Kalappai Pidikkum Kaiyai Nambi
From Irumanam Kalanthal Thirumanam · 1960
- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- S. Dakshinamurthi
- Details
- Irumanam Kalanthal Thirumanam1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Aanaal kaalamellaam | But all through his life, |
| Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu | Poverty slashes his throat. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Aanaal kaalamellaam | But all through his life, |
| Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu | Poverty slashes his throat. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Aanaal kaalamellaam | But all through his life, |
| Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu | Poverty slashes his throat. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Male | |
| Aluppillaamal anudhinamum | Tirelessly, every single day, |
| Yaettram pidippavan | The one who operates the water lift, |
| Aazhkinadril irukkum | From the deep well, |
| Neerai saenthi eduppavan | Draws out the water. |
| Male | |
| Varappu vetti madai thiranthu | Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice, |
| Varappu vetti madai thiranthu | Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice, |
| Vayalil iraippavan | The one who irrigates the fields, |
| Irukka idamum kudikka koozhum | Where can he find a place to live |
| Engae kidaikkuthu | Or even porridge to drink? |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Aanaal kaalamellaam | But all through his life, |
| Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu | Poverty slashes his throat. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Male | |
| Pakkuvamaai maaththu nattu | Carefully transplanting the seedlings, |
| Payir valarppavan | The one who grows the crop, |
| Paruvam paaththu kalai eduththu | Watching the season, weeding carefully, |
| Uram koduppavan | And providing fertilizer, |
| Male | |
| Kathiraruththu kattukatti | Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves, |
| Kathiraruththu kattukatti | Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves, |
| Athai adippavan | And thrashing the grain, |
| Kashtappattu palan evarkko | Despite all his hard work, the benefits go |
| Sonthamaaguthu | To someone else entirely. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
| Aanaal kaalamellaam | But all through his life, |
| Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu | Poverty slashes his throat. |
| Male | |
| Kalappai pidikkum | The hand that holds the plough |
| Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu | The world relies upon that hand |
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
ஆனால் காலமெல்லாம்
அவன் கழுத்தை வறுமை அறுக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
But all through his life,
Poverty slashes his throat.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
ஆனால் காலமெல்லாம்
அவன் கழுத்தை வறுமை அறுக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
But all through his life,
Poverty slashes his throat.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
ஆனால் காலமெல்லாம்
அவன் கழுத்தை வறுமை அறுக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
But all through his life,
Poverty slashes his throat.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
அலுப்பில்லாமல் அனுதினமும்
ஏற்றம் பிடிப்பவன்
ஆழ்கிணற்றில் இருக்கும்
நீரைச் சேந்தி எடுப்பவன்
Tirelessly, every single day,
The one who operates the water lift,
From the deep well,
Draws out the water.
வரப்பு வெட்டி மடை திறந்து
வரப்பு வெட்டி மடை திறந்து
வயலில் இறைப்பவன்
இருக்க இடமும் குடிக்க கூழும்
எங்கே கிடைக்குது
Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice,
Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice,
The one who irrigates the fields,
Where can he find a place to live
Or even porridge to drink?
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
ஆனால் காலமெல்லாம்
அவன் கழுத்தை வறுமை அறுக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
But all through his life,
Poverty slashes his throat.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
பக்குவமாய் நாத்து நட்டுப்
பயிர் வளர்ப்பவன்
பருவம் பாத்துக் களை எடுத்து
உரம் கொடுப்பவன்
Carefully transplanting the seedlings,
The one who grows the crop,
Watching the season, weeding carefully,
And providing fertilizer,
கதிரறுத்து கட்டுகட்டி
கதிரறுத்து கட்டுகட்டி
அதை அடிப்பவன்
கஷ்டப்பட்டு பலன் எவர்க்கோ
சொந்தமாகுது
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
And thrashing the grain,
Despite all his hard work, the benefits go
To someone else entirely.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
ஆனால் காலமெல்லாம்
அவன் கழுத்தை வறுமை அறுக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
But all through his life,
Poverty slashes his throat.
கலப்பை பிடிக்கும்
கையை நம்பி உலகம் இருக்குது
The hand that holds the plough
The world relies upon that hand
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aanaal kaalamellaam
But all through his life,
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Poverty slashes his throat.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aanaal kaalamellaam
But all through his life,
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Poverty slashes his throat.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aanaal kaalamellaam
But all through his life,
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Poverty slashes his throat.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aluppillaamal anudhinamum
Tirelessly, every single day,
Yaettram pidippavan
The one who operates the water lift,
Aazhkinadril irukkum
From the deep well,
Neerai saenthi eduppavan
Draws out the water.
Varappu vetti madai thiranthu
Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice,
Varappu vetti madai thiranthu
Trimming the ridge and opening the sluice,
Vayalil iraippavan
The one who irrigates the fields,
Irukka idamum kudikka koozhum
Where can he find a place to live
Engae kidaikkuthu
Or even porridge to drink?
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aanaal kaalamellaam
But all through his life,
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Poverty slashes his throat.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Pakkuvamaai maaththu nattu
Carefully transplanting the seedlings,
Payir valarppavan
The one who grows the crop,
Paruvam paaththu kalai eduththu
Watching the season, weeding carefully,
Uram koduppavan
And providing fertilizer,
Kathiraruththu kattukatti
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
Kathiraruththu kattukatti
Reaping the harvest and binding the sheaves,
Athai adippavan
And thrashing the grain,
Kashtappattu palan evarkko
Despite all his hard work, the benefits go
Sonthamaaguthu
To someone else entirely.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Aanaal kaalamellaam
But all through his life,
Avan kazhuththai varumai arukkuthu
Poverty slashes his throat.
Kalappai pidikkum
The hand that holds the plough
Kaiyai nambi ulagam irukkuthu
The world relies upon that hand
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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