Kaviya Mullai Pol
From Kanneer Pookkal · 1981
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Kanneer Pookkal1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai | A child like an epic jasmine flower |
| Aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…..aa….aaa….. | Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aaa... |
| Male | |
| : Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai | A child like an epic jasmine flower |
| Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae | Crawled here, but where did it go missing? |
| Pillai nilaa engae ponaalo | Where did the child-moon go? |
| Vandu vizhum maalai aanaalo | Has she become a garland visited by beetles? |
| Male | |
| Pinchu nadaipottu pillai kulam pogum | With tiny tender steps, the child goes to the pond |
| Ullirukkum sogam kannil etti paarkkum | The sorrow hidden inside peeps through the eyes |
| Nenjil pillai kayil illai | The child is in the heart, but not in the arms |
| Nenjil pillai kayil illai | The child is in the heart, but not in the arms |
| Male | |
| Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai | A child like an epic jasmine flower |
| Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae | Crawled here, but where did it go missing? |
| Thavariyathu engae…. | Where did it go missing... |
| Male | |
| Idhu enna medai maranaththin vaadai | What stage is this, carrying the stench of death? |
| Ivan thegam naalai kizhigindra olai | Tomorrow, his body will be a torn palm leaf |
| Soga megam vaanil pogum | A cloud of sorrow moves across the sky |
| Paadhaiyaavum paalaiyaagum | Every path turns into a desert |
| Male | |
| Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai | A child like an epic jasmine flower |
| Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae | Crawled here, but where did it go missing? |
| Thavariyathu engae…. | Where did it go missing... |
| Male | |
| Imaigalin eeram sudugindra paaram | The wetness of eyelids is a burning burden |
| Ini entha naalum ilaiyuthir kaalam | From now on, every day is autumn, shedding leaves |
| Saavin osai ketkkumpothu | When hearing the sound of death |
| Meendum pillai kaanpathethu | How can the child ever be seen again? |
| Male | |
| Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai | A child like an epic jasmine flower |
| Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae | Crawled here, but where did it go missing? |
| Pillai nilaa engae ponaalo | Where did the child-moon go? |
| Vandu vizhum maalai aanaalo….. | Has she become a garland visited by beetles? |
காவிய முல்லை போல் ஒரு பிள்ளை
ஆ.....ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ...ஆஅ.....
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aaa...
காவிய முல்லை போல் ஒரு பிள்ளை
தவழ்ந்தது இங்கே தவறியது எங்கே
பிள்ளை நிலா எங்கே போனாளோ
வண்டு விழும் மாலை ஆனாளோ...
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Where did the child-moon go?
Has she become a garland visited by beetles?
பிஞ்சு நடைப்போட்டு பிள்ளை குலம் போகும்
உள்ளிருக்கும் சோகம் கண்ணில் எட்டி பார்க்கும்
நெஞ்சில் பிள்ளை கையில் இல்லை
நெஞ்சில் பிள்ளை கையில் இல்லை
With tiny tender steps, the child goes to the pond
The sorrow hidden inside peeps through the eyes
The child is in the heart, but not in the arms
The child is in the heart, but not in the arms
காவிய முல்லை போல் ஒரு பிள்ளை
தவழ்ந்தது இங்கே தவறியது எங்கே
தவறியது எங்கே.......
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Where did it go missing...
இது என்ன மேடை மரணத்தின் வாடை
இவன் தேகம் நாளை கிழிகின்ற ஓலை
சோக மேகம் வானில் போகும்
பாதையாவும் பாலையாகும்
What stage is this, carrying the stench of death?
Tomorrow, his body will be a torn palm leaf
A cloud of sorrow moves across the sky
Every path turns into a desert
காவிய முல்லை போல் ஒரு பிள்ளை
தவழ்ந்தது இங்கே தவறியது எங்கே
தவறியது எங்கே.......
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Where did it go missing...
இமைகளின் ஈரம் சுடுகின்ற பாரம்
இனி எந்த நாளும் இலையுதிர் காலம்
சாவின் ஓசை கேட்கும் போது
மீண்டும் பிள்ளை காண்பதேது.....
The wetness of eyelids is a burning burden
From now on, every day is autumn, shedding leaves
When hearing the sound of death
How can the child ever be seen again?
காவிய முல்லை போல் ஒரு பிள்ளை
தவழ்ந்தது இங்கே தவறியது எங்கே
பிள்ளை நிலா எங்கே போனாளோ
வண்டு விழும் மாலை ஆனாளோ...
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Where did the child-moon go?
Has she become a garland visited by beetles?
Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…..aa….aaa…..
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... aaa...
: Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Pillai nilaa engae ponaalo
Where did the child-moon go?
Vandu vizhum maalai aanaalo
Has she become a garland visited by beetles?
Pinchu nadaipottu pillai kulam pogum
With tiny tender steps, the child goes to the pond
Ullirukkum sogam kannil etti paarkkum
The sorrow hidden inside peeps through the eyes
Nenjil pillai kayil illai
The child is in the heart, but not in the arms
Nenjil pillai kayil illai
The child is in the heart, but not in the arms
Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Thavariyathu engae….
Where did it go missing...
Idhu enna medai maranaththin vaadai
What stage is this, carrying the stench of death?
Ivan thegam naalai kizhigindra olai
Tomorrow, his body will be a torn palm leaf
Soga megam vaanil pogum
A cloud of sorrow moves across the sky
Paadhaiyaavum paalaiyaagum
Every path turns into a desert
Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Thavariyathu engae….
Where did it go missing...
Imaigalin eeram sudugindra paaram
The wetness of eyelids is a burning burden
Ini entha naalum ilaiyuthir kaalam
From now on, every day is autumn, shedding leaves
Saavin osai ketkkumpothu
When hearing the sound of death
Meendum pillai kaanpathethu
How can the child ever be seen again?
Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai
A child like an epic jasmine flower
Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae
Crawled here, but where did it go missing?
Pillai nilaa engae ponaalo
Where did the child-moon go?
Vandu vizhum maalai aanaalo…..
Has she become a garland visited by beetles?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song expresses profound grief and tragic loss over a missing or deceased child. The speaker fondly remembers the child as a delicate jasmine flower and a gentle moon, lamenting that while the child remains deeply alive in memory, the physical arms remain empty. The world now feels bleak, turned into a desert dominated by the shadow of death and perpetual grief.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Kaaviya mullai pol oru pillai”
Compares the child's purity and innocence to a jasmine flower from epic literature.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pillai nilaa engae ponaalo”
Refers to the child metaphorically as a serene moon.
Antithesis / Emotional Contrast
“Nenjil pillai kayil illai”
Contrasts the deep presence of the child in the heart with their physical absence in the arms.
Edhukai (Tamil Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thavazhnthathu ingae thavariyathu engae”
The second letter 'va' rhymes across 'Thavazhnthathu' and 'thavariyathu'.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kanneer Pookkal' (1981) features music by the popular duo Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics written by Vairamuthu in his early career. The song's melancholy is amplified by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's emotive vocal performance.
Keep listening
More from Kanneer Pookkal
Kanneer Pookkal
Kanneer Pookkal