Jallikattu Kaala
From Thalai Magan · 1983
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Thalai Magan1983
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Jallikattu kaala thulikittu aala | If a Jallikattu bull leaps up at a person, |
| Mutta vanthaa pudipean | If it comes to butt me, I will catch it, |
| Kombu renda odipean | I will break its two horns, |
| Naanthaan unnai vidamaaten | I will never let you go! |
| Haa pudicha udumbuthaan | Ha, my grip is tenacious like a monitor lizard's, |
| Podi podi elumbuthaan…. | Your bones will be ground into powder.... |
| Male | |
| ……………. | |
| Male | |
| Jalikattu kalai thullikitu aala | A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person, |
| Mutta varum velai thottuputtae vaala | When it comes to butt, you touched its tail, |
| Naanthaan pudipada maaten | I am not someone who gets caught easily, |
| Pudichchaa thimiruvaen vaala | Even if caught, I will break free with pride, |
| Valaichcha nimiruvaen…haei haei | Even if bent, I will stand tall again... haei haei! |
| Female | |
| ……………….. | |
| Male | |
| Paasam vaithaal naan kati thangam | If you show affection, I am pure solid gold, |
| Paayumpothu oru kutti singam | When pouncing, I am a young lion cub, |
| Male :Etti ponaal nan petti paambu | If kept at a distance, I am a caged snake, |
| Thotu paarthaal varum veti veembu | If touched, my fierce pride will erupt! |
| Male | |
| Naana nadunguven | Will I ever tremble? |
| Idipol muzhanguven | I will roar loudly like thunder! |
| Male :Naana adanguven | Will I ever submit? |
| Pulipol padhunguven | I will stalk and crouch like a tiger! |
| Male | |
| Endhapakkam ponaal enna | Whichever side you run to, so what? |
| Andhapakkam valaipen | I will corner you on that side, |
| Aiyo paavam chinna thambi | Oh poor little brother, |
| Unnai kandu siripen | I will laugh looking at you! |
| Female | |
| ……………….. | |
| Male | |
| Jalikattu kalai thullikitu aala | A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person, |
| Mutta vantha pudipen | If it comes to butt me, I will catch it, |
| Kombu renda odipen | I will break its two horns, |
| Nanthan unnai vidamaten | I will never let you go! |
| Male :Pudicha thimirven vaala | If caught, I will break free with pride, |
| Valaicha nimiruven….hahahaa | Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hahahaa! |
| Female | |
| ……………….. | |
| Male | |
| Unnai paartha oru annan polae | Looking at you, you are like an elder brother, |
| Kallathanathil nee kannan polae | In slyness, you are like Lord Krishna, |
| Male | |
| Thati ketka oru aalumilla | There is no one around to question you, |
| Katti poda oru noolumila | There is no rope to tie you down, |
| Male | |
| Unnai naan adukkuvaen | I will discipline and tame you, |
| Male :Haah udanae madukkuven | Ha! I will immediately counter you, |
| Male :Poda podiyan nee | Go away, you are just a small kid, |
| Male :Puriya siruvan nee | You are an naive, inexperienced boy, |
| Male | |
| Chinna uli ennam veithaal | If a small chisel resolves to act, |
| Kundrai kuda saaikumae | It can even bring down a massive mountain, |
| Male :Vettu pataal vaazhaimaram | Even if chopped down, a banana tree, |
| Meendum meendum kaaikume…. | Will bear fruit again and again.... |
| Female | |
| …………….. | |
| Male | |
| Jalikattu kaala ha thulikkitu aala | A Jallikattu bull, ha, leaping at a person, |
| Mutta vanthaa pudipen | If it comes to butt me, I will catch it, |
| Kombu rendu odipen | I will break its two horns, |
| Naanthan unnai vidamaten | I will never let you go! |
| Male :Pudicha thimirven vaala | If caught, I will break free with pride, |
| Valaicha nimiruven….dei dei | Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hey hey! |
மற்றும் எஸ். பி. பாலசுப்ரமணியம்
If a Jallikattu bull leaps up at a person,
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
I will break its two horns,
I will never let you go!
Ha, my grip is tenacious like a monitor lizard's,
Your bones will be ground into powder....
ஜல்லிக்கட்டு காள துள்ளிக்கிட்டு ஆள
முட்ட வந்தா புடிப்பேன்
கொம்பு ரெண்ட ஒடிப்பேன்
நான்தான் உன்னை விட மாட்டேன்
ஹா புடிச்சா உடும்புதான்
பொடிப் பொடிதான் எலும்புதான்...
....................
A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person,
When it comes to butt, you touched its tail,
I am not someone who gets caught easily,
Even if caught, I will break free with pride,
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... haei haei!
ஜல்லிக்கட்டு காள துள்ளிக்கிட்டு ஆள
முட்ட வரும் வேளை தொட்டுப்புட்டே வால
நான்தான் புடிபட மாட்டேன்
புடிச்சா திமிருவேன் வால
வளைச்சா நிமிருவேன்...ஹேய் ஹேய்
...............................
If you show affection, I am pure solid gold,
When pouncing, I am a young lion cub,
If kept at a distance, I am a caged snake,
If touched, my fierce pride will erupt!
பாசம் வைத்தால் நான் கட்டித் தங்கம்
பாயும்போது ஒரு குட்டி சிங்கம்
எட்டி போனால் நான் பெட்டி பாம்பு
தொட்டுப் பார்த்தால் வரும் வெட்டி வீம்பு
Will I ever tremble?
I will roar loudly like thunder!
Will I ever submit?
I will stalk and crouch like a tiger!
நானா நடுங்குவேன்
இடி போல் முழங்குவேன்
நானா அடங்குவேன்
புலி போல் பதுங்குவேன்
Whichever side you run to, so what?
I will corner you on that side,
Oh poor little brother,
I will laugh looking at you!
எந்தப்பக்கம் போனால் என்ன
அந்தப்பக்கம் வளைப்பேன்
அய்யோ பாவம் சின்னத் தம்பி
உன்னைக் கண்டு சிரிப்பேன்
................................
A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person,
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
I will break its two horns,
I will never let you go!
If caught, I will break free with pride,
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hahahaa!
ஜல்லிக்கட்டு காள துள்ளிக்கிட்டு ஆள
முட்ட வந்தா புடிப்பேன்
கொம்பு ரெண்ட ஒடிப்பேன்
நான்தான் உன்னை விட மாட்டேன்
புடிச்சா திமிருவேன் வால
வளைச்சா நிமிருவேன்...ஹ ஹஹா
................................
Looking at you, you are like an elder brother,
In slyness, you are like Lord Krishna,
உன்னப் பார்த்தா ஒரு அண்ணன் போலே
கள்ளத்தனத்தில் நீ கண்ணன் போலே
There is no one around to question you,
There is no rope to tie you down,
தட்டிக் கேட்க ஒரு ஆளுமில்ல
கட்டிப் போட ஒரு நூலுமில்ல
I will discipline and tame you,
Ha! I will immediately counter you,
Go away, you are just a small kid,
You are an naive, inexperienced boy,
உனை நான் அடக்குவேன்
ஹாஹ் உடனே மடக்குவேன்
போடா பொடியன் நீ
புரியா சிறுவன் நீ
If a small chisel resolves to act,
It can even bring down a massive mountain,
Even if chopped down, a banana tree,
Will bear fruit again and again....
சின்ன உளி எண்ணம் வைத்தால்
குன்றை கூட சாய்க்குமே
வெட்டுப் பட்டால் வாழைமரம்
மீண்டும் மீண்டும் காய்க்குமே.....
................................
A Jallikattu bull, ha, leaping at a person,
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
I will break its two horns,
I will never let you go!
If caught, I will break free with pride,
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hey hey!
ஜல்லிக்கட்டு காள ஹ துள்ளிக்கிட்டு ஆள
முட்ட வந்தா புடிப்பேன்
கொம்பு ரெண்ட ஒடிப்பேன்
நான்தான் உன்னை விட மாட்டேன்
புடிச்சா திமிருவேன் வால
வளைச்சா நிமிருவேன்...டேய் டேய்
Jallikattu kaala thulikittu aala
If a Jallikattu bull leaps up at a person,
Mutta vanthaa pudipean
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
Kombu renda odipean
I will break its two horns,
Naanthaan unnai vidamaaten
I will never let you go!
Haa pudicha udumbuthaan
Ha, my grip is tenacious like a monitor lizard's,
Podi podi elumbuthaan….
Your bones will be ground into powder....
…………….
Jalikattu kalai thullikitu aala
A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person,
Mutta varum velai thottuputtae vaala
When it comes to butt, you touched its tail,
Naanthaan pudipada maaten
I am not someone who gets caught easily,
Pudichchaa thimiruvaen vaala
Even if caught, I will break free with pride,
Valaichcha nimiruvaen…haei haei
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... haei haei!
………………..
Paasam vaithaal naan kati thangam
If you show affection, I am pure solid gold,
Paayumpothu oru kutti singam
When pouncing, I am a young lion cub,
Male :Etti ponaal nan petti paambu
If kept at a distance, I am a caged snake,
Thotu paarthaal varum veti veembu
If touched, my fierce pride will erupt!
Naana nadunguven
Will I ever tremble?
Idipol muzhanguven
I will roar loudly like thunder!
Male :Naana adanguven
Will I ever submit?
Pulipol padhunguven
I will stalk and crouch like a tiger!
Endhapakkam ponaal enna
Whichever side you run to, so what?
Andhapakkam valaipen
I will corner you on that side,
Aiyo paavam chinna thambi
Oh poor little brother,
Unnai kandu siripen
I will laugh looking at you!
………………..
Jalikattu kalai thullikitu aala
A Jallikattu bull leaping at a person,
Mutta vantha pudipen
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
Kombu renda odipen
I will break its two horns,
Nanthan unnai vidamaten
I will never let you go!
Male :Pudicha thimirven vaala
If caught, I will break free with pride,
Valaicha nimiruven….hahahaa
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hahahaa!
………………..
Unnai paartha oru annan polae
Looking at you, you are like an elder brother,
Kallathanathil nee kannan polae
In slyness, you are like Lord Krishna,
Thati ketka oru aalumilla
There is no one around to question you,
Katti poda oru noolumila
There is no rope to tie you down,
Unnai naan adukkuvaen
I will discipline and tame you,
Male :Haah udanae madukkuven
Ha! I will immediately counter you,
Male :Poda podiyan nee
Go away, you are just a small kid,
Male :Puriya siruvan nee
You are an naive, inexperienced boy,
Chinna uli ennam veithaal
If a small chisel resolves to act,
Kundrai kuda saaikumae
It can even bring down a massive mountain,
Male :Vettu pataal vaazhaimaram
Even if chopped down, a banana tree,
Meendum meendum kaaikume….
Will bear fruit again and again....
……………..
Jalikattu kaala ha thulikkitu aala
A Jallikattu bull, ha, leaping at a person,
Mutta vanthaa pudipen
If it comes to butt me, I will catch it,
Kombu rendu odipen
I will break its two horns,
Naanthan unnai vidamaten
I will never let you go!
Male :Pudicha thimirven vaala
If caught, I will break free with pride,
Valaicha nimiruven….dei dei
Even if bent, I will stand tall again... hey hey!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from Thalai Magan (1983) is a spirited duet depicting a battle of wits, strength, and playful banter between two men. Using traditional metaphors of bull-taming (Jallikattu), lions, tigers, and solid gold, the characters exchange boasts about their tenacity and resilience. One singer asserts his dominant authority and physical prowess, while the other counters with youthfulness, agility, and unyielding determination. Written by Vaali and composed by Shankar Ganesh, the track highlights the dynamic vocal chemistry of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Malaysia Vasudevan. The overall narrative balances fierce competitive bravado with underlying affection and mutual respect, framed through rich Tamil folk imagery.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile)
“Paayumpothu oru kutti singam / Idipol muzhanguven”
Comparing aggressiveness to a lion cub (' Paayumpothu oru kutti singam') and voice/energy to thunder ('Idipol muzhanguven').
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Paasam vaithaal naan kati thangam”
Directly identifying oneself as solid gold when treated with love ('Paasam vaithaal naan kati thangam').
Iyaiybu (End Rhyme)
“Mutta vanthaa pudipean / Kombu renda odipean”
Rhyming endings in consecutive lines to build dynamic rhythm ('pudipean', 'odipean', 'vidamaaten').
Idiomatic Folk Imagery
“Haa pudicha udumbuthaan”
Use of 'Udumbu pidi' (monitor lizard's grip) to symbolize an unbreakable physical grasp.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track features the iconic singing duo S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Malaysia Vasudevan, who were widely renowned in 1980s Tamil cinema for their high-energy playful rivalry songs. Shankar Ganesh's music blends traditional folk percussion suited for bull-taming themes with modern brass arrangements.
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