Balikudeerangale, Malayalam’s Most Famous Revolutionary Song, Turns 60

Malayalam’s most famous revolutionary song has turned 60, and its popularity still endures.

The 60th anniversary celebration of the first performance of ‘Balikudeerangale’ (“O Martyrs’ Columns”), was held on Monday at Kottayam, the town where it was written. Prominent poets, writers, artists and political leaders graced the occasion.

The song was written in 1957 on the occasion of the inauguration of a martyrs' column at Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram. A Communist Party-led ministry had been elected in Kerala that year, the second elected communist ministry anywhere in the world, after San Marino.

1957 marked the one hundredth anniversary of India's first war of independence, and the martyrs' column had been constructed in memory of the martyrs of the War. ‘Balikudeerangale’ was written on the occasion of the inauguration of the martyrs’ column.

The song was written by legendary poet and lyricist VayalarRamavarma, and it was composed by the equally illustrious musician G. Devarajan. The Vayalar - Devarajan duo later went on to become the most famous lyricist-composer team in the history of Malayalam cinema.

(Vayalar and Devarajan)

Vayalarand Devarajan stayed in Best Hotel in Kottayamto write and compose the song in three days, from 11 to 13 August 1957. It was composed on the basis of a request by Baby, the Convenor of Kottayam Theatres, which was the drama troupe of the Communist Party’s Kottayam District Committee.

EMS Namboodiripad taking oath as Kerala’s first Chief Minister.

The martyrs’ column at Thiruvananthapuram was inaugurated by Dr.Rajendra Prasad, the President of India on Independence Day eve, on 14 August 1957. The first performance of the song was held as part of the programme, at the Victoria Jubilee memorial Town (VJT) Hall. Fifty singers including KS George and KPAC Sulochana – stalwarts of the Kerala People’s Arts Club (KPAC), associated with the Communist Party – performed the song. Advocate G JanardanaKurup, early communist leader, and Jose Prakash, who went on to act as the “villain” in many popular Malayalam films, were also among the singers.

Listen to the song here:

And here’s a translation of the song:

O martyrs' columns, war memorials where memories roar,

Here the masses of people adorn you with

the red garlands of inspiring struggles

Snow-capped mountains raised flags, oceans roared

In the Ganga where epochs swim, lotuses bloom

India rose up from the maps, human lives broke open shackles,

With heroic tales on the lips, and holding bouquets of flowers,

the new citizen was awake.

O martyrs' columns,

In you, throb the hearts that wrote the history of centuries

In every generation, you lit up lamps that will never fade

Wearing the armour that you wore at your battlefields,

We, in the land of the hills, won our red flag.

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