Ivory Figures with ornaments

Colour pictures here are from Madurai Meenakshi Temple of Lord Siva.

Crowns worn by Goddes Meenakshi//Parvati

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,871

Date uploaded in London –14 June 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx 

Research article

One of the wonders of Tamil Language is that they used the jewellery or ornaments to name their five epics; we know the greatest poet of India Kalidasa used ornaments, particularly rings, in his dramas to give twists. But Sanskrit Maha Kavyas are not named after ornaments. Tamils used ornaments in the following Pancha Maha Kayas of Tamil literature.

Silappadikaram (Silambu=anklet)

Mani Mekhala (Mekhala- waist band)

Jeevaka Chintamani (Chintamani= mythical wish-fulfilling jewel)

Kundala kesi (Kundala= “earring,” “hoop,” or “ornament for the ear)

Valaiyapathy (Valai=bangle)

Tamils were crazy about jewels! But in the stories the characters are not associated with any particular ornament except the first one, i.e.Silappadikaram (Silambu/Anklet+ Adikaram/Chapter)

No other language has named their epics with the ornaments.

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Jewels in Silappadikaram

Kovalan, the hero of the epic married Kannaki; both were from the wealthiest businessmen family in Poompuhar, the port city of Sangam Age. When Kovalan, lover of music and dance, fell in love with a courtesan called Madhavi, the story moved towards a tragic end.

The event that made Kovalan to fall in love with Madhavi was a dance event in the Indra Festival in the port city. There Ilango the author of the epic, lists 11 types of dances and the ornaments she was wearing.

Following are the Ornaments:

Madhavi bathed her fragrant black hair, soft as flowers, till it shone, in the perfumed oil prepared by mixing up ten kinds of astringents, five spices, and thirty two herbs soaked in water; she dried it in fuming incense, and perfumed the different plaits—five plaits of hair were generally worn by Tamil ladies, especially when they were young—with the thick paste of the musk from deer. She adorned her little feet, reddened by dye, by wearing choice rings- PILI on her fair and tender toes, and on her ankles becoming ornaments known as PARIYAKAM, NUUPURAM, PAATAKAM, SATANGAI AND ARIYAKAM. She put ornaments on her rounded thighs. Over her waist was a GIRDLE MADE OF  THIRTY TWO STRANDS OF BIG PEARLS worn over a blue cloth embroidered with the figures of flowers. Round her upper arms she had ARMLETS STUDDED WITH PEARLS TOGETHER WITH ATTRACTIVE BANGLES OF PRECIOUS STONES= KAAMAR KANTIKAI.

Round her soft haired wrists were beautiful BRACELETS=CUUTAGAM  in which was set the costliest gem in front with DIAMONS ALL ROUND, GOLD BANGLES, GOLD BANGLES OF NINE GEMS = PARIYAKAM, CONCH BANGLES AND BANGLES OF CORAL.

On to her tiny fingers, red as kantal flower, so as to hide them she slipped a ring bent into the shape of an open mouthed fish, and a highly brilliant and lustrous ring of gems and A ROUND RING GLITTERING WITH RUBIES AND BRILLIANT DIAMONDS.

Her delicate and beautiful neck was adorned with a chain necklace called NUNTOTAR, with a fine string of exquisite workmanship and with a garland. Added to these was an ornamental gems held by a clasp, which covered the small nape of her neck.

A pair of ear rings, in which emeralds alternated with diamonds, glittered in her beautiful ears. In her dark tresses becoming head ornaments such as DAIVAUTTI, SRI DEVI, VALAMPURI, TALAI PAALAI, SEA CONCH, TOYYAKAM AND PULLAKAM WERE SET.

EXPLANATIONS FROM COMMENTATORS

PILI= It is in use even today, and it is considered inauspicious if it is not worn by a girl on her marriage

TOYYAKAM  PULLAKAM =this is said to be a head ornament of two sections called TEN PALLI, VADA PALLI.

PALLI= HOUSE LIZARD .

Donated by English collector Rose Peter to the temple.

Tamil Epic Silappadikaram, written around fifth century CE, is an encyclopaedia. It has lot of information on every subject connected with Hindus, particularly Tamils. Ilango, the author of the epic, never hesitated to use Sanskrit words. Even many of the ornaments mentioned above are Sanskrit terms. We come across the inter galactic traveller-saint Narada and the Veena for the first time in this epic; they are not in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature. All the epic and Puranic stories are also used by the author. And for the first time we hear a long stanza of praise on Jain Tirtankaras (without naming them). No Buddha, No Mahavir is found in ancient Tamil Literature.

We can see Kalidasa’s influence in this book. His Ujjain, Vindhyas, Himalayas, Vidhyadhara etc are used by Ilango. One Brahmin called Madala Maraiyon is the uniting link in the epic.

Strangely Tamils never mentioned Indus/Sindhu river. They praised only Ganges and Himalayas. Sangam Age Tamil literature or later literature had no reference to Sindhu  (Indus Valley) region!

To be continued…………………

Tags- Tamil Wonder, Ancient Hindu Jewellery, You can get Ph.D.,part 2, Research article, five Tamil epics, names of ornaments, Silappadikaram