Meaning-Chinnanjiru kiliye kannamma

[jjsumi]

Does anyone have the meaning for this song by Subramanya Bharathiyar?

The lyrics are as follows:

cinnan siru kiLiyE
raagam: raagamaalika
taaLam: roopakam
Composer: Subrahmanya Bhaaratiyaar
Language: Tamil
1
cinnam shirukkiLiyE kaNNammA shelvak-kaLanjiyamE
ennaik-kali tIrttE ulagil Etram puriya vandAi
2
piLLaik-kaniyamudE kaNNammA pEshum por-chittiramE
aLLi aNaittiDavE en munnE Adi varum tEnE
3
Odi varugaiyilE kaNNammA uLLam kuLirudaDi
Adit-tiridal kaNDAl unnaip-pOi Avi tazhuvudaDI
4
ucci tanai mughandAl garuvam Ongi vaLarudaDi
mecci unnai yAr pugazhndAl mEni shilirkkudaDI
5
kannattil muttamiTTAn uLLam tAn kaL veri koLLudaDi
unnait-tazhuviDivO kaNnammA un mattamArudaDI
6
shaTru mukham shivandAl manadu sancalamAgudaDi
neTri shurungak-kaNDAl enakku nenjam padaikkudaDI
7
un kaNNil nIr vazhindAl ennenjil udiram koTTudaDi
en kaNNin pAvaiyenrO kaNNammA ennuyir ninradanrO
8
shollum mazhalaiyilE kaNNammA tunbangaL tIrttiDuvAi
mullai shirippAlE enadu mUrkham tavirttiDuvAi
9
inbak-kadaigaLellAm unnaip-pOl EdugaL sholvaduNDO
anbu taruvadilE unainEr AghumOr deivamuNDO
10
mArbilaNivadarkkE unnaippOl vaira maNigaLuNDO
shIr peTru vAzhvadarkkE unnaippOl shelvam piridumuNDO

Thank you!

[rshankar]

OK...despite the length, I HAD to try my hand at this, given that I am a hopelessly doting dad who wishes he was as expressive!
That being said, this is one of Bharati's 'kaNNammA pADal' where he has imagined parAshaktI as kaNNammA his daughter. He has, in other poems, imagined her to be his lover (kAtRu veLiyiDai kaNNammA, ninran kAdalai yeNNi kazhikkinrEn is an example of that)....
So here goes: I am hoping CML or someone else will fix my mistakes.
1
cinnam shirukkiLiyE kaNNammA shelvak-kaLanjiyamE
ennaik-kali tIrttE ulagil Etram puriya vandAi

cinnan shiru = small and precious
kiLi = parrot (a term of endearment)
kaNNammA = name of the child
selva kaLanjiyamE = repository of wealth
ennai = me
kali tIrtE = ending (my) worthless life
Etram puriya = (to) enhance (the meaning of)
vandAi = (you) have come

Oh, my small and precious Kannamma, you (who) are a repository of wealth have come to enhance (the meaning of) my worthless life.


2
piLLaik-kaniyamudE kaNNammA pEshum por-chittiramE
aLLi aNaittiDavE en munnE Adi varum tEnE

piLLai-kani = gift (santAna dhanam)
amudE = nectar like
pEshum = talking
por = golden
chittiramE = picture

My Kannamma, (my) gorgeous (as beautiful as a golden picture) gift (santAna dhanam), your speech is like nectar.


3
Odi varugaiyilE kaNNammA uLLam kuLirudaDi
Adit-tiridal kaNDAl unnaip-pOi Avi tazhuvudaDI

Odi = running
varugayilE = coming (to me)
uLLam = heart/spirit
kuLiRudaDI = Literally means making noise ? but contextually, I think uLLam kuLiRudaDI means heart warming
Adi = play/dance
tiridal = turning around
kaNDAl = (if) seen
unnai = you
Avi pOi = (my) spirit goes
tazhuvudaDI = caresses (you)

It is heart-warming when I see you come running to me. When I watch you dance and pirouette, my spirit goes over and caresses you.

4
ucci tanai mughandAl garuvam Ongi vaLarudaDi
mecci unnai yAr pugazhndAl mEni shilirkkudaDI

ucci tanai = literally means ?that peak?, but here, it means the vertex of the head
mugharndAl = (if) smelled
garvam = pride
Ongi = becomes huge
vaLarudaDI = grows
mecci = appreciate/with appreciation
unnai = you
UrAr = people from the agrahAram/village/place
pugazhandAl = praise
mEni = skin
shilirkkudaDI = (I get) goose bumps

?ucci mugarndu uLLankAlil muththam idardu? is supposed to be the correct way to ?appreciate? a cherished child (smell the top of the baby?s head and kiss the sole)?Here Bharati says that when he smells his Kannamma?s head, he is filled with ever growing pride?and when anyone from the village appreciates and praises his Kannamma, he gets goose bumps or horripilations.

5
kannattil muttamiTTAn uLLam tAn kaL veri koLLudaDi
unnait-tazhuviDivO kaNnammA un mattamArudaDI

kanattil = (on the) cheek
muttamiTTAl = when a kiss is placed
uLLam tAn = (my) heart
kaL veri = wild enjoyment
koLLudaDI = (is) filled with
unnai = you
tazhuviDiniOr = (whomsoever) caresses
unmattamAgudaDI = (become) intoxicated

Oh Kannamma, when I plant a kiss on your cheek, my heart goes wild with pleasure, and when I caress you, I become intoxicated.


6
shaTru mukham shivandAl manadu sancalamAgudaDi
neTri shurungak-kaNDAl enakku nenjam padaikkudaDI
shaTrum = even a little
mukham = face
shivandAl = (becomes) red (if you feel any discomfiture, however small)
manadu = (my) mind
sanchalamAgudaDI = becomes worried
netri = forehead
surunga = crease
kaNDal = (I) see (if you are worried or upset)
nenjam = (my) heart
padaikkudaDI = (becomes) anxious

Any discomfiture you feel, however small, worries me endlessly, and when you are worried or upset, I am beside myself with anxiety.

7
un kaNNil nIr vazhindAl ennenjil udiram koTTudaDi
en kaNNin pAvaiyenrO kaNNammA ennuyir ninradanrO

un = your
kaNNil = (in) eyes
nIr = water/tears
vazhindAl = filled with/overflowing
yen = my
nenjil = heart
udiram = blood
koTTudaDI = flows
yen = my
kaNNin = (of) eye
pAvai = light
anrO = (you) are
yen = my
uyir = life
ninnadanrO = is yours

My heart bleeds when you cry, Oh light of my life, my life is yours/I live for you.


8
shollum mazhalaiyilE kaNNammA tunbangaL tIrttiDuvAi
mullai shirippAlE enadu mUrkham tavirttiDuvAi

shollum = (what you) say
mazhalaiyilE = (in) baby talk
tunbangaL = worries/grievances
tIrttiDuvAi = (will) remove
mullai shirippAlE = with your (guileless) smile
enadu = my
mUrkham = stupidity
tavirttiDuvAi = will prevent

My Kannamma, when I listen to your baby talk, my worries disappear, and when you smile at me, you drive my stupidity away (I am not sure of this part?maybe CML can help)

9
inbak-kadaigaLellAm unnaip-pOl EdugaL sholvaduNDO
anbu taruvadilE unainEr AghumOr deivamuNDO

inba kadaigal ellAm = All romantic stories
unai pOl = like you
EdugaL = chapters
sholvaduNDO = (do they ever) say
anbu = love
taruvadilE = giving)
unai = you
nEr Agum = equal to
Or = one
deivamuNDO = (is there any) god

Even chapters in romantic stories are not as interesting and stimulating as you are. You are so loving, that even the gods can?t equal you.

10
mArbilaNivadarkkE unnaippOl vaira maNigaLuNDO
shIr peTru vAzhvadarkkE unnaippOl shelvam piridumuNDO

mArbil = (on the) chest
aNivadarkE = (to) wear
unai pOl = like you
vaira = diamond
maNigal = precious stones
uNDO = are there?
shIr peTru = (having) received the blessings
vAzhvadarkE = (to) live
unai pOl = like you
shelvam = treasure/wealth
piridum = don?t know
uNDO = is there?

Is there a garland or pendant that can be worn around the neck that is more precious than you? Is there any other wealth one needs to live a blessed life?

I am very moved when I read this poem or hear it sung (BTW, Rajkumar Bharati is the only one I have heard who sings this in it's entirety).

Ravi

[hraghav]

Excellent meaning/description. I didn't see this earlier. I posted the complete meaning on Karnatik.com and I happened to casually browse here to find you had too ...

However, one small question for you: On what basis are you stating that Kannamma was a daughter figure? It looks more like a lover figure to me? There are a lot of allusions to more of a romantic lover than a child (of course there a equal number of allusions to child as well... There in lies our genius Bharathi )

This song makes me cry ... all the time

If you can look at my translation and post your thoughts as well, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[hraghav]

Also, I wonder how your translated kAli to life My interpretation would be kAli = Happiness as in the root of the word Kelikkai - kAli

Another interesting translation is pillai kAni-amude... I read it as

pillai - child, child-like
kani-amude - fruit dipped in nectar (sho sweeeet.... typical, girls style )

Yet another interesting translation is:

ucci tanai mughandAl

Ucchi mughardhal endral to kiss the forehead lightly -- I don't see him mentioning ullangal mutham iduthal -- What a wonderful extension from you... I appreciate it 8) I interpret this in a straight-forward way "kissing ones forehead lightly"

Nice to see a different interpretation. Could you point me to some reference for this? I'd be thankful.

Thanks!

[rshankar]

Excellent meaning/description.

Raghav,
Thanks.

On what basis are you stating that Kannamma was a daughter figure? !

I have a book of Bharati poems: all of his kaNNammA poems are arranged as 'kaNNammA pAdalgaL'....and this comes under, 'kaNNammA, yen kuzhandai'....so that part was not difficult to deduce.

If you can look at my translation and post your thoughts as well, I would appreciate it.
Thanks!

I will!

[rshankar]

Raghav,
First, a disclaimer: I try to do these translations without any formal education in Tamizh: so, I tend to use colloquial uses and contextual meanings to translate. I will also admit to the bias that I have a certain preconceived idea about the composition in terms of the emotions it (is supposed to) evoke(s) - and my translation will be along those lines. I will try to explain the how/why to some of your questions with this background.

That is why I always expect someone erudite to correct me.

Also, I wonder how your translated kAli to life My interpretation would be kAli = Happiness as in the root of the word Kelikkai - kAli

kali (not kAli or kaLI) is how it is written in the publication I have, and the best meaning that I think fits here is 'discomposure' or 'perturbation' which I took the liberty to translate as 'worthless life'...so that kali tIrtE would then mean (the darling child) was born to eradicate the discomposure from (my) life, or on the flip side, enrich (my) life....Hope this makes sense.

ucci tanai mughandAl
Ucchi mughardhal endral to kiss the forehead lightly -- I don't see him mentioning ullangal mutham iduthal -- What a wonderful extension from you... I appreciate it I interpret this in a straight-forward way "kissing ones forehead lightly"

My grandmother (and all the elders in my family) used to tell us that there were special places to kiss children...if you kissed on their soles, their lifeline would be lengthened, and kissing on the baby's back was a big no no (don't remember why)...and so on...and she would always say that the ideal would be to 'ucci mugarndu uLLankAllil muttam iDudal' was the best! I have no other references...and I used this colloquial reference.

Bharati's compositions where he imagines parAshaktI/kaNNammA as his lover (kAdalI) are a separate category from the ones where he imagined her as his daughter....examples of the former are the song made famous in the movie kappal OTTiya tamizhan - 'kAtru veLiyiDai kaNNammA', and another in this category off the top of my head is 'suTTum vizhi suDar tAn kaNNammA'. I know there are some more.
Ravi

[rshankar]

A very nice interprettation of this perennial favorite...

[arasi]

Very nice, Ravi. I found her abhinayam to have so much ghAtram.
At the final line though ( for 'en kaNNil pAvaiyanRO?' ), her gestures did not include pointing to her eyes even once. Wonder why.

[Pasupathy]

Very nice translation, Ravi.

This reminds me of an old discussion in 2003 that happened in Forumhub:
http://forumhub.com/tlit/10316.14232.11.47.51.html

As I conjectured then,
'kaNNammaa' has been used by azagaNic ciththar in his poems. Bharathi, who calls himself as a ciththar, must have been influenced by this usage. ( AzagaNic ciththar is the only one who , in my search, seems to have used this word before. Perhaps those familiar with ciththar songs can find more such usage.)

[cacm]

Dear Sri.Pasupathy,
I read in one of the blogs (from one of Bharathiyar's descendents)about Bharathiyar recently that the references to Kannamma were actually references to his wife Chellammal & tho' she (Chellammal) tried very hard &toiled to publish his poems the name still came out as Kannamma. I would like opinions of experts in this forum on this. I have tried to pursue things like these with Bharathidasan & as a founder-member of the first Bharathi Society for a long time & being based in N.A. has not helped matters. VKV

[vasanthakokilam]

VKV, As Ravi wrote in 2006, Bharathi wrote separate categories of Kannamma poems. 'kaNNammA, yen kADali' (lover), 'kaNNammA, yen kuzhandai' (child). This song belongs to the latter category. The first category of songs may indeed be references to his wife Chellamma or a prototypical 'significant other'. ( or to parAsakthi, for those who prefer such an interpretation )

[Pasupathy]

VKV,
Sakunthala Bharathi , in her book, "en thandhai", has written that : Bharathi wrote "Chellammaa" in the love song "ninnaiyE rathi enRu " and it was changed by her uncle at the time of printing the book. This is confirmed in the Research Edition of Bharathi Songs published by Thanjai Tamil University. But....Bharathi did sing many songs addressing "kaNNammaa" ( I have not bought cheeni.Viswanathan's Bharathi Songs Book; it may please be consulted for more clarity on this )

And , the note under the title "chinnanjiru kiLiyE" in the Research Edition (and usually repeated in most editions of Bharathi Songs) says " parAsakthiyai kuzandhaiyaakak kaNdu colliya pAttu" ( song uttered on seeing Parasakthi as a child ) . The research edition does not say anything about any name change etc. in this song.

I hope this clarifies at least some doubts.

[Pasupathy]

I may add : in the Research Edition, "ninnaiyE rathi " song is titled Chellammaa Song. And another song,
"peedaththilERik koNdAL ' ” is titled " Sri Chellammaa Song". As far as I can see now, these are the only two songs with "chellammaa" in the songs (and in the titles) , as reported in the Research Edition.

[arasi]

Pasupathy,
You are an asset! I don't know how many here know you from other threads (in Literature Section mainly, where you are a treasure house of memorable tamizh writing--not forgetting your own contributions).

Thanks for sharing all that you have found about the KannammA songs. ChittargaL and AzhvArgaL may have influenced the poet in using the name kaNNammA for KrishnA. Sakthi too. To see God in a child and to see God as a child (kaNNan, murugan) isn't anything new in our culture.

bhArathi must have seen this child in his mind's eye in such grandeur (parASakthi?). He brings the magic of his experience to anyone who reads or hears this song, and the beauty of it is that we can all see this child in our children, grandchildren and the children around us, as if they are all Sakthi, Krishna and and other gods!

The Similar Topic facility which I see right below this says how many requested threads there are on Chinnanjiru kiLiyE alone

[Pratyaksham Bala]

... 'kaNNammaa' has been used by azagaNic ciththar in his poems...

For the song with ‘en kaNNammA’ repeated in all the 32-stanzas, check this:-
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... mA#p204488
.

[Pasupathy]

P Bala,
Thanks! Your early notice of AzagaNic ciththar song is wonderful and laudable ! As far as I know , not many have noticed this earlier usage of 'kaNNammA' in Tamil Literature ! Neither has it been written about in writings about Bharathi ---
as far as I know ( the form of Tamil poetry known as "chindhu" which Bharathi popularized owes much to chiththar-s who used it exclusively in their outpourings. It is Bharathi who gave that form a new status.Bharathidasan called Bharathi as "Father of Chindhu". So Bharathi must have studied Chiththar songs in detail and must have come across Azaganic ciththar Songs too )

[PUNARVASU]

My interpretation of the line
'pillai kani amudhE kaNNammA pEsum poR chittiramE' will be
Bharati calls her a child as sweet as fruit dipped in nectar
And 'a golden picture which talks' .
There is a saying in tamizh ,'ponmalar nARRam uDaittu' meaning , a golden flower which also has fragrance.
In a similar fashion, Bharathi describes kaNNammA as a golden picture which can also talk.

[Pasupathy]

Another tid-bit from memory: As reported in most books and keeping with the theme, Bharathi denoted the raga and thALam for the song as Bhairavi and Rupakam. During Bharathi Centenary Year, I remember DKJ singing this song in an AIR concert...the full song , with only the first kaNNi in Bhairavi and the rest in Raga MalikA. Perhaps some of DKJ's students have sung it some times in this different setting since then; I don't know.

[rshankar]

Nice to see the discussions 6 years after the initial ones...! Every comment is so valuable...Thank you!

[cacm]

Dear Pasupathy, MANY MUSICIANS have rendered this song in DIFFERENT MUSICAL WAYS ESP. after LGJ made it a Favourite overtaking DKP, MSS'S Version etc. Rajkumar bharathy(with his mother's help) has rendered it as Bharathiyar envisioned it. Actually currently in the discussion of Lakshmi Devanath's book on LGJ there is a lively discussion on KALPITHA SANGEETHAM & I am hoping to discuss this song as a prime example of a case where his version bec. of his genius is generally accepted tho' different from Bharathiyar's own original prescription. It is analogous to S.Rajam's paintings of the trinity which is embedded in everyone's mind that even if Thyagaraja showed up today & looked different than Rajam's painting he would not be accepted! It is NOT CLEAR what Kalpitha Sangeetham is!
Incidentally Rajkumar Bharathi's mother has recorded many of Bharathiyar's songs the way he prescribed & sang them & Madras University has it.....VKV

[rshankar]

MSS'S Version

Smt. MSS' version? I think you meant Smt. MLV's, right?

[cacm]

I actually meant both. YOU are right reg. POPULARITY OF MLV'S VERSION. MS sang it (not regularly) on request in earlier part of career but as demands on her second half of concert- usually called light by some-increased she did not render it as much. It was similar to others of the period & may be she followed the tradition of not singing songs that others were famous for. I am only guessing. VKV

[rshankar]

Is there any recording of Smt. MSS singing this? Cienu??