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Lyrics & meaning

Adikkira Kaathu Yezhainga Pakkam

From Kaalam Oru Naal Maarum · 1981

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
V. Kumar
Details
Kaalam Oru Naal Maarum1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Adikkira kaaththuThe blowing wind
Ippa adikkira kaaththu yaezhainga pakkamNow the blowing wind is on the side of the poor
Adhai nee purinjikkadaaUnderstand that, hey man
Dei……Adhai nee purinjikkadaaHey... understand that!
Paramasivam paramasivam sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamLord Shiva, Lord Shiva, without Shakti (power/energy), where is joy?
Chorus :Paramasivam paramasivam sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamChorus: Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva, without Shakti, where is joy?
Male
Ippa adikkira kaaththu yaezhainga pakkamNow the blowing wind is on the side of the poor
Adhai nee purinjikkadaaUnderstand that, hey man
Dei……Adhai nee purinjikkadaaHey... understand that!
Male
Vambukku naanaa varamaattaenI will not come looking for trouble myself
Vayaththula adichchaa vidamaattaenBut if you hit me in the stomach, I will not let it go
Uzhaippavan yaar neeyaaWho is the hard worker? Is it you?
Male
Thappithmaaga nadakkaathaeDo not act wrongfully
Thappichchhu oda ninaikkaathaeDo not think of escaping and running away
Payanthavan yaar naanaaWho is afraid? Is it me?
Male
Pannuvathellaam poi purattu aniyaayamAll you do is lies, deception, and injustice
Eththanai kaalam sellaum ungal adhigaaramHow long will your authority last?
Aahaa….pattaalum kettaalumAha... despite suffering or losing
Puththukkku niyaayangal ettaatha jenmangaloAre these beings whose minds justice can never reach?
Male
Ippa adikkira kaaththu yaezhainga pakkamNow the blowing wind is on the side of the poor
Adhai nee purinjikkadaaUnderstand that, hey man
Dei……Adhai nee purinjikkadaaHey... understand that!
Chorus :Paramasivam paramasivam sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamChorus: Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva, without Shakti, where is joy?
Intha sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamWithout this Shakti, where is joy?
Male
……………….
Male
Palanaal thirudan pidipaduvaanA long-time thief will eventually get caught
Pala per kaiyaal adipaduvaanHe will get beaten by the hands of many
Purinjirunthaal thirunthuIf you understand this, reform yourself
Paava kanakkai ezhuthaathaeDo not write a ledger of sins
Adhuthaan unakkae udhavaathae manasirunthaa varunthuThat will not help you; if you have a heart, repent
Male
Kattiya kottai veedu vaasal yaaraalaeBy whom were the built forts, houses, and gateways created?
Niththamum yaezhai sinthum vervai neeraalaeBy the daily sweat shed by the poor!
Aahaa….andraadam unnodu mandraadumAha... pleading with you every day
Paattaali kanneerum senneeradaaThe laborer's tears are like red blood!
Male
Ippa adikkira kaaththu yaezhainga pakkamNow the blowing wind is on the side of the poor
Adhai nee purinjikkadaaUnderstand that, hey man
Dei……Adhai nee purinjikkadaaHey... understand that!
Male
Kudisaiyil kooda kaaththu varumWind enters even a humble hut
Maaligai endraa paaththu varumDoes it look around before entering a palace?
Adharkkillai bedhamIt has no discrimination
Vallaan endraal valainthirukkumBowing down before the powerful
Illaan endraal nimirnthirukkumStanding tall against the powerless
Manithargalil bedhamDiscrimination exists only among human beings
Male
Kuththiya varaikkum labam endraal kunivomaaIf you profit as much as you oppress, will we keep bowing down?
Kuninthavar naangal nimirnthaal unnai viduvomaaIf we who bowed down stand up, will we let you off?
Undaana neraththil kondaattam podaathaeDo not celebrate during prosperous times
Thindaattam pinnaal varumHardship will follow later
Male
Ippa adikkira kaaththu yaezhainga pakkamNow the blowing wind is on the side of the poor
Adhai nee purinjikkadaaUnderstand that, hey man
Dei……Adhai nee purinjikkadaaHey... understand that!
Chorus :Paramasivam paramasivam sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamChorus: Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva, without Shakti, where is joy?
Intha sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugamWithout this Shakti, where is joy?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is an energetic revolutionary track from the 1981 film 'Kaalam Oru Naal Maarum', penned by Vaali and sung by T. M. Soundararajan. The song serves as a rallying cry for the working class, declaring that the tides of time and power are shifting towards the poor and oppressed. Using the spiritual metaphor of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti, the lyricist argues that just as Shiva is incomplete without Shakti, the elite and wealthy cannot survive or thrive without the labor and energy of the working class. Throughout the song, the protagonist warns oppressors against taking advantage of laborers, highlighting that the sweat and tears of the poor built the very structures of luxury enjoyed by the rich. The lyrics critique human prejudice and greed, drawing a contrast with nature (represented by the wind), which treats a palace and a hut without bias. Ultimately, the song delivers a stern warning: oppressive rule will inevitably crumble, and when the downtrodden rise, justice will prevail.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyam)

Paramasivam paramasivam sakthiyillaama yaedhu sugam

Compares the physical energy and hard work of the labor class to 'Shakti', stating that 'Paramasivam' (the wealthy/powerful upper layer) cannot exist or find happiness without 'Shakti'. Also compares worker's tears to 'senneer' (red blood).

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Vallaan endraal valainthirukkum / Illaan endraal nimirnthirukkum

Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines match ('du' in Kudisaiyil / Maaligai - phonetically paired structure, and 'lla' in Vallaan / Illaan).

Personification / Nature Symbolism

Kudisaiyil kooda kaaththu varum / Maaligai endraa paaththu varum

The wind (kaaththu) is personified as an impartial force that treats huts and palaces equally, contrasting nature's fairness with human discrimination.

Monaikkazhuththu / Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kuninthavar naangal nimirnthaal unnai viduvomaa

Initial sound matching across words within a line or across adjacent lines, such as 'Kuninthavar' and 'Kuththiya'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Music director V. Kumar, known for his frequent collaborations with K. Balachander films and soulful tunes, composed this punchy social-protest song. Rendered by the legendary T. M. Soundararajan (TMS), the song echoes the iconic socialist lyricism popularized during the golden age of Tamil cinema by lyricists like Vaali and Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram.

Keep listening

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