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Lyrics & meaning

Poopoovaa Paranthu

From Thikku Theriyatha Kaattil · 1972

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
M. S. Rajeswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Thikku Theriyatha Kaattil1972

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Poop poovaa paranthu pogumFlying flower to flower,
Pattu poochi akkaButterfly sister!
Nee palapalannu pottiruppathuWho gave you this shirt
Yaaru koduththa sokkaaThat you are wearing so glistening and shiny?
Female
Poop poovaa paranthu pogumFlying flower to flower,
Pattu poochi akkaButterfly sister!
Nee palapalannu pottiruppathuWho gave you this shirt
Yaaru koduththa sokkaaThat you are wearing so glistening and shiny?
Female
Kudhichchu kudhichchu odi pogumRunning away by leaping and leaping,
Kulla muyal annaaShort rabbit brother!
Nee kuthikkaamal konjam nilluStop jumping for a moment,
Kooda varaen onnaaI will come along with you!
Female
Poop poovaa paranthu pogumFlying flower to flower,
Pattu poochi akkaButterfly sister!
Nee palapalannu pottiruppathuWho gave you this shirt
Yaaru koduththa sokkaaThat you are wearing so glistening and shiny?
Female
Paavaadai pol thogai viriththuSpreading your tail feathers like a skirt,
Pulli mayil vaayaenSpotted peacock, please come!
En puththagaththilae kutti podavaeSo that it multiplies inside my book,
Poonjirakonnu thaayaenGive me one soft little feather!
Female
Thaandi thaandi kilaikku kilaiLeaping from branch to branch,
Thaavi pogum kurangaeO monkey that jumps along!
Naan paandi aadavaeFor me to play hopscotch,
Unnai vendi ketkiraenI request you eagerly,
Neeyum irangi odivaaCome down and run to me!
Female
Poop poovaa paranthu pogumFlying flower to flower,
Pattu poochi akkaButterfly sister!
Nee palapalannu pottiruppathuWho gave you this shirt
Yaaru koduththa sokkaaThat you are wearing so glistening and shiny?
Female
Yaanai kutt mama neeyumLittle elephant uncle, you too,
Thumbikkaiyai neettuExtend your long trunk!
Un mudhugi melae kundhikka poraenI am going to sit on your back,
Kaatta suthi kaattuShow me around the whole forest!
Female
Maan kuttiyaeLittle deer child,
Un udambu muzhukka pulli vachathaaruWho put spots all over your body?
Nee thulli odinaaIf you leap and run,
Naanum thuraththi pidikkiraenI will chase and catch you,
Neeyum odi olinjikkoGo run and hide yourself!
Female
Pachai sivappaa mookkuWith a green body and red beak,
Irukkira pachaikiliyae paaruLook at the green parrot over there!
Intha pappaavukku pasi edukkuthuThis baby is feeling hungry,
Pazham parichchu poduPluck a fruit and drop it for me!
Intha pappaavukku pasi edukkuthuThis baby is feeling hungry,
Pazham parichchu poduPluck a fruit and drop it for me!
Female
Poochu puzhuvai koththi thingirPecking and eating insects and worms,
Oththa kannu kaakkaaOne-eyed crow!
Nee maranju nikkirae vadaiyai thirudi thinguraYou stand hidden and eat the stolen vada,
Naanthaan pesa maattaen po kaa….I won't talk to you, go away crow!
Female
Poop poovaa paranthu pogumFlying flower to flower,
Pattu poochi akkaButterfly sister!
Nee palapalannu pottiruppathuWho gave you this shirt
Yaaru koduththa sokkaa…..That you are wearing so glistening and shiny?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful children's song from the 1972 movie Thikku Theriyatha Kaattil captures the innocent wonder of a young child wandering through a forest and conversing with various animals. The child lovingly treats the animals as family members, addressing the butterfly as 'sister', the rabbit as 'brother', and the elephant as 'uncle'. Throughout the song, the child marvels at the butterfly's colorful wings, asks the peacock for a feather to keep inside a schoolbook, asks the monkey to play games, requests an elephant ride, asks a parrot for fruit, and playfully scolds a crow for hiding and eating a stolen vada.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification (Thanivinai / Anthropomorphism)

Pattu poochi akka / Kulla muyal annaa / Yaanai kutt mama

Addressing wild animals using affectionate family terms like 'Pattu poochi akka' (Butterfly sister), 'Kulla muyal annaa' (Rabbit brother), and 'Yaanai kutt mama' (Elephant uncle).

Onomatopoeia & Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Poop poovaa / Kudhichchu kudhichchu / Thaandi thaandi

Using repeated words to convey rhythmic motion and childlike excitement.

Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)

Poop poovaa paranthu pogum / Pattu poochi akka

Repetition of the initial consonant 'P' sound across adjacent words in the opening line.

Simile (Uvamaani)

Paavaadai pol thogai viriththu

Comparing the open tail feathers of a peacock to a spreading skirt.

Did you know?

Trivia

Sung by M. S. Rajeswari, who was legendary in Tamil cinema for her specialized childlike voice modulation. Lyricist Vaali famously includes the popular South Indian childhood myth that keeping a peacock feather inside a school textbook causes it to give birth to smaller feathers ('En puththagaththilae kutti podavae').

Keep listening

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