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Lyrics & meaning

Jikijikichchang Jikijikichchang Kuruvi

From Raja Malaiya Simman · 1959

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, K. Jamunarani
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Details
Raja Malaiya Simman1959

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Hoo oo oo oo ooHoo oo oo oo oo
Adhilae oru daekuruviIn that, a little sparrow bird
Aduvum maatikiduchaamThat too got trapped, they say
Kuruvi adhuvum maatikiduchaamThe sparrow too got trapped, they say
Chorus :Kuruvi adhuvum maatikiduchaamChorus: The sparrow too got trapped, they say
Male
Vannathi kuruvi vandhuA pied sparrow came
Valaiyil maatikiduchaamAnd got caught in the net, they say
Kuruvi valaiyil maatikiduchaamThe sparrow got caught in the net, they say
Chorus :Kuruvi valaiyil maatikiduchaamChorus: The sparrow got caught in the net, they say
Female
Sengaalu naarai vandhuA red-legged stork came
Chorus :Sengaalu naarai vandhuChorus: A red-legged stork came
Female :Sevagam panni kiduchaamFemale: Rendered service to help out
Kuruvi sevagam pannikiduchaamThe sparrow rendered service to help, they say
Chorus :Kuruvi sevagam pannikiduchaamChorus: The sparrow rendered service to help, they say
Male
Hoo ooo oo oo oo….Hoo ooo oo oo oo....
Pakka pona kambili pochiThe caterpillar that went to take a look
Palla ilichudhaamGrinned baring its teeth, they say
Poochi palla ilichudhaamThe insect grinned baring its teeth, they say
Female
Manjal poosikichaamSmeared turmeric paste
Kuruvi malae pottukichaamThe sparrow put on a wedding garland
Kuruvi malae pottukichaamThe sparrow put on a wedding garland
Chorus
Manjal poosikichaamSmeared turmeric paste
Kuruvi malae pottukichaamThe sparrow put on a wedding garland
Kuruvi malae pottukichaamThe sparrow put on a wedding garland
Male
Pandhal pottukichaamErected a wedding canopy
Kuruvi pandhal pottukichaamThe sparrow erected a wedding canopy
Pandhi vechikichaamArranged a feast for guests
Kuruvi pandhi vechikichaamThe sparrow arranged a feast for guests
Female
Thaali kattikichaamTied the sacred wedding thread (Thaali)
Kuruvi melam kottikichamThe sparrow beat the celebratory wedding drums
Kuruvi melam kottikichamThe sparrow beat the celebratory wedding drums
Chorus
Thaali kattikichaamTied the sacred wedding thread (Thaali)
Kuruvi melam kottikichamThe sparrow beat the celebratory wedding drums
Kuruvi melam kottikichamThe sparrow beat the celebratory wedding drums
Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dumDum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum
Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dumDum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This humorous folk song from Raja Malaiya Simman (1959) uses an allegorical tale of birds and insects to describe the process of falling in love and getting married. Written in traditional rhythmic verse by A. Maruthakasi, it tells the story of a sparrow getting trapped in a net, receiving help from a red-legged stork, being watched by a grinning caterpillar, and eventually undergoing full Tamil wedding rituals including applying turmeric, putting on garlands, erecting a wedding canopy (pandal), hosting a feast (pandhi), and tying the sacred thread (thaali) accompanied by celebratory drumbeats.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification & Metaphor

Vannathi kuruvi vandhu valaiyil maatikiduchaam

Birds and insects (sparrow, stork, caterpillar) are endowed with human traits and participate in human wedding rituals as an allegory for romantic entrapment and marriage.

Onomatopoeia (Irattai Kilavi / Oli Kurippu)

Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum

'Dum dum dum' mimics the rhythmic percussion sound of wedding melam (drums) playing during the auspicious moment of tying the thaali.

Monai (Initial Alliteration / Rhyme)

Pandhal pottukichaam / Pandhi vechikichaam

Use of the initial 'P' sound ('Pandhal', 'Pandhi') creates a musical, rhythmic pattern in folk narrative style.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Raja Malaiya Simman' (1959) was a action adventure film directed by T. R. Sundaram featuring Sivaji Ganesan. Composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, this song brings alive ancient Tamil folk storytelling tropes through energetic playback singing by Seerkazhi Govindarajan and K. Jamunarani.

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