From Sangam Literature to Vadivelu Comedy!

Two months ago I watched ‘Muniyandi Vilangiyal Moondramaandu’ movie. Though it was a crap movie, some thing really interested me. There comes a scene where Heroine who is deeply in love with Hero, is mistaken for being possesed by spirits and the parents invite priest here for the comedy element Vadivelu.

This made me edit two of my old posts to accomodate this video since it makes better connection with readers if they read a poem and can relate to something they see.

Having seen this video, let me narrate a similar situation in the Sangam period which was 2000 years earlier. 

Talaivi(heroine) is in love with Talaivan. But unfortunately they are not able to meet any more. The Talaivi becomes pale and sick. This love sickness can be cured only with the embraces of her lover or physical contact with the lover(Unbearable passion). But this not known to any one other then Panki(her friend). The mother usually spots this sickness but dosent know the cause. She invites soothsaying women who finds the cause for the sickness. More often these women are no good and say Murugan has possesed the young girl. Then Velan(Velan is not Murugan – rather he is priest of Murugan in sangam Literature) arrives and sacrifices animals and tries to cure the young girl. Either the young girl or her friend mock/make fun of the priest/parents/god. There are many peoms based on this motif in Sangam poems.For more details on this theme you can read my previous post on Love sickness https://karkanirka.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/lovesickness/

I am just quoting one poem here on this motif , for all other poems see my pervious blog.

 

22.

அணங்குடை நெடுவரை உச்சியின் இழிதரும்

கணம்கொள் அருவிக் கான்கெழு நாடன்

மணம்கமழ் வியன்மார்பு அணங்கிய செல்லல்

இதுஎன அறியா மறுவரற் பொழுதில்

‘படியோர்த் தேய்த்த பல்புகழ்த் தடக்கை

நெடுவேட் பேண தணிகுவள் இவள்’ என,

முதுவாய்ப் பெண்டிர் அதுவாய் கூற,

களம் நன்கு இழைத்துக் கண்ணி சூட்டி,

வளநகர் சிலம்பப் பாடிப் பலி கொடுத்து,

உருவச் செந்தினை குருதியொடு தூஉய்,

முருகுஆற்றுப் படுத்த உருகெழு நடுநாள்,

ஆரம் நாற, அருவிடர்த் ததைந்த

சாரல் பல்பூ வண்டுபடச் சூடி,

களிற்று – இரை தெரீஇய பார்வல் ஒதுக்கின்

ஒளித்து இயங்கும் மரபின் வயப்புலி போல,

நல்மனை, நெடுநகர்க் காவலர் அறியாமை

தன்நசை உள்ளத்து நம்நசை வாய்ப்ப,

இன்உயிர் குழைய முயங்குதொறும் மெய்ம்மலிந்து,

நக்கனென் அல்லெனோ யானே – எய்த்த

நோய்தணி காதலர் வர, ஈண்டு 

ஏதில் வேலற்கு உலந்தமை கண்டே?

Akanaanuru 22

With his broad,sweet smelling chest,

the man from mountains

where massed waterfalls drop from high,demon-infested summit

“If we worship the long speared god

whose mighty hands are famed

for crushing all who do not bow to him,

she will recover,”

women who know the ancient arts said

as if it were the truth.

They arranged the place of worship,

garlanded the spear,

sang so the town resounded,

offered sacrifice,

spread lovely millet and blood,

and worshiped Murugan.

On the same fearful midnight,

my lover came fragrant with sandal paste,

wearing flowers swarming bees

that had blossomed thickly in remote mountain cave,

eluding the guards of the tall house like a strong tiger

that moves hidden,

its stealthy gaze searching for an elephant to kill.

His heart filled with desire,he did everything I wanted,

and each time he embraced me,

making my sweet life melt,

my whole body filled with laughter

as I thought

that while it was my lover who had come

to cure the pain he had caused,

they would say

the cure was from useless priest of Murugan.

Poet:Veripaatiya Kaamakkanniyar- A women poet.

Translated by George L Hart

This theme can be found in lot of Tamil movies, most of the times to fill in a song or some times for comedy.  Still it is very interesting to find such theme in oldest literature of Tamil as well as 2008 Tamil movie. 

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