"If it is true that liberal education should "liberate" by demonstrating the cultural values and norms foreign to us, by revealing the relativity of our own values, then the "discovery" and enjoyment of Tamil literature, and even its teaching should find its place in the systems of Western training and instruction in the humanities." - Kamil Zvelebil in his book, The Smile of Murugan , The Tamil literature of South India
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Wax ablaze
Ainkurunooru 32 sung by poet Orampokiyaar in marutham thinai. (click to read about it).
The poem depicts the words of the heroine to her friend while the messengers also were listening. They had come requesting permission for the hero to come to the heroine's house.
The poem depicts the words of the heroine to her friend while the messengers also were listening. They had come requesting permission for the hero to come to the heroine's house.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
All in bloom, wedded life blossom
The town is all in blooms. Farmers reap the harvest. Its time for marriage, and I wish his wedded life flourish.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Sentinel of rainy hills
Ainkurunooru 206
Sung by poet Kapilar, depicted as the words spoken by the thozhi (heroine's friend) to the
thalaivi (heroine). It is a Kurinji thinai (click to know more about this) song.
thalaivi (heroine). It is a Kurinji thinai (click to know more about this) song.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Lasting bond
She desires not an acquaintance but an everlasting bond. Such is her love, so pure and true. Blue flowers might look like water lilies, but can't be the same.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
So be gold
We wish the land to prosper and abound in wealth. And for the way you behave, we just wish you and your friend stay safe and sound.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Rain clouds hover
Ainkurunooru 207, Sung by poet Kapilar
Kurinji thinai poem as spoken by the friend to the thalaivi (heroine).
"annAi vAzhi vEndu annai nandrum
unangala kollO ninthinaiyE uvakkAn
ninam podhi vazhukkin thOndrum
mazhaithalai vaiththa avarmani nedungkundrE"
Kurinji thinai poem as spoken by the friend to the thalaivi (heroine).
"annAi vAzhi vEndu annai nandrum
unangala kollO ninthinaiyE uvakkAn
ninam podhi vazhukkin thOndrum
mazhaithalai vaiththa avarmani nedungkundrE"
Poem meaning: Long live my mother! Please Listen! Your millet fields will not dry up. Look at the rain clouds over his(thalaivan's) beautiful high hills, like fat covering fatty meat!
Description: The heroine usually meets the hero in secrecy while she goes to guard her millet crops. This is the typical subject of the kurinji thinai poems. Now she is worried that the crops won't grow and the fields would go dry due to lack of rain. In that case she won't be able to meet her beloved. The heroine's friend(thozhi) points to the rain clouds hovering over the hero's mountains and consoles the heroine that it would rain and her millet field won't go dry. The friend just shows the rain clouds and says the millet field won't go dry. She implies that the heroine would be able to meet the hero. Her words give hope to the heroine. It was usual to call a friend as 'mother' out of affection.
Word meanings: annAi - mother, vAzhi - long live, vEndu - request, annai - mother, nandrum - it's good, unangala kollO - will not go barren/dry, nin thinayE - your millet field, uvakkAn - look there, ninam - fat, podhi - studded, vazhukkin - meat, thOndrum - appears, mazhai - mazhaithalai vaiththu - covered with rain clouds, avar maninedungkundrE - his beautiful high hills
My English Version:
"Long live mother! Please listen!
Your millet fields won't go barren;
Look there! Like fat covering fatty meat
Rain clouds hover his beautiful summit!"
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Crab's long eyes
Ainkurunooru 30 Sung by poet Orampogiyar.
It is a marutham thinai song depicting the words spoken by the heroine's friend to the foster mother.
Neem blooms and its the wedding season. Arrange for the wedding for the groom is going to come.
It is a marutham thinai song depicting the words spoken by the heroine's friend to the foster mother.
Neem blooms and its the wedding season. Arrange for the wedding for the groom is going to come.
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