- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Kaali (1980 Film)
- Movie release year
- 1980
- Lyrics added on
- 11 Oct 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaali…..kaali….
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Female :Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Female :Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Paavaththukku sambalangal
Vattiyudan nee tharuvaai
Sogappatta bhoomigalil
Maega mazhai nee pozhivaai
Chorus :Kuliril theeyena nee varuvaai
Aayiram vaengaiyin saeiyarivaai
Paavaththukku sambalangal
Vattiyudan nee tharuvaai
Sogappatta bhoomigalil
Maega mazhai nee pozhivaai
Antha kadhai meendum
Nee vanthu nadaththida vendum
Chorus :Antha kadhai meendum
Nee vanthu nadaththida vendum
Male :Needhikku yaar kaaval neethaanae
Oor kaaval kaali….kaali…..
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Sutri oru vaaleduththaal
Suttrum bhoomi nindru vidum
Yaezhai magan kobam kondaal
Sooriyanum vendhu vidum
Aanathu aagattum aanavarai
Theep pantham yaendhuvom vaanam varai
Sutri oru vaaleduththaal
Suttrum bhoomi nindru vidum
Yaezhai magan kobam kondaal
Sooriyanum vendhu vidum
Kuththupatta naagam
Aalai koththi mudihthida thedum
Chorus :Kuththupatta naagam
Aalai koththi mudihthida thedum
Aaraatha kaayangal
Maaraatha sogangal aarum theerum
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Pagaivarkal kaagithangal
Avarukkillai jeevithangal
Female :Thegangal kedaiyangal
Romangalum aayuthangalum
Chorus :Raaththiri yaerpadum bhoogambangal
Aaththiram theernthathum aananthangal
Pagaivargal kaagithangal
Avarukkillai jeevithangal
Female :Thegangal kedaiyangal
Romangalum aayuthangalum
Soolam konda thaayae
Adhai iraval thanthidu neeyae
Chorus :Soolam konda thaayae
Adhai iraval thanthidu neeyae
Mesaiyil kai podu
Kaththikku nei podu kaali….kaali….
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Vetri maalaigal soodu
Vanthu anantham paadu
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Bathrak kaali uthama seeli
Solladi saththiya needhi
Kaali... Kaali...
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Female: Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Female: Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
For every sin committed,
You will pay back wages with interest!
Upon lands filled with sorrow,
You will pour down as rain from the clouds!
Chorus: You will arrive like fire in the bitter cold!
You recognize the child of a thousand tigers!
For every sin committed,
You will pay back wages with interest!
Upon lands filled with sorrow,
You will pour down as rain from the clouds!
That legendary tale once again,
You must come and enact it!
Chorus: That legendary tale once again,
You must come and enact it!
Male: Who is the guardian of justice? It is you alone!
Guardian of this land, Kaali... Kaali...
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
If a sword is brandished and swung,
The spinning earth will freeze in place!
If a poor man rises in fury,
Even the sun will scorch and burn!
Whatever must happen, let it happen to the end,
We will hold flaming torches high up to the sky!
If a sword is brandished and swung,
The spinning earth will freeze in place!
If a poor man rises in fury,
Even the sun will scorch and burn!
A wounded cobra
Will hunt down the striker to strike them down!
Chorus: A wounded cobra
Will hunt down the striker to strike them down!
Wounds that never healed,
And endless sorrows will heal and end!
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Our enemies are merely flimsy paper,
There is no real life left in them!
Female: Our bodies are shields,
And every hair on our skin is a weapon!
Chorus: Earthquakes that erupt in the night,
Once the fury is settled, joy will follow!
Our enemies are merely flimsy paper,
There is no real life left in them!
Female: Our bodies are shields,
And every hair on our skin is a weapon!
O Mother who holds the trident,
Lend that weapon to us yourself!
Chorus: O Mother who holds the trident,
Lend that weapon to us yourself!
Twirl your mustache with pride,
Oil the blade for battle, Kaali... Kaali...
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Wear the garlands of victory,
Come and sing in joy!
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
Bhadrakali, embodiment of pure virtue,
Declare true justice!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Bathrak Kaali' is an intense invocation and hymn dedicated to the fierce Hindu goddess Kali (specifically Bhadrakali), invoking her divine vengeance and justice against evil. The lyrics equate the oppressed common man's rising anger with divine retribution, warning wrongdoers that their sinful actions will be repaid with interest in the form of righteous destruction.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Sutri oru vaaleduththaal / Suttrum bhoomi nindru vidum”
Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Sutri' and 'Suttrum' or 'Bathrak' and 'Uthama'.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Pagaivarkal kaagithangal”
Comparing enemies to flimsy paper ('Pagaivarkal kaagithangal') and human bodies to defensive shields ('Thegangal kedaiyangal').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Yaezhai magan kobam kondaal / Sooriyanum vendhu vidum”
Exaggerating that if the poor man becomes angry, even the sun will be scorched ('Sooriyanum vendhu vidum').
Did you know?
Trivia
The 1980 film 'Kaali' stars Superstar Rajinikanth and Chiranjeevi (in the Telugu version / bilingual release). Music was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, and the lyrics were penned by Vairamuthu early in his career, establishing his signature powerful usage of high-flown Tamil imagery and fierce emotion.
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From the same album
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