Indian Antiquary Vol 61

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 18

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1932
Paninirum tannêyum pôôsunnundu Rose water is sprayed over, Viralippattil potiññu ketti
And the body is covered with costly silk, Ammåvane tanne ituttavarum
And carried Chotalayil tanne vekkunnundu And placed upon the pyre. Atutâne kanunnu mahijananna! All the men assembled witness this Ennayum neyyum orichchavar And pour oil and ghi over the pyre, Chotalayum katti eriññupôyi
Which is set on fire and is well burnt. Annatto karmam kasichavarum
Thus performing the ceremonies of the day, Vannajanannal Mahajanasia!
The men assembled Okkeyum tanne piriññupôyi
All disperse. Unikkonar exhorts Unichandror that they must perform the obsequies with befitting pomp, and all friends and relations are accordingly informed of the date of the seventh day ceremony. On that day men assemble from all parts, and the ceremonies begin with the rites at the cremation ground. Unikkona: begins to collect the bones, when Uņichandror claims presence on grounds of seniority, and a quarrel soon develops. No settlement of the dispute being in sight, the elders decide to consult the mothers, who on being called are unable to solve the question, saying that as they were in the throes of labour they had no recollection as to who was born first. The midwife is then sent for, and she dleposes that Uņikkônår was born at night and Uņichandrôr the next morning. The latter not being prepared to accept this verdict, the bitterness increases. A compromise is, however, arrived at to enable the rites to be proceeded with, and the ceremonies of the sixteenth day are also performed peacefully, both exercising equal privileges. The ceremonies, however, by no means ended the strife, which was carried on with great malice by Usichandror. As an instance of the ridiculous extent to which Uņichandrør carried the feud, is mentioned his prevailing on a fisherman of the place to send as a gift of fish to Uņikkônår, the fins, entrails, head and tail of a fish made up into a bundle. Uņikkônår's mother, glad at the gift of fish, takes a vessel and the fish knife and unties the bundle, when she is shocked to see the contents. She calls her son and rebukes him. The latter at once runs to the fisherman and belabours him for his wanton insult. The wife of the fisherman hastens to Unichandrôr and begs for protection. Uņichandrôr rallies his men and goes to fight against Unikkonar. Both sides lose heavily, and the matter reaches the ears of the naduvdri and desavari, who appear on the scene. Unable to effect a reconciliation, the naduva ri pronounces that a settle. ment being impossible, the decision will be left to the judgment of God, and accordingly declares that a packet of gold and a packet of silver will be kept on the threshold of the temple of Trippankkôtappen, and whoever goes blindfold and takes the gold packet will rule as the elder and whoever gets the silver packet will be the younger. When everything is ready, Uņichandrör rushes and takes one of the packets which turns out to be silver. Mortified at this, he ascribes his discomfiture to the partiality of the god, saying that whether he got the silver or the gold packet he is the elder. Failing in this the naduvdri awards the final verdict, that the dispute shall be fought out at an anjam, 13 and directs each party to collect combatants to fight for their cause
Nallanga chekavareli têdikko!vin Be on the look out for competent chekavare. Angampitichchu joyikkunnorkku Whoever wins in the angam or fight Annette muppátum vânirikkam H e shall rule as the elder.
(To be continued.)
13 Argam, 'fight,' battle,' duel,' 'challenge. Duel as the ordeal for Nayars was a royal privi. lege for which each combatant had to pay ; sometimes fought by hired champions. (Gundert : A Malayalam and English Dictionary, p. 7.) The fight which is the subject of this story is of the latter type, as it is fought by champions engaged by either party. Tho angam is further described below.
14 Chekavar.-From Malayalam chekam, alvam, słoakam, service,' chiefly about the king's porson (one of the Ilavar caste). [Gundort, p. 388.]