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Lyrics & meaning

Kannaalam Kattaame

From Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi · 1978

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
Vani Jairam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
20 Jun 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae
Pullai peru paakkaamae puttipaalu ooththaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Vaigai perugi vara vaalai meen thulli vara
Vaigai perugi vara vaalai meen thulli vara
Thulli vara meenukkellaam thoondi podum raasaavaa
Thulli vara meenukkellaam thoondi podum raasaavaa
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae
Pullai peru paakkaamae puttipaalu ooththaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Malaikku magalingam maamadurai sokkalingam
Malaikku magalingam maamadurai sokkalingam
Sokkalingam petheduththa
Surulimalai velanaattam
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae
Pullai peru paakkaamae puttipaalu ooththaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Seedhaiyamman thirumagano sriraamar peththavano
Seedhaiyamman thirumagano sriraamar peththavano
Kannan magan mammuthano
Kaalaiyinni sollumpadi
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae
Pullai peru paakkaamae puttipaalu ooththaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Naan munthaanai virikkaamae
Munnoru naal sumakkaamae
Sontha pantham sirikkaamae
Thonthi sariyaa pekkaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae
Pullai peru paakkaamae puttipaalu ooththaamae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Em machan peththaan pullae
Avan manasu rompa vellae
Without getting married, without bolting the door,
Without going through childbirth, without feeding bottled milk,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
As the Vaigai river overflows and the scabbard fish leap high,
As the Vaigai river overflows and the scabbard fish leap high,
Is he a king who casts his fishing line for every leaping fish?
Is he a king who casts his fishing line for every leaping fish?
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Without getting married, without bolting the door,
Without going through childbirth, without feeding bottled milk,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Like Mahalingam of the hills and Chokkalingam of great Madurai,
Like Mahalingam of the hills and Chokkalingam of great Madurai,
Just like the child born to Lord Chokkalingam (Shiva),
Like Lord Murugan of the Suruli hills,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Without getting married, without bolting the door,
Without going through childbirth, without feeding bottled milk,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Is he the blessed son of Mother Sita, or fathered by Sri Rama?
Is he the blessed son of Mother Sita, or fathered by Sri Rama?
Or is he Manmathan (god of love), the son of Krishna,
For everyone to praise him as a strapping young man?
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Without getting married, without bolting the door,
Without going through childbirth, without feeding bottled milk,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Without me ever spreading the edge of my saree,
Without carrying him in the womb for three hundred days,
Without relatives gossiping and laughing,
Without my belly swelling to give birth,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
Without getting married, without bolting the door,
Without going through childbirth, without feeding bottled milk,
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
My sweetheart has fathered a child!
His heart is so simple and innocent...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Em machan peththaan pullae' from the 1978 movie 'Ullathil Kuzhanthaiyadi' is a playful and affectionate folk-style celebration of love and companionship. Sung in a traditional village lullaby and narrative style, the protagonist playfully sings about her husband bringing home or caring for a child as if he himself gave birth to it, highlighting his sheer innocence, purity of heart, and tender love. Through poetic metaphors drawn from nature (Vaigai river, leap of fish) and Hindu mythology (Lord Rama, Sita, Murugan, Krishna, and Manmatha), she praises both the baby's radiant charm and her husband's gentle, pure nature.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Simile (Uvamai)

Surulimalai velanaattam

Compares the child to divine figures like Surulimalai Velan (Lord Murugan) and Cupid (Manmatha).

Rhyme / Monai & Ethirai

Kannaalam kattaamae kadhavu thaappaa podaamae

Use of internal and initial rhyming pairs such as 'kattaamae' / 'podaamae' and 'virikkaamae' / 'sumakkaamae' to create a catchy folk rhythm.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

Em machan peththaan pullae

Playfully claiming that the husband gave birth to the child himself to emphasize his soft-heartedness and innocence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics by the legendary folk lyricist A. Maruthakasi, this song highlights Vani Jairam's versatility in rendering rural Tamil folk rhythms infused with classical nuances.

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