- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Suriyan
- Movie release year
- 1992
- Lyrics added on
- 20 Jul 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Kottungadi Kummi is a vibrant folk song from the 1992 Tamil film Suriyan, written by lyricist Vaali and set to music by Deva. The song depicts a traditional Kummi dance performed by village women during a traditional celebration of pregnancy and maternal blessing. The lyrics describe the mother-to-be surrounded by loving women who apply sandalwood paste, fan her with peacock feathers, protect her from evil eyes, and sing joyful prayers wishing for a healthy, beautiful, and energetic newborn child.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Kurunji malar pol aanaa”
Compares the mother's blossoming state to a Kurinji flower ('Kurunji malar pol aanaa') and the expected child to a red ruby ('maanikkam pol') and sunflower ('suryagaandhi poovai pola').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thanga katti vayithil vandha”
Refers to the unborn child directly as a gold ingot ('Thanga katti') in the womb.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Kottungadi kummi / Kolli mala kummi”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' across 'Kottungadi' and 'Kolli'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Suriyan (1992), directed by Pavithran and starring Sarathkumar, was a landmark blockbuster film in Tamil cinema. Composed by Deva, the song 'Kottungadi Kummi' highlights the authentic Tamil folk art form 'Kummi', where women clap rhythmically in a circle while singing.
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