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Thangamalai Ragasiyam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kaattu Raja Ayya Kaattu Raja

From Thangamalai Ragasiyam · 1957

Lyricist
Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
Singers
Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, A. G. Rathnamala
Music director
T. G. Lingappa
Movie name
Thangamalai Ragasiyam
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
20 Mar 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sengarumbhu solaiyilae..ae…ae…
Sithaanai poothathu polae
Chinna chinna ponnugala
Saettai panna vandhavarae..ae…ae..
Kattu raja aiyaa kaattu raja
Unga kai varisai podhum kambhi neeetu raja
Kambhi neeetu raja
Kattu raja aiyaa kaattu raja
Unga kai varisai podhum kambhi neeetu raja
Kambhi neeetu raja
Podavai mattum uduthi kittaa podhumaa
Ilam ponna pola kannai katta theriyuma
Podavai mattum uduthi kittaa podhumaa
Ilam ponna pola kannai katta theriyuma
Nadakkum podhu iduppu summa odiyuma
Nadakkum podhu iduppu summa odiyuma
Ippadi nani koni nadanamaada mudiyuma
Ippadi nani koni nadanamaada mudiyuma
Kattu raja aiyaa kaattu raja
Unga kai varisai podhum kambhi neeetu raja
Kambhi neeetu raja
Panai marathaal pallu velakkura
Paga sooran vamsam
Chorus :Paga sooran vamsam
Yaanai paalai kuduchi valarnthathinaal
Paarthathellam thuvamsam
Panai marathaal pallu velakkura
Paga sooran vamsam
Yaanai paalai kuduchi valarnthathinaal
Paarthathellam thuvamsam
Kanakkillamae thinnu therkum
Ganesanin amsam
Chorus :Kanakkillamae thinnu therkum
Ganesanin amsam
Kandavudan kadhi kalangum
Kaliyugathin hamsan
Yaarum kandavudan kadhi kalangum
Kaliyugathin hamsan
Kattu raja aiyaa kaattu raja
Unga kai varisai podhum kambhi neeetu raja
Kambhi neeetu raja
In the red sugarcane grove,
Like a little elephant appearing suddenly,
To tease us young girls,
O you who have come!
King of the jungle, sir, King of the jungle!
Enough of your clever tricks, quietly slip away, King!
Slip away, King!
King of the jungle, sir, King of the jungle!
Enough of your clever tricks, quietly slip away, King!
Slip away, King!
Is it enough just to drape a saree around you?
Do you know how to fool eyes like a real young woman?
Is it enough just to drape a saree around you?
Do you know how to fool eyes like a real young woman?
Can your waist sway and bend so easily when you walk?
Can your waist sway and bend so easily when you walk?
Can you dance like this, bending shyly and gracefully?
Can you dance like this, bending shyly and gracefully?
King of the jungle, sir, King of the jungle!
Enough of your clever tricks, quietly slip away, King!
Slip away, King!
He brushes his teeth with a whole palm tree—
Born of a clan of fearless warriors!
Chorus: Born of a clan of fearless warriors!
Because he grew up drinking elephant milk,
Everything he looks upon is destroyed!
He brushes his teeth with a whole palm tree—
Born of a clan of fearless warriors!
Because he grew up drinking elephant milk,
Everything he looks upon is destroyed!
Eating non-stop without any measure,
He has the traits of the elephant god Ganesha!
Chorus: Eating non-stop without any measure,
He has the traits of the elephant god Ganesha!
Striking terror into anyone who sees him,
He is the tyrant Kamsa of this modern age!
Striking terror into anyone who sees him,
He is the tyrant Kamsa of this modern age!
King of the jungle, sir, King of the jungle!
Enough of your clever tricks, quietly slip away, King!
Slip away, King!
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful and humorous song from 'Thangamalai Ragasiyam' (1957) is a teasing banter directed at an overconfident character boasting in the woods. The singers mock his attempt to disguise himself or show off in front of women, sarcastically addressing him as 'Kaattu Raja' (King of the Forest) and telling him that his tricks are no longer working, so he should run away.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Panai marathaal / Paga sooran vamsam

Matching second consonants across lines ('Kattu' and 'Unga' or 'Panai' and 'Paga' / 'Yaanai').

Monaai (Alliteration)

Chinna chinna ponnugala Saettai panna vandhavarae

Repetition of initial consonants like 'ch' in 'Chinna chinna' and 's' in 'Saettai'.

Simile (Upamai)

Sithaanai poothathu polae

Comparing the person's appearance to a small elephant blooming like a flower in the sugarcane field.

Hyperbole (Uvachol / Adayalam)

Panai marathaal pallu velakkura... Yaanai paalai kuduchi valarnthathinaal

Humorous exaggeration describing the character brushing teeth with a palm tree trunk and drinking elephant milk.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Thangamalai Ragasiyam' (1957) was a hit adventure-fantasy film starring Sivaji Ganesan and T. R. Rajakumari, composed by T. G. Lingappa. The song features spirited vocal performances by Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi and A. G. Rathnamala, adding comedic flair to the film's narrative.

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