Maduraikanchi (Tamil: மதுரைக் காஞ்சி), [1] is an ancient Tamil poem in the Sangam literature.[2] It is a didactic poem and its title connotes the "poetic counsel addressed to the king of Madurai".[3] Composed by Mankuti Marutanar – probably the chief court poet of the Pandya king Nedunjeliyan II, the Maduraikkāñci is the sixth poem in the Pattuppāṭṭu anthology.[4] The poem is generally dated to the late classical period (2nd to 4th century CE).[5]
Maduraikkanci is the longest poem in the Pattuppāṭṭu collection with 782 lines of poetry. Many of the verses are in akaval meter and others in vanci meter.[2] It is a detailed description of life and bustle in the ancient city of Madurai.[2] The poem praises the king for all his accomplishments and strengths. Embedded indirectly within the poem is the poet's counsel to the king on justice, the impermanence of everything in life, and the proper rule of the kingdom.[6]
In addition to Madurai, the poem is another source of historic information about the Tamil region. It mentions seaports in the neithal coastline, the prosperous marutham farms, the hilly kurinchi region, the palai arid area.[6] Madurai is described as the capital city with fortified gates, broad streets, mansions and big markets. The Maduraikkanci presents the social and economic life of the city in five sections, under the following subheadings: morning, evening, dusk, night, and dawn.[6] The morning market is described as busy with throngs of people of various creed, race and languages. Elephant- and horse-pulled chariots carry the elite and the soldiers through the streets.[6]
The city has many temples, families buy and carry votive offerings to the gods in these temples, and inside these temples are musicians playing various styles of music, according to Maduraikkanci. Newly married women pray inside the temple, light lamps and make offerings to the goddesses, to be blessed with children.[6] Women wear flowers in their hair and jewelry when they visit the temples and markets. The temples are officiated by priestesses. Men dance inside Murugan temples. The Brahmins chant the Vedas.[6] The bards sing in the street about wars and victories, people listen and make donations. Mahouts host elephants and feed them fodder. The shopkeepers stock their shops and clean their floors, then smear them with a coating of cow dung.[6] Watchmen announce the hour. The city has a zoo, while from the trees the birds sing and invite their mates.[7] Women participate in agricultural and economic activity.[8]
The Maduraikkanci describes a well-structured administration in Madurai. The king had ministers, officials and judges, who wore turbans. Patrolmen and soldiers watched the streets, collected tolls and protected the traders from acts of theft.[7][9] The city is described largely in terms of its markets and temples. Lines 497 to 511 allude to gods and goddesses in these temples with iconographic items of Hinduism. Vishnu is called the ruler of the three worlds and it identifies Rama and Krishna as his incarnations, Shiva (Rudra) is alluded to with "god who wields the battle-ax", while Vishnu is alluded to with "god who protects the world". City gates had symbols of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and Vishnu's wife.[10] A bathing festival with ritual dip in the waters to "cleanse their sins" is mentioned in the poem. Chanting of the Vedas is mentioned in lines 512–518,[10] as is the presence of Jain monks and Buddhist monasteries alluded to in lines 519–528 and elsewhere in the poem.[2][11] The lines related to the Vedas, states Chelliah, alludes to the jivanmukta ideology found in Hinduism.[12]
^Ramaswamy, Vijaya (1989). "Aspects of women and work in early South India". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 26 (1). SAGE Publications: 81–99. doi:10.1177/001946468902600104. S2CID 143766297.
^P Madhava Soma Sundaram; K Jaishankar; E Enanalap Periyar (2019). "11. Crime and Justice in Ancient South India (Sangam Age)". In K. Jaishankar (ed.). Routledge Handbook of South Asian Criminology. Taylor & Francis. pp. 175–181. ISBN978-1-00-030088-8.
^JV Chelliah 1946, pp. 226–227, p. 259 "They feel they are one with the Universe, and reach for high heaven while yet they are on earth, they never depart from virtue, love all life, and live a saintly life of joy supreme.".
Bibliographyedit
JV Chelliah (1946). Pattupattu - Ten Tamil Idylls (Tamil Verses with Englilsh Translation). Tamil University (1985 print).
Edward Jewitt Robinson (2001). Tamil Wisdom: Traditions Concerning Hindu Sages and Selections from Their Writings. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
Mudaliyar, Singaravelu A., Apithana Cintamani, An encyclopaedia of Tamil Literature, (1931) - Reprinted by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi (1983)
Pillai, M. S. Purnalingam (1994). Tamil Literature. Asian Educational Services. p. 115. ISBN81-206-0955-7.
Ray, Himanshu Prabha (2003). The archaeology of seafaring in ancient South Asia. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. ISBN9780521011099.
Selby, Martha Ann (2011) Tamil Love Poetry: The Five Hundred Short Poems of the Aiṅkuṟunūṟu, an Early Third-Century Anthology. Columbia University Press, ISBN9780231150651
Takanobu Takahashi (1995). Tamil Love Poetry and Poetics. BRILL Academic. ISBN90-04-10042-3.
Kamil Zvelebil (1973). The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India. BRILL. ISBN90-04-03591-5.
Kamil Zvelebil (1974). Tamil Literature. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN978-3-447-01582-0.
maturaikkāñci, topics, sangam, literature, sangam, literature, agattiyam, tolkāppiyam, eighteen, greater, texts, eight, anthologies, aiṅkurunūṟu, akanāṉūṟu, puṟanāṉūṟu, kalittokai, kuṟuntokai, natṟiṇai, paripāṭal, patiṟṟuppattu, idylls, tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, ku. Topics in Sangam literature Sangam literature Agattiyam Tolkappiyam Eighteen Greater Texts Eight Anthologies Aiṅkurunuṟu Akanaṉuṟu Puṟanaṉuṟu Kalittokai Kuṟuntokai Natṟiṇai Paripaṭal Patiṟṟuppattu Ten Idylls Tirumurukaṟṟuppaṭai Kuṟincippaṭṭu Malaipaṭukaṭam Maturaikkanci Mullaippaṭṭu Neṭunalvaṭai Paṭṭiṉappalai Perumpaṇaṟṟuppaṭai Poruṇaraṟṟuppaṭai Ciṟupaṇaṟṟuppaṭai Related topics Sangam Sangam landscape Tamil history from Sangam literature Ancient Tamil music Eighteen Lesser Texts Nalaṭiyar Naṉmaṇikkaṭikai Iṉṉa Naṟpatu Iṉiyavai Naṟpatu Kar Naṟpatu Kaḷavaḻi Naṟpatu Aintiṇai Aimpatu Tiṉaimoḻi Aimpatu Aintinai Eḻupatu Tiṇaimalai Nuṟṟaimpatu Tirukkuṟaḷ Tirikaṭukam Acarakkōvai Paḻamoḻi Naṉuṟu Ciṟupancamulam Mutumoḻikkanci Elati Kainnilai Bhakti Literature Naalayira Divya Prabandham Ramavataram Tevaram Tirumuṟai edit Maduraikanchi Tamil மத ர க க ஞ ச 1 is an ancient Tamil poem in the Sangam literature 2 It is a didactic poem and its title connotes the poetic counsel addressed to the king of Madurai 3 Composed by Mankuti Marutanar probably the chief court poet of the Pandya king Nedunjeliyan II the Maduraikkanci is the sixth poem in the Pattuppaṭṭu anthology 4 The poem is generally dated to the late classical period 2nd to 4th century CE 5 Maduraikkanci is the longest poem in the Pattuppaṭṭu collection with 782 lines of poetry Many of the verses are in akaval meter and others in vanci meter 2 It is a detailed description of life and bustle in the ancient city of Madurai 2 The poem praises the king for all his accomplishments and strengths Embedded indirectly within the poem is the poet s counsel to the king on justice the impermanence of everything in life and the proper rule of the kingdom 6 In addition to Madurai the poem is another source of historic information about the Tamil region It mentions seaports in the neithal coastline the prosperous marutham farms the hilly kurinchi region the palai arid area 6 Madurai is described as the capital city with fortified gates broad streets mansions and big markets The Maduraikkanci presents the social and economic life of the city in five sections under the following subheadings morning evening dusk night and dawn 6 The morning market is described as busy with throngs of people of various creed race and languages Elephant and horse pulled chariots carry the elite and the soldiers through the streets 6 The city has many temples families buy and carry votive offerings to the gods in these temples and inside these temples are musicians playing various styles of music according to Maduraikkanci Newly married women pray inside the temple light lamps and make offerings to the goddesses to be blessed with children 6 Women wear flowers in their hair and jewelry when they visit the temples and markets The temples are officiated by priestesses Men dance inside Murugan temples The Brahmins chant the Vedas 6 The bards sing in the street about wars and victories people listen and make donations Mahouts host elephants and feed them fodder The shopkeepers stock their shops and clean their floors then smear them with a coating of cow dung 6 Watchmen announce the hour The city has a zoo while from the trees the birds sing and invite their mates 7 Women participate in agricultural and economic activity 8 The Maduraikkanci describes a well structured administration in Madurai The king had ministers officials and judges who wore turbans Patrolmen and soldiers watched the streets collected tolls and protected the traders from acts of theft 7 9 The city is described largely in terms of its markets and temples Lines 497 to 511 allude to gods and goddesses in these temples with iconographic items of Hinduism Vishnu is called the ruler of the three worlds and it identifies Rama and Krishna as his incarnations Shiva Rudra is alluded to with god who wields the battle ax while Vishnu is alluded to with god who protects the world City gates had symbols of Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and Vishnu s wife 10 A bathing festival with ritual dip in the waters to cleanse their sins is mentioned in the poem Chanting of the Vedas is mentioned in lines 512 518 10 as is the presence of Jain monks and Buddhist monasteries alluded to in lines 519 528 and elsewhere in the poem 2 11 The lines related to the Vedas states Chelliah alludes to the jivanmukta ideology found in Hinduism 12 See also editTen Idylls Eighteen Greater Texts Sangam literatureReferences edit JV Chelliah 1946 p 221 a b c d Kamil Zvelebil 1974 pp 60 61 Kamil Zvelebil 1973 pp 58 59 Kamil Zvelebil 1973 pp 29 58 Zvelebil Kamil 1973 The Smile of Murugan On Tamil Literature of South India BRILL ISBN 978 90 04 03591 1 a b c d e f g JV Chelliah 1946 pp 221 225 a b JV Chelliah 1946 pp 224 226 Ramaswamy Vijaya 1989 Aspects of women and work in early South India The Indian Economic amp Social History Review 26 1 SAGE Publications 81 99 doi 10 1177 001946468902600104 S2CID 143766297 P Madhava Soma Sundaram K Jaishankar E Enanalap Periyar 2019 11 Crime and Justice in Ancient South India Sangam Age In K Jaishankar ed Routledge Handbook of South Asian Criminology Taylor amp Francis pp 175 181 ISBN 978 1 00 030088 8 a b JV Chelliah 1946 pp 226 227 JV Chelliah 1946 p 259 with footnote 2 JV Chelliah 1946 pp 226 227 p 259 They feel they are one with the Universe and reach for high heaven while yet they are on earth they never depart from virtue love all life and live a saintly life of joy supreme Bibliography edit JV Chelliah 1946 Pattupattu Ten Tamil Idylls Tamil Verses with Englilsh Translation Tamil University 1985 print Edward Jewitt Robinson 2001 Tamil Wisdom Traditions Concerning Hindu Sages and Selections from Their Writings New Delhi Asian Educational Services Mudaliyar Singaravelu A Apithana Cintamani An encyclopaedia of Tamil Literature 1931 Reprinted by Asian Educational Services New Delhi 1983 Pillai M S Purnalingam 1994 Tamil Literature Asian Educational Services p 115 ISBN 81 206 0955 7 Ray Himanshu Prabha 2003 The archaeology of seafaring in ancient South Asia Cambridge Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge ISBN 9780521011099 Selby Martha Ann 2011 Tamil Love Poetry The Five Hundred Short Poems of the Aiṅkuṟunuṟu an Early Third Century Anthology Columbia University Press ISBN 9780231150651 Takanobu Takahashi 1995 Tamil Love Poetry and Poetics BRILL Academic ISBN 90 04 10042 3 Kamil Zvelebil 1973 The Smile of Murugan On Tamil Literature of South India BRILL ISBN 90 04 03591 5 Kamil Zvelebil 1974 Tamil Literature Otto Harrassowitz Verlag ISBN 978 3 447 01582 0 Zvelebil Kamil 1992 Companion studies to the history of Tamil literature BRILL p 73 ISBN 90 04 09365 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maturaikkanci amp oldid 1176509212, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
