and sent her to the arms of her lover, to which she went with trepidation."1 It will be noticed that in this ancient Tamil rite of marriage there is absolutely nothing Aryan, no lighting of fire, no circumambulation of fire, and no priest to receive dakṣiṇā. Another ode in the same anthology refers also to the wedding-rite. "White rice, well cooked and with plenty of ghi, was served to the elders with stintless generosity. The omens shown by the birds were propitious. The broad sky shone bright. The moon was in faultless conjunction with the Rohiṇi asterism. The marriage-house was decked. They worshipped God. The big drums resounded with wedding tunes. Excited women were peeping winklessly with their flower-like eyes at the bride who had been bathed (and decorated). The image (to be worshipped) of big flower-petals, clear like a gem that has been well washed, was placed on the soft vāgai flower with the double leaf whose back-side is bright, and the aṛugai grass which grows in low land when the roaring clouds pour the first rain and which is eaten by calves. It was decked with cool, sweet flower buds and white thread, clothed with holy cloth, so as to look grand. The bride (was seated) under a pandal, on the floor of which sand was strewn, looking as if rain-drops had fallen. She was perspiring with her load of ornaments. (They fanned her) to dry the wet. Then her relatives gave her away".2 VI. The Gods The following reading is from P. T. SRINIVASA AIYANGAR, History of the Tamils from the Earliest Times to 600 A.D., Madras, 1929, pages 463 to 467. INTO THE POEMS very slowly entered chiefly by way of allusions Northern (Āryan) ideas, concepts, beliefs and superstitions. These are found mostly in the odes composed by the latest poets. The total number of such Āryan intrusions are very few when compared with the genuine Tamil ideas, customs and beliefs. I have gathered the former together in this chapter from the Agam and the Puṛam where they are chiefly found. śivan is referred to once in the Agam and five times in the Puṛam. One reference is to His helping the Devas to victory by shooting the three forts (of the Asuras) with a single ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1Agam 86, 1-22. 2Agam 136, 2-8. |