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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chinnamma Engamma

From Veluchami · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Gangai Amaran, Mano, Swarnalatha
Music director
Deva
Details
Veluchami1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Chinnamma engammaaOur young lady, our dear mother,
Undaana sedhiyellaamThe news of her pregnancy,
Thandoraa pottu neeyum solladaaAnnounce it to everyone by beating the drum!
Hae vaadipatti kotteduththuHey, take the drum from Vadipatti,
Valaiyapatti thavileduththuTake the thavil from Valayapatti,
Jaadhi sanam ariya neeyum saattradaaProclaim it so all our kith and kin know!
Male
Thanjavur maelamum coimbatore naayanamumThe melam from Thanjavur and the naaswaram from Coimbatore,
Rendum onnaach saeravenum oodhadaaBlow them together as one!
Sozhavanthaan urumiyum allinagara aattamumThe urumi from Sholavandan and the dance of Allinagaram,
Ettu ooru ketkka venum kottadaaBeat them loud so eight surrounding villages can hear!
Male
Haei adidaa onnaagaHey, strike the rhythm together!
Chorus :Adidaa onnaagaChorus: Strike the rhythm together!
Male :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaMale: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Chorus :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaChorus: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Male :Chinnammaa undaanaaMale: Our young lady is pregnant,
Chorus :Chinnammaa undaanaaChorus: Our young lady is pregnant,
Male :Enna venum kelungaMale: Ask whatever you wish for,
Chorus :Enna venum kelungaChorus: Ask whatever you wish for,
Male
Adi komaringa aadungaHey young maidens, dance!
Kolavainga podungaMake the joyous ululation sound!
Aambalaiyaa pombalaiyaaIs it a boy or a girl?
Rendum varum nambalaiyaaBoth will come, trust us!
Ochchaayi….Ochchaayi....
Chorus :Ochchaayi….Chorus: Ochchaayi....
Male
Namma chinnamma pulla pera poraaOur young lady is going to give birth to a child,
Antha pulla varum muththu mani thaeraaThat child will arrive like a chariot of pearls!
Chorus :namma chinnamma pulla poraaChorus: Our young lady is going to give birth to a child,
Antha pulla varum muththu mani thaeraaThat child will arrive like a chariot of pearls!
Male
Haei adidaa onnaagaHey, strike the rhythm together!
Chorus :Adidaa onnaagaChorus: Strike the rhythm together!
Male :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaMale: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Chorus :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaChorus: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Male
Pulla varam venuminnuPraying for the boon of a child,
Nambi vantha deaiyaiThe deity we trusted,
Ettu thottil aaduthadi nam veettilaeNow eight cradles sway in our house!
Female :Ennudaiya aasaiyellaamFemale: All my desires,
Muththam pathinaaruthaanAre sixteen blessings,
Innum ettu koraiyuthaiyaa en yaettilaeYet eight are still missing from my ledger, my lord!
Male
Innum ettu poranthu vanthaaIf eight more are born to us,
Pallikkoodam thodangalaamWe can open a whole school!
Female :Panjaayaththu therthal vanthaaFemale: If the panchayat election comes,
Appa ninnu jeyikkalaamFather can contest and win!
Male :Veeraththaai neeyinnuMale: You are a brave mother,
Pattam onnu vaangalaamYou can win an award for it!
Male
Adidaa onnaagaStrike the rhythm together!
Chorus :Adidaa onnaagaChorus: Strike the rhythm together!
Male :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaMale: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Chorus :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaChorus: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Male :Chinnammaa undaanaaMale: Our young lady is pregnant,
Chorus :Chinnammaa undaanaaChorus: Our young lady is pregnant,
Male :Enna venum kelungaMale: Ask whatever you wish for,
Chorus :Enna venum kelungaChorus: Ask whatever you wish for,
Female
Chinna chinna aasai vanthuTiny, subtle desires come,
Kannukkulla mithakkuthuFloating inside my eyes,
Thaali onnu vaangi vachchu naalaaguthuIt has been days since the thali was bought and kept,
Male :Sokkathanga pathumai onnuMale: A doll of pure gold,
Sokki sokki azhaikkithuBeckons me in enchantment,
Poo mudikkum thedhi enni poraaduthuCounting down the days to wear flowers, struggling in anticipation,
Female
Malligaippoo thelichchu vachchuSprinkled with jasmine flowers,
Mancham onnu izhukkuthuThe bed beckons us,
Oodhupaththi pola inthaLike an incense stick,
Ull manasu karaiyuthuThis inner heart melts away,
Male :Edhaiyo nenachchuMale: Thinking of something,
Iduppu saela vazhukkuthuThe saree at the waist slips away,
Male
Adidaa onnaagaStrike the rhythm together!
Chorus :Adidaa onnaagaChorus: Strike the rhythm together!
Male :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaMale: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Chorus :Ayyanaaru sonnaangaChorus: Lord Ayyanaar has decreed it,
Male: Chinnammaa undaanaaMale: Our young lady is pregnant,
Chorus :Chinnammaa undaanaaChorus: Our young lady is pregnant,
Male :Enna venum kelungaMale: Ask whatever you wish for,
Chorus :Enna venum kelungaChorus: Ask whatever you wish for,
Male
Adi komaringa aadungaHey young maidens, dance!
Kolavainga podungaMake the joyous ululation sound!
Aambalaiyaa pombalaiyaaIs it a boy or a girl?
Rendum varum nambalaiyaaBoth will come, trust us!
Ochchaayi….Ochchaayi....
Chorus :Ochchaayi….Chorus: Ochchaayi....
Male
Namma chinnamma pulla pera poraaOur young lady is going to give birth to a child,
Antha pulla varum muththu mani thaeraaThat child will arrive like a chariot of pearls!
Chorus :namma chinnamma pulla poraaChorus: Our young lady is going to give birth to a child,
Antha pulla varum muththu mani thaeraaThat child will arrive like a chariot of pearls!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This folk celebratory song from the 1995 Tamil movie 'Veluchami' expresses the grand jubilation of a village celebrating a pregnant woman ('Chinnamma'). The lyrics call for grand musical performances combining traditional folk instruments across Tamil Nadu, such as Vadipatti drums, Thanjavur melam, and Coimbatore naaswaram, to spread the joyful news to all neighboring villages. The song highlights rural family warmth, playful banter about having many children, and romantic anticipation between husband and wife.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Thanjavur maelamum coimbatore naayanamum / Rendum onnaach saeravenum oodhadaa

The second letter 'n' (ன்) matches in 'Thanjavur' and 'Rendum', creating rhythmic harmony across lines.

Simile (Upamanalankaram)

Antha pulla varum muththu mani thaeraa

The unborn child is poetically compared to a chariot made of pearls ('muththu mani thaeraa').

Simile (Upamanalankaram)

Oodhupaththi pola intha / Ull manasu karaiyuthu

The melting heart of longing is compared to a burning incense stick ('oodhupaththi pola').

Anaphora / Repetition

Male :Ayyanaaru sonnaanga / Chorus :Ayyanaaru sonnaanga

Call-and-response repetition between the male lead and chorus reinforcing divine decree and joy.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Veluchami' starring Sarathkumar and Vineetha features music composed by Deva with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song vividly references iconic regional folk instruments and art forms of Tamil Nadu, such as Vadipatti drums and Sholavandan urumi.

Keep listening

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