This folksong from Kerala was contributed to longlongtimeago.com by a close friend, Subramanian Subramanian. In his words:

“Some of my most tender memories of childhood are of my maternal grandmother—her gnarled fingers combing my hair as I lay with my head on her lap, listening to her singing or telling me stories in Tamizhalam and Malayalam. It is from her that I learnt this ‘mercantile’ song, which now remained only as bits and pieces in my memory. I knew that my mother’s older sister, my Periamma, knew this song, and upon my request she sang it for me —with great gusto at the ripe old age of 93!”

The song is about the trade between India and Great Britain during the reign of George V (1910-1936) and his consort, Mary. It describes items imported from Britain, brought to Kochi by a merchant ship, and the items that the merchant ship takes back to Bombay in exchange; from there these goods are transferred to a huge ‘fire-ship’ and transported to London. The song also traces the ship’s route from Bombay to London through the Suez Canal and the Straits of Gibralatar.”

We present here the song, in the voice of Subbu’s Periamma. The original Malayalam is also transcribed below, along with a line-by-line translation graciously provided by Subbu.

~ Rohini Chowdhury

And here it is transcribed into Roman script, and accompanied by Subbu’s meticulous line-by-line translation:

 Mechamodu paayunna   kachavada  kappal
The profitably operating merchant ship

Kochiyilum ethiyathu  nangooram  ittu
Dropped anchor on reaching Kochi

Kadalass kannaadi biscuittu chimney
Paper, glass, biscuits, chimneys

kuda lace panchara seeletharangal
Umbrellas, lace, sugar, varieties of cloth

Kathi mani pinjanam yandhrangal whisky
Knives, bells, porcelain, machinery,  whisky

Kathunna  theepetti   mannenna  malmal
Matchboxes,  kerosene,  muslin

Ivapalathu   saadhanam   theerathu  irakki
All these were unloaded on the shore

Jayamodu   kayattinaan   naadan   charakku
Then local cargo was successfully loaded

Copra kayar ennayum kurumulaku chukkum
Copra, coir, oil, pepper, ginger

rubberodu theyila pulthayilam elam
Along with rubber,  tea,  herbal oils, cardamom

kappa  thadi  kaappiyum  orange  thottu
Tapioca,  timber,  coffee, oranges

kappalil  aneka   saamanam nirachu
The ship was filled with many items

bombay  thuramughathodichu chennu
After sailing to Bombay port

vambicha thee kappal  mattonnil  etti
The cargo was loaded on to a massive fire-ship
[ed. a ‘fire ship’ is a coal-fired ship]

oolathil ulayathe chingara kappal
The beautiful ship was not rocked by the waves

melathil  vegam padinjattu  vittu
Sailed at a good speed to the West in a rhythmic way

arabikkadalevum bab el mandeb
Arabian Sea followed by Bab el Mandeb

avidunnu chengadal suez thodu
From there to  the Red Sea  and the Suez Canal

portsaidu  kandu  mediterranean  aayi
Port Said was sighted, then it was the Mediterranean

malta thuruth athin madhyathil  ethi
It reached the middle of Malta Strait

gibraltar  melle  kadannittu kappal
After sailing past Gibraltar at slow speed

atlantic oceante  madhyathil  ethi
The ship entered the Atlantic Ocean

koduthay kodungaattadikkunna bismi
Then comes the very stormy Biscay

kadalaanith appuram englishu channel
Now the sea lying  before it is the English  Channel

dover athi  langichu  Thamesil  kadannu
The ship enters the Thames after crossing Dover 

aake  dinam irupathiyonnum kazhinju
It is a full twenty-one days since the ship set sail

mary maharaani yodu george thirumeni
From Queen Mary and King George

mevunnu london  ithaa cheers vilippin
Londoners, say loudly ‘Cheers to this ship!’ 

Song audio and translation copyright © Subramanian Subramanian, 2015.
All rights reserved.
No part of the song, its transcription or translation may be used without written permission from the copyright holder and longlongtimeago.com