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Lyrics & meaning

Pattuvanna Chittu

From Parisu · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Parisu
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
6 Mar 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Alli kondai mudichchu
Arai kaasu pottu vachchu
Velli salangai katti
Vilakku vaikkum nerathilae
Vilakku vaikkum nerathilae
Pattu vanna chittu
Padagu thurai vittu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Pattu vanna chittu
Padagu thurai vittu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Allikkodi polae
Thaen aatrangkarai melae
Allikkodi polae
Thaen aatrangkarai melae
Mella mella idaiyasaiya
Vellichchilai polae
Mella mella idaiyasaiya
Vellichchilai polae
Pattu vanna chittu
Padagu thurai vittu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Aalai paartha vegam
Avan azhagai paartha mogam
Aalai paartha vegam
Avan azhagai paartha mogam
Kaalai paarthu nadandha ponnu
Kaattudhamma bhaavam
Kaalai paarthu nadandha ponnu
Kaattudhamma bhaavam
Pattu vanna chittu
Padagu thurai vittu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Ponna porandhaal
Oru purushannukku nerae
Ponna porandhaal
Oru purushannukku nerae
Ninnaagathaan venum
Aval vaazhvil oru naalae
Ninnaagathaan venum
Aval vaazhvil oru naalae
Pattu vanna chittu
Padagu thurai vittu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi
Anna nadai pottu
With your hair tied in a water-lily bun,
Wearing a coin-sized dot on your brow,
Wearing jingling silver anklets,
At the hour of lighting the evening lamps,
At the hour of lighting the evening lamps,
O silky, colorful little bird,
Stepping away from the boat dock,
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
O silky, colorful little bird,
Stepping away from the boat dock,
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Like a slender water-lily vine,
On the banks of the sweet river,
Like a slender water-lily vine,
On the banks of the sweet river,
With your waist swaying gently,
Just like a statue made of silver,
With your waist swaying gently,
Just like a statue made of silver,
O silky, colorful little bird,
Stepping away from the boat dock,
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
The rush upon catching sight of him,
The longing sparked by his handsome charm,
The rush upon catching sight of him,
The longing sparked by his handsome charm,
The modest girl who once looked down at her feet,
Is now revealing all her tender feelings!
The modest girl who once looked down at her feet,
Is now revealing all her tender feelings!
O silky, colorful little bird,
Stepping away from the boat dock,
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
When born as a woman,
Before the man of her life,
When born as a woman,
Before the man of her life,
She must surely stand face to face,
At least one day in her life!
She must surely stand face to face,
At least one day in her life!
O silky, colorful little bird,
Stepping away from the boat dock,
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Whom are you gazing at, girl,
As you walk like a graceful swan?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil song captures playful teasing and admiration for a young woman who is dressed up and stepping out at dusk near a river dock. The narrator affectionately compares her to a colourful bird and a elegant swan, noticing how her posture and demeanor have transformed due to newfound love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

Allikkodi polae / Vellichchilai polae

Compares the girl's delicate waist and graceful movement to a lily creeper ('Allikkodi polae') and a silver statue ('Vellichchilai polae').

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Pattu vanna chittu

Addresses the young woman metaphorically as a colourful silk bird ('Pattu vanna chittu').

Metaphor / Analogy (Swan Walk)

Anna nadai pottu

Refers to her graceful and noble gait as 'Anna nadai' (swan walk), a classic poetic motif in Tamil literature.

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Pattu vanna chittu / Padagu thurai vittu / Paarppadhuvum yaaraiyadi

Repetition of consonant sounds like 'P' in 'Pattu', 'Padagu', 'Paarppadhuvum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1963 film 'Parisu', this track showcases Kannadasan's mastery in blending traditional Tamil poetic metaphors with folk rhythmic patterns suited for modern cinema.

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