heart cannot bear it any longer. |
| Female | |
| Onna mattum enni enni | Thinking constantly of you alone, |
| Uthamiyaa vaazhndha kanni | A virtuous maiden who lived pure, |
| Paaduradha paakkaliyaa | Don't you see me singing? |
| Paattu chaththam kekkalaiyaa | Don't you hear the sound of my song? |
| Male | |
| Kannellaam vazhi melae | My eyes are fixed upon the path, |
| Kanneeru nadhi polae | Tears flow like a surging river. |
| Female | |
| Thanga manam kondavarae | O one with a heart of gold, |
| Thaali onnu thandhavarae | The one who tied the sacred thread, |
| Kanneeru ini venaa | No more tears are needed now, |
| Maaraadho thuyar thaanaa | Will this sorrow never change? |
| Naanum vandha vela vaangikkitta maala | The garland I received the moment I arrived, |
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu | Little girl, young girl, |
| Kannukkulla enna kannu | What is that in your eyes? |
| Female | |
| Aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aa… | (Vocalizing sounds) |
| Haa….aa…aaa…aa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa… | (Vocalizing sounds) |
| Female | |
| Ethanaiyo jenmangalaa | For so many past lifetimes, |
| Ishtappattu serndhirundhom | We were happily united in love, |
| Ippa namma sondhathula | Now upon our sacred bond, |
| Kannu pattu ponadhaiyaa | An evil eye has fallen, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Kannu patta paavatha naan | The sin of that evil eye, |
| Enni ippa vaadurenae | I ponder now and wither away. |
| Kanda padi onna enni | Thinking of you continuously, |
| Kaadhalula paadurenae | I sing aloud in love. |
| Female | |
| Nee potta oru thaali | The sacred thread you tied, |
| En vaazhvil oru kaeli | Has become a mockery in my life. |
| Female | |
| Thanga manam kondavarae | O one with a heart of gold, |
| Thaali onnu thandhavarae | The one who tied the sacred thread, |
| Kanneeru ini venaa | No more tears are needed now, |
| Maaraadho thuyar thaanaa | Will this sorrow never change? |
| Naanum vandha vela vaangikkitta maala | The garland I received the moment I arrived, |
| Male | |
| Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu | Little girl, young girl, |
| Kannukkulla enna kannu | What is that in your eyes? |
| Female | |
| Nenjam ellaam oru baaram | My whole heart feels like a heavy burden, |
| Eppodhum vizhi eeram | My eyes are perpetually moist with tears. |
| Yaaru senja paavam | Whose sin is this? |
| Eppadi thaan theerum | How will it ever be redeemed? |
| Male | |
| Hmm mm mm mm | (Humming sounds) |
| Hmm mm mm mmm… | (Humming sounds) |
மற்றும் வாணி ஜெயராம்
Little girl, young girl,
What is that in your eyes?
Is that the Sindhu river flowing?
Why shed tears in vain?
Whose sin is this, and how will it ever be redeemed?
சின்னப் பொண்ணு சின்னப் பொண்ணு
கண்ணுக்குள்ள என்ன கண்ணு
சிந்து நதி அது தானா
சிந்துவதேனடி வீணா
யாரு செஞ்ச பாவம் எப்படித்தான் தீரும்
Little girl, young girl,
What is that in your eyes?
சின்னப் பொண்ணு சின்னப் பொண்ணு
கண்ணுக்குள்ள என்ன கண்ணு
All relatives are no longer true kin,
All bonds hold no meaning anymore,
The suffering that has come is by no means small,
This heart cannot bear it any longer.
சொந்தம் எல்லாம் சொந்தம் இல்ல
பந்தம் எல்லாம் பந்தம் இல்ல
வந்த துன்பம் கொஞ்சம் இல்ல
இந்த நெஞ்சம் தாங்கவில்ல
Thinking constantly of you alone,
A virtuous maiden who lived pure,
Don't you see me singing?
Don't you hear the sound of my song?
ஒன்ன மட்டும் எண்ணி எண்ணி
உத்தமியா வாழ்ந்த கன்னி
பாடுறத பாக்கலையா
பாட்டுச் சத்தம் கேக்கலையா
My eyes are fixed upon the path,
Tears flow like a surging river.
கண்ணெல்லாம் வழி மேலே
கண்ணீரு நதி போலே
O one with a heart of gold,
The one who tied the sacred thread,
No more tears are needed now,
Will this sorrow never change?
The garland I received the moment I arrived,
தங்க மனம் கொண்டவரே
தாலி ஒன்னு தந்தவரே
கண்ணீரு இனி வேணா
மாறாதோ துயர் தானா
நானும் வந்த வேள வாங்கிக்கிட்ட மால
Little girl, young girl,
What is that in your eyes?
சின்னப் பொண்ணு சின்னப் பொண்ணு
கண்ணுக்குள்ள என்ன கண்ணு
(Vocalizing sounds)
(Vocalizing sounds)
ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ......ஆ....
ஹா....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....ஆஅ.....
For so many past lifetimes,
We were happily united in love,
Now upon our sacred bond,
An evil eye has fallen, my dear.
எத்தனையோ ஜென்மங்களா
இஷ்டப்பட்டு சேந்திருந்தோம்
இப்ப நம்ம சொந்தத்துல
கண்ணு பட்டுப் போனதையா
The sin of that evil eye,
I ponder now and wither away.
Thinking of you continuously,
I sing aloud in love.
கண்ணு பட்ட பாவத்த நான்
எண்ணி இப்ப வாடுறேனே
கண்ட படி ஒன்ன எண்ணி
காதலுல பாடுறேனே
The sacred thread you tied,
Has become a mockery in my life.
நீ போட்ட ஒரு தாலி
என் வாழ்வில் ஒரு கேலி
O one with a heart of gold,
The one who tied the sacred thread,
No more tears are needed now,
Will this sorrow never change?
The garland I received the moment I arrived,
தங்க மனம் கொண்டவரே
தாலி ஒன்னு தந்தவரே
கண்ணீரு இனி வேணா
மாறாதோ துயர் தானா
நானும் வந்த வேள வாங்கிக்கிட்ட மால
Little girl, young girl,
What is that in your eyes?
சின்னப் பொண்ணு சின்னப் பொண்ணு
கண்ணுக்குள்ள என்ன கண்ணு
My whole heart feels like a heavy burden,
My eyes are perpetually moist with tears.
Whose sin is this?
How will it ever be redeemed?
நெஞ்சம் எல்லாம் ஒரு பாரம்
எப்போதும் விழி ஈரம்
யாரு செஞ்ச பாவம்
எப்படித்தான் தீரும்
(Humming sounds)
(Humming sounds)
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்
Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu
Little girl, young girl,
Kannukkulla enna kannu
What is that in your eyes?
Sindhu nadhi adhu thaanaa
Is that the Sindhu river flowing?
Sindhuvadhaenadi veenaa
Why shed tears in vain?
Yaaru senja paavam eppadi thaan theerum
Whose sin is this, and how will it ever be redeemed?
Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu
Little girl, young girl,
Kannukkulla enna kannu
What is that in your eyes?
Sondham ellaam sondham illa
All relatives are no longer true kin,
Bandham ellaam bandham illa
All bonds hold no meaning anymore,
Vandha thunbam konjam illa
The suffering that has come is by no means small,
Indha nenjam thaangavilla
This heart cannot bear it any longer.
Onna mattum enni enni
Thinking constantly of you alone,
Uthamiyaa vaazhndha kanni
A virtuous maiden who lived pure,
Paaduradha paakkaliyaa
Don't you see me singing?
Paattu chaththam kekkalaiyaa
Don't you hear the sound of my song?
Kannellaam vazhi melae
My eyes are fixed upon the path,
Kanneeru nadhi polae
Tears flow like a surging river.
Thanga manam kondavarae
O one with a heart of gold,
Thaali onnu thandhavarae
The one who tied the sacred thread,
Kanneeru ini venaa
No more tears are needed now,
Maaraadho thuyar thaanaa
Will this sorrow never change?
Naanum vandha vela vaangikkitta maala
The garland I received the moment I arrived,
Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu
Little girl, young girl,
Kannukkulla enna kannu
What is that in your eyes?
Aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aa…
(Vocalizing sounds)
Haa….aa…aaa…aa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…
(Vocalizing sounds)
Ethanaiyo jenmangalaa
For so many past lifetimes,
Ishtappattu serndhirundhom
We were happily united in love,
Ippa namma sondhathula
Now upon our sacred bond,
Kannu pattu ponadhaiyaa
An evil eye has fallen, my dear.
Kannu patta paavatha naan
The sin of that evil eye,
Enni ippa vaadurenae
I ponder now and wither away.
Kanda padi onna enni
Thinking of you continuously,
Kaadhalula paadurenae
I sing aloud in love.
Nee potta oru thaali
The sacred thread you tied,
En vaazhvil oru kaeli
Has become a mockery in my life.
Thanga manam kondavarae
O one with a heart of gold,
Thaali onnu thandhavarae
The one who tied the sacred thread,
Kanneeru ini venaa
No more tears are needed now,
Maaraadho thuyar thaanaa
Will this sorrow never change?
Naanum vandha vela vaangikkitta maala
The garland I received the moment I arrived,
Chinna ponnu chinna ponnu
Little girl, young girl,
Kannukkulla enna kannu
What is that in your eyes?
Nenjam ellaam oru baaram
My whole heart feels like a heavy burden,
Eppodhum vizhi eeram
My eyes are perpetually moist with tears.
Yaaru senja paavam
Whose sin is this?
Eppadi thaan theerum
How will it ever be redeemed?
Hmm mm mm mm
(Humming sounds)
Hmm mm mm mmm…
(Humming sounds)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant track expresses deep grief, heart-wrenching pain, and the tragic turn of events in a woman's life. The protagonist mourns how a loving bond spanning across lifetimes was ruined by an evil eye or ill fate, turning the sacred marriage knot into a cruel joke. Her tears flow uncontrollably like a river as she questions whose karmic sin has brought such immense sorrow upon her. Throughout the song, there is a painful contrast between her devotion and her current plight. She addresses her beloved as someone with a heart of gold while weeping over the tragedy that has fractured their togetherness. Ultimately, the song captures the unbearable emotional weight, solitude, and questioning of fate in the face of sudden misfortune.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Kanneeru nadhi polae”
Compares the constant stream of tears flowing from the eyes to a river (Nadhipolae).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thanga manam kondavarae”
Refers to a person's pure and kind disposition directly as a heart made of gold (Thanga manam).
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhukai)
“Sondham ellaam sondham illa / Bandham ellaam bandham illa”
The second consonant sound 'ndh' repeats across consecutive lines ('Sondham' and 'Bandham').
Rhetorical Question
“Yaaru senja paavam eppadi thaan theerum”
Poses existential questions about karmic retribution and suffering that do not expect a literal answer.
Did you know?
Trivia
Aruvadai Naal (1986) was directed by G. M. Kumar and starred Prabhu along with debutante Pallavi. Although credited in lyrics databases with Gangai Amaran's verses, the film's soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, featuring soulful vocals by S. Janaki and K. J. Yesudas across various tracks.
Keep listening
More from Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal
Aruvadai Naal