Chinnanjiru Koottukkulle
From Poovizhi Raja · 1988
- Lyricist
- Piraisoodan
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Yuvaraj
- Details
- Poovizhi Raja1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Chinnanjiru koottukkulla | Inside a tiny little nest, |
| Paaduthintha oomaikuyil | This mute cuckoo bird sings. |
| Oomai kuyil ullaththila | In the heart of this mute cuckoo, |
| Ulla kadha yaararivaar | Who knows the story contained within? |
| Ooraarin sodhanaiya | The trials caused by the townsfolk |
| Sollidalaam saamikitta | Can be told to God; |
| Saami thantha vedhanaiya | But the pain given by God Himself, |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen | To whom can I go and express? |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen} (2) | To whom can I go and express? |
| Male | |
| Enakkul naanae pagaiyaai ponaen | I became an enemy unto myself, |
| Uravai thaedi thaniyaai aanaen | Seeking relationships, I became all alone. |
| Pollaatha paasam enai vaattu vidhi yaeno | Why does cruel affection torment me so, by fate? |
| Ponnaana thangai enai thoottrum nilai thaano | Has it come to a state where my precious sister reviles me? |
| Male | |
| Thannaalae naanae thallaadinaenae | All by myself, I stumbled and faltered. |
| Kannaalae paarththum sollaamal | Though seeing it with my own eyes, without speaking, |
| Oomai aanaenae | I became mute. |
| Male | |
| Chinnanjiru koottukkulla | Inside a tiny little nest, |
| Paaduthintha oomaikuyil | This mute cuckoo bird sings. |
| Oomai kuyil ullaththila | In the heart of this mute cuckoo, |
| Ulla kadha yaararivaar | Who knows the story contained within? |
| Ooraarin sodhanaiya | The trials caused by the townsfolk |
| Sollidalaam saamikitta | Can be told to God; |
| Saami thantha vedhanaiya | But the pain given by God Himself, |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen | To whom can I go and express? |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen | To whom can I go and express? |
| Male | |
| Kadalil thondri pozhiyum megam | The cloud born from the ocean pours down as rain, |
| Nadhiyaai maari kadalil serum | Turning into a river, it rejoins the sea. |
| Ondraaga kalanthu uravaadum nadhi polae | Like the river that merges and mingles in kinship, |
| Ennaalil thaayin madi meedhu thavazhveno | On which day will I crawl upon my mother's lap? |
| Male | |
| Neiyodu dheepam poraattam yaeno | Why is there a struggle between the oil and the lamp flame? |
| Nenjodu modhum thunbangal maari pogaatho | Will not these sorrows crashing against my heart change and pass? |
| Male | |
| Chinnanjiru koottukkulla | Inside a tiny little nest, |
| Paaduthintha oomaikuyil | This mute cuckoo bird sings. |
| Oomai kuyil ullaththila | In the heart of this mute cuckoo, |
| Ulla kadha yaararivaar | Who knows the story contained within? |
| Ooraarin sodhanaiya | The trials caused by the townsfolk |
| Sollidalaam saamikitta | Can be told to God; |
| Saami thantha vedhanaiya | But the pain given by God Himself, |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen | To whom can I go and express? |
| Yaaridam poe solliduvaen… | To whom can I go and express? |
{சின்னஞ்சிறு கூட்டுக்குள்ள
பாடுதிந்த ஊமை குயில்
ஊமைக் குயில் உள்ளத்தில
உள்ளக் கத யாரறிவார்
ஊராரின் சோதனைய
சொல்லிடலாம் சாமி கிட்ட
சாமி தந்த வேதனைய
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்} (2)
Inside a tiny little nest,
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Who knows the story contained within?
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Can be told to God;
But the pain given by God Himself,
To whom can I go and express?
To whom can I go and express?
எனக்குள் நானே பகையாய் போனேன்
உறவைத் தேடி தனியாய் ஆனேன்
பொல்லாத பாசம் எனை வாட்டும் விதி ஏனோ
பொன்னான தங்கை எனை தூற்றும் நிலை தானோ
I became an enemy unto myself,
Seeking relationships, I became all alone.
Why does cruel affection torment me so, by fate?
Has it come to a state where my precious sister reviles me?
தன்னாலே நானே தள்ளாடினேனே
கண்ணாலே பார்த்தும் சொல்லாமல்
ஊமை ஆனேனே
All by myself, I stumbled and faltered.
Though seeing it with my own eyes, without speaking,
I became mute.
சின்னஞ்சிறு கூட்டுக்குள்ள
பாடுதிந்த ஊமை குயில்
ஊமைக் குயில் உள்ளத்தில
உள்ளக் கத யாரறிவார்
ஊராரின் சோதனைய
சொல்லிடலாம் சாமி கிட்ட
சாமி தந்த வேதனைய
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்
Inside a tiny little nest,
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Who knows the story contained within?
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Can be told to God;
But the pain given by God Himself,
To whom can I go and express?
To whom can I go and express?
கடலில் தோன்றி பொழியும் மேகம்
நதியாய் மாறி கடலில் சேரும்
ஒன்றாக கலந்து உறவாடும் நதிப் போலே
எந்நாளில் தாயின் மடி மீது தவழ்வேனோ
The cloud born from the ocean pours down as rain,
Turning into a river, it rejoins the sea.
Like the river that merges and mingles in kinship,
On which day will I crawl upon my mother's lap?
நெய்யோடு தீபம் போராட்டம் ஏனோ
நெஞ்சோடு மோதும் துன்பங்கள் மாறிப் போகாதோ
Why is there a struggle between the oil and the lamp flame?
Will not these sorrows crashing against my heart change and pass?
சின்னஞ்சிறு கூட்டுக்குள்ள
பாடுதிந்த ஊமை குயில்
ஊமைக் குயில் உள்ளத்தில
உள்ளக் கத யாரறிவார்
ஊராரின் சோதனைய
சொல்லிடலாம் சாமி கிட்ட
சாமி தந்த வேதனைய
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்
யாரிடம் போய் சொல்லிடுவேன்....
Inside a tiny little nest,
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Who knows the story contained within?
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Can be told to God;
But the pain given by God Himself,
To whom can I go and express?
To whom can I go and express?
{Chinnanjiru koottukkulla
Inside a tiny little nest,
Paaduthintha oomaikuyil
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
Oomai kuyil ullaththila
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Ulla kadha yaararivaar
Who knows the story contained within?
Ooraarin sodhanaiya
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Sollidalaam saamikitta
Can be told to God;
Saami thantha vedhanaiya
But the pain given by God Himself,
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen
To whom can I go and express?
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen} (2)
To whom can I go and express?
Enakkul naanae pagaiyaai ponaen
I became an enemy unto myself,
Uravai thaedi thaniyaai aanaen
Seeking relationships, I became all alone.
Pollaatha paasam enai vaattu vidhi yaeno
Why does cruel affection torment me so, by fate?
Ponnaana thangai enai thoottrum nilai thaano
Has it come to a state where my precious sister reviles me?
Thannaalae naanae thallaadinaenae
All by myself, I stumbled and faltered.
Kannaalae paarththum sollaamal
Though seeing it with my own eyes, without speaking,
Oomai aanaenae
I became mute.
Chinnanjiru koottukkulla
Inside a tiny little nest,
Paaduthintha oomaikuyil
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
Oomai kuyil ullaththila
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Ulla kadha yaararivaar
Who knows the story contained within?
Ooraarin sodhanaiya
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Sollidalaam saamikitta
Can be told to God;
Saami thantha vedhanaiya
But the pain given by God Himself,
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen
To whom can I go and express?
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen
To whom can I go and express?
Kadalil thondri pozhiyum megam
The cloud born from the ocean pours down as rain,
Nadhiyaai maari kadalil serum
Turning into a river, it rejoins the sea.
Ondraaga kalanthu uravaadum nadhi polae
Like the river that merges and mingles in kinship,
Ennaalil thaayin madi meedhu thavazhveno
On which day will I crawl upon my mother's lap?
Neiyodu dheepam poraattam yaeno
Why is there a struggle between the oil and the lamp flame?
Nenjodu modhum thunbangal maari pogaatho
Will not these sorrows crashing against my heart change and pass?
Chinnanjiru koottukkulla
Inside a tiny little nest,
Paaduthintha oomaikuyil
This mute cuckoo bird sings.
Oomai kuyil ullaththila
In the heart of this mute cuckoo,
Ulla kadha yaararivaar
Who knows the story contained within?
Ooraarin sodhanaiya
The trials caused by the townsfolk
Sollidalaam saamikitta
Can be told to God;
Saami thantha vedhanaiya
But the pain given by God Himself,
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen
To whom can I go and express?
Yaaridam poe solliduvaen…
To whom can I go and express?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This melancholic song portrays the deep emotional anguish of a protagonist who feels utterly isolated despite loving his family deeply. Comparing himself to a silent cuckoo bird trapped in a tiny nest, he laments how fate has turned his own affection into a source of suffering, leading to misunderstanding and rejection by loved ones, particularly his sister. He feels helpless because while human troubles can be surrendered to God, divine trials leave one with nowhere to turn. In the latter part, the singer draws upon natural imagery—clouds returning to the sea as rivers—to express a deep yearning for reconciliation and warmth in his mother's embrace. He questions the conflict in his life, comparing it to the delicate struggle between lamp oil and flame, hoping that the waves of sorrow pounding against his heart will eventually subside.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Paaduthintha oomaikuyil”
Comparing the protagonist's silent grief to a mute cuckoo ('oomaikuyil') singing inside a small nest.
Rhetorical Question
“Saami thantha vedhanaiya Yaaridam poe solliduvaen”
Questioning who can receive complaints when God Himself causes suffering.
Metaphor / Analogy
“Kadalil thondri pozhiyum megam Nadhiyaai maari kadalil serum”
Comparing the return of clouds to the ocean via rivers to the longing for returning to a mother's lap.
Monoreme / Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Neiyodu dheepam poraattam yaeno / Nenjodu modhum thunbangal maari pogaatho”
Rhyming of second letters in consecutive lines ('Kadalil' / 'Nadhiyaai' or 'Neiyodu' / 'Nenjodu').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Poovizhi Raja' (1988) features lyrics penned by Piraisoodan, a prominent Tamil poet and lyricist known for his deeply evocative and metaphorical phrasing in emotional and tragic songs across 1980s and 1990s Tamil cinema.
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