Kagam Karainjiruchi Kakkiruttu
From Vellaiya Thevan · 1990
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Vellaiya Thevan1990
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaagam karanjiruchchu | The crow has cawed, |
| Kakkiruttu maranjiduchchu | The pitch darkness has disappeared, |
| Keezh vaanam veluththiruchchu | The eastern sky has brightened, |
| Kozhiyumthaan kooviduchchu | The rooster too has crowed. |
| Female | |
| Kudisa vaasalaththaan | At the entrance of the hut, |
| Kootti mezhugidanum | One must sweep and smear it clean. |
| Alli maaveduththu | Taking a handful of rice flour, |
| Pulli kolam pottidanum | A dotted Kolam pattern must be drawn. |
| Female | |
| Chinna kuyil kanakkaa | Like a little cuckoo, |
| Sindhu onnu padichchidanum | A sweet folk song must be sung, |
| Annan kann irandum | So that elder brother's two eyes, |
| Adha kettu muzhichchidanum | Will awaken upon hearing it. |
காகம் கரஞ்சிருச்சு
கக்கிருட்டு மறஞ்சிடுச்சு
கீழ் வானம் வெளுத்திருச்சு
கோழியும் தான் கூவிடுச்சு
The crow has cawed,
The pitch darkness has disappeared,
The eastern sky has brightened,
The rooster too has crowed.
குடிச வாசலத்தான்
கூட்டி மெழுகிடணும்
அள்ளி மாவெடுத்து
புள்ளிக் கோலம் போட்டிடணும்
At the entrance of the hut,
One must sweep and smear it clean.
Taking a handful of rice flour,
A dotted Kolam pattern must be drawn.
சின்னக் குயில் கணக்கா
சிந்து ஒன்னு படிச்சிடணும்
அண்ணன் கண் இரண்டும்
அதக் கேட்டு முழிச்சிடணும்
Like a little cuckoo,
A sweet folk song must be sung,
So that elder brother's two eyes,
Will awaken upon hearing it.
Kaagam karanjiruchchu
The crow has cawed,
Kakkiruttu maranjiduchchu
The pitch darkness has disappeared,
Keezh vaanam veluththiruchchu
The eastern sky has brightened,
Kozhiyumthaan kooviduchchu
The rooster too has crowed.
Kudisa vaasalaththaan
At the entrance of the hut,
Kootti mezhugidanum
One must sweep and smear it clean.
Alli maaveduththu
Taking a handful of rice flour,
Pulli kolam pottidanum
A dotted Kolam pattern must be drawn.
Chinna kuyil kanakkaa
Like a little cuckoo,
Sindhu onnu padichchidanum
A sweet folk song must be sung,
Annan kann irandum
So that elder brother's two eyes,
Adha kettu muzhichchidanum
Will awaken upon hearing it.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song captures a traditional rural Tamil morning routine and the affectionate bond between a sister and her brother. The singer describes the signs of dawn breaking—crows cawing, pitch darkness giving way to the bright eastern sky, and roosters crowing. She outlines customary household chores such as sweeping the courtyard, smearing it clean, and drawing intricate rice-flour patterns (Kolam). The core emotion peaks as she desires to sing as sweetly as a cuckoo bird so that her beloved elder brother gently wakes up to her music.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Kaagam karanjiruchchu / Kakkiruttu maranjiduchchu”
The first four lines end with matching phonetic endings ('karanjiruchchu', 'maranjiduchchu', 'veluththiruchchu', 'kooviduchchu'), establishing a cheerful rhythmic cadence suitable for a morning song.
Upamai (Simile)
“Chinna kuyil kanakkaa”
The singer compares her singing to that of a small cuckoo ('Chinna kuyil kanakkaa'), symbolizing sweetness, natural beauty, and purity.
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kudisa vaasalaththaan / Kootti mezhugidanum”
The repetition of the 'Ka' / 'Ko' consonant sound across lines creates a harmonious flow in rural poetic phrasing.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from the 1990 movie 'Vellaiya Thevan' highlights Ilaiyaraaja's mastery in integrating authentic Tamil folk motifs and traditional daily rituals like 'mezhugudhal' (cleansing mud floors with water/cow dung) and 'pulli kolam' into popular film music.
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