Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Melody and female vocals by Vishnegwari V.S, veena by Latha Henthry, vocals by J, arrangement by Farya Faraji. This is a Tamil-language song that incorporates elements of Carnatic Classical Music and Tamil folk music, using the verses 404 to 407 of the epic poem Kalingattuparani.
The Kalingattuparani is a 12th-century Tamil poem written by Jayamkondar about the victory of Kulottunga Chola I over the Kalinga king, Anantavarman Chodaganga in the Chola-Kalinga war. Parani is a type of literature about a historical figure that slays a thousand war elephants in battle. The poem is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature for its mastery of diction and the way its poetry creates rythmic effects.
I worked with Tamil rapper J. to deliver the poem in its original metre, and contacted Vishnegwari V.S, a professionally trained Carnatic vocalist from Tamil Nadu who used her expertise in Carnatic music and anthropological knowledge to devise a melody for the otherwise spoken nature of the original poem. The raagam, or mode chosen by her is Gambheera Nattai. To quote her: "the choice is rooted in the rāgam's inherent power and majesty, which perfectly encapsulate the grandeur and intensity of the epic’s war sequences. The war scenes in Kalingathu Parani are rich with valor and heroism.
Gambheera Nattai is traditionally used in compositions that evoke strength and divinity, making it an ideal choice to reflect the heroic qualities of the warriors in Kalingathu Parani."
The instruments used are the South Indian mridangam and kanjira drums and the South Indian meena. Konnakol, the practice of vocalising drum patterns with stock syllables, accompanies the rythmic texture of the piece.
Lyrics in Tamil:
404
எடுமெடு மெடுமென வெடுத்ததோர் இகலொலி கடலொலி யிகக்கவே
விடுவிடு விடுபரி கரிக்குழாம் விடும்விடு மெனுமொலி மிகைக்கவே. 1
405
வெருவர வரிசிலை தெறித்தநாண் விசைபடு திசைமுகம் வெடிக்கவே
செருவிடை யவரவர் தெழித்ததோர் தெழியுல குகள்செவி டெடுக்கவே. 2
இருபடைகளும் குதிரைகளும்
406
எறிகட லொடுகடல் கிடைத்தபோல் இருபடை களுமெதிர் கிடைக்கவே
மறிதிரை யொடுதிரை மலைத்தபோல் வருபரி யொடுபரி மலைக்கவே. 3
யானைப் படையும் குதிரைப் படையும்
407
கனவரை யொடுவரை முனைத்தபோற் கடகரி யொடுகரி முனைக்கவே
இனமுகின் முகிலொடு மெதிர்த்தபோல் இரதமொ டிரதமு மெதிர்க்கவே.
English translation:
Let us begin the war!
Let us begin the war!
Soldiers on both camps shouted,
War cries reverberated like the roar of the ocean!
Charge the cavalry here!
Send the elephant division there!
These war cries went on increasing!
They stringed their strong bows
Rending all the directions by their noise!
In the battle-field.
War cries struck the world dumb!
Both the armies dashed against each other
Like the confrontation of two oceans;
The charging of the cavalries,
Like the confrontation of foaming waves!
Warring elephants dashed against each other
Like the clash of the mountains!
Chariots charged against each other
Like the clash of the clouds!
Melody and female vocals by Vishnegwari V.S, veena by Latha Henthry, vocals by J, arrangement by Farya Faraji. This is a Tamil-language song that incorporates elements of Carnatic Classical Music and Tamil folk music, using the verses 404 to 407 of the epic poem Kalingattuparani.
The Kalingattuparani is a 12th-century Tamil poem written by Jayamkondar about the victory of Kulottunga Chola I over the Kalinga king, Anantavarman Chodaganga in the Chola-Kalinga war. Parani is a type of literature about a historical figure that slays a thousand war elephants in battle. The poem is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature for its mastery of diction and the way its poetry creates rythmic effects.
I worked with Tamil rapper J. to deliver the poem in its original metre, and contacted Vishnegwari V.S, a professionally trained Carnatic vocalist from Tamil Nadu who used her expertise in Carnatic music and anthropological knowledge to devise a melody for the otherwise spoken nature of the original poem. The raagam, or mode chosen by her is Gambheera Nattai. To quote her: "the choice is rooted in the rāgam's inherent power and majesty, which perfectly encapsulate the grandeur and intensity of the epic’s war sequences. The war scenes in Kalingathu Parani are rich with valor and heroism.
Gambheera Nattai is traditionally used in compositions that evoke strength and divinity, making it an ideal choice to reflect the heroic qualities of the warriors in Kalingathu Parani."
The instruments used are the South Indian mridangam and kanjira drums and the South Indian meena. Konnakol, the practice of vocalising drum patterns with stock syllables, accompanies the rythmic texture of the piece.
Lyrics in Tamil:
404
எடுமெடு மெடுமென வெடுத்ததோர் இகலொலி கடலொலி யிகக்கவே
விடுவிடு விடுபரி கரிக்குழாம் விடும்விடு மெனுமொலி மிகைக்கவே. 1
405
வெருவர வரிசிலை தெறித்தநாண் விசைபடு திசைமுகம் வெடிக்கவே
செருவிடை யவரவர் தெழித்ததோர் தெழியுல குகள்செவி டெடுக்கவே. 2
இருபடைகளும் குதிரைகளும்
406
எறிகட லொடுகடல் கிடைத்தபோல் இருபடை களுமெதிர் கிடைக்கவே
மறிதிரை யொடுதிரை மலைத்தபோல் வருபரி யொடுபரி மலைக்கவே. 3
யானைப் படையும் குதிரைப் படையும்
407
கனவரை யொடுவரை முனைத்தபோற் கடகரி யொடுகரி முனைக்கவே
இனமுகின் முகிலொடு மெதிர்த்தபோல் இரதமொ டிரதமு மெதிர்க்கவே.
English translation:
Let us begin the war!
Let us begin the war!
Soldiers on both camps shouted,
War cries reverberated like the roar of the ocean!
Charge the cavalry here!
Send the elephant division there!
These war cries went on increasing!
They stringed their strong bows
Rending all the directions by their noise!
In the battle-field.
War cries struck the world dumb!
Both the armies dashed against each other
Like the confrontation of two oceans;
The charging of the cavalries,
Like the confrontation of foaming waves!
Warring elephants dashed against each other
Like the clash of the mountains!
Chariots charged against each other
Like the clash of the clouds!
