Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chinnanjiru Kuruvikalaa

From Srivalli · 1961

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
P. Susheela, Chorus
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Srivalli1961

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Aaloalam aalaolam aalaolam aalaolam ..chooAaloalam aalaolam aalaolam aalaolam ..shoo
Chorus :Choo ..oo oo oo ooo cho cho choChorus: Shoo ..oo oo oo ooo cho cho cho
Female
Chinnanchiru kuruvigala singaara paravaigalaO tiny little sparrows, O beautiful birds
Vannamigum dhina kadhirai naadatheerDo not seek these colorful stalks of millet
Kannang karunguyilae indha kaanagathil oyilaaiO jet-black cuckoo, gracefully in this forest
Vandhu kavanadiyum vaangaadhaeDo not come and get struck by my sling-shot
Aaloalam aalaolam aaloolamAaloalam aalaolam aaloolam
Chorus :Choo choo chooChorus: Shoo choo choo
Female
Hoo ooo oooHoo ooo ooo
Chorus :Chinnanchiru kuruvigala singaara paravaigalaChorus: O tiny little sparrows, O beautiful birds
Vannamigum dhina kadhirai naadatheerDo not seek these colorful stalks of millet
Kannang karunguyilae indha kaanagathil oyilaaiO jet-black cuckoo, gracefully in this forest
Vandhu kavanadiyum vaangaadhaeDo not come and get struck by my sling-shot
Aaloalam aalaolam aaloolamAaloalam aalaolam aaloolam
Female
Kothi kothi thinaiyarundhum kootangalaO flocks that peck and eat the millet
Chorus :Kothi kothi thinaiyarundhum kootangalaChorus: O flocks that peck and eat the millet
Neenga konjamaenum payapadavae maateengalaWill you not be scared even a little bit?
Female
Kumbalaaga parandhu vandhu kummalae pottaIf you fly down in crowds and make a ruckus
Ini summa vida mattenI will not spare you anymore
Thaenum thinai maavukendruFor honey and millet flour
Kaathirukaan malaimelae..haa..aaa..aaa.aaaHe waits upon the mountain..haa..aaa..aaa.aaa
Thaenum thinai maavukendruFor honey and millet flour
Kaathirukaan malaimelaeHe waits upon the mountain
Venum endru thinaiyil vandhuDo not intentionally fall into the millet field
Veezhaadhae inimelae ..cho cho..cho…Do not fall anymore ..shoo cho..cho…
Cho cho..cho…Cho cho..cho…
Chorus
Cho cho..cho…Cho cho..cho…
Cho cho..cho…Cho cho..cho…
Chorus
Chinnanchiru kuruvigala singaara paravaigalaO tiny little sparrows, O beautiful birds
Vannamigum dhina kadhirai naadatheerDo not seek these colorful stalks of millet
Female
Acham indri pachai kili angae ingae parkutheWithout fear, the green parrot flies here and there
Aalai chumma yeikuthaeIt simply deceives a person
Chorus :Kaanampaadiyae vaanamapaadiChorus: The bush-lark and the skylark
Kann jaadai kaattudhuIt signals with its eyes
Thannalae vandhu maattudhuIt comes and gets caught on its own
Female
Kaanangkuruvi thaen sittuThe forest bird and the sunbird
Kadhirai thaan saaikkudhuBends the stalk of millet
Kallaal adi kekkudhuInviting a hit from the stone
Aaval meeri varum thaaravaeO duck coming with overwhelming desire
Kaaval meeri ingae vaaradhaeDo not come here crossing the guard
Female and Chorus :Allum pagalum indha vedhanaiyaaFemale and Chorus: Is this agony night and day?
Idam verillaiyaaIs there no other place?
Female :Thollai kodukkum buthi pogalaiyaFemale: Will your troublesome nature never go away?
Chorus :Cho ..cho..cho….Chorus: Shoo ..cho..cho….
Female
Hoo ooo oooHoo ooo ooo
Chorus :Chinnanchiru kuruvigala singaara paravaigalaChorus: O tiny little sparrows, O beautiful birds
Vannamigum dhina kadhirai naadatheerDo not seek these colorful stalks of millet
Kannang karunguyilae indha kaanagathil oyilaaiO jet-black cuckoo, gracefully in this forest
Vandhu kavanadiyum vaangaadhaeDo not come and get struck by my sling-shot
Aaloalam aalaolam aaloolamAaloalam aalaolam aaloolam

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a classic example of 'Thinai Punam Kaathal' (guarding the millet field), an ancient Sangam tradition featured in the mythology of Valli and Lord Murugan. Valli guards her family's foxtail millet fields in the Kurinji (mountainous) landscape and sings rhythmic chants like 'Aaloalam' and 'Choo' to scare away birds such as parrots, cuckoos, and sparrows that try to feed on the ripe millet crop.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Onomatopoeia / Traditional Refrain

Aaloalam aalaolam aalaolam aalaolam ..choo

'Aaloalam' and 'Choo' are authentic phonetic sounds used traditionally by field-guarding women in Tamil folklore to scare birds away.

Etukai (Second letter rhyme)

Aaval meeri varum thaaravae / Kaaval meeri ingae vaaradhae

The second letters 'va' in 'Aaval' and 'Kaaval' rhyme harmoniously across consecutive lines.

Monai (Initial letter alliteration)

Chinnanchiru kuruvigala singaara paravaigala

The repetition of initial sounds 'Chi' and 'Si' creates a melodic cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Aaloalam' is an ancient Sangam Tamil term explicitly mentioned in classical Tamil literature to describe the vocal call made by young women guarding millet fields in the Kurinji region. In the 1961 movie 'Srivalli', composer G. Ramanathan and lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass revived this traditional folk art form into a popular classical film song sung beautifully by P. Susheela.

Keep listening

More from Srivalli