Kattukkulle Kadhal Kili
From Karimedu Karuvayan · 1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae | While it was still daytime, it flew away |
| Pona dhesa marandhiruchae | It forgot the direction it went |
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Female | |
| Nee pona thadam paathu thaanae | Just by following the path you walked |
| Nizhal thaedi varum indha maanae | This deer comes searching for your shadow |
| Mugam paakka thudichenae naanae | I yearned to see your face |
| Mundhaana onakkaaga thaanae | My saree pallu is meant only for you |
| Female | |
| Puli koottam kili vettaiyaada | As a pack of tigers hunts down the parrot |
| Puzhuvaaga naan theeyil vaada | I wither like a worm caught in the fire |
| Punnaana en sogam paada | To sing about my deeply wounded sorrow |
| Podhu koottam naan engu poda | Where can I gather a public assembly? |
| Magaraasan pechu malai yeri pochu | The kingly man's words went up the mountain and faded |
| Aanaalum en nenju ala paayudhae | Yet my heart keeps tossing like turbulent waves |
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae | While it was still daytime, it flew away |
| Pona dhesa marandhiruchae | It forgot the direction it went |
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Female | |
| Vedhachaalum mulaikkaadhu endru | Knowing that it wouldn't sprout even if sown |
| Vedha pottu valarthenae andru | I still sowed the seed and nurtured it back then |
| Veragodu vandhenae angu | I came there carrying firewood |
| Veragaagi ponenae ingu | I ended up becoming burnt firewood myself here |
| Female | |
| Raasaavae naan inga yaaru | Oh my King, who am I here? |
| Poovodu seraadha naaru | A fiber string that never gets woven with flowers |
| Yen endru oru paarva paaru | Look at me once and ask why |
| En sogam ondralla nooru | My sorrows are not just one, but a hundred |
| Aagaayam boomi thaangaadhu saami | Neither the sky nor the earth can bear this, my Lord |
| Azhugindra pennukku aayul kammi | A weeping woman has a short lifespan |
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
| Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae | While it was still daytime, it flew away |
| Pona dhesa marandhiruchae | It forgot the direction it went |
| Female | |
| Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden | I saw a love parrot inside the forest |
| Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen | I locked it inside the house |
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
While it was still daytime, it flew away
It forgot the direction it went
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
பொழுதிருக்க பறந்திருச்சு
போன தெசை மறந்திருச்சு
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
Just by following the path you walked
This deer comes searching for your shadow
I yearned to see your face
My saree pallu is meant only for you
நீ போன தடம் பார்த்துத்தானே
நிழல் தேடி வரும் இந்த மானே
முகம் பார்க்கத் துடிச்சேனே நானே
முந்தானை ஒனக்காகத்தானே
As a pack of tigers hunts down the parrot
I wither like a worm caught in the fire
To sing about my deeply wounded sorrow
Where can I gather a public assembly?
The kingly man's words went up the mountain and faded
Yet my heart keeps tossing like turbulent waves
புலிக் கூட்டம்
கிளி வேட்டை ஆஆ...ட
புழுவாக நான் தீயில் வாட
புண்ணான என் சோகம் பாட
பொதுக் கூட்டம் நான் எங்கு போட
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
While it was still daytime, it flew away
It forgot the direction it went
மகராசன் பேச்சு
மலை ஏறிப் போச்சு
ஆனாலும் என் நெஞ்சு
அலை பாயுதே
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
பொழுதிருக்க பறந்திருச்சு
போன தெசை மறந்திருச்சு
Knowing that it wouldn't sprout even if sown
I still sowed the seed and nurtured it back then
I came there carrying firewood
I ended up becoming burnt firewood myself here
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
Oh my King, who am I here?
A fiber string that never gets woven with flowers
Look at me once and ask why
My sorrows are not just one, but a hundred
Neither the sky nor the earth can bear this, my Lord
A weeping woman has a short lifespan
வெதைச்சாலும் முளைக்காது என்று
வெதை போட்டு வளர்த்தேனே அன்று
வெறகோடு வந்தேனே அங்கு
வெறகாகிப் போனேனே இங்கு
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
While it was still daytime, it flew away
It forgot the direction it went
ராசாவே நான் இங்க யாரு
பூவோடு சேராத நாரு
ஏன் என்று ஒரு பார்வை பாரு
என் சோகம் ஒன்றல்ல நூறு
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
I locked it inside the house
ஆகாயம் பூமி
தாங்காது சாமி
அழுகின்ற பெண்ணுக்கு
ஆயுள் கம்மி
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
பொழுதிருக்க பறந்திருச்சு
போன தெசை மறந்திருச்சு
காட்டுக்குள்ள
காதல் கிளியக் கண்டேன்
வீட்டுக்குள்ள அதை
அடைச்சு வச்சேன்
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae
While it was still daytime, it flew away
Pona dhesa marandhiruchae
It forgot the direction it went
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Nee pona thadam paathu thaanae
Just by following the path you walked
Nizhal thaedi varum indha maanae
This deer comes searching for your shadow
Mugam paakka thudichenae naanae
I yearned to see your face
Mundhaana onakkaaga thaanae
My saree pallu is meant only for you
Puli koottam kili vettaiyaada
As a pack of tigers hunts down the parrot
Puzhuvaaga naan theeyil vaada
I wither like a worm caught in the fire
Punnaana en sogam paada
To sing about my deeply wounded sorrow
Podhu koottam naan engu poda
Where can I gather a public assembly?
Magaraasan pechu malai yeri pochu
The kingly man's words went up the mountain and faded
Aanaalum en nenju ala paayudhae
Yet my heart keeps tossing like turbulent waves
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae
While it was still daytime, it flew away
Pona dhesa marandhiruchae
It forgot the direction it went
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Vedhachaalum mulaikkaadhu endru
Knowing that it wouldn't sprout even if sown
Vedha pottu valarthenae andru
I still sowed the seed and nurtured it back then
Veragodu vandhenae angu
I came there carrying firewood
Veragaagi ponenae ingu
I ended up becoming burnt firewood myself here
Raasaavae naan inga yaaru
Oh my King, who am I here?
Poovodu seraadha naaru
A fiber string that never gets woven with flowers
Yen endru oru paarva paaru
Look at me once and ask why
En sogam ondralla nooru
My sorrows are not just one, but a hundred
Aagaayam boomi thaangaadhu saami
Neither the sky nor the earth can bear this, my Lord
Azhugindra pennukku aayul kammi
A weeping woman has a short lifespan
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Pozhudhirukka parandhiruchae
While it was still daytime, it flew away
Pona dhesa marandhiruchae
It forgot the direction it went
Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden
I saw a love parrot inside the forest
Veettukkulla adha adachu vechen
I locked it inside the house
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Kaattukkulla Kaadhal Kiliya Kanden' captures the intense grief and helpless longing of a woman abandoned by her beloved. Using rural imagery and nature-based symbolism, she compares her lover to a wild lovebird that she tried to shelter in her home, which eventually escaped and flew away into the unknown. Throughout the track, the protagonist laments her tragic state using haunting metaphors—describing herself as a deer searching for a shadow, a worm writhing in fire, and a fiber string discarded without flowers. She reflects on her unfulfilled devotion and deteriorating well-being, conveying that her grief is too heavy for even the earth and sky to bear.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Kaattukkulla kaadhal kiliya kanden”
The lover is metaphorically portrayed as a wild parrot ('kaadhal kili') captured from the woods, symbolising his elusive and free-spirited nature.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Poovodu seraadha naaru”
The speaker compares her wretched state to a bare fiber string ('naaru') that never got the privilege of being woven alongside fragrant flowers.
Simile / Visual Imagery
“Puzhuvaaga naan theeyil vaada”
Her anguish and pain are vividly pictured like a worm squirming in flame ('puzhuvaaga naan theeyil vaada').
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Veragodu vandhenae angu / Veragaagi ponenae ingu”
The Tamil poetic tradition of rhyming the second consonant in consecutive lines is used ('Veragodu' / 'Veragaagi').
Did you know?
Trivia
Though listed with unknown credits in some song indexes, this iconic track from 'Karimedu Karuvayan' (1985) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, rendered poignantly by S. Janaki, with evocative lyrics penned by Vaali.
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