Lyrics In Telugu
సరిమామగారి సససనిదపసా
రిమదానిదాప సాసనిదప మదపమరి
యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
నమహో హుగిలీ హౌరా వారధి యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
నమహో హుగిలీ హౌరా వారధి ..
నే తాజీ పుట్టినచోట, గీతాంజలి పూసిన చోట,
పాడనా తెలుగులో.. ఆ హంస పాడిన పాటే,
ఆనందుడు చూపిన బాట సాగనా ..
పదుగురు పరుగు తీసింది
పట్నం బ్రతుకుతో వెయ్యి
పందెం కడకు చేరాలి గమ్యం
కదలిపోరా ఒకరితో ఒకరికి ముఖ పరిచయములు దొరకని క్షణముల
బిజి బిజి బ్రతుకుల గజిబిజి ఉరుకుల పరుగులలో..
యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
నమహో హుగిలీ హౌరా వారధి
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను మది
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను మది
యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
బెంగాలీ కోకిల బాల, తెలుగింటి కోడలుపిల్ల మానిని సరోజిని
రోజంతా సూర్యుడి కింద రాత్రంతా రజినీగంధ సాగనీ
పదుగురు ప్రేమలే లేని లోకం, దేవతా మార్కు మైకం,
శరన్నవలాభిషేకం తెలుసుకోరా
కథలకు నెలవట
కళలకు కొలువట
తిథులకు సెలవట
అతిథుల గొడవట
కలకట నగరపు కిటకటలో ..
యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
నమహో హుగిలీ హౌరా వారధి
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది యమహానగరి కలకత్తా పురి
వందేమాతర మే అన్న వంగ భూతలమే మిన్న జాతికే గీతిరా
మాతంగి కాళీ నిలయ చోరంగి రంగుల దునియా నీదిరా
వినుగురు సత్యజిత్రే సితార యస్ డి బర్మన్ కీ ధారా థెరీసా కీ కుమారా
కదలిరారా జనణమనముల స్వరపద వనముల హృదయపు లయలను
శ్రుతి పరిచిన ప్రియ శుకపిక ముఖ సుఖ రవళులతో
యమహానగారి కలకత్తా పూరి
నమహో హుగిలీ హౌరా వారధి
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
చిరుత్యాగరాజు నీ కృతినే పలికెను
మది యమహానగారి కలకత్తా పూరి
Lyrics In English
Sa ri ma ma ga ri
Sa sa sa ni da pa sa
Sa ri ma ma ga ri
Sa sa sa ni da pa sa
Re ma ga ni ga pa
Sa sa ni da pa
ma ga pa ma ri
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Namaho hugili howrah waaradhi
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
chiru thyaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
chiru thyaaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
chiru thyaaga raaju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
namaho hugili howrah waaradhi .
Netaji putina chota, Geetanjali poosina chota
Paadana... TelugulOo.
Aa Hamsa paadina paate, aa nandhudu chupina baata
saaganaa...
Padhuguru parugu teesindi patnam
Brathukutho veyyi pandem
Kadaku cheraali gamyam.kadali poraa
Okaritho okariki, mukhaparicheyamulu, dhorakani kshnamula,
Busy busy brathukula, gaji biji urukula parugulalo.
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
namaho hugili howrah waaradhi ...
chiru thyaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
chiru thyaaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Bengali kokila bala, Teluginti kodalu pilla
Maalini, sarojini.
Rojantha suryudu kindha, Raathrantha rajini kandha
saagani.
Padhuguru prema leleni lokam,
devathamaarku maikam
Sharannavalabhishekam. telusukora...
Kadhalaku nelavata, kalalaku koluvata, thidulaku selavata
athidula godavata kalakata nagarapu kita kita lo...
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
namaho hugili howrah waaradhi ...
chiru thyaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
chiru thyaaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Vandematharame anna Vangaa bhuthalame minna
jathike geethiraa.
Maathangi kaali nilaya chowrangi rangula duniya
neediraa.
Vinuguru sathyajithre sithara, SD burman ki dhara
Teresa ki kumara... Kadali rara...
Janagana manamula swarapada vanamula hrudhayapu layalanu
Shruthi parachina priya suka pika muka suka ravalulatho...
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Namaho hugili howrah waaradhi ...
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Chiru thyaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Chiru thyaaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Chiru thyaaga raju nee kruthine palikenu mari
Yamaha Nagari kalakatta puri
Namaho hugili howrah waaradhi...
Lyrics Meaning In English
These lyrics are a tribute to Kolkata (Calcutta). The song describes the city through its rivers, bridges, literature, music, art, history, famous personalities, spirituality, and busy everyday life. It also connects Telugu culture with Bengali culture, showing admiration for the cultural relationship between the two regions.
Overall meaning
The recurring line “Yamaha Nagari Kalakatta Puri” poetically celebrates Kolkata as a magnificent city.
The song is essentially saying:
“Kolkata is a city filled with history, art, literature, music, great personalities, spirituality and human energy. It may be crowded and hectic, but beneath that chaos is a city with an extraordinary cultural soul.”
Opening musical syllables
“Sa Ri Ma Ma Ga Ri / Sa Sa Sa Ni Da Pa Sa…”
These are Indian classical music swaras.
They don't have a literal English meaning like ordinary words.
They function as musical notes:
- Sa
- Ri/Re
- Ga
- Ma
- Pa
- Da/Dha
- Ni
The song begins with these notes to establish a classical, musical atmosphere, which fits the song's celebration of Kolkata's artistic heritage.
“Yamaha Nagari Kalakatta Puri”
This is the central refrain.
Meaning:
“O great city of Calcutta/Kolkata.”
“Yamaha Nagari” is poetic wording celebrating Kolkata as a magnificent city.
The repetition makes the city itself feel like the main character of the song.
“Namaho Hugli Howrah Waaradhi”
This praises two famous Kolkata landmarks:
Hugli / Hooghly
The Hooghly River, one of the major rivers associated with Kolkata.
Howrah
Refers particularly to Howrah Bridge, one of Kolkata's most iconic landmarks.
Meaning:
“Salutations to the Hooghly and the Howrah Bridge.”
The singer is introducing Kolkata through its most recognizable geographical and architectural symbols.
6
“Chiru Tyagaraju Nee Kruthine Palikenu Mari”
This refers to Tyagaraja, the great South Indian composer and saint of Carnatic music.
The line suggests that Tyagaraja's musical compositions resonate here, connecting the musical traditions of South India with the cultural atmosphere of Kolkata.
The important idea isn't that Tyagaraja literally lived in Kolkata. Rather, the song poetically brings together different Indian musical traditions.
So the feeling is:
“Even the great musical tradition represented by Tyagaraja finds a voice in this culturally rich city.”
“Netaji puttina chota”
Meaning:
“The place where Netaji was born.”
This refers to Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India's famous freedom fighters and leaders of the Indian independence movement.
Kolkata has a deep historical connection with Netaji.
The lyric therefore reminds us that Kolkata isn't just a city of art—it is also a city of Indian political and national history.
“Geetanjali poosina chota”
Meaning:
“The place where Geetanjali blossomed.”
This refers to Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali, the celebrated collection of poems associated with Bengali literature and spirituality.
“Pūsinā” literally gives the image of a flower blooming.
So instead of simply saying “Gitanjali was written here,” the lyric poetically imagines:
“This is the soil from which Gitanjali blossomed.”
It celebrates Kolkata/Bengal as a birthplace of extraordinary literature.
“Paadana Telugu lo…”
Meaning:
“Shall I sing in Telugu?”
This is particularly meaningful because the song itself is in Telugu while celebrating Bengal.
The singer is effectively asking:
“Should I sing this story of Kolkata in my own Telugu language?”
It establishes a bridge between Telugu identity and Bengali culture.
“Aa Hamsa paadina paate”
Meaning:
“The song sung by that swan…”
The hamsa/swan is a traditional Indian poetic symbol associated with beauty, purity, wisdom and music.
This is poetic imagery rather than a literal reference to a particular bird.
The singer is asking whether they can continue singing in the tradition of beautiful Indian poetry and music.
“Aanandudu choopina baata saagana”
Meaning:
“Shall I follow the path shown by Anand?”
The line invokes a figure/idea associated with the cultural and artistic tradition being celebrated.
The broader meaning is:
“Can I follow the artistic and cultural path that these great people have shown?”
The busy city section
“Paduguru parugu teesindi patnam”
The city is pictured as a place where everyone is constantly running.
Not literally running on the streets, but:
people are rushing through life.
“Brathukutho veyyi pandem”
This compares everyday life to a thousand races/competitions.
People are competing with:
- time
- work
- money
- responsibilities
- ambitions
- circumstances
The city becomes a giant race.
“Kadaku cherali gamyam”
Meaning:
“We must eventually reach our destination.”
Despite all the rushing and competition, everyone has somewhere they want to go.
This gives the song a philosophical dimension:
Life is a race, but everyone is searching for a destination.
“Okaritho okariki mukhaparichayamulu dorakani…”
Meaning:
“There are moments when people don't even get the chance to know each other's faces.”
This describes a huge metropolitan city.
Millions of people can live and work around each other while remaining strangers.
“Busy busy brathukula, gajibiji urukula parugulalo”
Meaning:
“Amid busy lives and chaotic rushing around…”
This is a vivid description of urban Kolkata.
The words themselves create the feeling of:
traffic + crowds + noise + movement + urgency.
The song isn't presenting the city's busyness entirely negatively.
Instead, it's showing the energy and vitality of metropolitan life.
Bengali culture and Telugu connection
“Bengali kokila bala, Teluginti kodalu pilla…”
This brings together Bengali and Telugu cultural identities.
“Kokila” means cuckoo, traditionally associated with a beautiful singing voice.
So a Bengali woman is poetically compared to a singing cuckoo.
Then she becomes:
“a daughter-in-law of a Telugu home.”
This symbolizes cultural integration and family bonds between Bengal and Telugu culture.
“Maalini, Sarojini”
The lyric invokes feminine names associated with the cultural imagery of the song.
Sarojini can evoke the famous Indian poet Sarojini Naidu, although the exact poetic reference in this lyric is broader and should not necessarily be read as a direct biographical claim.
The overall imagery celebrates women, poetry and cultural beauty.
“Rojantha Suryudi kinda, raathantha Rajanigandha…”
Meaning:
“Let the days pass under the sun, and the nights like fragrant Rajnigandha flowers.”
Rajnigandha is a fragrant flowering plant, often associated poetically with night fragrance.
So the lyric contrasts:
Day → sunlight
Night → fragrance
It's a beautiful poetic description of life continuing around the clock.
“Paduguru premaleni lokam”
Meaning:
“A world without people's love…”
The singer asks us to recognize the importance of human affection and connection in an enormous city.
A city can have millions of people but still feel emotionally lonely.
The song therefore contrasts:
crowds everywhere
with
genuine human connection.
“Devatha marku maikam”
This suggests a kind of divine intoxication/enchantment.
The city is portrayed as having an almost magical quality.
It isn't just buildings and streets—the cultural atmosphere itself can feel intoxicating.
“Sharannavala abhishekam”
This is highly poetic Sanskritized Telugu.
It evokes the imagery of autumn/newness, beauty and ceremonial abundance.
The song is asking the listener to experience Kolkata almost like a cultural festival or sacred celebration.
“Kathalaku nelavata”
Meaning:
“A home/abode for stories.”
Kolkata is portrayed as a city full of stories—historical, literary and personal.
“Kalalaku koluvata”
“A place where arts/creative dreams have their seat.”
This celebrates Kolkata's artistic identity.
“Tithulaku selavata”
A poetic play on dates, festivals and the passage of time.
“Athidula godavata”
“A place full of guests and their bustle.”
Together, these lines paint Kolkata as a city overflowing with:
stories + art + celebrations + people.
“Kalakata nagarapu kitakita lo”
This is another sound-rich phrase.
It conveys the hustle, bustle and lively noise of Kolkata.
The repetition of sounds makes you almost hear:
traffic, people, conversations, activity and city life.
“Vande Mataram” section
“Vande Matarame anna Vanga bhuthalame minna”
This refers to Vande Mataram, a hugely important patriotic song in India's freedom movement, and to Vanga/Bengal.
The singer praises Bengal as a land that gave India important cultural and patriotic inspiration.
Meaning:
“This is the great land of Bengal that gave voice to Vande Mataram.”
“Jaatike geethiraa”
Meaning:
“A song for the nation.”
Again, the focus is on Bengal's contribution to Indian national consciousness.
“Mathangi Kaali Nilaya”
This refers to Kali, particularly the strong association of Goddess Kali with Bengal and Kolkata.
Kolkata's famous Kalighat/Kali tradition is one of the city's major spiritual and cultural identities.
The lyric therefore moves from nationalism to spirituality.
“Chowrangi rangula duniya”
Chowringhee/Chowrangi is a famous area of Kolkata.
“Rangula duniya” means:
“a colorful world.”
So Kolkata is presented as a city full of:
- colors
- cultures
- people
- commerce
- art
- history
“Satyajit Ray”
The line invokes Satyajit Ray, one of India's most internationally acclaimed filmmakers.
This represents cinema and storytelling.
Kolkata/Bengal's contribution to Indian cinema is being celebrated.
“S.D. Burman”
This refers to S. D. Burman, the legendary Indian music composer and singer.
His inclusion represents Indian film music and musical heritage.
“Teresa”
This refers to Mother Teresa, whose humanitarian work is strongly associated with Kolkata.
She represents:
compassion + service + humanity.
So notice the progression:
Netaji → national history
Tagore → literature
Tyagaraja → classical music
Satyajit Ray → cinema
S. D. Burman → popular music
Mother Teresa → humanitarian service
The song is effectively creating a cultural portrait of Kolkata through famous people.
“Janagana manamula…”
This section is especially poetic.
It evokes:
- Jana = people
- Gana = song
- Manam = hearts/minds
- Swaram = musical notes
- Laya = rhythm
- Shruti = musical pitch
Meaning:
The singer wants to hear the rhythm and musical notes of people's hearts.
In other words:
“Come and listen to the music that lives in the hearts of the people.”
This is a beautiful way of saying that a city's true culture isn't only found in monuments.
It exists in its people, voices, emotions and everyday life.
“Priya suka pika mukha suka ravalulatho”
This uses poetic bird imagery.
Suka and pika refer to birds traditionally associated with sweet sounds/singing.
The idea is:
“Let the sweet voices and melodies of these people/birds fill the atmosphere.”
Again, Kolkata is being imagined almost like a giant musical composition.
What the entire song is really saying
The song isn't simply describing tourist attractions.
It presents Kolkata as a living cultural organism.
It combines:
🏛️ History
Netaji, Bengal's role in India's freedom movement.
📖 Literature
Tagore and Gitanjali.
🎵 Music
Tyagaraja, S. D. Burman and musical imagery.
🎬 Cinema
Satyajit Ray.
🙏 Spirituality
Goddess Kali and devotional imagery.
❤️ Humanity
Mother Teresa.
🌉 Geography
Hooghly River and Howrah Bridge.
🏙️ Modern city life
Crowds, traffic, rushing people and busy lives.
🤝 Cultural unity
Bengali culture being expressed through the Telugu language.
The deeper emotional meaning
The most beautiful aspect is that the singer is not from Kolkata merely looking at the city from outside.
The singer is saying, essentially:
“I am Telugu, but I can still feel and celebrate the soul of Bengal.”
That makes the song a celebration of Indian cultural unity.
Bengal has its own language, music, literature and history. Telugu culture has its own traditions too. But music, art, poetry, spirituality and human emotion can cross those linguistic boundaries.
Simple English meaning
If I translate the meaning rather than the literal wording, the whole song says:
“O magnificent Kolkata, city of the Hooghly and Howrah Bridge, you are a place filled with history, music, literature and art. You are connected with great personalities such as Netaji, Tagore, Satyajit Ray, S. D. Burman and Mother Teresa. Your streets are crowded and your people are constantly rushing through their busy lives, sometimes without even knowing one another. Yet beneath all that noise and chaos lives a beautiful cultural soul. You are the land of Vande Mataram, the home of Kali, a place of poetry, cinema, music, spirituality and human compassion. Even though I sing in Telugu, I can celebrate your Bengali spirit, because India's cultures belong to all of us. Come, let us listen to the rhythm in the hearts of your people.”
❤️ One-line essence
“Kolkata is portrayed as a beautiful meeting point of history, literature, music, spirituality, art and humanity—seen through the loving eyes of a Telugu poet.”
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