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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Makkal Oru Puram Song

From Virudhagiri · 2010

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
Sundar C Babu
Details
Virudhagiri2010

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam damDamakku damakku dama dam dam
Male
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam damDamakku damakku dama dam dam
Male
Makkal oru puramOn one side are the people,
Deivam oru puramOn the other side is God;
Makkal thunaiyena nirkkum irupuramStanding as support to the people on both sides,
Ettu thisaigalum kottu thagarththidaResounding across all eight directions to break barriers,
Ketkkum nam murasuOur drum sound will be heard!
Male
Kodi karangalum neerai vittrenaAs if millions of hands are pouring water,
Kolgai vithaigalum verai vittenaAs if seeds of principles take deep root,
Naalai thaaikkulam nammai vaazhththidaSo that tomorrow's motherland blesses us,
Pookkum nallarasuA good governance shall bloom!
Male
Kuttram seithavan kettavan aayinumEven if the offender is a wicked person,
Kottai koththalam kondavan aayinumEven if he commands grand forts and ramparts,
Dharmam kettathu thattiketpathuQuestioning and demanding justice when righteousness is compromised,
Enthan vaazhkkai neriIs my life's core principle!
Male
Nottai koduththingu vote-ai ketpavanThe politician who bribes with cash notes to ask for votes,
Kettai vilaiththingu naattai keduppavanThe one who breeds destruction and ruins the nation,
Moottai mudichchudan oottamPacking his bag and baggage,
Eduththida seivaan viruthagiriVirudhagiri will make him run away!
Male
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam damDamakku damakku dama dam dam
Male
Vaakkugal kettu vaangumpothuWhen asking and gathering votes,
Naakkil nooru poi vaippaarThey utter a hundred lies on their tongue.
Makkal vaakkai vaangikonduAfter taking the votes of the citizens,
Makkal kaadhil poo vaippanThey deceive and fool the people.
Male
Kaalam maarum kaatchigal maarumTimes will change, perspectives will change,
Kelvi kettaalthaanOnly if questions are boldly asked!
Karaigal pogum thuni veluppaagumStains will fade and clothes will turn clean,
Thuvaiththu pottaalthaanOnly if they are washed and scrubbed hard!
Male
Edhu nadanthaalum namakkennavendruThinking 'Whatever happens, why should we care?'
Odhungidalaamaa thozhaa thozhaaCan we stay passive and step aside, my friends?
Variyavan thunbam valiyavan paarththuSeeing the poor suffer at the hands of the powerful,
Iruppathu koodaathuRemaining silent is wrong.
Male
Pirarkkena konjam ilagidum nenjamA heart that melts a little for others,
Padaiththida vendum thozha thozha thozhaMust be cultivated, my friends!
Suyanalathondu purinthavan unduThere are those who served without selfishness,
Pugazhmigu varalaaruIn glorious history!
Male
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam damDamakku damakku dama dam dam
Male
Ellaarkkum ellaam vaaikkum naalilOn the day when basic rights reach everyone,
Enthan ennam eederumMy lifelong goal will be fulfilled.
Illaamal ponaal melum melumUntil then, further and further,
Enthan kangal sooderumMy eyes will burn with righteous anger!
Male
Ennai thodarnthu varugindra peraiThose who walk alongside me and trust me,
Endrum vidamaattaenI will never abandon them.
Thozhal thamakku thunbangal vanthaalIf hardships befall my brethren,
sottraikooda thodamaattaenI will not even touch my food!
Male
Idi mazhai minnal idai varumpothuWhen thunder, rain, and lightning strike in between,
Nadungamaattaen naanthaan naanthaanI will not tremble—not me, not me!
Mun vaiththakaalai pin aikkum velaiTaking a step forward and then retreating,
Ennidam kidaiyaathuIs never my style!
Male
Thadanthol undu thadakkai unduI have broad shoulders and powerful arms,
Thadaigalai seiven tholthaa tholthaaI will shatter all barriers, my friend!
Ilattichiyathaagam irukkindra perukkuFor those driven by the thirst for noble ideals,
Idhayangal udaiyaathuTheir hearts never break!
Male
Makkal oru puramOn one side are the people,
Deivam oru puramOn the other side is God;
Makkal thunaiyena nirkkum irupuramStanding as support to the people on both sides,
Ettu thisaigalum kottu thagarththidaResounding across all eight directions to break barriers,
Ketkkum nam murasuOur drum sound will be heard!
Male
Kodi karangalum neerai vittrenaAs if millions of hands are pouring water,
Kolgai vithaigalum verai vittenaAs if seeds of principles take deep root,
Naalai thaaikkulam nammai vaazhththidaSo that tomorrow's motherland blesses us,
Pookkum nallarasuA good governance shall bloom!
Male
Kuttram seithavan kettavan aayinumEven if the offender is a wicked person,
Kottai koththalam kondavan aayinumEven if he commands grand forts and ramparts,
Dharmam kettathu thattiketpathuQuestioning and demanding justice when righteousness is compromised,
Enthan vaazhkkai neriIs my life's core principle!
Male
Nottai koduththingu vote-ai ketpavanThe politician who bribes with cash notes to ask for votes,
Kettai vilaiththingu naattai keduppavanThe one who breeds destruction and ruins the nation,
Moottai mudichchudan oottamPacking his bag and baggage,
Eduththida seivaan viruthagiriVirudhagiri will make him run away!
Male
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam dam doraDamakku damakku dama dam dam dora
Damakku damakku dama dam damDamakku damakku dama dam dam

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Damakku Damakku' from the action film Virudhagiri (2010) serves as an energetic hero-introduction theme centered on social justice and political reform. Sung with high intensity by Shankar Mahadevan, the song portrays the protagonist Virudhagiri as an unyielding protector of the common people. He stands up against corrupt politicians who bribe voters and deceive the public, vowing to chase away corrupt elements and fight for the oppressed.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethirai (Second letter rhyming in Tamil prosody)

Kuttram seithavan kettavan aayinum / Kottai koththalam kondavan aayinum

Matching second consonant 'tta' in 'Kuttram' and 'Kottai'.

Idiom / Colloquial Metaphor

Makkal vaakkai vaangikondu / Makkal kaadhil poo vaippan

The Tamil expression 'Kaadhil poo vaippan' literally means putting a flower in someone's ear, which is a popular idiom for deceiving or fooling people.

Metaphor

Karaigal pogum thuni veluppaagum / Thuvaiththu pottaalthaan

Washing and scrubbing dirty clothes is used as a metaphor for questioning corrupt leaders to clean up society.

Onomatopoeia

Damakku damakku dama dam dam dora

Rhythmic drum sound words 'Damakku damakku dama dam dam' convey a battle cry and arousal of social awareness.

Did you know?

Trivia

Virudhagiri (2010) marked the directorial debut of veteran Tamil action star Vijayakanth, who also played the title lead role. Legendary lyricist Vaali penned the song's politically charged lines tailored specifically to align with Vijayakanth's real-life political persona and his political party DMDK.

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