Uzhaikkum Kaigale
From Thanippiravi · 1966
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Thanippiravi1966
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Uzhaikkum kaigalae | O working hands, |
| Uruvaakkum kaigalae | O hands that create, |
| Ulagai pudhu muraiyil | In a new way, the world |
| Undaakkum kaigalae | O hands that shape! |
| Male | |
| Uzhaikkum kaigalae | O working hands, |
| Uruvaakkum kaigalae | O hands that create, |
| Ulagai pudhu muraiyil… | In a new way, the world... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae…ae…. | O hands that shape... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae… | O hands that shape... |
| Male | |
| Aatru neerai thaekki vaithu | Holding back the river water, |
| Anaigal kattum kaigalae | O hands that build dams! |
| Aangal pengal maanam kaakka | To protect the honor of men and women, |
| Aadai thandha kaigalae | O hands that provided clothes! |
| Saetril odi naattru nattu | Running into the mud, planting saplings, |
| Kalai edukkum kaigalae | O hands that pull out the weeds! |
| Sekka vaanam pola endrum | Like the crimson evening sky, always |
| Sivandhu nirkkum kaigal | Hands that remain reddened, |
| Engal kaigalae | Are our hands! |
| Male | |
| Uzhaikkum kaigalae | O working hands, |
| Uruvaakkum kaigalae | O hands that create, |
| Ulagai pudhu muraiyil… | In a new way, the world... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae…ae…. | O hands that shape... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae… | O hands that shape... |
| Male | |
| Palan migundha endhirangal | Highly efficient machines, |
| Padaithu vitta kaigalae | O hands that created them! |
| Paadhai pottu ulagai ondraai | Laying roads and connecting the world as one, |
| Inaithu vaitha kaigalae | O hands that brought us together! |
| Paaril ulla perumai yaavum | All the greatness that exists in this world, |
| Padaithadhengal kaigalae | Was created by our hands! |
| Pachai ratham vaervaiyaaga | With green blood transformed into sweat, |
| Padindhu nirkkum kaigal | Hands that stand stained, |
| Engal kaigalae | Are our hands! |
| Male | |
| Uzhaikkum kaigalae | O working hands, |
| Uruvaakkum kaigalae | O hands that create, |
| Ulagai pudhu muraiyil… | In a new way, the world... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae…ae…. | O hands that shape... |
| Undaakkum kaigalae… | O hands that shape... |
| Male | |
| Ulagam engum thozhil valarkkum | Developing industries across the world, |
| Makkal ondraai kooduvom | We, the working people, shall gather together. |
| Ondru engal jaadhi endru | Declaring that humanity is our only caste, |
| Ongi nindru paaduvom | We shall stand tall and sing aloud. |
| Samayam vandhaal karuvi yaendhi | If the time comes, wielding weapons, |
| Por munaikku oduvom | We shall rush to the frontlines of war. |
| Dharma needhi makkal aatchi | Long live righteousness, justice, and democracy! |
| Vaazhgavendrae aaduvom | We shall dance celebrating this! |
| Naam vaazhgavendrae aaduvom… | We shall dance singing long live ourselves! |
உழைக்கும் கைகளே
உருவாக்கும் கைகளே
உலகை புது முறையில்
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே
O working hands,
O hands that create,
In a new way, the world
O hands that shape!
உழைக்கும் கைகளே
உருவாக்கும் கைகளே
உலகை புது முறையில்
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே....ஏ.....
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே......
O working hands,
O hands that create,
In a new way, the world...
O hands that shape...
O hands that shape...
ஆற்று நீரை தேக்கி வைத்து
அணைகள் கட்டும் கைகளே
ஆண்கள் பெண்கள் மானம் காக்க
ஆடை தந்த கைகளே
சேற்றில் ஓடி நாற்று நட்டு
களை எடுக்கும் கைகளே
செக்க வானம் போல என்றும்
சிவந்து நிற்கும் கைகள்
எங்கள் கைகளே
Holding back the river water,
O hands that build dams!
To protect the honor of men and women,
O hands that provided clothes!
Running into the mud, planting saplings,
O hands that pull out the weeds!
Like the crimson evening sky, always
Hands that remain reddened,
Are our hands!
உழைக்கும் கைகளே
உருவாக்கும் கைகளே
உலகை புது முறையில்
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே....ஏ.....
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே......
O working hands,
O hands that create,
In a new way, the world...
O hands that shape...
O hands that shape...
பலன் மிகுந்த எந்திரங்கள்
படைத்தது விட்ட கைகளே
பாதை போட்டு உலகை ஒன்றாய்
இணைத்து வைத்த கைகளே
பாரில் உள்ள பெருமை யாவும்
படைத்ததெங்கள் கைகளே
பச்சை ரத்தம் வேர்வையாக
படிந்து நிற்கும் கைகள்
எங்கள் கைகளே
Highly efficient machines,
O hands that created them!
Laying roads and connecting the world as one,
O hands that brought us together!
All the greatness that exists in this world,
Was created by our hands!
With green blood transformed into sweat,
Hands that stand stained,
Are our hands!
உழைக்கும் கைகளே
உருவாக்கும் கைகளே
உலகை புது முறையில்
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே....ஏ.....
உண்டாக்கும் கைகளே......
O working hands,
O hands that create,
In a new way, the world...
O hands that shape...
O hands that shape...
உலகம் எங்கும் தொழில் வளர்க்கும்
மக்கள் ஒன்றாய் கூடுவோம்
ஒன்று எங்கள் ஜாதி என்று
ஓங்கி நின்று பாடுவோம்
சமயம் வந்தால் கருவி ஏந்தி
போர் முனைக்கு ஓடுவோம்
தர்ம நீதி மக்கள் ஆட்சி
வாழ்கவென்றே ஆடுவோம்...
நாம் வாழ்கவென்றே ஆடுவோம்....
Developing industries across the world,
We, the working people, shall gather together.
Declaring that humanity is our only caste,
We shall stand tall and sing aloud.
If the time comes, wielding weapons,
We shall rush to the frontlines of war.
Long live righteousness, justice, and democracy!
We shall dance celebrating this!
We shall dance singing long live ourselves!
Uzhaikkum kaigalae
O working hands,
Uruvaakkum kaigalae
O hands that create,
Ulagai pudhu muraiyil
In a new way, the world
Undaakkum kaigalae
O hands that shape!
Uzhaikkum kaigalae
O working hands,
Uruvaakkum kaigalae
O hands that create,
Ulagai pudhu muraiyil…
In a new way, the world...
Undaakkum kaigalae…ae….
O hands that shape...
Undaakkum kaigalae…
O hands that shape...
Aatru neerai thaekki vaithu
Holding back the river water,
Anaigal kattum kaigalae
O hands that build dams!
Aangal pengal maanam kaakka
To protect the honor of men and women,
Aadai thandha kaigalae
O hands that provided clothes!
Saetril odi naattru nattu
Running into the mud, planting saplings,
Kalai edukkum kaigalae
O hands that pull out the weeds!
Sekka vaanam pola endrum
Like the crimson evening sky, always
Sivandhu nirkkum kaigal
Hands that remain reddened,
Engal kaigalae
Are our hands!
Uzhaikkum kaigalae
O working hands,
Uruvaakkum kaigalae
O hands that create,
Ulagai pudhu muraiyil…
In a new way, the world...
Undaakkum kaigalae…ae….
O hands that shape...
Undaakkum kaigalae…
O hands that shape...
Palan migundha endhirangal
Highly efficient machines,
Padaithu vitta kaigalae
O hands that created them!
Paadhai pottu ulagai ondraai
Laying roads and connecting the world as one,
Inaithu vaitha kaigalae
O hands that brought us together!
Paaril ulla perumai yaavum
All the greatness that exists in this world,
Padaithadhengal kaigalae
Was created by our hands!
Pachai ratham vaervaiyaaga
With green blood transformed into sweat,
Padindhu nirkkum kaigal
Hands that stand stained,
Engal kaigalae
Are our hands!
Uzhaikkum kaigalae
O working hands,
Uruvaakkum kaigalae
O hands that create,
Ulagai pudhu muraiyil…
In a new way, the world...
Undaakkum kaigalae…ae….
O hands that shape...
Undaakkum kaigalae…
O hands that shape...
Ulagam engum thozhil valarkkum
Developing industries across the world,
Makkal ondraai kooduvom
We, the working people, shall gather together.
Ondru engal jaadhi endru
Declaring that humanity is our only caste,
Ongi nindru paaduvom
We shall stand tall and sing aloud.
Samayam vandhaal karuvi yaendhi
If the time comes, wielding weapons,
Por munaikku oduvom
We shall rush to the frontlines of war.
Dharma needhi makkal aatchi
Long live righteousness, justice, and democracy!
Vaazhgavendrae aaduvom
We shall dance celebrating this!
Naam vaazhgavendrae aaduvom…
We shall dance singing long live ourselves!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a grand tribute to the working class and laborers who build and sustain human civilization. Written by Kannadasan, the lyricist extols the physical labor of farmers who grow crops, weavers who produce clothes, dam-builders who harness water, and engineers who create modern machinery and infrastructure. The hands of workers, though worn and reddened by severe toil, are hailed as the true creators of world progress. In the concluding stanza, the song delivers a strong social and political message advocating for unity among workers regardless of caste or creed. It calls for standing up against injustice, defending righteousness, and upholding democratic values, celebrating the power and dignity of the common people.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Uzhaikkum kaigalae / Uruvaakkum kaigalae / Ulagai pudhu muraiyil / Undaakkum kaigalae”
Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'U' across the opening lines creates a rhythmic, musical flow.
Upamai (Simile)
“Sekka vaanam pola endrum / Sivandhu nirkkum kaigal”
The red, calloused hands of hardworking laborers are poetically compared to the reddish sunset sky (Sekka vaanam).
Anaphora / Repetition
“Anaigal kattum kaigalae ... Aadai thandha kaigalae”
The phrase 'kaigalae' (O hands!) is repeated at the end of consecutive lines to emphasize the primary theme of labor.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic labor anthem from the 1966 film 'Thanippiravi' features M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with vocals rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela along with a chorus. Songs like this played a pivotal role in solidifying MGR's public image as the champion of the working class and egalitarian values prior to his formal political launch.
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