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Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chola Chola

From Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 · 2022

Lyricist
Ilango Krishnan
Singers
Sathya Prakash, V. M. Mahalingam, Nakul Abhyankar
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1
Movie release year
2022
Lyrics added on
8 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kodi kodi kodi parakka
Thada thadathu
Pari pari pari thudikka
Kadum manathil
Veri veri veri pirakka
Adukalathil
Pori pori pori parakka
Ethirigalai
Vaalodu velodu ..hoi
Poradu poradu ..hoi
Pada pada pulikodi
Vanam yerattum
Puvinilam puvinilam
Sozham agattum
Vari vari puli
Anjadha da thunjadha da
Chola chola
Mara mara puli
Veezhadhada thazhaatha da
Seela seela
Veeram maanam
Puli magan iru kannallo
Yerey vaada..
Pagai mugam sugum neeram veera
Kodi kodi kodi parakka
Thada thadathu
Pari pari pari thudikka
Kadum manathil
Veri veri veri pirakka
Adukalathil
Pori pori pori parakka
Ethirigalai
Vaalodu velodu ..hoi
Poradu poradu ..hoi
Pada pada pulikodi
Vanam yerattum
Puvinilam puvinilam
Sozham agattum
Aga muga naga
Kalladida thalladida
Vaada thozha
Iga para sugam
Elamidha innadhidha
Aasai theetha
Mannana mann mel pithanen
Vinnalum kodi mel pithanen
Kannana kudi mel pithanen
Pennana pennalae pithanen
Mannana mann mel pithanen
Vinnalum kodi mel pithanen
Kannana kudi mel pithanen
Pennana pennalae pithanen
Arakkii…
Enadhu theyamum kayamum neeyadi
Udal udal udal muzhukka
Serukalathu vadu vadu vaduvirukka
Oruthi thandha vadumattum uyir thudikka Varuthamenna..
Kodu somarasam
Kudada marada
Ivan
Payanam ini oyaadhae
Edu
Vaalai edu
Nada da nada da
Veri
Piditha puli oyaadhu
Aga muga naga
Kalladida thalladida
Vaada thozha
Iga para sugam
Elamidha innadhidha
Aasai theetha
Sindhithom perundhesa kanavinai..
Sandhithotham kadum porin kedu vinai
Nindhithom kodum kootrappagai azhithom
Oo oo oo…
Mannithom adi vizhuntha pagaivarai
Dhandithom ethir nindra kayavaarai
Kandithom adangarai sirai eduthom
Oo oo oo…
Karpithom uyir sozham ena
Oppithom adhai vedhamenna
Meganthottu vaanam ettu
Vengai puli imayam nattu
Kodi kodi kodi parakka
Thada thadathu
Pari pari pari thudikka
Kadum manathil
Veri veri veri pirakka
Adukalathil
Pori pori pori parakka
Ethirigalai
Kodu somarasam
Kudada marada
Ivan
Payanam ini oyaadhae
Edu
Vaalai edu
Nada da nada da
Veri
Piditha puli oyaadhu …
As flags, flags, flags flutter,
Breaking through enemy lines,
As horses, horses, horses throb with power,
In the fierce heart,
As wild fury, fury, fury is born,
On the battlefield,
As sparks, sparks, sparks fly,
Against the enemies,
With sword and spear... hoy!
Fight on, fight on... hoy!
Let the tiger flag flutter,
And rise high into the sky!
May all the lands of this earth
Become the Chola realm!
The striped tiger
Knows no fear, knows no rest!
Chola, Chola!
The brave warrior tiger
Never falls, never yields!
Noble and righteous one!
Valor and honor,
Are they not the two eyes of the Tiger's son?
Step forth, my warrior!
When enemy ranks surround you, O hero!
As flags, flags, flags flutter,
Breaking through enemy lines,
As horses, horses, horses throb with power,
In the fierce heart,
As wild fury, fury, fury is born,
On the battlefield,
As sparks, sparks, sparks fly,
Against the enemies,
With sword and spear... hoy!
Fight on, fight on... hoy!
Let the tiger flag flutter,
And rise high into the sky!
May all the lands of this earth
Become the Chola realm!
Laughing with joy from deep within,
Swaying and stumbling in delight,
Come on, my friend!
The pleasures of this world and beyond,
Are all right here in this cup,
Fulfilling every desire!
I went crazy for this royal land,
I went crazy for the flag ruling the skies,
I went crazy for my beloved people,
And I was driven crazy by a woman!
I went crazy for this royal land,
I went crazy for the flag ruling the skies,
I went crazy for my beloved people,
And I was driven crazy by a woman!
Demoness...
You are my kingdom, and you are my wound!
All over my body, all over my body,
There are scars, scars, scars from the battlefield,
Yet why does the scar given by one woman make my soul ache in pain?
Pour the wine,
Drink it down, finish it all!
This man's
Journey will never stop now!
Pick it up,
Take up the sword!
March on, march on!
With wild fury,
A tiger seized by rage will never rest!
Laughing with joy from deep within,
Swaying and stumbling in delight,
Come on, my friend!
The pleasures of this world and beyond,
Are all right here in this cup,
Fulfilling every desire!
We envisioned the grand dream of a mighty empire...
We endured the brutal horrors of fierce war!
We defied deadly foes and destroyed them!
Oo oo oo...
We spared the enemies who fell at our feet,
We punished the traitors who stood against us,
We subdued the rebels and threw them in prison!
Oo oo oo...
We declared that our very life is Chola,
We recited it like sacred scripture!
Touching the clouds, reaching the sky,
Planting the tiger flag upon the Himalayas!
As flags, flags, flags flutter,
Breaking through enemy lines,
As horses, horses, horses throb with power,
In the fierce heart,
As wild fury, fury, fury is born,
On the battlefield,
As sparks, sparks, sparks fly,
Against the enemies,
Pour the wine,
Drink it down, finish it all!
This man's
Journey will never stop now!
Pick it up,
Take up the sword!
March on, march on!
With wild fury,
A tiger seized by rage will never rest!...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Chola Chola' is a high-energy anthem celebrating the valor, obsession, and heartbreak of Prince Aditya Karikalan from Mani Ratnam's magnum opus 'Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1'. Set against the backdrop of the Chola empire's military triumphs, the song captures both Karikalan's fierce warrior spirit on the battlefield and his deeply tormented soul caused by his tragic past love, Nandhini. The lyrics juxtapose grand imperial ambitions with intense personal grief.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition / Anaphora)

Kodi kodi kodi parakka

Repetition of words like 'Kodi kodi kodi', 'Pari pari pari', and 'Veri veri veri' at the start of consecutive lines creates rhythmic momentum and emphasizes intensity.

Ethirai (Second letter rhyming in Tamil prosody)

Vari vari puli / Mara mara puli

Matching second consonants across lines such as 'Vari vari puli' and 'Mara mara puli' establishes traditional Tamil poetic harmony.

Metaphor

Veeram maanam puli magan iru kannallo

'Veeram maanam puli magan iru kannallo' metaphorically compares bravery and honor to the two eyes of the Chola tiger prince.

Paradox / Imagery

Oruthi thandha vadumattum uyir thudikka Varuthamenna..

Contrasting physical battle scars with an emotional scar given by a loved one ('Oruthi thandha vadumattum uyir thudikka'), showing that love hurts deeper than war.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Chola Chola' depicts the grand victory celebrations of Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan (played by Vikram). The lyricist Ilango Krishnan drew inspiration from ancient Sangam literature to weave authentic classical Tamil vocabulary into a modern orchestral arrangement composed by A. R. Rahman.

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