Tamil Antiquity in Bali: Damsels and the Market Square DemiGod
"Many years ago, I happened to visit Bali for a specialist work related to my profession. Even though Bali is well known as an international tourist destination for the western tourists, I happened to see the remnants of the Tamil antiquity as described in Nedunalvaadai and Silapathikaaram."
Prem Senthil Shanmugam
Associate Professor
Australia
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1. நெடுநல்வாடையில் ஒரு காட்சி: (39-44)

1. A scene depicted in Nedunalvaadai(39-44)

மடவரல் மகளிர் பிடகைப் பெய்த

செவ்வி அரும்பின் பைங்கால் பித்திகத்து   40

அவ்விதழ் அவிழ் பதம் கமழப் பொழுது அறிந்து

இரும்பு செய் விளக்கின் ஈர்ந்திரி கொளீஇ

நெல்லும் மலரும் தூஉய் கைதொழுது

மல்லல் ஆவணம் மாலை அயர,

Naive maiden girls carried

long, green-stemmed jasmine buds in trays.

The flower buds opened their pretty petals

and blossomed, their spreading fragrance

announcing the arrival of evening time.

The women lit the oil-dipped wicks of iron lamps,

pressed their lifted palms together,

prayed tossing offerings of rice paddy and flowers,

and celebrated evenings in a prosperous market.

( Translated by Vaidehi Herbert)

2. சிலப்பதிகாரம் : புகார் காண்டம் (126-140)

(மடவரல் மகளிறும் சதுக்க பூதமும் ):

சுழல வந்து தொழத்துயர் நீங்கும்

நிழல்கால் நெடுங்கல் நின்ற மன்றமும்,

தவம்மறைந்து ஒழுகும் தன்மை இலாளர்

அவம்மறைந்து ஒழுகும் அலவல் பெண்டிர்

அறைபோகு அமைச்சர் பிறர்மனை நயப்போர்

பொய்க்கரி யாளர் புறங்கூற் றாளர்என்

கைக்கொள் பாசத்துக் கைப்படு வோர்எனக்

காதம் நான்கும் கடுங்குரல் எடுப்பிப்

பூதம் புடைத்துஉணும் பூத சதுக்கமும்,

அரைசுகோல் கோடினும் அறம்கூறு அவையத்து

உரைநூல் கோடி ஒருதிறம் பற்றினும்

நாவொடு நவிலாது நவைநீர் உகுத்துப்

பாவைநின்று அழுஉம் பாவை மன்றமும்,

மெய்வகை உணர்ந்த விழுமியோர் ஏத்தும்

ஐவகை மன்றத்தும் அரும்பலி உறீஇ,

Many years ago, I happened to visit Bali, Indonesia for a specialist work related to my profession. Even though Bali is well known as an international tourist destination for the western tourists, I happened to see the remnants of the Tamil antiquity as described in Nedunalvaadai and Silapathikaaram. Both belong to Sangam corpus, a pre-Christian era ethnoanthropological work on ancient Tamil people. What I had seen, I shall present to you for your understanding.

*** Looking to create your love story? Join the other couples who have dated and got married through myTamilDate.com! ***

What I had seen was mesmerizing. At a particular day of the time, all the damsels working in and around the shopping precinct gathered around carrying a flower basket and other stuff necessary for the worship. Paraded along the streets to the market square where they stopped to worship the Demigod to grant their prayers. I did not interview them to ask about, what exactly their prayers were about, but I could gather from Silapathikaaram, where the similar scene is depicted, and the prayers usually asked for protection from the negative forces affecting their well-being and prosperity. What was lost in this practice, in the name of megalithic temple worship in the Tamil country, is still preserved in Bali, similar to scenes depicted in Tamil Sangam Corpus!

This video (posted by someone else on Youtube) closely depicts the theme I articulated in this post:

"myTamilDate Love Story: Jenani & Nav Found Each Other At The Right Time And Right Place In Life"

"myTamilDate.com Love Story: Tharshi & Ravi Found Love During Lockdown"

"myTamilDate.com Love Story: Suji & Sinthu Lived 15 Minutes Apart For Years And Never Met Until Joining MTD"

 

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Prem Senthil Shanmugam
Associate Professor
Australia
Oncologist/ Associate Professor, Qualified Chef. Exploring Cognitive Anthropology and L...
Oncologist/ Associate Professor, Qualified Chef. Exploring Cognitive Anthropology and L...
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