Kannamma Chinnanchiru kiliye

One of the ultimate Bharathiyar songs for me is Chinnanchiru Kiliye... Kannamma... The word "Kannamma" rules the roost in my world of romance. It is just the way someone used to call me years ago — the emotion and the love with which he called me haunts me even now. The emotions behind the word can never be described by ordinary mortals. Which is why poets like Bharathiyar come to the world, to bring out the emotions behind Kannamma in words.  

சின்னஞ்சிறுகிளியே, கண்ணம்மா
செல்வக் களஞ்சியமே!
என்னைக் கலிதீர்த்தே உலகில்
ஏற்றம் புரிய வந்தாய்!

பிள்ளைக்கனியமுதே, கண்ணம்மா!
பேசும் பொற்சித்திரமே!
அள்ளியணைத்திடவே, என்முன்னே
ஆடிவருந் தேனே

ஓடி வருகையிலே, கண்ணம்மா!
உள்ளம் குளிருதடீ;
ஆடித்திரிதல் கண்டால் உன்னைப்போய்
ஆவி தவிழுதடி

உச்சிதனை முகந்தால் – கருவம்
ஓங்கி வளருதடி
மெச்சி யுனை யூரார் புகழ்ந்தால்
மேனி சிலிர்க்குதடீ.

கன்னத்தில் முத்தமிட்டால், உள்ளந்தான்
கள்வெறி கொள்ளுதடீ
உன்னை தழுவிடிலோ, கண்ணம்மா
உன்மத்த மாகுதடீ.

உன் கண்ணில் நீர்வழிந்தால், என்நெஞ்சில்
உத்திரங் கொட்டுதடி;
என் கண்ணில் பாவையன்றோ? கண்ணம்மா
என்னுயிர் நின்னதன்றோ!

– மஹாகவி பாரதியார்

(Generally sung in Kaapi raagam)
Chinnanchiru kiliyae, kannamma
Selva kalanchiyamae
Ennai kali theerthae ulagil
Yetram puriya vanthaai

Oh you, tiniest of tiny parrots, Kannamma (the apple of my eyes)
Oh, the treasure trove of all my wealth
You have come to my world to alleviate me of my sins

and elevate my stature

Pillai kani amuthae, kannamma
Pesum por chithiramae
Alli anaithidavae, enn munnae
Aadi varum thenae

You are as sweet as the nectar of tender fruit, Kannamma
You are a painting (sculpture) of gold, that has come alive (and speaks to me).
You make me want to hug you tight and hold you in delight, honey

When you come dancing before me.

(Generally sung in Maand raagam)
Oodi varugaiyiale, kannamma
Ullam kulirathadi
Aadi thirithal kandaal, unai poi
Aavi thazhuvuthadi

When you come running towards me, Kannamma
My heart is ecstatic
When I see you scampering and dancing about

My soul wants to hug you

(Generally sung in Vasantha raagam) 
Ucchi thanai mugarnthaal
Garuvam oongi valaruthadi
Mechi unnai oorar pugazhnthaal
Maeni silirkuthadi

When I kiss your forehead,
My pride in you swells and grows 

When people in society praise you,

My whole being is thrilled and I get goosebumps

(Generally sung in Tilang raagam)
Kannathil muthamittal
Ullam than kalveri kolluthadi
Unnai thazhuvidilo, kannamma
Unmatham aaguthadi

When I kiss your cheeks

my heart is intoxicated

When I hug you 

is when I feel the most blissful

(Generally sung in Neelamani raagam)
Un kannil neervazhinthaal
En nenjil uthiram kottuthadi
En kannir pavai yandro kannamma
Enuyir ninathandro

When I see tears trickling down your eyes,

my heart bleeds (the blood spurts out of my heart),

You are the light (and the sight) of my eyes

My life is yours and yours alone.

- Mahakavi Bharathiyar

 

There are many more stanzas to this poem, but these are the ones that are commonly sung and taught. 

I never realised I loved this song THIS much until I listened to the version by ‘The Madras String Quartet’. The stress laid on "Kannamma" as the violin plays is almost like A! calling me out...

As I write this, the song plays on a loop and my fondness for Bharathiyar and Kannamma grows. I never knew he was this passionate about his partner/ wife. My paatu maami (music teacher), while teaching us this song, told us that Bharathiyar wrote this for a child. The explanation somehow did not resonate with me.

I always thought Chinnanchiru Kiliye was written for Chellamma and this website says, it was. Without questioning the authenticity of data being printed on websites, I would blindly like to believe that this is the poet's song for his partner/ wife.  

I get goosebumps even when I hum the Vasantha ragam portion in this song. I don't even want to try to find out if I can ever do justice to the poetry of love when I sing this song. Because I know I never will. I am content listening to it. 

Every time I listen to this, I yearn for someone special, who is as passionate about me to be able to sing this and mean it for me. The way A used to call me "Kannamma"...