Choo Choo Maari
From Poo · 2008
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singers
- Mridula, Srimathi Parthasarathy
- Music director
- S. S. Kumaran
- Details
- Poo2008
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Tattaa tattaa tatattaa | Rhythmic vocalization (Tattaa tattaa tatattaa) |
| Taara tattaa tatattattaa | Rhythmic vocalization (Taara tattaa tatattattaa) |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
| Female | |
| Thathaa thathaa thannikkulla | Splish splash inside the water |
| Thavalai rendum pondhukulla | Two frogs are inside the burrow |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Kuththaalaththu kaattukkulla | Inside the forest of Courtallam |
| Kurangu ellaa veettukkulla | Monkeys are inside every house |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Male | |
| Ooththa pallu rengammaa | Rengamma with decayed teeth |
| Ullavaadi rengammaa | Rengamma, the cunning woman |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Unakku purushan yaarammaa | Who is your husband, dear woman? |
| Oolamookku aalammaa | A man with a runny nose, dear woman |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
| Female | |
| Adho paaru rayiludaa | Look over there, it is a train! |
| Rayilukkulla kuyiludaa | Inside the train, there is a cuckoo bird! |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Kuyilukitta nerunginaa | If you go close to the cuckoo |
| Rendu maasam jayiludaa | You will get two months in jail! |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Male | |
| Sangili pungili kattippudi | Sangili Pungili, hold on tight |
| Naan maattaen venaippuli | I won't, you trouble-maker! |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Sangaran koyil sundhari | Beautiful woman of Sankarankovil |
| Sapparam varuthu enthiri | The temple chariot is coming, get up! |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
| Female | |
| Venaandaa raasu maattikkuvae | Don't do it Raasu, you will get caught |
| Venaandaa dei raasu dei raasu….. | Don't do it, hey Raasu, hey Raasu... |
| Male | |
| Podi maari | Go away, Maari! |
| Female | |
| Thattaan thattaan light adi | Dragonfly, dragonfly, flash a light |
| Kozhi kunjukku light adi | Flash a light for the chick |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Kusumbu pannum sevala | You mischievous rooster |
| Kozhambu vachchu ooththadi | Make curry out of it and pour it! |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Male | |
| Pattaiya pattaiya eduththukko | Take the cinnamon bark |
| Parangi pattaiya eduththukko | Take the foreign tree bark |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Mottaiya adichchathu yaarunnu | To know who got their head shaved bald |
| Muttaiya paaththu kettukko | Ask by looking at the egg! |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
| Female | |
| Dosai paaththu sirichchuchaam | It is said the dosa looked and laughed |
| Poori kanna adichchichaam | It is said the poori winked its eye |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Idli sandai pottuchchuchaam | It is said the idli picked a fight |
| Chutni velakki vittuchchaam | It is said the chutney broke up the fight |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Male | |
| Kadugu milagu thippili | Mustard, black pepper, long pepper |
| Karunkolaththaa pokkiri | Rogue from Karungulam |
| Choo choo maari | Choo choo maari |
| Male | |
| Kolla pakkam pogaatha | Don't go to the backyard |
| Kotti kedakku jaangiri | Jangiri sweets are lying scattered everywhere! |
| Chorus | |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
| Choo choo maari choo choo maari | Choo choo maari, choo choo maari |
டட்டா டட்டா டடட்டா
டார டட்டா டடட்டட்டா
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
Rhythmic vocalization (Tattaa tattaa tatattaa)
Rhythmic vocalization (Taara tattaa tatattattaa)
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
தாத்தா தாத்தா தண்ணிக்குள்ள
தவளை ரெண்டும் பொந்துக்குள்ள
சூ சூ மாரி
குத்தாலத்து காட்டுக்குள்ள
குரங்கு எல்லா வீட்டுக்குள்ள
சூ சூ மாரி
Splish splash inside the water
Two frogs are inside the burrow
Choo choo maari
Inside the forest of Courtallam
Monkeys are inside every house
Choo choo maari
ஊத்த பல்லு ரெங்கம்மா
உள்ளவாடி ரெங்கம்மா
சூ சூ மாரி
உனக்கு புருஷன் யாரம்மா
ஊலமூக்கு ஆளம்மா
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
Rengamma with decayed teeth
Rengamma, the cunning woman
Choo choo maari
Who is your husband, dear woman?
A man with a runny nose, dear woman
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
அதோ பாரு ரயிலுடா
ரயிலுக்குள்ள குயிலுடா
சூ சூ மாரி
குயிலுகிட்ட நெருங்கினா
ரெண்டு மாசம் ஜெயிலுடா
சூ சூ மாரி
Look over there, it is a train!
Inside the train, there is a cuckoo bird!
Choo choo maari
If you go close to the cuckoo
You will get two months in jail!
Choo choo maari
சங்கிலி புங்கிலி கட்டிப்புடி
நான் மாட்டேன் வேங்கைப்புலி
சூ சூ மாரி
சங்கரன் கோயில் சுந்தரி
சப்பரம் வருது எந்திரி
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
Sangili Pungili, hold on tight
I won't, you trouble-maker!
Choo choo maari
Beautiful woman of Sankarankovil
The temple chariot is coming, get up!
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
வேணாண்டா ராசு மாட்டிக்குவே....
வேணாண்டா டேய் ராசு டேய் ராசு.....
Don't do it Raasu, you will get caught
Don't do it, hey Raasu, hey Raasu...
போடி மாரி
Go away, Maari!
தட்டான் தட்டான் லைட் அடி
கோழி குஞ்சுக்கு லைட் அடி
சூ சூ மாரி
குசும்பு பண்ணும் சேவல
கொழம்பு வச்சு ஊத்தடி
சூ சூ மாரி
Dragonfly, dragonfly, flash a light
Flash a light for the chick
Choo choo maari
You mischievous rooster
Make curry out of it and pour it!
Choo choo maari
பட்டைய பட்டைய எடுத்துக்கோ
பரங்கி பட்டைய எடுத்துக்கோ
சூ சூ மாரி
மொட்டையடிச்சது யாருன்னு
முட்டைய பாத்து கேட்டுக்கோ
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
Take the cinnamon bark
Take the foreign tree bark
Choo choo maari
To know who got their head shaved bald
Ask by looking at the egg!
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
தோசை பாத்து சிரிச்சுச்சாம்
பூரி கண்ண அடிச்சிச்சாம்
சூ சூ மாரி
இட்லி சண்டை போட்டுச்சாம்
சட்டினி வெலக்கி விட்டுச்சாம்
சூ சூ மாரி
It is said the dosa looked and laughed
It is said the poori winked its eye
Choo choo maari
It is said the idli picked a fight
It is said the chutney broke up the fight
Choo choo maari
கடுகு மிளகு திப்பிலி
கருங்கொலத்தா போக்கிரி
சூ சூ மாரி
Mustard, black pepper, long pepper
Rogue from Karungulam
Choo choo maari
கொல்ல பக்கம் போகாத
கொட்டி கெடக்கு ஜாங்கிரி
Don't go to the backyard
Jangiri sweets are lying scattered everywhere!
ஐய்ய சீய்ய்ய்.....
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
சூ சூ மாரி சூ சூ மாரி
Tattaa tattaa tatattaa
Rhythmic vocalization (Tattaa tattaa tatattaa)
Taara tattaa tatattattaa
Rhythmic vocalization (Taara tattaa tatattattaa)
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Thathaa thathaa thannikkulla
Splish splash inside the water
Thavalai rendum pondhukulla
Two frogs are inside the burrow
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Kuththaalaththu kaattukkulla
Inside the forest of Courtallam
Kurangu ellaa veettukkulla
Monkeys are inside every house
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Ooththa pallu rengammaa
Rengamma with decayed teeth
Ullavaadi rengammaa
Rengamma, the cunning woman
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Unakku purushan yaarammaa
Who is your husband, dear woman?
Oolamookku aalammaa
A man with a runny nose, dear woman
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Adho paaru rayiludaa
Look over there, it is a train!
Rayilukkulla kuyiludaa
Inside the train, there is a cuckoo bird!
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Kuyilukitta nerunginaa
If you go close to the cuckoo
Rendu maasam jayiludaa
You will get two months in jail!
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Sangili pungili kattippudi
Sangili Pungili, hold on tight
Naan maattaen venaippuli
I won't, you trouble-maker!
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Sangaran koyil sundhari
Beautiful woman of Sankarankovil
Sapparam varuthu enthiri
The temple chariot is coming, get up!
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Venaandaa raasu maattikkuvae
Don't do it Raasu, you will get caught
Venaandaa dei raasu dei raasu…..
Don't do it, hey Raasu, hey Raasu...
Podi maari
Go away, Maari!
Thattaan thattaan light adi
Dragonfly, dragonfly, flash a light
Kozhi kunjukku light adi
Flash a light for the chick
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Kusumbu pannum sevala
You mischievous rooster
Kozhambu vachchu ooththadi
Make curry out of it and pour it!
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Pattaiya pattaiya eduththukko
Take the cinnamon bark
Parangi pattaiya eduththukko
Take the foreign tree bark
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Mottaiya adichchathu yaarunnu
To know who got their head shaved bald
Muttaiya paaththu kettukko
Ask by looking at the egg!
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Dosai paaththu sirichchuchaam
It is said the dosa looked and laughed
Poori kanna adichchichaam
It is said the poori winked its eye
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Idli sandai pottuchchuchaam
It is said the idli picked a fight
Chutni velakki vittuchchaam
It is said the chutney broke up the fight
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Kadugu milagu thippili
Mustard, black pepper, long pepper
Karunkolaththaa pokkiri
Rogue from Karungulam
Choo choo maari
Choo choo maari
Kolla pakkam pogaatha
Don't go to the backyard
Kotti kedakku jaangiri
Jangiri sweets are lying scattered everywhere!
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Choo choo maari choo choo maari
Choo choo maari, choo choo maari
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Choo Choo Maari' is a traditional Tamil folk rhyme and children's game chant featured in the movie Poo (2008). It strings together playful rural humor, nonsense rhymes, and vivid village imagery to evoke a sense of nostalgic playfulness. The lines range from comic interactions between characters to surreal personification, such as food items like dosas and idlis having arguments and winking at each other. Sung during traditional circle games or casual village gatherings, the song highlights the vibrant oral storytelling tradition of rural Tamil Nadu, blending humor, folk rhythm, and playful teasing.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Dosai paaththu sirichchuchaam / Poori kanna adichchichaam”
Traditional South Indian food items (Dosa, Poori, Idli, Chutney) are given human actions such as laughing, winking, fighting, and resolving disputes.
Eyel / End Rhyme
“Thathaa thathaa thannikkulla / Thavalai rendum pondhukulla”
The repetition of matching ending sounds ('thannikkulla' and 'pondhukulla') creates an engaging rhythmic cadence typical of children's folk rhymes.
Did you know?
Trivia
In the 2008 movie Poo directed by Sasi, director and lyricist Na. Muthukumar incorporated authentic traditional Tamil village games and playground folk chants rather than standard cinematic song lyrics to maintain cultural realism.
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