- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singers
- V. N. Sundaram, M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- C. R. Subbaraman
- Movie name
- Manamagal
- Movie release year
- 1951
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Mar 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Chinnanchiru Kiliye is one of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar's most celebrated poems, conveying profound parental love and affection towards Kannamma, imagined as a young child. The narrator marvels at the child's presence, describing her as a treasure trove, a speaking golden painting, and nectar-like fruit that dispels all worldly sorrow and fills life with joy. The emotional intensity escalates through descriptions of physical affection—kissing her cheek, embracing her, and taking pride in her praise—culminating in an empathetic bond where a single tear from her eyes causes blood to bleed from the narrator's heart, demonstrating that her life and soul are inseparable from his own.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Rupakam)
“Selva kalanchiyamae / Pesum por chithiramae”
Compares the child to various precious entities like a parrot ('kili'), treasure trove ('selva kalanchiyam'), nectar-like fruit ('kani amudhu'), and a golden painting ('por chithiram').
Hyperbole (Atisayokti)
“Un kannil neer vazhinthaal / Enn nenjil uthiram kottuthadi”
Expresses extreme empathy by stating that if a tear falls from the child's eyes, blood drips from the speaker's heart.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Oodi varugaiyiale / Aadi thirithal kandaal”
Matching second consonant 'd' sound across lines to create rhythmic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, this immortal Tamil poem was adapted into the 1951 movie 'Manamagal' starring Padmini and N. S. Krishnan. The film's music was composed by C. R. Subbaraman, and this classical track was rendered by Carnatic icon M. L. Vasanthakumari along with V. N. Sundaram.
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