Rajathi Rajakkal
From Makkal Kural · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Makkal Kural1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kalvargalae kayavargalae vaarungal | Thieves and scoundrels, come forward |
| Intha kanniyamikka manithargalai paarungal | Look at these honorable men |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Female | |
| Yaezhettu maadi eppothum jolly | Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful |
| Ellorumae oru jaathi | All of you belong to the same community |
| Neega ellorumae oru jaathi | You all belong to the exact same community |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Female | |
| Vari katta venuminnu varugindra aalugalai | When officials come asking to collect taxes |
| Sari katti vittavanga undu | There are those who bribe or settle them off |
| Thannai vattamidum aal meethu santhegam thondrivittaal | If a doubt arises about someone circling around them |
| Thittamittu theerppathuvum undu | They plannedly finish them off |
| Female | |
| Adhu yaarunnu paakkureenga neenga | Are you looking to see who that refers to? |
| Aiyya neega onnum appadi illeenga | Sir, you are nothing like that at all |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Female | |
| Kaasu athu pesum silar kaigalil adhu oru thoosu | Money speaks; in some hands, it is merely dust |
| Veesu alli veesu adhil veeraathi veeraargalum lesu | Shower it, scoop and throw it; even mighty heroes fall easily to it |
| Ennanga yosanau adikkuthu vaasanai | What are you thinking? A sweet fragrance wafts around |
| Inimae irukkuthu saadhanai | Great achievements await in the future |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Female | |
| Kootunga perukkunga kummaalam podunga | Gather up, sweep up, and celebrate merrily |
| Kuviyunga kaasu panam kodi | Pile up wealth and money in millions |
| Adhu kodi varai saernthuvittaal | Once it reaches crores |
| Koyilukkullae irukkum | Even Lord Eswara residing inside the temple |
| Eswaranum ungalukku jodi | Will become a equal partner to you |
| Female | |
| Aiyaa nimmathiyae vaazhkkaiyin kanakku | Sir, peace of mind is the true measure of life |
| Adhu nermaiyudan vaazhvathilae irukku | And that lies in living with total honesty |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
| Female | |
| Yaezhettu maadi eppothum jolly | Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful |
| Ellorumae oru jaathi | All of you belong to the same community |
| Neega ellorumae oru jaathi | You all belong to the exact same community |
| Female | |
| Rajathi rajakkal vaanga | Welcome, kings of kings |
| Intha naattilae nallavanga neega | You are the good people in this country |
கள்வர்களே கயவர்களே வாருங்கள்
இந்த கண்ணியமிக்க மனிதர்களை பாருங்கள்.......
Thieves and scoundrels, come forward
Look at these honorable men
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
ஏழெட்டு மாடி எப்போதும் ஜாலி
எல்லோருமே ஒரு ஜாதி
நீங்க எல்லோருமே ஒரு ஜாதி.....
Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful
All of you belong to the same community
You all belong to the exact same community
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
வரி கட்ட வேணுமின்னு வருகின்ற ஆளுகளை
சரி கட்டி விட்டவங்க உண்டு
தன்னை வட்டமிடும் ஆள் மீது சந்தேகம் தோன்றிவிட்டால்
திட்டமிட்டுத் தீர்ப்பதுவும் உண்டு
When officials come asking to collect taxes
There are those who bribe or settle them off
If a doubt arises about someone circling around them
They plannedly finish them off
அது யாருன்னு பாக்குறீங்க நீங்க
ஐயா நீங்க ஒண்ணும் அப்படி இல்லீங்க
Are you looking to see who that refers to?
Sir, you are nothing like that at all
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
காசு அது பேசும் சிலர் கைகளில் அது ஒரு தூசு
வீசு அள்ளி வீசு அதில் வீராதி வீரர்களும் லேசு
என்னங்க யோசனை அடிக்குது வாசனை
இனிமே இருக்குது சாதனை.............
Money speaks; in some hands, it is merely dust
Shower it, scoop and throw it; even mighty heroes fall easily to it
What are you thinking? A sweet fragrance wafts around
Great achievements await in the future
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
கூட்டுங்க பெருக்குங்க கும்மாளம் போடுங்க
குவியுங்க காசு பணம் கோடி
அது கோடி வரை சேர்ந்துவிட்டால்
கோயிலுக்குள்ளே இருக்கும்
ஈஸ்வரனும் உங்களுக்கு ஜோடி
Gather up, sweep up, and celebrate merrily
Pile up wealth and money in millions
Once it reaches crores
Even Lord Eswara residing inside the temple
Will become a equal partner to you
ஐயா நிம்மதியே வாழ்க்கையின் கணக்கு
அது நேர்மையுடன் வாழ்வதிலே இருக்கு...
Sir, peace of mind is the true measure of life
And that lies in living with total honesty
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
ஏழெட்டு மாடி எப்போதும் ஜாலி
எல்லோருமே ஒரு ஜாதி
நீங்க எல்லோருமே ஒரு ஜாதி.....
Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful
All of you belong to the same community
You all belong to the exact same community
ராஜாதி ராஜாக்கள் வாங்க
இந்த நாட்டிலே நல்லவங்க நீங்க
Welcome, kings of kings
You are the good people in this country
Kalvargalae kayavargalae vaarungal
Thieves and scoundrels, come forward
Intha kanniyamikka manithargalai paarungal
Look at these honorable men
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Yaezhettu maadi eppothum jolly
Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful
Ellorumae oru jaathi
All of you belong to the same community
Neega ellorumae oru jaathi
You all belong to the exact same community
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Vari katta venuminnu varugindra aalugalai
When officials come asking to collect taxes
Sari katti vittavanga undu
There are those who bribe or settle them off
Thannai vattamidum aal meethu santhegam thondrivittaal
If a doubt arises about someone circling around them
Thittamittu theerppathuvum undu
They plannedly finish them off
Adhu yaarunnu paakkureenga neenga
Are you looking to see who that refers to?
Aiyya neega onnum appadi illeenga
Sir, you are nothing like that at all
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Kaasu athu pesum silar kaigalil adhu oru thoosu
Money speaks; in some hands, it is merely dust
Veesu alli veesu adhil veeraathi veeraargalum lesu
Shower it, scoop and throw it; even mighty heroes fall easily to it
Ennanga yosanau adikkuthu vaasanai
What are you thinking? A sweet fragrance wafts around
Inimae irukkuthu saadhanai
Great achievements await in the future
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Kootunga perukkunga kummaalam podunga
Gather up, sweep up, and celebrate merrily
Kuviyunga kaasu panam kodi
Pile up wealth and money in millions
Adhu kodi varai saernthuvittaal
Once it reaches crores
Koyilukkullae irukkum
Even Lord Eswara residing inside the temple
Eswaranum ungalukku jodi
Will become a equal partner to you
Aiyaa nimmathiyae vaazhkkaiyin kanakku
Sir, peace of mind is the true measure of life
Adhu nermaiyudan vaazhvathilae irukku
And that lies in living with total honesty
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Yaezhettu maadi eppothum jolly
Seven or eight stories high, always cheerful
Ellorumae oru jaathi
All of you belong to the same community
Neega ellorumae oru jaathi
You all belong to the exact same community
Rajathi rajakkal vaanga
Welcome, kings of kings
Intha naattilae nallavanga neega
You are the good people in this country
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a biting satirical commentary penned by Kannadasan for the film Makkal Kural (1976). Through sarcastic praise addressed to wealthy elites ('Rajathi rajakkal'), the singer exposes corrupt practices such as tax evasion, bribing officials, ruthless elimination of threats, and hoarding immense wealth. The irony peaks with the statement that when one hoards enough crores, even God in the temple becomes a compliant companion. However, the song subtly delivers a moral turn toward the end, reminding the audience that true happiness and peace of mind ('nimmathi') cannot be bought with dishonest riches; rather, it comes only from living an honest life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Sarcasm (Vanchi Pukazhchi Ani)
“Rajathi rajakkal vaanga / Intha naattilae nallavanga neega”
Praising corrupt individuals as 'Rajathi rajakkal' (kings of kings) and 'nallavanga' (good people) while describing their misdeeds like tax evasion and murder.
Rhyme (Ethukai)
“Vari katta venuminnu varugindra aalugalai / Sari katti vittavanga undu”
Matching second consonant sound across consecutive lines ('Kalvargalae' / 'Intha', 'Vari' / 'Sari').
Monorhyme / Internal Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Kaasu athu pesum silar kaigalil adhu oru thoosu / Veesu alli veesu adhil veeraathi veeraargalum lesu”
Rhyming line endings across verses ('kaasu' / 'thoosu' / 'lesu').
Did you know?
Trivia
Makkal Kural (1976) was directed by C. V. Sridhar and featured music composed by V. Kumar. Lyricist Kannadasan was well known for employing 'Vanchi Pukazhchi Ani' (praising through apparent blame, or blaming through apparent praise) in social-themed songs to deliver sharp political and moral critiques.
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