Murukan in Cilappatikaaram

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kanmani tamil

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Jan 20, 2026, 8:41:11 PM (12 days ago) Jan 20
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The First International Conference On Skanda Murukan எனச் சென்னை ஆசியவியல் நிறுவனம் டிசம்பர்- 1988ல் நடநத்திய மாநாட்டில் வாசிக்கப்பெற்று; (மாநாட்டிற்கு வருகை தந்த முருகபக்தர்கள் மனம் உருகி வேண்டிக் கேட்டுக் கொண்டபடி ‘Murukan Skanda’ எனப் பெயர் மாற்றம் பெற்று…) 2009ல் Murukan- The Lord Of The Kurinji Land என்ற பெயரில் சென்னை ஆசியவியல் நிறுவனம் வெளியிட்ட நூலில் பதிப்பிக்கப்பட்ட என் கட்டுரை p.175-200 ‘Murukan in Cilapatikaram’.


List of abbreviations

aing.   -   Aingurunooru

akam.   -   Akanaanooru 

cil.   -    Cilappatikaaram 

kali.   -   Kalittokai 

kunrak.   -   kunrakkuravai

kuri.   -   Kurinjippaattu

kuru.   -   Kuruntokai

L.   -   line / lines 

mani.   -   Manimekalai

matu.   -   Maturaikkaanji

malai.  -   Malaipatukadaam

nar.   -   Narrinai

p.   -   page / pages

pari.   -   Paripaadal 

patir.   -   Patirruppattu

patti.   -   Pattinappaalai

peru.   -   Perumpaanaarruppadai

poru.   -   Porunaraarruppadai

puram.   -   Puranaanooru 

s.   -   song / songs

tirumuru.   -   Tirumurukaarruppadai


Murukan in Cilappatikaaram 


Introduction 

The purpose of the research paper is to give an extract of the cult of Murukan present in the epic Cilappatikaaram. There are references to the temples of Murukan present in the capitals of Cholas and Pandyas.  Besides the famous temples of Lord Murukan are also mentioned in the epic. The types of the temples and the types of the icons enshrined are worthy of study. A large collection of materials based on the fine arts and folklore is present in the epic. From them the music, dance and folk songs in connection with the cult of Murukan have to be brought out. Analysis of the mythology related to the cult of Murukan present in the epic is also to be done to throw some light on the cult of Murukan prevailing in the period when the epic was written. The various names attributed to Murukan and the epithets associated with them may also help us to determine the status of the cult during that period. 

The traditional descriptive approach is followed. The epic Cilappatikaaram serves as the primary source. The secondary sources are the cangam anthologies and idylls. Manimekalai; the counterpart of Cilappatikaaram is also added to them. Commentaries of the summerisers and the researches done by the 20th century scholars serve as the tertiary sources. 


Names and phrases that denote Murukan 

There are four names attributed to Murukan in Cilappatikaaram. They are cevvēḷ, neṭuvēḷ, aṟumuka oruvaṉ and aṟumukac cevvēḷ. He is also specified as Teyvam, Iṟaivaṉ, Kaṭavuḷ; the common names used to denote all Gods. The explanatory phrases which are used to denote Murukan are based on the weapon vel, the katambu tree and the mythological elements related to Murukan. 


Cevvēḷ

The beauty of Kovalan; the hero of the epic Cilappatikaaram is compared with the beauty of Murukan.  

paṇtēytta moḻiyiṉār āyattup pārāṭṭik 

kaṇṭēttum cevvēḷ eṉṟu icaipōkki” (cilap.mangala.38-39- [Women 

whose speech is sweeter than music; praised Kovalan's masculine beauty among themselves. They said that in Kovalan's handsome look they could identify Murukan's personality]). 

        The music of velan who performed veriyaattu for cevvēḷ was heard in the Colaimalai (cilap.kaatcik.25). 

Paripaatal stands parallel to Cilappatikaaram in specifying Murukan as cevvēḷ (pari.5-L.13& pari.tirattu 11-L.2).


neṭuvēḷ

Kannaki the heroine of the epic climbed up the hill called neṭuvēḷ kuṉṟam (cilap.katturai.190 [the hill where neṭuvēḷ is enshrined]). 

Many cangam anthologies and idylls specify Murukan as neṭuvēḷ (pari.21-L.50; kuri.174; matu.614; peru.75; tirumuru.273; kuru.111; nar.173, 288; akam.22, 98, 120, 272, 382; puram.55). There are also instances where Murukan is called simply as vēḷ (pari.8-L.61; puram.396). It is also found with the epithets viral- (aing.250; patir.11) and av- (pari.9-L.36).


Aṟumuka oruvaṉ

When Kovalan praised the beauty of his wife Kannaki's eyes he said that it was Aṟumuka oruvaṉ who gave his vel to frame them (cilap.manaiyaram.49-52). The women of the hills also call Murukan ‘Aṟumuka oruvaṉ’ (cilap.kunrak.s.18). They also praised his six faces and twelve arms (ibid.s.9 [Aṟumuka oruvaṉ = a person with six faces]).


Paripaadal adores Murukan as having six faces and twelve arms (pari.21-L.67). ‘mūviru kayantalai’ is another term equivalent to ‘Aṟumukam’ found in paripaadal (pari.5-L.10 [mūviru = six; kayantalai = young faces]). Tirumurukaarruppadai gives a detailed description of the six faces and twelve arms (tirumuru.83-102).


Cilappatikaaram stands unique in attributing the name ‘Aṟumukac cevvēḷ’ to Murukan. The temple of Lord Murukan is referred to as ‘ Aṟumukac cevvēḷ aṇitikaḻ kōyil’ (cilap.intiravizhavu.170). The women of the hills while dancing specify Murukan as; 

  • kārkkaṭappan tārem kaṭavuḷ ’ (cilap.kuntrak.s.14 [God who wears a garland of kadambu flowers which blossom in the rainy season), 

  • ‘katampuun Teyvam’ (ibid.20 [God who wears the garland of katambu flowers.]), 

  • Iṟaivaṉ’ (ibid.8 [kaṭavuḷ = iṟaivaṉ = Teyvam = God]). 


Besides the terms Iṟaivaṉ, kaṭavuḷ  and Teyvam the cangam anthologies and idylls use the terms Kuricil and iyavuḷ also to denote Murukan (pari.s.5-L.13, 17- L.49; kali.39; aing.243, 257; kuri.209; kuru.87; akam.13; nar.34, 251; tirumuru.274, 276). They are common terms used to denote all Gods.


The explanatory phrases used by the women of the hills to denote Murukan:

  • ālamar celvaṉ makaṉ’ (cil.kunrak.7 [son of Lord Siva who sits under the aal tree]),

  • kayilainaṉ malai iṟaimakaṉ’ (ibid.15 [son of Lord Siva who is the deity in mount Kailash]),

  • malaimakaḷ makaṉ’ (ibid.16 [son of Goddess Parvati]),

  • uravunīr mākoṉṟa vēlēnti’ (ibid.17 [He who holds the vel which demolished the mango tree in the midst of the sea]),

  • alarkaṭampaṉ’ (ibid.20 [He who dwells in the kadambu tree]),

  • kōḻic cēvaṟ koṭiyōṉ’ (cilap.uurkaan.10 [He who holds the cock flag) and 

  • Veṉvēlāṉ’ (cilap. vaazhttuk. s.10 [He who holds the vel that brings victory])

are the other phrases used by the author of the epic to denote Murukan. 


The explanatory phrases found in Paripaadal reveals the greatness of Murukan. 

  • āytērāṉ(pari.8-L.64 [He who is a charioteer on a selected chariot]),

  • varai akalattavaṉ’ (ibid.86 [He who has a broad chest as a hill]),

  • ēḻulakum āḷi’ (pari.9-L.44 [He who rules over the seven worlds]), 

  • iraṅku muraciṉāṉ’ (ibid.L.58 [He who has a drum that makes a loud sound]), 

  • māṟaṭṭāṉ’ (pari.17-L.21 [He who destroyed the enemies]), 

  • veṟikoṇṭāṉ’ (pari.18-L.14 [He on behalf of whom veriyaattu is celebrated]), 

  • erumai iruntōṭṭi eḷḷīyum kāḷai’ (pari.21-L.38 [He who is smart enough to conquer yaman riding on a buffalo]).

Tirumurukaarruppadai also adores Murukan with metaphorical phrases. They describe Murukan and bring out his qualities.

  • antaṇar veṟukkai’ (tirumuru.263 [He who is the riches of brahmins]), 

  • aṟintōr colmalai’ (ibid. [He who is the collection of praises uttered by the learned people]). 


The name Murukan derived from the base ‘muruku’ is found in the anthologies and idylls (puram.16, 23, 299; pari.5-L.50, 8-L.81, akam.1, 59, 98, 158; poru.131; tirumuru.269). 

The base word ‘muruku’ is often used to denote Murukan (matu.181,611; tirumuru.244; nar.34, 47, 225; aing.245, 247, 249, 308; kuru.362; puram.56, 259; akam.118, 181, 232; pari.8-L.65; patir.26). It is found in Manimekalai also (mani.manimekalaa.14). 

The name ‘cēy’ with various epithets is very common in the classical Tamil literature (pari.5-L.13, 6-L.69, 21-L.53; kuru.1; akam.266; puram.14, 125, 209; kuri.51; peru.457; tirimuru.271). The name ‘ceyyōṉ’ is also found (puram.56).
(to be contd.)
SK

Raju Rajendran

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Jan 21, 2026, 1:44:17 AM (12 days ago) Jan 21
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<Murukan in Cilappatikaaram> அயலார் இதை முருக்கன் இன் சிலப்பதிக்காரம் என வாசிப்பர்.

புத., 21 ஜன., 2026, 7:11 AM அன்று, kanmani tamil <kanmani...@gmail.com> எழுதியது:
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kanmani tamil

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Jan 22, 2026, 9:03:41 PM (10 days ago) Jan 22
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There is also an instance where Murukaṉ is denoted as ‘neṭiyōṉ’ (akam.149). iyalaṇi’ an  explanatory name which means ‘natural beauty’ is found (pari.19-L.5). 

Besides there are about twenty apostrophes found (pari.5-L.14, 8-L.17, 9-L.71 &82, 14-L.18, 18-L.41&42, 21-L.17; tirumuru.255-257, 260-262, 264, 268, 270, 276).

We can tabulate the various names of murukaṉ and their usages in cangam literature (Table-1)


S.No

Name

muruku

murukaṉ

ccēy

cceyyōṉ

neṭiyōṉ

vvēḷ

avvēḷ

viṟalvēḷ

neṭuvēḷ

cev

vēḷ

Aru

muka

arumukac cevvel

1

kuru.











2

akam.








3

puram.








4

poru.












5

aing.











6

patir.











7

nar.











.8

matu.











9

kuri.











10

peru.











11

tirum uru.









12

pari.





13

cilap.









.14

mani. 













Table 1 - Names of Murukan- Usage in classical literature

The new trend of addressing Murukaṉ as Cevvēḷ, Aṟumuka- and Aṟumukac cevvēḷ is present in Cilappatikaaram. Paripaadal; a collection of lyrics which belong to a varied range of periods give us data resembling those of Cilappatikaaram. 

The names Muruku, Cēy and Vēḷ  are the base forms used as such to denote murukaṉ

Muruku = fragrance 

Cēy = red complexion 

vēḷ = leader in the earth 

Then the names took the form of base + suffix i.e.

Muruku + an = murukaṉ

Cēy + ōn = Ceyyōṉ

where the suffixes -oon and -an are allomorphs that denote masculine singular nouns. The name neṭiyōṉ is formed from the adjective neṭumai  (greatness) and the suffix -ōn. The base form /vel/ was given prefixes which explains the nature of murukaṉ

am + vēḷAvvēḷ (am = beautiful)

viṟal + vēḷviṟalvēḷ  (viṟal = valour)

neṭumai + vēḷneṭuvēḷ (neumai = greatness)

In Cilappathikaaram the way of addressing murukaṉ took a different direction while framing Cevvel from two base forms; 

Cēy(v) + vēḷCevvēḷ.

Likewise the way of addressing murukaṉ took a different dimension; while the mythology of the birth of Murukaṉ as one outspring from six persons came into vogue. In the name aṟumukac cevvēḷ found in Cilappatikaaram the new direction and dimension seems to mingle with each other. 


Places of worship and the holy images enshrined 

There were two types of temples for murukaṉ. They were Kōyil and Kōṭṭam. The author of the epic clearly differentiates Kōyil and Kōṭṭam. Kōyil  is the place of worship where vedic mantras were chanted and offerings were given to the Gods through fire. Kōṭṭam is a place of worship where there was no practice of vedic traditions. Even dead bodies were taken there.

When the festival for Lord Indra began the drum from vaccirakkottam was carried by an elephant in procession. In Airaavatakkottam the festival pillar was erected. In karpakattarukkottam a flag was hoisted to indicate the arrival of the festival. Lord Indra was given the holy bath. So there were vedic mantras chanted and the holy fire lit as per the vedic tradition in the Sivan Kōyil, Balaraman Kōyil, Tirumal Kōyil, Vasavan Kōyil and Aṟumukac cevvēḷ kōyil (cilap.indiravizha. L.141-175). It means that Lord Murukaṉ was enshrined there beautifully with six faces. 

Malathi was a midwife. While she was feeding a brahmin child; the child collapsed due to hiccough. Malathi was scared to face the brahmin and his wife. So she took the corpse of the baby in her hands and went to amarartaruk kōṭṭam, veḷyāṉaik kōṭṭam, nilāk kōṭṭam, uccik kiḻāṉ kōṭṭam, ūrk kōṭṭam, vēl kōṭṭam, puṟampaṇaiyāṉvāḻ kōṭṭam, nikkantak kōṭṭam, vaccirak kōṭṭam and pācaṇṭac cāttaṉ kōṭṭam. She prayed to all the Gods to give life to the dead child. All the temples visited by her were kōṭṭams and vēl kōṭṭam is one among them (cilap.kanaaththiram.11). It should be the temple where vēl  the weapon of Murukaṉ was enshrined and worshipped. Drums were beaten and conch was blown announcing the sunrise in kōḻic cēvaṟ koṭiyōṉ kōṭṭam at Madurai (cilap.uurkaan.10- [temple of He who holds the flag of cock]).

A Murukaṉ Kōṭṭam  is mentioned in Puranaanuuru (puram.299). Though the terms Kōyil  and  Kōṭṭam are not mentioned in Tirumurukaarruppadai the differences between these two types of temples are briefed clearly. Nakkiirar the author lists the Kōyils of Lord Murukaṉ. They are Alaivāy, āvinaṉkuṭi and ērakam. The explanation given for the temple at ஆலவாய் states clearly that one of the faces of Murukaṉ is watching the vēḷvi i.e. the sacrifice done through fire chanting mantras; performed by the brahmins as per the vedic tradition (tirumuru.94-96). The explanation given for āvinaṉkuṭi also has a hint of vēḷvi. Indiran who had finished hundred vēḷvis visited the temple at āvinaṉkuṭi to worship Lord Murukaṉ. This means that the temple of āvinaṉkuṭi also gives way to vedic tradition of worship. All the thirty three crores of tevars came to āvinaṉkuṭi to worship Lord Murukaṉ. They were followers of the vedic cult (ibid.160-167). The temple of ērakam is specified as the place where the brahmins who follow the practice of sacrifice through fire came to worship (ibid.181-188). So these three temples have to be considered as Kōyils as per the explanations given by Cilappatikaaram. 

Then the hillocks, each town where the festival of Murukan was celebrated, places where veṟiyāṭṭu was performed, the forests, gardens, lagoons, banks of rivers, lakes, junctions of three roads or four roads or five roads...


(to be contd.)


SK



kanmani tamil

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Jan 29, 2026, 7:46:59 PM (3 days ago) Jan 29
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The explanation given for the temple at Alaivāy states clearly that one of the faces of Murukaṉ is watching the vēḷvi i.e. the sacrifice done through fire chanting mantras; performed by the brahmins as per the vedic tradition (tirumuru.94-96). The explanation given for āvinaṉkuṭi also has a hint of vēḷvi. Indiran who had finished hundred vēḷvis visited the temple at āvinaṉkuṭi to worship Lord Murukaṉ. This means that the temple of āvinaṉkuṭi also gives way to vedic tradition of worship. All the thirty three crores of tevars came to āvinaṉkuṭi to worship Lord Murukaṉ. They were followers of the vedic cult (ibid.160-167). The temple of ērakam is specified as the place where the brahmins who follow the practice of sacrifice through fire came to worship (ibid.181-188). So these three temples have to be considered as Kōyils as per the explanations given by Cilappatikaaram. 

Then the hillocks, each town where the festival of Murukaṉ was celebrated, places where veṟiyāṭṭu was performed, the forests, gardens, lagoons, banks of rivers, lakes, junctions of three roads or four roads or five roads, putuppūṅ kaṭampu i.e. the blossoming kaṭampu tree, town halls, trees amidst town halls and symbolic pillars for worship are listed in Tirumurukaarruppadai as the places of worship of Murukaṉ  (tirumuru.72-77, 192-247). This long list of places of worship is worthy to be categorised as Kōṭṭams. So there were both Kōyils and Kōṭṭams in Tamilnadu during the period of Cilapatikaaram. 

It was believed that Murukaṉ dwells in the flowered kaṭampu trees. The tree blossoms during the rainy season. There was also the practice of garlanding Murukaṉ with the kaṭampu flowers. References to Murukaṉ associated with the flowers of kaṭampu are already dealt with in this paper (refer: Names and phrases that denote Murukaṉ). alarkaṭampaṉ is a similar phrase found in both Cilappatikaaram and Manimekalai (cilap.kunrak.11& mani.palikkarai.49). Details of Murukaṉ associated with the kaṭampu flowers are found in the eight anthologies and ten idylls (tirumuru.10-11, 225-249; matu.613-614; kuru.3, 87; pari.6-L.55, 19-L.2; kali.101; akam.138). There was the practice of garlanding the kaṭampu tree and worshipping it as Murukaṉ (kali.106; pari.17-L.2-3; kuri.174-177). The flowers were worn by velan who performed the ritual veṟiyāṭṭu (akam.98, 382).

Botanists name this tree wendlandia notaniana (Mathew,K.M.- Illustrations on the flora of the carnatic series- p.349). It's also called wendldndia thyrsoidia by another school of scientists. The kaṭampu flowers are said to be pale yellow in colour with remarkable fragrance (Gamble,J.S.- Flora of the presidency of Madras- p.588). This fact coincides with the term naṟuṅkaṭampu (nar.34 [naṟu = fragrant]). The phrase uruḷiṇark kaṭampu (pari.5-L.81, 21-L.10 [the kaṭampu flowers which resemble the wheel and axle of a chariot]) can be explained on the basis of the type of corolla and androecium of the flowers. They have a tubular corolla with epipetalous stamens which is the reason for the garland of kaṭampu after woven; resembling the wheel and axle of a chariot. 

vēl the weapon of Murukaṉ was enshrined and worshipped in Kōṭṭams. It is a very common factor to find the references of Murukaṉ associated with his vēl. Vēlkōṭṭam where the vēl was enshrined for worship is mentioned before. ceṅkōṭu the hill where Murukaṉ was worshipped is referred also as  Veṉvēlāṉ kuṉṟu (cilap.vaazhttu.s.10- [Hills where He who holds the vēl victoriously is enshrined]). Kovalan the hero of the epic while praising the beauty of his wife Kannaki's eyes explained that they resembled the weapon of Murukaṉ i.e. vēl.

“aṟumuka oruvaṉ…

añcuvaru neṭuvēl oṉṟuniṉ mukattuc 

ceṅkaṭai maḻaikkaṇ iraṇṭā īttatu” (cilap.manaiyaram.49-52 [The uncomparable great vēl 

which frightens the enemies was donated by Murukaṉ to frame your dark eyes with red edges]). 

Murukaṉ who holds the vēl was worshipped in centil, ceṅkōṭu, veṇkuṉṟu and ērakam (cilap.kunrak.s.8). He who has the bright and leaf shaped great vēl dwells in neṭuvēḷ kuṉṟam (cilap. Katturai.189). Because of his vēl; Murukaṉ is addressed as vēlēnti (cilap.kunrak.s.7). Anthologies call Murukaṉ as vēlaṉ, vēlōy, vēlavaṉ as he is holding the weapon vēl (tirumuru.61, 111, 265; kuri.51-53; kali.27, 104, 105; pari.14-L.18). The weapon is described as being bright and leaf shaped (akam.59).

There were Murukaṉ temples in centil, ceṅkōṭu, veṇkuṉṟu and ērakam. The women of the hills sang and danced in praise of those four temple towns. The hill ceṅkōṭu is given various names viz. neṭuvēḷ kuṉṟam, veṉvēlāṉ kuṉṟu and mañcucūḻ cōlaimalai in Cilappatikaaram (cilap.katturai.195, kunrak.s.3, kaatcik.7-8, varantaru.53-59, vaazhttuk.s.10). A series of events mentioned in the story of Kannaki is said to have happened here. The famous temple of Murukaṉ in centil is mentioned in the anthologies also (puram.55; akam.266). The appearance of Murukaṉ there is described in detail in Tirumurukaarruppadai (tirumuru.109-125). He is sitting on the elephant with six faces and twelve arms. The other name used for this town is alaivāy; as it is situated on the sea shore (alai = waves). Tirumurukaarruppadai speaks in praise of ērakam also. Details about the Murukan temple there have been discussed already. 

The present name for the temple town centil is tiruccentūr. Even now Murukaṉ enshrined there is called Centllaandavar. The hill ceṅkōṭu has been identified at present in the Curuli hills which is a part of the stretch of Palani hills (Raakavaiyangaar,Mu.- Ceran Cenguttuvan- p.91 footnote; Govindarajan,C.- ‘Kannaki Kottam’- Tamizharacu- August 1972). The place is called Vengaikkaanal now. It is very near to the place of origin of the rivers Vaikai and Periyaar. veṇkuṉṟu is a small hillock with two cave temples 80kms. from  Chennai. The hillock is called tavaḷakiri now (tavalam = white i.e. venmai; Giri = kunru = hill). The village adjoining the hillock is called veṇkuṉṟu. There are many controversial ideas regarding ērakam as Swamimalai (
pattup.part-I p.92; Raasamaanikkanaar,Maa.- Pattuppaattaaraaycci-p.130; cilap.Arumpatauraiyum Adiyaarkkunallaar uraiyum-p.512).


Arts related to the cult of Murukan 


Some dances and music related to the cult of Murukaṉ are found in Cilappatikaaram. Both dance and music are paired in each art related to the cult. 


kuṉṟakkuravai

It is a group dance; the subject of which is love and victorious deeds. It is an akakkūttu and falls under the category potuviyal. It is a vinōtakkūttu performed by the women of the hills. It is a varikkūttu and a part of it resembles a vacaikkūttu also. The performance as a whole is an iyalpukkūttu

There is a chapter named kuṉṟakkuravai in Cilappatikaaram. The women of the hills perform a group dance in that chapter. As they are common folk who belong to a community lower than the brahmins, kshatriyas and vysyas the dance performed by them is a vinōtakkūttu. The dances are classified on the basis of various strategies by the early grammarians. Adiyaarkkunallaar in his commentary on araṅkēṟṟukātai mentions seven twin types of dances. The twins cāntikkūttu and vinōtakkūttu are one among them. They were categorised on the basis of the clan of people who perform them. Early grammarians who laid down the rules for dances quoted by Adiyaarkkunallaar have said that iḻikulattōr i.e. the people of the lower community only perform dances like kuravai, tōlpāvai (dance of the dolls made from the skins of animals) etc. and they are the items of vinōtakkūttu.  (cilap. Arumpatavuraiyum Adiyaarkkunallaar uraiyum- p.80-90).

There was no king or his kith and kin to witness the dance. So it is a potuviyal item. The twin dances vēttiyal and potuviyal are differentiated on the basis of the audience. Those which are performed for the common folk are categorised as potuviyal (ibid.). 

All the songs of kuṉṟakkuravai are composed in Tamil. So it is an iyalpukkūttu. The twin dances iyalpukkūttu and tēcikkūttu are not explained in detail by Adiyaarkkunallaar. But we have to come to a conclusion that the classification is based on the diction of the songs sung during the dances. As tēcikam means words which do not have a Tamil origin (Kazhakat Tamizhakaraati-p.571); dances accompanied by Tamil songs without foreign words are called iyalpukkūttu . The words of Tamil origin are called iyarcol (iyal + col = iyaṟcol; col = word).  

The twins varikkūttu and variccāntikkūttu are differentiated according to the folk and classical elements present in the dances. Adiyaarkkunallaar the commentator states clearly that kuravai is a varikkūttu. It is mentioned as one among the varikkūttus listed in an old anonymous song quoted by him. It gives many varieties that fall under folklore accompanied by songs (cilap. Arumpatavuraiyum Adiyaarkkunallaar uraiyum- p.80-90). There are many folk elements present in the songs of kuṉṟakkuravai to prove the fact that it is a performance art of varikkūttu. The following songs deal with love. The women took bath in the spring of the hills and started dancing kuravai.

eṟṟoṉṟum kāṇēm pulattal avarmalaik 

kaṟṟīṇṭi vanta putuppuṉal 

kaṟṟīṇṭi vanta putuppuṉal maṟṟaiyārar

uṟṟāṭiṉ nōm tōḻi neñcaṉṟē” (cilap.kunrak.s.4- [Friend! The waters of the spring descend 

flowing from the rocks in the hills of my lover. I found no reason to be in a tiff with this water. If others enjoy bathing in this spring my heart aches.])

eṉṉoṉṟum kāṇēm pulattal avarmalaip 

poṉṉāṭi vanta putuppuṉal

poṉṉāṭi vanta putuppuṉal maṟṟaiyār 

muṉṉāṭiṉ nōm tōḻi neñcaṉṟē” (ibid.5- [Friend! The waters of the spring reach here after 

crossing the valuables on this hill. I found no reason to be in a tiff with this water. If somebody else bathe before myself; my heart aches.]) 

yātoṉṟum kāṇēm pulattal avarmalaip 

pōtāṭi vanta putuppuṉal

pōtāṭi vanta putuppuṉal maṟṟaiyār 

mītāṭiṉ nōm tōḻi neñcaṉṟē” (ibid.6 [Friend! The waters of the spring come running with 

the blossoms of the hill. I find no reason to be in a tiff with this water. If someone else bathe in the fragrant water flowing; my heart aches.])


(to be contd.)


SK

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