Chinnanjiru Nilave
From Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2 · 2023
- Lyricist
- Ilango Krishnan
- Singer
- Haricharan
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Ponniyin Selvan – Part 22023
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu | O tiny little moon, why have you left me? |
| Yenadi neenginaiyo | Why did you move away from me? |
| Oru kollai puyaladithaal sagiyae | If a violent storm blows, my dear friend, |
| Senjudar thaangidumo | Can a small red flame endure it? |
| Male | |
| Attham azhindhadhadi annamae | All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan, |
| Rathamum oindhadhadi | Even the blood in my veins has quieted down, |
| Oru kotramum veezhndhadhadi sagiye | An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend, |
| Yaadhini kol yaane | How shall I endure this now? |
| Male | |
| Yaangunai theduvano anname | Where shall I search for you, my swan? |
| Yedhini seiguvano | What can I possibly do now? |
| Pongkoozh aanadhadi anname | Everything has turned to boiled mess, my swan, |
| Theengirul soozhndhadhadi | Evil darkness has completely surrounded me. |
| Male | |
| Thullum nayanamengae | Where are those lively, leaping eyes? |
| Vellam pol | Like a surging flood, |
| Sollum mozhigal engae | Where are those spoken words? |
| Kannal siruppumengae | Where is that sweet, sugar-like smile? |
| Ennai ser | That used to embrace me, |
| Aarana maarbumengae | Where is that warm, comforting chest? |
| Male | |
| Manjin ilankuliraai | Like the soft coldness of gentle mist, |
| Nenjilae serndhidum kaigal engae | Where are those hands that rested upon my heart? |
| Konjum ilam veyilaai | Like the caressing morning sunshine, |
| Ennaiyae thedidum paarvai engae | Where is that gaze that searched for me? |
| Male | |
| Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu | O tiny little moon, why have you left me? |
| Yenadi neenginaiyo | Why did you move away from me? |
| Oru kollai puyaladithaal sagiyae | If a violent storm blows, my dear friend, |
| Senjudar thaangidumo | Can a small red flame endure it? |
| Male | |
| Kaanagam yeriyudhadi vanjiyae | The forest is burning down, my beloved, |
| Gnyaalamum nazhuvudhadi | The whole world is slipping away, |
| Vaanam udaindhadhadi azhagae | The sky has shattered into pieces, my beauty, |
| Boomiyum sarindhadhadi | And the earth has collapsed, |
| Male | |
| Kollai neruppinilae thalliyae | Pushing me into a fierce, consuming fire, |
| Eppadi neengudhiyo | How can you leave and go away? |
| Etradi kutramutren pirivai | What crime did I commit, that you gave |
| Saabamaai thandhanaiyo | This separation to me as a severe curse? |
| Male | |
| Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu | O tiny little moon, why have you left me? |
| Yenadi neenginaiyo | Why did you move away from me? |
| Oru kollai puyaladitthaal sagiyae | If a violent storm blows, my dear friend, |
| Senjudar thaangidumo | Can a small red flame endure it? |
| Male | |
| Attham azhindhadhadi annamae | All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan, |
| Rathamum oaindhadhadi | Even the blood in my veins has quieted down, |
| Oru kotramum veezhndhadhadi sagiye | An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend, |
| Yaadhini kol yaane | How shall I endure this now? |
சின்னஞ்சிறு நிலவே என்னை விட்டு
ஏனடி நீங்கினையாே
ஒரு கொள்ளை புயலடித்தால் சகியே
செஞ்சுடர் தாங்கிடுமோ
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Why did you move away from me?
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Can a small red flame endure it?
அத்தம் அழிந்தடி அன்னமே
ரத்தமும் ஓய்ந்ததடி
ஒரு கொற்றமும் வீழ்ந்ததடி சகியே
யாதினி கொள் யானே
All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan,
Even the blood in my veins has quieted down,
An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend,
How shall I endure this now?
யாங்குனை தேடுவனோ அன்னமே
ஏதினி செய்குவனோ
போங்கூழ் ஆனதடி அன்னமே
தீங்கிருள் சூழ்ந்ததடி
Where shall I search for you, my swan?
What can I possibly do now?
Everything has turned to boiled mess, my swan,
Evil darkness has completely surrounded me.
துள்ளும் நாயனமெங்கே வெல்லம் போல்
சொல்லும் மொழிகள் எங்கே
கன்னல் சிரிப்புமெங்கே என்னை சேர்
ஆரண மார்புமெங்கே
Where are those lively, leaping eyes?
Like a surging flood,
Where are those spoken words?
Where is that sweet, sugar-like smile?
That used to embrace me,
Where is that warm, comforting chest?
மஞ்சின் இளங்குளிராய்
நெஞ்சிலே சேர்ந்திடும் கைகள் எங்கே
கொஞ்சும் இளம் வெயிலாய்
என்னையே தேடிடும் பார்வை எங்கே
Like the soft coldness of gentle mist,
Where are those hands that rested upon my heart?
Like the caressing morning sunshine,
Where is that gaze that searched for me?
சின்னஞ்சிறு நிலவே என்னை விட்டு
ஏனடி நீங்கினையாே
ஒரு கொள்ளை புயலடித்தால் சகியே
செஞ்சுடர் தாங்கிடுமோ
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Why did you move away from me?
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Can a small red flame endure it?
கானகம் எரியுதடி வஞ்சியே
ஞாலமும் நழுவுதடி
வானம் உடைந்ததடி அழகே
பூமியும் சரிந்ததடி
The forest is burning down, my beloved,
The whole world is slipping away,
The sky has shattered into pieces, my beauty,
And the earth has collapsed,
கொள்ளை நெருப்பினிலே தள்ளியே
எப்படி நீங்குதியோ
எற்றடி குற்றமுற்றேன் பிரிவை
சாபமாய் தந்தனையோ
Pushing me into a fierce, consuming fire,
How can you leave and go away?
What crime did I commit, that you gave
This separation to me as a severe curse?
சின்னஞ்சிறு நிலவே என்னை விட்டு
ஏனடி நீங்கினையாே
ஒரு கொள்ளை புயலடித்தால் சகியே
செஞ்சுடர் தாங்கிடுமோ
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Why did you move away from me?
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Can a small red flame endure it?
அத்தம் அழிந்தடி அன்னமே
ரத்தமும் ஓய்ந்ததடி
ஒரு கொற்றமும் வீழ்ந்ததடி சகியே
யாதினி கொள் யானே
All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan,
Even the blood in my veins has quieted down,
An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend,
How shall I endure this now?
Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Yenadi neenginaiyo
Why did you move away from me?
Oru kollai puyaladithaal sagiyae
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Senjudar thaangidumo
Can a small red flame endure it?
Attham azhindhadhadi annamae
All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan,
Rathamum oindhadhadi
Even the blood in my veins has quieted down,
Oru kotramum veezhndhadhadi sagiye
An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend,
Yaadhini kol yaane
How shall I endure this now?
Yaangunai theduvano anname
Where shall I search for you, my swan?
Yedhini seiguvano
What can I possibly do now?
Pongkoozh aanadhadi anname
Everything has turned to boiled mess, my swan,
Theengirul soozhndhadhadi
Evil darkness has completely surrounded me.
Thullum nayanamengae
Where are those lively, leaping eyes?
Vellam pol
Like a surging flood,
Sollum mozhigal engae
Where are those spoken words?
Kannal siruppumengae
Where is that sweet, sugar-like smile?
Ennai ser
That used to embrace me,
Aarana maarbumengae
Where is that warm, comforting chest?
Manjin ilankuliraai
Like the soft coldness of gentle mist,
Nenjilae serndhidum kaigal engae
Where are those hands that rested upon my heart?
Konjum ilam veyilaai
Like the caressing morning sunshine,
Ennaiyae thedidum paarvai engae
Where is that gaze that searched for me?
Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Yenadi neenginaiyo
Why did you move away from me?
Oru kollai puyaladithaal sagiyae
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Senjudar thaangidumo
Can a small red flame endure it?
Kaanagam yeriyudhadi vanjiyae
The forest is burning down, my beloved,
Gnyaalamum nazhuvudhadi
The whole world is slipping away,
Vaanam udaindhadhadi azhagae
The sky has shattered into pieces, my beauty,
Boomiyum sarindhadhadi
And the earth has collapsed,
Kollai neruppinilae thalliyae
Pushing me into a fierce, consuming fire,
Eppadi neengudhiyo
How can you leave and go away?
Etradi kutramutren pirivai
What crime did I commit, that you gave
Saabamaai thandhanaiyo
This separation to me as a severe curse?
Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu
O tiny little moon, why have you left me?
Yenadi neenginaiyo
Why did you move away from me?
Oru kollai puyaladitthaal sagiyae
If a violent storm blows, my dear friend,
Senjudar thaangidumo
Can a small red flame endure it?
Attham azhindhadhadi annamae
All purpose and meaning are destroyed, my swan,
Rathamum oaindhadhadi
Even the blood in my veins has quieted down,
Oru kotramum veezhndhadhadi sagiye
An entire kingdom has fallen, my friend,
Yaadhini kol yaane
How shall I endure this now?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Chinnanjiru Nilave is a poignant lament sung from the perspective of Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, expressing his agonizing grief, disorientation, and sense of loss regarding his beloved, Nandhini. Addressing her tenderly as a tiny moon and a delicate red flame facing a raging storm, he mourns how her absence has destroyed his world and robbed his life of all purpose.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Chinnanjiru nilave ennai vittu”
Addressing the beloved as 'Chinnanjiru nilave' (Tiny moon) and 'Senjudar' (Red flame) to emphasize her fragility in the face of catastrophic fate.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Vaanam udaindhadhadi azhagae / Boomiyum sarindhadhadi”
Using cosmic destruction—burning forests, shattering skies, and collapsing earth—to convey the magnitude of emotional heartbreak.
Imagery (Kaatchi Bimbam)
“Manjin ilankuliraai / Nenjilae serndhidum kaigal engae”
Evoking tactile and visual memories through contrasts of cold mist ('Manjin ilankuliraai') and soft morning warmth ('Konjum ilam veyilaai').
Monai & Edhugai (Tamil Rhyme and Alliteration)
“Thullum nayanamengae / Vellam pol”
Matching initial consonant sounds and second-letter rhymes in 'Thullum' and 'Vellam', as well as 'Manjin' and 'Nenjilae'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song title and phrasing pay homage to Subramania Bharati's famous poem 'Chinnanjiru Kiliye', recontextualized by lyricist Ilango Krishnan to mirror the tragic arc between Karikalan and Nandhini in Kalki Krishnamurthy's historical masterpiece Ponniyin Selvan.
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