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Malaiyoor Mambattiyan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kaattu Vazhi Pogum

From Malaiyoor Mambattiyan · 1983

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Malaiyoor Mambattiyan
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
12 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaa…..aaa….aah…..aah…..
Aa…..aaa…..aa…..aaa…..aah….aah….
Kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae
Kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae…..ae…
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae….ae….
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Aahaa….ae….
Ettu thala vetti vachchaan
Santhaiyila kotti vachchaan
Kodumaiya thatti vachchaan
Verenna michcham vachchaan
Mullu maelathaan paduththaan
Yaelaikellam poo virichchaan
Aththi mala paarai
Innum pesuthavan perai
Antha aththi mala paarai
Innum pesuthavan perai
Hae kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae…..ae…
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae….ae….
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Ae….Kannaaththaa vaazh vanthaa
Mamnattiyaan kooda vanthaa
Thaalikava aasaipattaa
Thunbaththukku vaakkappattaa
Sorkaththukku saenthu vara
Uththaravu vaangiputtaa
Enna kadhaiyaachchu
Ava idipodinja naaththu
Aamaa enna kadhaiyaachchu
Ava Iduppodinja naaththu
Kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae…..ae…
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae….ae….
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Thangam pola varnamadi
Pulli kotta soranamadi
Paththu pera paaththavadi
Paththinithaan maththapadi
Mambattiyaan saagaiyilae
Than usura vittavadi
Maadhaviyaa poranthaa
Ava kannagiyaa eranthaa
Aamaa Maadhaviyaa poranthaa
Ava kannagiyaa eranthaa….aa….aa….
Kaattu vazhi pora
Ponnae kavala padaathae…..ae…
Kaattu puli vazhi marikkum
Kalangi nikkaathae….ae….
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Mambattiyaan peru
Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru
Ah... aa... aah... aah...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aah... aah...
Girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry.
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling.
Girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry.
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling.
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry...
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling...
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Aaha... hey...
He chopped off eight heads,
and threw them into the market square.
He put an end to cruel injustice,
what else did he leave behind?
He slept on thorns himself,
yet laid out flowers for the poor.
Even now, the rocks of Athi hill
still speak his name.
Yes, those rocks of Athi hill
still speak his name.
Hey, girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry...
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling...
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Hey... Kannatha came into his life,
she walked alongside Mambattiyan.
She longed to marry him,
but ended up wedded to sorrow.
To follow him even to heaven,
she took her leave from this earth.
What a tragic end she met!
She was like a young sapling crushed and broken.
Yes, what a tragic end she met!
She was like a young sapling with a broken stem.
Girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry...
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling...
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
She had skin that glowed like gold,
and a fierce, fiery sense of pride.
Though she had known other men,
in her heart she remained devoted and true.
When Mambattiyan drew his last breath,
she gave up her life as well.
Born like Madhavi (the courtesan),
she lived with the loyalty of Kannagi (the faithful wife).
Yes, born like Madhavi,
she lived with the loyalty of Kannagi... ah... aa...
Girl walking along the forest path,
do not worry...
A wild tiger may block your way,
but do not stand there trembling...
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Just speak the name
of Mambattiyan, and watch the tiger step aside!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This folk ballad style song from 'Malaiyoor Mambattiyan' celebrates the legendary Robin Hood-like bandit Mambattiyaan and his devoted partner Kannatha. The chorus assures a lone female traveller in the forest that mentioning Mambattiyaan's name is enough to scare away even wild beasts like tigers, emphasizing his immense aura, fearlessness, and moral authority in the wilderness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ettu thala vetti vachchaan / Santhaiyila kotti vachchaan

Matching second consonants in adjacent lines such as 'Kaattu' and 'Ponnae' or 'Ettu' and 'Santhaiyila'.

Metaphor / Classical Allusion

Maadhaviyaa poranthaa / Ava kannagiyaa eranthaa

Comparing Kannatha to Madhavi (a dancer/courtesan from Silappatikaram) by birth and Kannagi (the epitome of chastity and devotion) in her death.

Hyperbole / Heroic Folk Tropes

Mambattiyaan peru / Sonnaa puli odhungum paaru

Exaggerating Mambattiyaan's influence to claim that wild tigers in the jungle defer to his name.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Malaiyoor Mambattiyan' (1983) is based on the real-life story of a famous outlaw from Tamil Nadu. The music for the film was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and this track became an iconic folk anthem in Tamil cinema history.

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