Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 16,138

Date uploaded in London – 28 August 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 

Purananuru wonders-60;Tamil Encyclopaedia 100, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 100

***

Item 841

Let me give you wonders from one more book. The name of the book is Porunar Atruppadai (aatruppadai).

Author- Mr or Miss Mudaththama Kanniyar (mudaththaama kanniyaar); some people think she is a oman because of the spelling Kanni; but it may mean garland as well; so maybe a man!

Lines-248; Hero of the poem- Karikal Choza (we have already  seen him in Paaatinappaalai)

This book Porunaratruppadai is one of the Ten Idylls known as Paththuppaattu, which is part of 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature. Porunan = a bard; aatruppadai = giving guidance.

The poet imagined himself/herself as a bard receiving a bounty from the famous king.

Summary of Wonders:

Robbers stopped robbery after listening to music;

Judgement with White Wig; British judges follow Karikal Choza!

Chariot with Four White Horses like Chariot of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita;

Karikal Choza walked Seven Steps following Rig Veda;

Bali offering to Crow; (also seen in Kuruntokai);

Seven stringed Yaaz (lyre or lute);

Description of a woman from Foot to Head;

Cloth looking as thin and as transparent as snakeskin;

Karma Theory; Rebirth; effect of fate;

9 flowers, 12 trees, 5 animals.

***

item 842

in the first 22 lines poet compared the lute to a pregnant woman. He also described how the lute was played. Robbers dropped their weapons as soon as they listened to it. Earlier we saw how even wild elephants stopped damaging d crops after listening to songs.

Nationalist poet Subramaniya Bhratiyar described  Kannamma in the lines “Veenaiyadi Nee Enakku, Mevum Viral Naan Unakku”; Oh Kannamma, You are the Veena/ I am the fingers that play on you. Probably he got it after reading these 20 ++ lines!

***

item 843

Kesaati paata Description (Head to Foot Description)

Hindus start describing a Goddess from Foot to Head and the reverse is followed for humans.

Because Goddess Eyes are powerful a devote can’t look at her radiance; so, they always pray for her side glance (Kadaik Kan in Tamil) only!

Here the description shows as if the poet saw a naked woman!

Here is what he/she described:

The singer woman had

Her tresses= as black as sand (if you go to a river you may see the black, smooth sediment)

Her eye brows= killing bows of warriors (beauties ‘Killing’ men is a phrase in Tamil);

Forehead= crescent moon;

Lips = utter sweet words; red in colour like Bombax malabarica flowers; silk cotton tree in Tamil is Ilavam maram.

Her teeth= shiny pearls;

Ears with pendants = looked like scissors that trim hair;

Her shoulders= like bamboo;

Fingers= kanthal flowers;

Finger nails= parrot beaks;

Voluptuous Breasts = so tight that you can’t insert even a thin rib or nib;

Navel= water ripple or whirlpool;

Waist = scarcely visible;

Her belt with beads=  like beehive with bees;

Thighs = trunks of huge female elephants;

Small feet= tongues of panting dogs;

Look= pea hen look.

We may wonder whether the poet saw a naked beauty or she was wearing a nylon transparent sari!

***

Item 844

Most of the above comparison is a cliché in Tamil and Sanskrit literature. You can read almost the same in Kalidasa.

But here is a word the poet coined for SCISSORS!

He says MAYIR KURAI KARUVI= Instrument that trims hair!

No shoes! She walked without shoes, so poor!

Poet says she developed red blisters in her feet when she walked on stones.

***

Item 845

Offers prayers to Forest God, says the poet (line 52).

Poet probably meant Goddess Durga, who is called Kaadukizaal (goddees of forest in other poems)

This shows Hindus worship Gods and Goddesses all along their way. We saw it in Paatinappalai and Perumpanatruppadai.

***

Item 846 Karma Theory

Sangam Tamils were Puka Hindus who saw god everywhere and belived in Karma Theory ; if you do something good that will have its effect in the following seven births . if you have already done good things in your previous birth something good will happen unexpectedly.

Here the poet adds,

O chief of bards whose songs have value great!

It is the fruit of good deeds done by thee

In a former birth that made thee meet me here

Nor miss the proper way in ignorance (line 59)

(J V Chelliah, year 1946, followed Nachinarkkiniyrar commentary).

***

Item 847  Master of Seven Stringed Yaz! (line 63)

ஏழிசை (Ēḻicai) translates to “The Seven Musical Notes” or “The Seven Swaras” in English.

In Tamil music tradition, it refers to the seven basic notes of a musical scale, which correspond directly to the Carnatic and Hindustani classical music notes (Swaras), as well as the Western musical notes.

• Kural (குரல்) – Sa (Shadjama) – Do / C
• Thuttham (துத்தம்) – Ri (Rishabha) – Re / D
• Kaikkilai (கைக்கிளை) – Ga (Gandhara) – Mi / E
• Uzhai (உழை) – Ma (Madhyama) – Fa / F
• Ili (இளி) – Pa (Panchama) – Sol / G
• Vilari (விளரி) – Dha (Dhaivata) – La / A
• Tharam (தாரம்) – Ni (Nishadha) – Ti / B

Seven strings for playing Seven Notes

***

Item 848 n Nice clothes like Snakeskin

The singing bard wore rags teemed with nits and lice and wet with sweat.lines 79-81

When he met the great king he treated the bard like a friend and gave

Clothes whose texture was so fine

Its threads could not be easily traced, and worked

With floral forms resembling skins of snakes.

In the halls bejwelled, smiling, comely maids

Pored out from spotless golden vessels full

Like cheering rain much stupefying drink

Repeatedly…………………………… lines 82-88

***

Item 849 Reference to great rishis/ ascetics

Lines 91-93

I drank that I might sooth my weariness

And rested in the wealthy palace here and

With joy at eve. Like rishis that enjoy

Devotion’s fruits by taking proper care

Of their own body’s health. I took good care

To rid me of journey’s weariness

Sangam poets were great Hindus! They tried their best o teach the tenets of Hindu religion at every available opportunity.

Even when the poet wanted to show the anger of Karikal Choza the poet compared him to Lord Muruga/Skanda/Kartikeya.line 131

***

Item 850 reference Good bye by walking Seven Steps

Line 166

After spending many days when the bard expressed his desire to return home, Karikalan showed his disapproval but at the end he gave the bard many gifts and walked seven steps with the leaving guest.

We see this Seven Step Walk before saying good bye even in Paranjothi Munivar’s Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam, just a 300 year old book.

This custom originated in the Rig Veda, oldest book in the world. Brahmins and other communities do this in Weddings. Rig Veda’s last book, tenth mandala. has a beautiful Wedding Song. A Hindu marriage is solemnised only when the bride and bridegroom walk around fire doing Seven Steps called Saptapadi. At each step they take a vow. This type of wedding was done by Vaisya community according to Silappadikaram.

  First Step (Nourishment): A promise to provide food, share household responsibilities, and nurture one another.

  Second Step (Strength): A vow to grow together in physical, mental, and emotional strength.

  Third Step (Prosperity): A commitment to share wealth, work for financial stability, and prosper together.

  Fourth Step (Family): A pledge to build a joyful home, raise children with love, and respect each other’s families.

  Fifth Step (Health): A promise to care for each other’s health, well-being, and happiness.

  Sixth Step (Companionship): A vow to remain lifelong best friends and walk as equals through all seasons of life.

  Seventh Step (Loyalty and Friendship): A final pledge of eternal love, loyalty, trust, and spiritual union through every lifetime.

No Hindi or Tamil Feature Film Song can beat the loving words in the Rig Veda Wedding Mantra.

***

Item 851 Bhagavad Gita Chariot line 165

I have a book of Tamil Bhagavad Gita in Tamil published by Ramakrishna Mutt where only for white horses pulling the Chariot of Arjuna with Krishna as the driver. Many pictures show only Four White Horses. Only with four horses one can have a smooth ride. Karikalan also gave the bard a chariot pulled by Four White Horses in addition to silk clothes, gold jewels, gold lotus hair pins for women.

***

Item 852 Balis to Crows

The non vegetarian food items and Karikalan’s  early life and how he got the crown etc are already explained in Pattinappalai.

Here the poet making a passing remark about the food given to crows by Hindus. But we get more details about religiously or ritually feeding crows by Hindus  in Kuruntokai poem 210.

***

Item 853  Origin of Wigs of Judges  (lines 187, 188)

ஆதாரம் , page 122

பத்துப்பாட்டு மூலமும்

நச்சினார்க்கினியருரையும்

டாக்டர் உ வே சாமிநாதையர் , 1950

Why Do British Judges Follow a Tamil King?

By S Swaminathan November 13, 2011

Strange as it may look, British judges, magistrates and barristers follow a custom that was started by a Tamil king two thousand years ago. British judges and several others who preside over the courts of justice wear a white wig.

If we go to encyclopaedias, they don’t explain why they wear it or when it was exactly started. Ancient Egyptians wore wigs for protecting their heads from the scorching sun. Then Romans and others wore different types of wigs as symbols of aristocracy.

The British judiciary started wearing wigs from 17^th century. Many of the commonwealth countries also followed it. Whenever the reason for the custom is asked many people say that it is the tradition or uniform for professional discipline or it shows experience. Actually it was started by the most famous Tamil king, Karikal Chola two thousand years ago. Crystal clear proof comes from the ancient Tamil Cankam (Sangam) literature.

Karikalan was the greatest of the Tamil kings for three reasons. He ruled vast areas of Tamil-speaking land, subjugating other Tamil kingdoms. He was the first Tamil king who went up to the Himalayas and carved his dynastic emblem there. Till today, there remains a Chola pass in the Himalayas. The second reason was he was a just king and his court of justice in Uraiyur became very famous. Tamil literature praises his justice and gives the story of wigs. And the third reason is the Grand Anaicut he built across the river Cauvery is one of the oldest dam s in the world. 

Though we did not have any historical records scholars have dated him around 1^st century BC. He was a boy king – like the Egyptian Tutankhamen. He came to power while he was a teenager.

The Story of Wigs:

One day two elderly people came to his court seeking justice. They had a dispute among themselves. They decided that whatever the Uraiyur court says must be the final settlement. When they came in to royal court they were shocked to see a boy sitting as the judge. They were greatly disappointed – which Karikalan felt immediately by looking at their faces. Indeed the face is the index of the mind.

Karikalan politely asked the elders to take seats and told them to wait for the ‘judge’ and he went in. The entire assembly was puzzled. Then came an elderly person and sat on the chair. After carefully listening to the arguments of both the sides he gave his judgement. Both of them were immensely happy to hear a fair settlement. Now the assembly wanted to know who the elderly judge was. King Karikalan removed his white hair wig (Narai Mudi in Tamil) and revealed himself.  All applauded the Wisdom of the ‘Solomon of India’.

The proof for the anecdote is in three Tamil books:

1.      Porunar Atruppadai –lines 187-188. Porunar Atruppadai is one of the ten long poems of Tamil Cankam literature dated  between 1^st to 3^rd century AD

2.      Manimekalai- This is one of the five Tamil epics dated 3^rd century AD  

3.      Pazamozi – poem 25 translation:

ஆதாரம் , page 122

பத்துப்பாட்டு மூலமும் நச்சினார்க்கினியருரையும்

டாக்டர் உ வே சாமிநாதையர் , 1950

“The grey haired old men said the young man could not come to a decision about their case. They were delighted to find the Choza wore a grey wig and understood the case from listening to their statements”.

This proves that even before they learn the arts suited to their caste, men are “ripe for their duties” This book is dated around 5^th century AD.

Nobody can deny the fact that Karikalan was the first one to use white wig in judiciary matters.

There are lot of interesting stories about Karikalan in Tamil literature. He had to fight his own relatives to get the throne after the death of his father Ilam Chet Senni. He escaped an arson attack, and his feet were charred and thus he got the name “Kari Kalan” (man with charred legs). The ancient custom in India is to select a king by the Royal elephant if nobody knew who the real heir apparent was. Karikalan was garlanded by the royal elephant when he was standing in the crowd. The episodes about his daughter Adi Mandi also formed the basis of several interesting stories.

–subham—

Tags–Purananuru wonders-60; Tamil Encyclopaedia 100, One Thousand Interesting Facts -Part 100, Wigs of Judges, Item 853, seven steps, Karikal Choza