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Lyrics & meaning

Kalappai Pidikkum Kaiyai Nambi

From Irumanam Kalanthal Thirumanam · 1960

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
S. Dakshinamurthi
Movie name
Irumanam Kalanthal Thirumanam
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
23 Aug 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aanaal kaalamellaam
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aanaal kaalamellaam
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aanaal kaalamellaam
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aluppillaamal anudhinamum
Yaettram pidippavan
Aazhkinadril irukkum
Neerai saenthi eduppavan
Varappu vetti madai thiranthu
Varappu vetti madai thiranthu
Vayalil iraippavan
Irukka idamum kudikka koozhum
Engae kidaikkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aanaal kaalamellaam
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Pakkuvamaai maaththu nattu
Payir valarppavan
Paruvam paaththu kalai eduththu
Uram koduppavan
Kathiraruththu kattukatti
Kathiraruththu kattukatti
Athai adippavan
Kashtappattu palan evarkko
Sonthamaaguthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
Aanaal kaalamellaam
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Kalappai pidikkum
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Yet all through his life,
poverty cuts his throat.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Yet all through his life,
poverty cuts his throat.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Yet all through his life,
poverty cuts his throat.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Tirelessly, every single day,
he works the water lift,
Drawing out the water
from deep within the well.
Cutting through the ridge and opening the channel,
Cutting through the ridge and opening the channel,
he waters the fields.
Yet a shelter to live in, or porridge to drink—
where does he ever get them?
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Yet all through his life,
poverty cuts his throat.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Carefully planting the seedlings,
he raises the crop.
Watching the season, he weeds the field
and feeds it with fertilizer.
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
he threshes the grain.
He toils so hard, yet the fruits of his labor
belong to someone else.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Yet all through his life,
poverty cuts his throat.
The hand that holds the plow—
on it, the whole world depends.
Male
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Male
Male
Male
Male
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Male
Male
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Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song highlights the tragic irony and plight of the agrarian worker. Although the whole world depends on the farmer for food, the farmer himself lives in extreme poverty, struggling to get even basic shelter and simple food like porridge. A. Maruthakasi vividly details the hard, physical labor involved in farming—from drawing water from deep wells to transplanting seedlings, weeding, and harvesting—only to point out that the profits and rewards of this labor are reaped by middle-men or wealthy landowners.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (First Letter Alliteration)

“Kalappai pidikkum / Kaiyai nambi”

Repetition of the 'Ka' sound at the beginning of words in adjacent phrases creates a rhythmic beat.

Metaphor / Metonymy

“Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu”

'Kai' (hand) is used metonymically to represent the entire laboring class of farmers.

Personification / Hyperbole

“Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu”

Poverty ('varumai') is personified as a violent entity that slashes the farmer's throat, emphasizing deep economic oppression.

Rhetorical Question

“Irukka idamum kudikka koozhum / Engae kidaikkuthu”

Asking where the farmer will find shelter or porridge highlights his plight without expecting a literal answer.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by renowned lyricist A. Maruthakasi and sung powerfully by Seerkazhi Govindarajan, this song is considered one of the classic socio-political anthems in Tamil cinema highlighting rural labor rights, a prominent theme in mid-20th-century Tamil culture.

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