Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 25

JANUARY, 1923)
THE MULLAIPAI TU
THE MULLAIPĀTTU. (An Ancient Tamil Idyll.)
BY J. M. SOJASUNDRAM, B.A. The Tholledppiyam, the oldest and best Tamil Grammar extant and the most precious mine of information on the ancient Tamils, has a chapter on the Porul, or song of love and war, creating a series of laws for a correct' construction of life. In this it has been followed by the latest orthodox grammars.
In the first place a porul must consist of akam or internal subject and puram or external subiect. That is to say, the akam is concerned with love between two human souls brought together providentially or by chance, their joys and sorrows, hopes and fears their love undergoing no change whatever in the various vicissitudes of life. While the puram is concerned with nearly all the activities of human society primarily with war and the martial exploits of the people.
In the next place, for the purposes of a porul, the Tamil Country is divided into four divisions called thinai, vix., Kurinji (hill), Mullai (forest), Marutham (cultivated plain), Neithal (sea-board). Later a fifth, Pälai (desert) was added. Each of the above divisions is held to have its own characteristics as to outward features and setting, flora, fauna and climate, and as to inhabitants and their occupation and character. The people and chiefs, too, in each had special names; and further, the lovers in each had their peculiar and appropriate states of mind and behaviour, governed by surroundings, the time of the day and the season of the year. All this could never, however, be strictly adhered to, and a mingling of feelings and behaviour common to the whole world is not uncommonly met with in the songs.
In this way, the distinctive behaviour expected of a lover was illicit or secret union among the Kuravars of the hills (Kurinji), patience among the Idayers of the forests (Mullai, the divi sion we are now concerned with), sulks among the Ulavar of the cultivated plains (Marutham), pining among the Paravars of the sea-board (Neithal), and separation among the Maravars or Vedars of the deserts (Palai). Each division had its special deity. Muruga for the hill folk. Mal (Vishnu) for the forest folk, Indra for the agriculturist of the plains (Maruthamåkkal), Varuņa for the fishermen of the sea-board, and Durgå for the hunters of the deserts, for which term read jungles. Each division had, of course, its own peouliar occupations and marriage customs, determined by heredity and environment.
The main points requisite for the correct' setting of a porul, or ancient Tamil song of love and war, may be tabulated as follows:
Thinai or District.
Description of District,
Deity 1- of District.
People of District.
Description of People.
Characteristic attitude of Lovers,
1. Kurinji .. Hill tracts ..Muruga .. Kursvar .. Wild hillmen. Secret or Illicit
union. 2. Mullai .. Forests .. Mäl (Vishnu) Idayer Forest herds. Patience.
men. 3. Marutham. Cultivated Indra .. Ulavar (Ma. Cultivators..Sulks. plains.
ruthamik 4. Neithal .. Sea-board .. Varuņa .. Paravar ..Fishermen, Pining.
seamen and
merchants. 3. Palai .. Desert Durga Maravar or Huntsmen .. Separation.
Vedar.
kal).
Ma
jungles.