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Lyrics & meaning

Chal Chalonnu Savari

From Anbu Magan · 1961

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singers
P. Susheela, Savithri
Music director
T. Chalapathi Rao
Details
Anbu Magan1961

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oru ooril oru raja raniIn a town, there lived a king and a queen
Unnai pola avangalukkum oru pullaJust like you, they also had a child
Athai kanna moodi thoongasonnaWhen asked to close its eyes and sleep
Kadhai sollunu kaetkkumIt would ask to be told a story
Kaalakaalam saapida sonnaWhen told to eat at mealtimes
Kadhai sollunu kaetkkumIt would ask to be told a story
Female
Avanga amma chuma kadhaigal solliIts mother, tired of telling stories endlessly
Aluthu poai vitaalBecame exhausted and worn out
Appdi irukkumbothu rajaAt such a time, the king
Vaettaikku puraptaaar…Set off on a hunt...
Baby :Yaemma….Child: Why, mother?
Female :Naatu makkal potta paiyiraiSinger: The wild beasts destroyed
Kaatu mirugam azhichudhaamThe crops planted by the country's people
Aatai kadichu maatai kadichudhaamThey bit the goats and bit the cows
Aalaiyum kooda kadichudhaamThey even bit the human beings
Baby :AppuramChild: And then?
Female
Udane raja pattathu kudhiraiyaiImmediately, the king called for his royal horse
Kondu varacholli paanjaaru melaAnd sprang onto it...
Baby :PaanchiChild: Pounced!
Female
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak tak rajaTak-tak-tak-tak-tak went the king
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak takTak-tak-tak-tak-tak
Female
Savukkal adithu laaganai izhuthuLashing the whip and pulling the reins
Kudhirayai vitaaru rajaThe king rode his horse
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak takTak-tak-tak-tak-tak
Female
Kallaum karadum niraintha vazhiyilAlong the path filled with stones and rough terrain
Gaelap vittaruHe let the horse gallop
Kallaum karadum niraintha vazhiyilAlong the path filled with stones and rough terrain
Gaelap vittaruHe let the horse gallop
Kathiyai uruvi karampidicharuUnsheathing his sword and holding it firm
Kaatile nuzhaincharu rajaThe king entered the forest
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak takTak-tak-tak-tak-tak
Female
Villai eduthu ambai pootiTaking his bow and fitting an arrow
Mazhayaa pozhinjaaruHe rained arrows like torrential rain
Vilangugal ellam verunda odaAs all the wild animals fled in panic
Suzhandru vandhaaruHe charged through like a whirlwind
Female
Idathu kaaluku simitta koduthuGiving a nudge with his left foot
Eeenu sonnaruHe commanded 'Giddy-up!'
Idathu kaaluku simitta koduthuGiving a nudge with his left foot
Eeenu sonnaruHe commanded 'Giddy-up!'
Siragilatha paravai polaLike a bird without wings
Kudhirai parandhadhu paar rajaLook how the king's horse flew!
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak takTak-tak-tak-tak-tak
Female
Karigal vandhana narigal vandhanaElephants came, foxes came
Karigal vandhana narigal vandhana nadunadungaveElephants came and foxes came, trembling with fear
Kaatu erumai kootam vandhana kidukidunkkaveHerds of wild buffaloes came, shaking thoroughly
Kariyai pandrigal idikka vandhanaBlack boars came to dash against him
Karadi manthigal kadikka vandhanaBears and monkeys came to bite him
Kariyai pandrigal idikka vandhanaBlack boars came to dash against him
Karadi manthigal kadikka vandhanaBears and monkeys came to bite him
Kalai maan mudhal maraiyodigalFrom male deer to elusive hinds
Kaanamal idampeyarnthana……..They vanished and relocated...
Karigal vandhana narigal vandhanaElephants came, foxes came
Female
Kaal odinjadhu vaal arundhadhuLegs were broken, tails were severed
KazhuthodindhadhuNecks were broken
Nalla kaalam pirandhadhuA good time was born!
Kalappai piditha uzhavar manasilIn the hearts of farmers holding plows
Kavalai ozhinjadhu thirumba kudhirai parandhadhuWorry disappeared, and the horse flew again!
Female
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak tak rajaaTak-tak-tak-tak-tak king!
Chalchalonu savari vitaarHe rode away shouting 'Giddy-up!'
Tak tak tak tak takTak-tak-tak-tak-tak
Female
Vandhadhe bootham vandhadheA demon appeared, oh it appeared!
Vandhadhe bootham vandhadheA demon appeared, oh it appeared!
Manmele nilaamal magarajan munnaleNot standing on the ground, but before the great king
Thaneerai unnaamal thadai seidhu malaipoleWithout drinking water, blocking like a mountain
Vandhadhe bootham andhadheThe demon appeared right there!
Female
Indha thadagam en sondhamaagum'This pond belongs to me!
Engu vandhai endru ittadhe saabamWhy have you come here?' so saying, it cast a curse
Indha thadagam en sondhamaagum'This pond belongs to me!
Engu vandhai endru ittadhe saabamWhy have you come here?' so saying, it cast a curse
…. kiliyaai kavalar silayaai...turned into a parrot, and the guards into statues
Kallaanadhu innum solonumTurned to stone! Should I tell more?
Kadhai mitcham sollava innum sollavaShall I tell the rest of the story? Shall I tell more?
Baby :Sollamma……Child: Tell me, mother...
Female
Vaettaikku pona rjaThe king who went hunting
Vetukku seekiram varanumnuShould return home quickly
Rani kadavulai vaendinaa…..The queen prayed to God...
Baby :Yeppdi..?Child: How?
Female
Aa…aa….aadhavurunaiye alathini yaaroAh... Oh Lord, creator of the sun, who are you?
Aandavane kadaikan paar ennaiOh God, glance at me with grace
Aandavane kadaikan paarOh God, glance at me with grace
Naadhan illadhu naan uyir vaazhaenWithout my master, I cannot live
Naadhan illadhu naan uyir vaazhaenWithout my master, I cannot live
Vaedhanai vilaga innale ennaiTo remove this agony, today itself
Aandavane kadai kan paar ennaiOh God, glance at me with grace
Aandavane kadai kan paarOh God, glance at me with grace
Female
Arulam aandavan boodham thannaiThe merciful Lord transformed the demon
Agniyaakki ottinaarInto fire and drove it away
Arasanum kudhiraiyum boothathaaleThe king and his horse from the demon's
Adaintha saabam maattrinarCurse were relieved
Female
Uravaam maganai raaniyai enniThinking of her loving son and queen
Udanae paraithanil yeriHe immediately mounted his steed
Oorukku varugaiyil avarukku munneAnd as he returned to the town
Ullam vandhadhu meeriHis heart overflowed with affection
Female
Varuvaar endru vizhi melaeHoping he would return, keeping her eyes fixed
Vizhi vaithirunthal maharaniThe queen waited patiently
Vanthitaaru ennum ninaivilWith the thought that he had arrived
Vasal kadhavai thiranthaalShe opened the front door

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic story-song from the movie 'Anbu Magan' (1961) depicts a mother putting her child to sleep by narrating a heroic fairytale. She tells the story of a brave king who rides into a dangerous forest to protect his kingdom's farmers from wild animals destroying their crops. The story describes his galloping horse, his battle against wild animals, and a confrontation with a giant demon guarding a pond that casts a spell on his guards.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Odhukai / Rhyme & Onomatopoeia

Chalchalonu savari vitaar / Tak tak tak tak tak raja

Rhythmic sound words such as 'Tak tak tak' and 'Chalchalonu' evoke the sound of a galloping horse.

Upamai (Simile)

Siragilatha paravai pola / Kudhirai parandhadhu paar raja

Comparing the swift movement of the horse to a bird flying without wings ('Siragilatha paravai pola').

Metaphor / Hyperbole

Villai eduthu ambai pooti / Mazhayaa pozhinjaaru

Comparing the king shooting arrows in rapid succession to pouring heavy rain ('Mazhayaa pozhinjaaru').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a classic bedtime story lullaby song in Tamil cinema, written by legendary reformist poet Udumalai Narayanakavi and set to music by T. Chalapathi Rao. It features dialogue-like interludes between a mother and child.

Keep listening

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