Historical Thirumurugan Poondi

Its been a long time since there was a post about temples. Recently I had a chance to visit one of the ancient treasures we have. The temple is Muruganathaswamy Temple at Thirumurugan Poondi. The temple dates back to around 2000 years. It is said that the temple was built by a Chera King and was popular those days. This temple is where Lord Muruga worshipped Lord Shiva and hence the name Thirumurugan Poondi. The main deity is Lord Shiva in the name Muruganathaswamy, and Goddess Parvathi in the name Muyangupoon Mulaiyammai. Lord Muruga, is also a prime deity in this temple. The speciality of the Murugan sculpture is that it has six faces carved in a single stone and is so beautifully done. There is also a legend that Sundaramoorthy Nayanar was plundered of the things he had with him. The temple is located at about 5 Kms from Avinashi on the way to Tiruppur. The temple has a lot of inscriptions carved along the walls. One inscription read Rajendra Devar which mean King Rajendra Cholan has also donated many things to maintenance and renovation of this temple.

The mandapam at the entrance of the Temple

The corridor in front of the temple

The Nandi on top of the Kanaga Sabai Mandapam

The Vimanam of the Murugan Temple

Another view of the Vimanam of the Murugan Temple

Another view of the Murugan Temple Vimanam

Gopinath and Sathiyaraj in lateral side of the Vimanam

Gopinath and me in lateral side of the Vimanam

Another angle of the Murugan Temple Vimanam

The Vimanamam of The Lord Shiva (Muruganathaswamy)

Another view of the Vimanam of the main deity

A close-up view of the main Vimanam

Inscriptions on the walls

A close-up view of the sculptures on the walls

A devotee falling at the feet of the Shivalingam

Another view from inside the temple

The temple vimana from the south side, with Lord Dakshinamoorthy

The main temple vimanam from behind

Another view of the temple vimanam

The Vedu Pari

The Vedu Pari

The Vimanam of the Amman temple

The Madappalli, where offerings are prepared

The main vimanam from the North

Three Vimanam in a single shot

The main Vimanam and the Amman Temple Vimanam

The side view of the Amman Temple Vimanam

The Nandhi Well

Entrance to the Nandhi well

The corridor in front of the temple

Another view of the corridor

The Kodi Maram

The Temple Madhil (Outer wall)

The temple Theertham (Well)

View inside the temple Well

Gopinath and Sathiyaraj in front of the temple Madhil

Lush green lawn around the Temple

The view of the temple from outside the Madhil

A well that is the outer Prakaram

Outside view of the well

The temple is a archaeological wonder that stands to this day. The temple is now maintained by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) and is declared as a National Heritage Monument.

More to come, until then...

Priceless Padhartha Guna Chinthamani

The famous "Paati Vaidhiyam" (Grandma's medication), used to cure some minor ailments, is being followed in some homes even today. The practice of Paati Vaidhiyam has been passed on for generations that people are able to understand the problem of an ailment or disease and are able to diagnose and cure it correctly. They are able to do it because, they knew the characteristics of the diseases and, most importantly, the characteristics of the medicines that were used to cure them. Medicines in the sense, are nothing but herbs and other eatables that are used in the day to day life.

These substances with medicinal value are not only used on the incidence of an ailment, rather it was used regularly that prevented the incidence of that ailment, leading to a healthy and properous lives. Nowadays, only some homes are gifted with the people with the knowledge of Paati Vaidhiyam, but the rest are not, because there is no one to tell the medicinal characteristics of the things that we used and consume in our day to day life. And such treasures get lost from that generation onwards and once lost it is lost forever. Only a few people take some effort to make a note of these so that it get propagated into the future. The advantage of Paati Vaidhiyam is that it diagnoses and cures the ailment perfectly and without any side-effects

Our siddhars have took the pains to analyse the cause and treatment of the diseases and they have mentioned preparations to cure many diseases completely without any side-effects. The classification of the diseases and the treatment itself forms a great reference in the field of Medicine. Not all such references can be used by the common man, because it requires some background in medicine. However, there is one such great reference that can be used even by the common man. It is a rare treasure named "Padhartha Guna Chintamani" (Padhartham - Eatables, Gunam - Characteristic, Chintamani - The one that bestows all good things). It is one comprehensive reference that explains the medical characteristics about the food items and the utensils used to prepare those food items. It explains the medical characteristics of over 1000 items. The author of this masterpiece is a Siddhar named, Theraiyar. Theraiyar is the disciple and student of Agathiar. He is also known to be best student and has written many medical texts of which some perished and some remain.

Many legends exist about Theraiyar, let us see a few of them. The name Theraiyar is because when King of country had a severe chronic pain in his head, he treated it by opening the king's skull and removing the small toad from the King's head. Therai means Toad in Tamil. As he removed the toad from the King's head he is named after that Theraiyar It is also said that Avaiyar met Agathiar and asked him to take Theraiyar as his student. Theraiyar was the most illustrious student of Agathiar, that there is a legend that he turned a mountain into gold using herbs and got the praise of Agathiar.

Theraiyar's work, the Padhartha Guna Chintamani, is one of the masterpieces that exist even today. It is great collection and a central reference about the medical characteristics of the things that humans normally consume in their day to day life and the ones that are not normally consumed. It describes the characteristics of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. It not only describes about the items that are eaten. It also describes the characteristics of the utensils used to prepare and serve the items consumed, for example, the medicinal characteristics of stone utensils used to prepare food or medicines is described.

Let us see some of the songs from that text. I have tried to give exact meanings for these songs, but in some cases, due to the medical nature, I have tried to give approximately correct meanings. The following song describes about the various parts of the plantain tree.



"Narrkadhali Andham Anall Nalgum Thando Kudalil
Sikkum Mayir Thol Nanjum Theerthidumkaan Thokkuru Poo
Megam Ozhikkum Pinjaal Venkaduppu Yaegum Kaayaal
Dhegam Muzhukka Kaalam Thaer"

meaning, the tuber of the plantain increases the body's internal heat, the stem cures ailments in the stomach and intestines, the flower cures skin disorders, the tender fruit cures ailments due to increase in body heat. Unripe fruit cause Vaadham (The proportion of air that exists in the human body) to accumulate causing bodyaches etc.

The following songs illustrates the properties of ginger



"Injikilangukku Irumal Aiyam Okkaalam
vanjikkum Sanni Juram Vann Baedhi Vinjukindra
Soolai Arum Vaadham Pom Thoondadha Theebanamaam
Velaiarum Kannaai Vilambu"

meaning, the ginger cures the following Cough, Cold, Dense Phlegm in the chest. Delirious fever, Diarrhoea, Skin disease, Vaadham. It also makes one feel more hungry

The book even tells the properties of the various types boiled water. Water that is 100% boiled, 75%, 50% and 25% boiled. The following songs explain those



"Nenjerrippu Netrivali Neengaa Puliyaeppam
Vanjamura Vandha Vayitri Noi Vinjiyae
Veezhamal Kattodu Veppirumal Suttaneer
Azhaakku Uttkolla Arum"

meaning burning sensation in the chest due to acidity, continuing sour belch, stomach ailments and dry cough will get cured when an Azhaakku - 1/8th of padi (A utensil used to measure liquid quantities) - of boiled hot water is taken.

This song tells the properties of water that is boiled 25% and 50%



"Kaalkooru Kaaineeraai Kaarigaiyae Piththampom
Maelkooru Paadhi Sutta Venniraal Maelkoorum
Vaadhamodu Piththampom Vaithu Oru Naal Sendru Unn
Urodham Pom Odi Olithu"

meaning, the water that is 25% boiled cures the (Piththam) body heat, and the water that is 50% boiled cures Vaadham and Piththam. If that water is taken a day after boiling then the diseases will run away and hide.

The next song is about the most hated of vegetables, but more medicinal in value, the Sundakkai. The Sundakkai is hated because of its bitter taste. But it is dried in the sun after soaking in curd to make the sundakkai vaththal, that is fried and eaten as such or to prepare a mouth watering kulambu variety called vaththal kulambu. The property of the Sundakkai is



"Nenjin Kabam Pom Niraikirumi Noiyum Pom
Vinju Vaadhathin Vilaivu Pom Vanjiyarae
Vaayai Kasapikkum Maamaliyil Ulla Sundai
Kaayai Suvaipaarukku Kaan"

meaning Sudakkai, that grows in the mountains and tastes bitter cures dense phlegm in the chest, Diseases caused by bacteria, the effects of Vaadham

The more amazing thing about Padhartha Guna Chintamani is that it not only explains the characteristics of the food items we eat, but it also explains the characteristics of the metal and stone utensils in which food and medicines are prepared. The following songs tell that



"Karungarrkal Vuthavuzhtham Kaanil Udalkku Inbaam
Nerukiratha Kall Dhosham Neekkum Orungu Vellai
Kall Marundho Veeramodu Kaaramum Ill Manjal Ammiyin
Marundho Noi Vilakka Enn"

meaning, black stones (Ammi, Aattukall) used to prepare food and medicine are really good for health. Red stones, cure ailments. White stones reduce the impact of spicyness and potence of the food. But the yellow stone has not medicinal value.



"Thengin Kudukkai Thigirithandha Paathirathaar
Nankiraa Punmarundhum Thanmarundhaam- Venkalathaal
Mai Yiruppaal Kattaikalaal Maarkombaal Paathirangal
Seiyyin Irandaam Patcham Seppu"

meaning, the shell of the coconut, the utensils of bamboo are good for storing medicines. But utensils out of bronze, iron, wood, horns of animals stand second to them.

Let us conclude digging further into this treasure with one last song about Vilaambalam. One great fruit with a hard shell, usually mixed with Khandsari Sugar (Vellam). The taste is really out of this world. The speciality of this fruit is that the lump of fruit inside has no contact with the outer shell. If shaken, we can hear the fruit lump rolling in. One mysterious information about this fruit is that elephants like this fruit very much and are able to absorb the fruit within without breaking the outer shell, mysterious it may sound, but it is the fact that I have heard about elephants and this fruit. The song goes like this



"Eppodhum Meikidhamaam Eelai Irumal Kabamum
Veppaarum Thaagamum Pom Meipasiyaam Ippuviyil
Endrakilum Kanimael Ichchai Vaithu Thinna Enni
Thindral Vilaankaniyai Thinn"

meaning, The Vilaambalam is always good for health. It cures severe cold, cough, dense phlegm, thirst during summer. It also induces digestion. If you intend and desire to eat any fruit on this earth, then eat this Vilambalam

The book is completely amazing, because the collection and classification of so many plants, vessels and meat of animals is a herculean one. And that too prepared hundreds of years ago, when the people in most countries at that time wouldn't have even imagined of such research. We should really admire and praise Theraiyar for such an invaluable text. This one text proves, how advanced the Tamil People were during those days. But the sad part of it is that masterpieces like this are slowly disappearing because our people really don't take care of it or are in the oblivion that these texts even exist. I hunted this book for nearly a year and finally got it in the bookfair held recently in our city. Books like these are not only a great medical reference, but they stand to add to our pride as Tamilians.

More to come, until then...

The Power of Curse

We would have see the Power of Aram in the previous posts of this blog, that is primarily the power to prove that truth always wins. There can be a remedy to the consequences caused by the power of Aram (Truth), but curse in most cases is not remediable. The person has to undergo the trials and tribulations of a curse. Curse can come by the way of the victim cursing the criminal/defaulter verbally and by the way of one's own action. The latter has more impact and bad effect than the former. We would have heard about the famous Curse of King Tutankhamun. Though that one is disputable if that is actually a curse or not, the ones that Thirumoolar says, in his masterpiece Thirumandhiram, definitely is. Especially the curse gotten by one's action of insulting or hurting his/her Guru, who showed the way to enlightenment and knowledge.

The curses Thirumoolar explains are songs so strong and potent, that we can realise why such acts carry with them such a strong and powerful curse. It does not need to be that the Guru will utter the curse, the act itself carries with it such a curse. Now let us see those songs that are really mind blowing and awe-inspiring. In fact the acts that we should not do or allow our younger generations to do.



"Ore Ezhuthu Ore Porul Unara Kooriya
Seer Ezhuthaalarai Sidhaiya Seppinor
Ooridai Sunanganaai Pirandhu Angorugam
Paaridai Kirumiyaai Pazhaguvar Mannilae"

meaning, The person who insults/hurts the heart of the Guru, who taught or gave the meaning and knowledge about the one lettered universal Mantra - OM - and the universal being - The Brahmam, by vituperating about the Guru will be born as a dog that wanders aimlessly in the country. And then as a parasite creatures for a Yugam in this earth.

Ore Ezhuthu - One letter, in this context, the Mantra OM
Ore Porul - One thing, in this context, The universal being
Unara - Realise
Kooriya - Explain, utter
Seer Ezhuthaalar - refer the Guru (Teacher)
Sidhaiya - Destroy, hurt badly
Seppinor - Utter
Ooridai - in the country, place
Sunganan - Dog
Pirandhu - Being born
Angu Ore Ugam - There for for Yugam
Paar - Earth
Kirumi - Bacteria, Parasitic Creatures
Pazhaguvar - get used to
Mannilae - In the soil or sand or earth

This really frightens most of us. The next one is even harsher, it goes like this



"Pathini Paththargal Thathuva Gnanigal
Siththam Kalanga Sidhaivugal Seidhavar
Aththamum Aaviyum Aandondril Maaindhidum
Sathiyam Eedhu Sadhanandhi Aanaiyae"

meaning, Those who hurt the feelings of the noble family persons and the persons considered as knowledgable nobles/divines making them worry, will have their wealth and their life wiped out within a year. And promising on Lord Shiva, it is the real truth.

Pathini Paththar - People who lead a noble family life
Thathuvam - Great Thought
Gnani - Wise man, Holy person
Siththam - Mind
Kalanga - Disturb
Sidhaivu - Destruction
Seidhavar - Person who does something
Aththam - Wealth
Aavi - Life, the soul
Aandu Ondru - One Year
Maandu - Die
Sathiyam - Truth
Sadhanandhi - other name for Lord Shiva
Aanai - Promise, rule

The next one song applies not only to a person but to a country, the king and his subjects




"Easan Adiyaar Idhayam Kalangida
Dhesamum Naadum Sirappum Azhidhidum
Vaasavan Peedamum Maamannar Peedamum
Naasamadhu Aagumae Nann Nandhi Aanaiyae"

meaning, if the minds of the devotees of Lord Shiva are hurt, then the country, its state and its fame will be destroyed completely. Even Lord Indran's throne and the thrones of the great emperors will be destroyed. These are the truths that could be promised on Lord Shiva.

Easan Adiyaar - Lord Shiva (Easan), Devotees (Adiyaar)
Idhayam - Heart
Kalangida - Disturb
Dhesamum - Country
Naadu - State, also refers to country and used synonymously with Dhesam
Sirappu - Fame, Popularity
Azhindhidum - Destroy
Vaasavan - Lord Indran
Peedam - Throne
Maamannar - Emperor
Naasam - Destruction
Aagum - Happen
Nann Nandhi - Divine Nandhi (Lord Shiva)

The next song is more stricter in a sense that it describes about what happens if one lies to his Guru.



"Sanmaarga Sarrguru Sannidhi Poivarin
Nanmaargamum Kundri Gnanamum Thangaadhu
Thonmaarga Maaya Thuraiyum Marandhittu
Panmaaragamum Kettu Panjamum Aamae"

meaning, if one utters a lie to the great guru who inculcated great virtues and righteousness, then his righteousness will decline, along with his knowledge. Also, he will forget the traditional values and virtues. Then all his ways for livelihood will get destroyed and will result in misery for life

Sanmaargam, Nanmaaragam - Virtue, Righteousness
Sarrguru - Great Guru
Sannidhi - Sanctum
Poi - Lie
Varin - coming
Kundri - decline
Thangaadhu - Negation Thangum which means staying or remaining
Thonmaarga - Traditional Virtues
Thurai - Area of study, department, etc
Marandhittu - Forgetting
Panmaargamum - Others ways of virtuous life and livelihood
Kettu - Spoil
Panjam - Misery, Famine

The songs that Thirumoolar has given us intimidates at the outset, but those songs are not to intimidate but to realise the fact the people who should be held in high regards should not be denigrated or insulted. If so, the result of such insult will automatically be attributed to the person insulting. Those consequences are really bad putting people in difficulty for a long period of time. And through songs like these, Thirumoolar inculcates righteousness that has to be followed in everyone's life. The songs are a forerunner to the realisations of truth, because those consequence puts the defaulter into an oblivion that he/she will not have a chance know the reason for the suffering. These righteousness are simple and easy to follow that keeps us out of trouble for ever.

More to come, until then...

Fabled Morals!!!

We have seen morals being depicted in various ways, that are being passed from our ancestors since time immemorial. Morals are depicted as pictures, drawings and even in religious stories. In fact even in our schools, there was a subject called Moral Science (Ozhukka Kalvi) that taught about virtuous behaviour etc. In many of its forms, the morals being presented, the expression through fables is the most fascinating and interesting and still loved by many. The way the fables are expressed arouses the interests of many. At times, there is even a subtle humour involved in it, so that it is remembered for a long time. Even Tamil literature has these fascinations represented umpteen songs. Lets see some of the songs that have a subtle humour in them.

The first song goes like this




"Kari Oruthingal Aaru Kaanavan Moondru Naalum
Irithalai Putril Naagam Indru Unum Irai Eethendru
Virithalai Vedan Kayil Vilkudhai Narambai Kavvi
Nariyanaar Patta Paadu Naalaiyae Paduvar Maadho"

meaning, a greedy fox that planned on eating the dead elephant, the dead hunter and the dead snake all by itself, bit the string of the bow and died.

Kari - Elephant
Oru - One
Thingal - Month, Moon, Monday
Aaru - Six
Kaanavan - Person living in the forest, Hunter
Irithalai - Run quickly
Putru - Snake mound
Naagam - Snake, Cobra
Indru - Today
Unum - Eating
Irai - Food
Eedhu - Referring to the subject
Virithalai - The head with hairs untied
Vedan - Hunter
Kayil - Hand
Vil - Bow
Narambu - String in the bow
Kavvi - Grab by mouth
Nariyanaar - Fox
Patta Paadu - Troubles faced
Naalaiyae - Tomorrow
Paduvar - Feel, experience
Maadho - An interjection


The story behind the song is as follows. Once a hunter went to a forest to hunt an elephant, he found an elephant and threw a spear at it killing the elephant. While throwing the spear, a snake bit the hunter and he fell dead. The hunter fell on the snake while falling dead and killed the snake too. A fox that came by, saw these three dead and being a treasure trove of food. It went greedy and thought of having all the food by itself. So it started planning, it thought that it will eat the elephant for six months, the hunter for three days and the snake as today's meal. So it wanted to pull out the snake that was underneath the hunter. But mistakenly, it bit the string of the bow that the hunter was carrying. The string was cut and the bow stretched rapidly killing the fox. The greedy fox died in an instant. The moral is that greediness puts people in trouble and at times even puts an end to them. The humour part is the fox biting the string of the bow instead of the snake. If we imagine the sequence of events happening in our mind we can feel the humour and the moral inculcated in this song.

The next one is similar to an one old saying that is



"Dhushtanai Kandaal Dhoora Vilagu"

meaning, get away from a bad guy, because he will bring trouble to us unnecessarily. The following song illustrates such concept and if we correlate the this saying with the song, we can see the subtle humour involved



"Vaanaram Mazhaithanil Nanaiya Thookkanam
Thaanoru Nerisolla Thaandi Pithidum
Gnanamum Kalviyum Navindra Noolkalum
Eenarukku Uraiththidil Edar Adhu Aagumae"

The song illustrates, a monkey drenched in rain, destroying the nest of the weaver bird when the bird advised the monkey.

Vaanaram - Monkey
Mazhai - Rain
Nanaiya - Drenched, become wet
Thookkanam - Weaver bird
Thaan - a reflexive pronoun
Oru - One
Neri - Moral,
Solla - Telling
Pithidum - Break or destroy something
Gnanam - Knowledge
Kalvi - Education
Navindra - Learnt, studied
Nool - Texts
Eenar - mean people
Uraithal - Telling, teaching
Edar Adhu Aagumae - will result in trouble

The story behind this song goes like this. Once a monkey drenched in the rain was walking in the forest. A weaver bird saw the monkey drenched, and advised the monkey that if it had built a home like the nest it had, the monkey would not have been drenched in the rain. On hearing this, the monkey destroyed the weaver bird's nest. Likewise, giving advice about knowledge and education to mean people results in trouble.

If we correlate the above saying and the events in the songs, along with bringing a visual image of the event, the subtle humour could be understood along with the moral. Had the weaver bird kept its mouth shut, it would have saved its nest. So the moral is before giving advice, understand the character of the person getting the advice. If the person happens to be mean, the advice will result in trouble.

Though people at times don't to hear morals just because it is boring and irritating , but these fables mingled seamlessly with a moral is interesting always.

More to come, until then...

A Cryptic Expression of Love

Expressing love, is what young, enthusiastic and vibrant lovers apply their thoughts and brains to impress each other. The creativity that comes out is always admired and awaited by the opposite party. The suspense/hidden clues in such expressions of love are the interestings bits that really takes people close to each other. Discovering the hidden pieces is the real blast of the such expressions, that gives each other the adrenaline booster. More cryptic the message, more is the entertainment in deciphering it.

There is one such cryptic love message, in Tamil, where the guy write to his lover a cryptic message that is very interesting to decipher. The song is from the famous Viveka Chintamani, the author of this work is unknown, but the message is really out of this world and deciphering requires a real effort, the result of which is really astounding. The song goes like this





"Oru Naangum Eeraraiyum Ondrae Kelaai
Unmaiyaai Aiaraiyum Araiyum Kaetaen
Irunaangum Moodrudanae Ondrum Solvaai
Immozhiyai Kaetapadi Eendhaai Aayin
Perunaangum Arunaangum Peruvaai Pennae
Pinnae Ore Mozhi Pugala Vaendaam Indrae
Sarinaangum Paththum Ore Padhinaindhaalae
Sagikka Mudiyaathini En Sagiyae Maanae"


The message is that the guy asks his lover for a kiss. If she agrees, she will win his heart. But the poet has used his creativity and put in a really interesting puzzle to solve. That his request requires a lot of thought and intelligence to decrypt the message.

Oru, Ore - One
Naangu - Four
Arai - Half,
Eer - Two, so Eer Arai - Two Halves
Kaetaen - Ask
Iru - Two
Moodru - Three
Solvaai - Tell
Immozhi - These words, request
Kaetapadi - As requested
Eendhaai Aayin- Give as requested
Peru - Big, Dominant
Aru - Six
Peruvaai - Obtain, Receive
Pennae - Girl, Young lady
Pinnae - Later
Mozhi - Language, Speech
Pugala - Utter
Vendaam - Negation of an action
Indrae - Today
Sari - Correctness, Exactness
Paththu - Ten
Padhinaindhu - Fifteen
Sagikka Mudiyadhu - Intolerable
En - My
Sagiyae - Friend, An Equal Partner
Maanae - Deer

Lets get the literal meaning first so that we could uncover the clues one by one, that we get the pleasure of solving an interesting puzzle, rather the one that relates to love :)

The literal meaning is,

"One Four plus Two Halves plus One (Six) Hear to what I say
Truly I requested for Five Halves and a Half (Three)
You tell Two Fours plus Three plus One (Twelve)
If you hear to these and give as requested
You will get a big Four plus six Fours (Twenty Eight), young lady
You don't not tell anything else today
Because of the Four plus Ten plus One Fifteen (Twenty Nine)
I am not able to tolerate it, my deer like soft young lady"

The numbers are really cryptic ain't it? Especially, the total in the brackets. Now lets, decipher the numbers and solve the puzzle. The clue to all the answers in this song lies in the concepts used in astrology.

• The first line totals to Six - One Four + Two Halves (One) + One. In this song the poet refers to the sixth zodiac sign which is the Virgo (Kanni in Tamil), and refers to the virgin, the young lady.
• The second line totals to Three - Five Halves + Half. Here, the third day of the week, Tuesday (Sevvaai in Tamil, which also means mouth with rosy lips)
• The third line totals to Twelve - Two Fours + Three + One, which refers to the Zodiac star called Uththiram that also means Acceptance, Consent in Tamil
• Line four is already translated, so we will see the fifth line, which totals to Twenty Eight - Four + Six Fours that refers to the twenty eighth year in the Tamil Calendar which is Jaya that means Victory.
• We will skip the sixth line and move on the the seventh that totals to Twenty Nine - Four + Ten + Fifteen, that refers the again to the year in the Tamil Calendar. Manmadha (A person similar to Cupid). The last line is done.

Now lets gather our clues and put them together to find out the solution to the puzzle. The guy says, "You young lady, I request you to give me your rosy lips. If you accept and heed to what I request, you will have victory in winning my heart. You need not tell me anything else (reasons or denial) today because, I am not able to torelate the effects of manmadha arrow (cupid's arrow)."

Spectacular puzzle and the answer to it!!! If such creativity could be found in old texts like Viveka Chinthamani, our language and tradition has a very rich and excellent stuff to be admired for years to come. I am not sure if the girl consented to this, or even decrypted this message, but the creativity and the intelligence of the guy is truly amazing and out of this world.

More to come, until then...

Elusive Expressions!!!

Expressions are realisations or reflexes of the humans under different situations of their life. These reflexes or realities are quite elusive that they stay for just a small time. Just imagine how many expressions do you remember having made for yourself. And how many do many of us know what expressions we express in various situations. Classifying expressions has been a subject on its own and that is what today's movie makers capitalize when they make any great hits. These expressions are those that the essence of who we are. Tamil literature has a mastermind who has classified these expressions, he is none other than the famous Thollkaappiyar. He classifies the expressions in eight categories, grouping four in each category. The song in the section Meipaatiyal, in his work Thollkaapiyam, goes like this. Also I have tried to get the closest or correct English words for the each of the terms below. Please correct me if I am wrong in any of those.



"Nagaiyae Azhugai Ilivaral Marutkai
Achcham Perumidham Veguli Uvagai Endru
Appaal Ettae Meipaadu Enba"

meaning, Laughter (Nagai), Crying (Azhugai), Weakness (Ilivaral), Astonishment (Marutkai), Fear (Achcham), Pride (Perumidham), Anger (Veguli), Happiness (Uvagai), are the eight different expression categories .

Each of these above mentioned eight categories have four different expressions in them. The following songs enlist what they are

For Laughter



"Ellal Ilamai Paedhamai Madan Endru
Ullappatta Nagai Naangu Enba"

meaning Snicker (Ellal), Ilamai (Laughter when young or immature or Innocent laughter), Paedhamai (Laughter out of foolishness), Madan (Laughter for Ignorance) are the four laughters that come from one's heart

For Crying



"Ilivae Izhavae Asaivae Varumai Ena
Vilivu Ill Kollkai Azhugai Naangae"

meaning, Ilivae (Insult, Defamation), Izhavae (Death, loss), Asaivae (Restlessness, Tension), Varumai (Poverty) are the four different aspects of crying

For Weakness


"Moopae Piniyae Varutham Menmaiyodu
Yaapura Vandha Ilivaral Naangae"

meaning Moopae (Senility), Piniyae (Disease), Varutham (Sorrow), Menmaiyodu (Feebleness) indicate weakness.

For Astonishments



"Pudhumai Perumai Sirumai Aakkamodu
Madhimai Saala Marutkai Naangae"

meaning Pudhumai (Being latest and new), Perumai (Pride), Sirumai (Being very simple), Aakkamodu (Being powerful) are the various astonishments that man expresses

For Fear


"Anangae Vilangae Kalvar Tham Irai Enba
Pinangal Saala Achcham Naangae"

Anangae (Fear of Devils, Intimidating Goddesses like Kaali), Vilangae (Fear of Animals), Kalvar (Thieves), Tham Irai Enba (One's Gods) are tracts of fear .

For Pride



"Kalvi Tharukan Pugazhmai Kodai Ena
Sollappatta Perumidham Naangae"

meaning, Kalvi (Education) Tharukan (Bravery), Pugazhmai (Fame) Kodai (Donation, Benefaction) are the facets of Pride .

For Happiness


"Selvam Pulanae Punarvu Vilayaatu Endru
Allal Neetha Uvagai Naangae"

meaning Selvam (Wealth), Pulanae (feelings), Punarvu (Intimacy), Vilayaatu (Play) are expressions of happiness

For Anger



"Urupparai Kudikole Alai Kolai Endra
Veruppin Vandha Veguli Naangae"

Urupparai (Dissection), Kudikole (Treason), Alai (Torture), Kolai (Murder) are the four different expressions of Anger.

So complex and subtle classifications, that only going through them carefully, will we be able to make the difference in each of them. Thollkaapiyar should have been a great person to analyse human behaviour and emotions and of course psychology to such a great extent to classify the subtleties of the elusive human expressions. What human relations experts do now and psychologists analyse about human behaviour has been done by a genius thousands of years ago. And that genius being a Thamizhan, we all should be proud of.

More to come, until then...