Silappadhikaram - XII

Literary Appreciation

12

Kannagi was a traditional family girl from a rich business community.

She was of the age of twelve years at the time of her marriage to Kovalan

She was a happy girl with traditional Tamilian qualities, as we 

narrated in our earlier chapter, viz.,achcham, madam, naanam

and payirpu - fear, innocence, shy and disgust respectively.
 

For a traditional chaste family girl, her chastity is her prime importance

For which she sacrifices her everything including her life.

A good husband, family, society and the rulers  honored

her chastity and helped her in protecting it.
 

Next priority for her is her husband - his longevity of life,

welfare and his happiness and satisfaction.

Kannagi never questioned Kovalan leaving her and

living with Madhavi. She might have thought, the happiness

that she was not able to provide, let him get from other woman,

a prostitute. This is high profile character of Kannagi, which we

can not expect from other women.

For this quality of Kannagi, Kovalan repented after returning

to her from Madhavi. In his absence, she remained in his house
and took care of his old parents performing all the responsibilities 
and charity. She never complained to anybody including her parents.


But, when the husband was in trouble , his honor or life 
was threatened, they shed all their basic qualities and without
any shy or fear, went to fight for justice. This was the case
with Kannagi. When Kovalan was slain on false charges
of thieving the Queens anklet, Kannagi went to establish
the innocence Kovalan and established the justice.

The third priority for the woman is her children.

For their welfare, well-being and future, she toils, takes 

and bears any hardship in life. We may not be able to discuss

this aspect, as Kannagi had no children.  In the making of a goddess,

it is usual practice to project the woman without any children.


All these qualities and character go to make Kannagi
a personality deserving honor and worship.
But Fate played its hard role as she never enjoyed enduring
happiness in her married life. With early marriage at the age
of twelve and short span of married life , she became
a teen age widow.

No doubt, even to-day we have seen such women personalities,
for whom God showers mercy and rain on earth,
also, creates huge calamities for the injustice to them.
*****

Silappadhikaram - XI

Silappadhikaram

11

Literary Appreciation

Silappadhikaram is an Epic.

It is the first Tamil Epic, Mudhanmai  Kappium, as it is called.

Though all the three Tamil Kings, Chera, Chola and Pandiyan, 

are involved, it is not the story of a king.

It is the story of a common woman, Kannagi.

We have seen how the author, Ilango Adigal has beautifully

narrated the story in poetic-prose style,

And dedicated at the feet of Tamil Language as the Anklet.

A dedicated and sincere effort by the god- gifted author

with command over the language, knowledge and the content.

Wonderful monolithic embodiment of the story

with beautiful and sharp portrayal of the characters.

For the common man though structurally hard with granite- like 
vocabulary, the composition is with temple-like divinity. 

When we name Silappadhikaram, the foremost thought that comes
to our mind is Kannagi, the heroine of the Epic and her fragrant
chastity.  If we compare a lady to a flower , the beauty of the flower
is her essential outer attractive look and the fragrance of the flower is
her character, primarily her chastity, which she safeguards
and dedicates to her husband at their meeting in their first night.

She then remains dedicated to him life-long, maintains
her fidelity and remains chaste by body, mind and thoughts.
People then honored chaste women and offered the status
of divinity, why divinity, the various gods carried out
the orders of chaste women.

The great Tamil saint-poet, Thiruvalluvar says,
Pennin  perunthakka  yaula  karpennum
Thinmai  undaga  perin.
meaning
There is nothing bigger in the world than the woman with
strong conviction to chastity 
And
Deivam  thozhaal  kozhunan  thozhuthu  ezhuvaal
Peiyena  peyyum  mazhai.
meaning
If a woman with godly devotion and dedication to her husband
calls for rain, it will readily shower.

People believe in other parts of South India also that the chastity of
a woman saves the life of her husband.  In Kerala the fishermen
believe that they are safe in any rough sea till their women 
remain chaste on the shore.  This was the idea in the famous 
Malayalam story, Chemmeen by Tagazhi Sivashankaran Pillai.
Belief is based on experience, may not have any scientific basis.
Why then chaste Kannagi lost her husband in young age ?
The author, Ilango Adigal, conveniently calls it as fate,
yes, everything beyond our logic or comprehension is fate.

If married to a person the chaste women remained faithful 
to him for ever, as the Tamil saying stands,
Kal  aanalum  purushan,  pul  aanalum  purushan
Stone or grass, he is my husband.
Chastity is the purity of the character by body, mind 
and thoughts - one man, one woman ideology.
Even in adversity this was the litmus test - fire test of Sita 
as in the case of Ramayan.

Even with prevailing practice of polygamy, polyandry and
prostitution in vogue then,  chastity and chaste women were
given utmost respect. People considered such  women were having
extraordinary powers even to control the nature and 
command over gods.  They worshiped such women as deities
constructing exclusive temples for them.
Kannagi was one among them.

Though her name was revered with honor, why people 
are not preferring to name their children as Kannagi ?
Is it because of her sustained sufferings in married life ?
Or that she had become a widow in young age ?

Instead why they prefer to name as Madhavi, 
a women from the traditional family of prostitutes, called 
parathiyar or devadasis ?
*****
                                                                                              ......  12

Oh, Butterfly !

Oh, colorful  butterfly !

The  world  is a  beautiful  garden

The  garden  full  of  variety  of  flowers

The  beautiful  flowers  full  of  nectar 

Ready  to  give  to  you  for  ever

Extend  your spiral  proboscis

To  suck  the  sweet  elixir

Without  any  reservation !

Oh, tiny  hummingbird !

Come,  reciting  a  melody
In  the  fragrant  flower

Poke  your  long  hard  bill

Flying  but  remaining  still

How  do  it   taste  the  nectar

From  various  sector ?

Play  the  game  you  want

No restrictions

Enjoy  the  way  you  want.

Oh, blooming  creeper  
Happily  spreading  over  the tree
Have  you  taken  the  permission
From  the  grooming  gardener ?
Oh,  perennial  flowing  river
In  a  hurry  to  meet  the  vast  sea
Has  the  kind  creator  laid
And  shown  you  the  path  of  flow ?


Oh,  The  shy  cuckoo !
Musical  invitation  to  your  mate ?
Music,  from  whom  you  have  studied ?
Have  you  taught  the  music  to  someone?
Good,  let  our  desires  fulfilled
And  get  the  things  as we  want.  

*****

Breeze & Storm

The Harp
The  slow  soft  breeze

Reciting  the  melody  of  love

Playing  the   beautiful  harp  

With  young  coconut  leaves,

When  it  turns  into

A  mighty  storm

Uproot  the  tall  

Coconut  tree.


The  calm  flow  of  Ganga
Smooth  sailing  of  the  boat,
When  it  turns  into  
Turbulent  flood
Capsize  the  boat.


In  the  high  velocity  storm, 
Excessive  flowing  flood,
Threatening  thunder,
And  blinding  lightning,
Staying  in  the  shore
May  save  the  life.


Whether  it  is  
Rain  or  storm
Cyclone  or  tsunami
We  will  dive  deep  
For  the  pearl  in  ocean,
The  silvery  moon
And  the  twinkling  stars
Flashing  the  beacon.


Impatient  evening
Clear  morning
Your  words  of  love
Bringing  the  happiness
Your  creation  by  the  Lord
A  beautiful  blessing


With  your  beautiful  feet
Womanhood  taking
The  dancing  steps,
Shy  breeze
Swaying  the  swing
  Soft  and  slow
Harmony  and  rhythm. 
*****

Kashmir ki Kali

The Gardens, Nishant and Shalimar, 

were full of fruits and flowers,

Lasting beauty and taste more,

As the tall fountains shower.

 

The deep Lake Dal !

Reflection of Moon in water, flakes of snow fall,

Reciting Rumi in gliding shikara, Oh her dazling jameel !

In my hands, she was the heavenly Angel !

Her beauty and smile, oh Mahrni Kangri !

Hey Kashmir, Jannat-E-Nazir,

Yes, It is Heaven on Earth !

Himalyan Swiss ! Blooming love and no dearth.

 

Hey Kashmir ! Sartaj Gulistaan !

With fertile Valley and snowy Mountain !

A land of harmony, we hail !

Hope lasting peace and tranquility, as we sail.

 

Hey Kashmiran ! 

Mere Pyari Mehran !

Ho gayi sharmilee ye darpan ! 

Khoobsurati tumhara aur ye Phiraan !

Tere gaal sa lal Sev, 

Neeli aankhen sa phool Zafaraan,

Pashmina aur Resham, 

saath tere liya ye mera Dil ka sara Pyaar arpan.

*****

Music & Dance

for the melodious music of love I compose 

your performing dance in rhythmic steps

like floating fragrant blooming beautiful rose

inviting seductive smiling sensuous pose.

reciting your body neural veena strings

coming out reverberating divine melodies

beating heart experiencing pleasure and mirth

heaven with all happiness descended on earth

exploding emotions

in the fiery heart volcano

emanating fountain of passion

quenching each in others possession.

swaying mangoes hanging

for him to taste in the evening

plantain leaf spread gracious

to serve him variety of delicacies

juicy split jack fruit ready for dinner

funny love game, loser is the winner !
*****

Silappadhikaram - X

Silappadhikaram

(Literary Appreciation)

10

Towering Inferno

Burning Madurai City

Kannagi established the justice in the Court of Pandian Neduncheziyan.

She proved in front of the Court that her husband, Kovalan is an innocent

and not a thief. Understanding the truth and injustice caused to them,

the King and the Queen die immediately.

With this the burning anger of Kannagi is not quenched.

She goes to the Cathedral of Madurai city.

She calls the noble men, chaste women, learned, Brahamins and

other virtuous people of the city and with anger ask them,

" Is it the justice you people have done to me ? you were

mute witness for this."

She called the gods, they were standing in front of her 

and shivering with fear.

Yes, for the chaste women, even Gods fear and it is said they

carry out their orders.

In the fit of anger, with right hand she tore her left breast

and flung it with the curse and order to the fire god to burn

the City of Madurai, sparing the children, old and good lives.
Orders of Kannagi were carried out by the Fire God.
Towering Inferno in the City of Madurai and destruction..

Though her anger quenched, with overwhelming sorrow
she walks ...walks.....directionless, keeps on walking
without any food or water. She ultimately reaches
the hilly forest region of Chera Kingdom. The place is known
as Kodungalur. She remains there for 15 days without any food
or water under a vengai tree.

Then, resurrected Kovalan, her husband descends from
the heaven along with deities in a pushpak viman and take Kannagi
along with him and goes back to heaven.
This is in the ultimate process of making a chaste woman
a Goddess. Why not ?

With this, the author, Ilango Adigal closes his pen and hands over to
Sithalai Sattanar to take up the story of Manimekhalai,
Madhavi's daughter.
*****

Person Without a Care

Fiddle

I know people who envy the man

Who never complains
Who never gets mad
Who always seem so happy that
Nothing can get him down

They say when a man keeps his feelings inside
And puts on a show with his smile so wide
That everyone thinks he has nothing to hide
He should see

That it's hard to be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
It's hard to be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care

When I Iove my girl and she loves me
We have everything like we want it to be
And as long as we're so happy
Nothing can get me down

Yes, I'll always be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
I'll always be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care

[Interlude]

People envy our lives and they know us well
We have hangups, but no one can tell
It may be corny, but I hear wedding bells

And I know I'll be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
I know I'll be a happy-go-lucky
Person without a care
Person without a care
Person without a care

- By The Turtles, Album: Happy Together

Lotus

Shining silvery moon in the sky

Clean clear water in the pond

Crystalline sand on the bank

Blooming beauty of the lotus in the night

Seeking youthful princely pleasure 

Kohled eyes carried the message 

And expectations fixed on the passage

Hearing his leisurely foot steps

With pleasure, heart missing a beat

Wasting no time, the live statue of gold

Gasping, she was within his strong hold

Heaven, your creation, Oh my God !

*****

my sojourn in heaven

Heaven guarded by Unicorns

For long, I wanted to visit a place and write.

People are yet to see but in long queue they wait.

Those who seen the place, have not returned.

 Who returned, have not seen the place.

A few years back, after an accident, I reached the gate,

But swiftly sent back, as it was not yet my time!

But, I was familiar with the beaten Spider-web like track

And the swirling tunnels leading to the place.

All those blessed and sinners like the terminus,

But reluctant to complete their journey and land.

By this time, all might have guessed,

It is the place, most desired Heaven.

I set out for the expedition,

Wearing the suit for heaven.

I was anxious and happy,

Advancing every step in thy name.

Reached the Castle-like Heaven and neared the gate,
Strange and strong Unicorns guarding the place.
As they are aware of me earlier,
Permitted me to visit, with their mood merrier. 

Opened the Golden doors and entered the Heaven!

Oh! My Goddess! Yes, she was there!

 Fuming incense spreading the Divine fragrance,

In slowly blowing wind flowing her dark cloudy hair.

Full-moony face shining bright at the altar, 

Twinkling starry eyes showering love from her,
Lightning and sparkling smile inviting me to her,

Is she the Lady Divine in Heaven?!

Hungry for long and with deep desire,

Saw the fruits in variety with her.

Liked the red cherries with oozing nectar!

Sumptuously ate and drank sitting near.

With mind in happy and pleasant state,

Went round the hills and reached the cliffs.

Oh! shaky, is it the earth-tremor?

Maintaining balance slowly moved down.

The valley, the calm and pleasure sector!

Resting there peacefully, played my violin in Vector.

Started with happy and pleasant mood,
and finely touched the higher notes!

Wonderful! She like spirited cobra twisting
and dancing in sweet pains!

I went on and on with melodies. 

And she! 

Is it cosmic dance with eternal bliss?!

*

Like the moving of waves in the ocean.

Aha! What is it that is nearing me?

Is it engulfing peak wave and huge Tsunami?

Lost the control and conscious, and slept.

Pleased with my devotion, she blessed.

Opening my eyes, I saw her beautifully sitting near me,

 'whether your dream was sweet', with shy and smile asking me.

After morning bath, the wet towel wrapped on her hair,

She has come fair and fresh for my care.

It was a beautiful and overwhelming sensation!

 I landed on her lap and she, 'Oh my dear, have hot coffee'.

From her a sweet kiss with Himalayan honey, bonus as toffee.
*

Yes, though the hearts are two,

 Let the beats be one.
*

Plant the kiss on the cheeks of your dear,

 The heaven is on the earth and very near!
In short and simple, Love is Divine!
And Our happy homes are Heaven!
Am I right?

It is about my sweet sojourn in Heaven!

And happy Experience of Elysium

------

*****