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Kodimalar album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chittaga Thulli Thulli

From Kodimalar · 1966

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Kodimalar
Movie release year
1966
Lyrics added on
18 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sittaga thulli thulli vaa
Vaa vaa vaa vaa
Pattaadai pinna pinna vaa ho oo
Sittaga thulli thulli vaa
Female :Vaa vaa vaa vaa
Male :Pattaadai pinna pinna vaa ho oo
Ennathilae kann pattadhoo
Ennennavo thenpattadhoo oo oo
Sittaga thulla sonnadhoo ooh oo
Pattaadai pinna sonnadho oo ooo
Sittaga thulla sonnadhoo
Male :Hoo ooh oo
Female :Pattaadai pinna sonnadho oo ooo
Ammaanin pennai kandu
Aadharam illai endru
Ammaanin pennai kandu
Aadharam illai endru
Female :Achchaaram kondu vandhatho oo oo oo
Sittaga thulla sonnadhoo ooh oo oo
Male :Sittaga thulli thulli vaa oo oo oo
{Thottamondru naeril vandhu
Aada sonnadhoo
Thoghai konda kaadhal sendu
Paada sonnadho} (2)
Aadai katti maedai katti
Thendral vandhadho
Aadai katti maedai katti
Thendral vandhadho
Vaadai pattu aasai nenjil
Minnal vandhadhoo
Oh vaadai pattu aasai nenjil
Minnal vandhadhoo
Sevvanthi poovai kandu
Sindhaadha thaenai kandu
Sevvanthi poovai kandu
Sindhaadha thaenai kandu
Male :Kondaattam poda sonnadhoo oo oo oo
Sittaga thulli thulli vaa
Female :Vaa vaa vaa vaa
Male :Pattaadai pinna pinna vaa ho oo
{Thaazham poovin vaasam vandhu
Pesa sonnadho
Thaththi sellum muthu kinnam
Kaana sonnadho} (2)
Aththai pettra penmai enna
Acham kondadhoo
Aththai pettra penmai enna
Acham kondadhoo
Aasai konjam naanam konjam
Micham kondadhoo
Ho aasai konjam naanam konjam
Micham kondadhoo
Ponaalum pogathendru
Thaanaga munnae vandhu
Ponaalum pogathendru
Thaanaga munnae vandhu
Male :Ponnadai katti kondadhoo
Sittaga thulli thulli vaa
Female :Vaa vaa vaa vaa
Male :Pattaadai pinna pinna vaa ho oo
Ennathilae kann pattadhoo
Ennennavo thenpattadhoo oo oo
Sittaga thulla sonnadhoo
Male :Hoo ooh oo
Female :Pattaadai pinna sonnadho oo ooo
Come hopping like a playful little bird!
Come, come, come, come!
Come as your silk dress swirls around you, oh!
Come hopping like a playful little bird!
Female: Come, come, come, come!
Male: Come as your silk dress swirls around you, oh!
Did someone's gaze fall upon your thoughts?
Did all kinds of sweet visions appear? Oh!
Did it tell you to hop about like a little bird? Oh!
Did it tell your silk dress to swirl around you?
Did it tell you to hop about like a little bird?
Male: Ho oh oh
Female: Did it tell your silk dress to swirl around you?
Seeing my uncle's daughter,
and knowing there is no other claim,
Seeing my uncle's daughter,
and knowing there is no other claim,
Female: did he bring a token of promise? Oh!
Did it tell you to hop about like a little bird? Oh!
Male: Come hopping like a playful little bird, oh!
{Did a blossoming garden appear before you
and ask you to dance?
Did a lovely bouquet like a peacock's feathers
ask you to sing?} (2)
Dressed up and creating a stage,
did the gentle breeze arrive?
Dressed up and creating a stage,
did the gentle breeze arrive?
As the cool wind touched your longing heart,
did a flash of lightning strike?
Oh, as the cool wind touched your longing heart,
did a flash of lightning strike?
Seeing the golden chrysanthemum flower,
and seeing the sweet nectar that hasn't spilled,
Seeing the golden chrysanthemum flower,
and seeing the sweet nectar that hasn't spilled,
Male: did it tell you to celebrate? Oh!
Come hopping like a playful little bird!
Female: Come, come, come, come!
Male: Come as your silk dress swirls around you, oh!
{Did the fragrance of the screw-pine flower drift in
and ask you to speak?
Did a dainty cup of pearls, stepping lightly,
ask to be seen?} (2)
Why did the maiden born to my aunt
feel sudden shyness and fear?
Why did the maiden born to my aunt
feel sudden shyness and fear?
Did a little desire and a little modesty
still linger behind?
Oh, did a little desire and a little modesty
still linger behind?
Saying, 'Even if it goes away, it will never truly leave,'
stepping forward on its own accord,
Saying, 'Even if it goes away, it will never truly leave,'
stepping forward on its own accord,
Male: did it wrap itself in golden silk?
Come hopping like a playful little bird!
Female: Come, come, come, come!
Male: Come as your silk dress swirls around you, oh!
Did someone's gaze fall upon your thoughts?
Did all kinds of sweet visions appear? Oh!
Did it tell you to hop about like a little bird?
Male: Ho oh oh
Female: Did it tell your silk dress to swirl around you?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Sittaga thulli thulli vaa is a playful, romantic duet from the 1966 film Kodimalar, written by the eminent lyricist Kannadasan. The song captures the lively courtship between two lovers who express their affection through lighthearted teasing and natural metaphors. The male lead beckons his beloved, comparing her energetic grace to a hopping sparrow and her elegance to trailing silk garments. In response, she playfully questions whether a magical spell or an advance token of love has enchanted their hearts. Throughout the track, nature serves as a vivid canvas for their emotion—breezes acting as stage designers, cold winds bringing flashes of lightning in their hearts, and sweet floral scents urging them to speak and sing. Kannadasan also weaves traditional cultural motifs into the lyrics, referencing cross-cousin romantic customs (Ammaanin pennai and Aththai pettra penmai) while balancing shyness and desire.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile / Metaphor (Uwamai)

“Sittaga thulli thulli vaa”

Compares the playful agility of the heroine to the hopping movement of a sparrow ('Sittu').

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

“Sittaga thulli thulli vaa / Pattaadai pinna pinna vaa”

The second consonant sound 't' is repeated in consecutive lines ('Sittaga' / 'Pattaadai'), creating auditory rhythm.

Sensory Imagery

“Thaazham poovin vaasam vandhu / Pesa sonnadho”

Invokes olfactory and visual imagery using fragrant screwpine flowers ('Thaazham poovu') and sparkling pearls ('muthu kinnam').

Repetition for Emphasis (Adukkuthodar)

“Vaa vaa vaa vaa”

Repetition of words like 'thulli thulli', 'pinna pinna', and 'vaa vaa vaa vaa' enhances the rhythmic momentum.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kodimalar (1966) features lyrics by Kannadasan, who masterfully incorporates traditional Tamil kinship terms like 'Ammaan' (maternal uncle) and 'Aththai' (paternal aunt) to reflect traditional cross-cousin matrimonial customs in Tamil culture.

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