LESSON - 1

D01131 - Sirupaanaatrupadai-1

This lesson offers a general introduction to ‘Pathupaattu’ in Sangam literature. It then offers an insight into ‘Sirupaanaatrupadai’, one of the texts in ‘Pathupaattu.’ Sangam literature comprises two major collection of poems- i.e. ‘Pathupaattu’ (The Ten Idylls) and ‘Ettuthogai’, (the Eight Anthologies). The classification was based on the length of the poems. The poems that fall under ‘Pathupaattu’ are long, while those that belong to ‘Ettuthogai’ are short.

As the name implies, ‘Pathupaattu’ is an anthology of ten idylls or songs. They are ‘Thirumurugaatrupadai’, ‘Porunaraatrupadai’, ‘Sirupaanaatrupadai’, ‘Perumpaannaatrupadai’, ‘Kootharaatrupadai’ which is also known as ‘Malaipadukadaam’, ‘Mullaipaatu’, ‘Kurinjipaatu’, ‘Maduraikanji’, ‘Nedunelvadai’ and ‘Pattinapaalai.’

The lesson gives details of the poets who authored these idylls; the names of kings, patrons or gods on whom these songs were sung; the number of verses in each idyll and the meter. The texts or idylls under ‘Pathupaattu’ can be broadly classified into 3 types: ‘aatrupadai’ texts, ‘agam’ texts and ‘puram’ texts. The 5 aatrupadai texts, come under puram category.

‘Aatrupadai’ is an important genre in Tamil poetry. ‘Aaru’ denotes ‘path’ and ‘padai’ means ‘to lead’ or ‘to direct.’ Thus the term ‘aatrupadai’ signifies the act of guiding or leading someone. It means ‘showing the path.’ The panars or wandering minstrels, who were fortunate enough to receive gifts from a generous king or patron for praising him, guide the other panars to the same king assuring that they would also benefit from the king’s munificence. Thus, a poor panan who has received gifts, leads the other poor panars. He extols the virtues of his patron and describes the way to reach the kingdom. This is the theme of the attrupadai texts.

The 5 aatrupadai texts in ‘Pathupaattu’ are ‘Thirumurugaatrupadai’, ‘Porunaraatrupadai’, ‘Sirupaanaatrupadai’, ‘Perumpaannaatrupadai’ and ‘Kootharaatrupadai’ also known as ‘Malaipadukadaam’. The lesson offers a brief overview of these 5 texts.

The agam texts deal with themes of love, courtship and marriage. There are four agam texts in ‘Pathupaattu’. They are ‘Mullaipaattu’, ‘Kurinjipaattu’, ‘pattinappalai’ and ‘Nedunalvadai’. Again, the lesson summarizes the predominant themes of each of these agam texts.

Puram texts speak of war, politics, courage, charity and codes of conduct. There is one puram text in ‘Pathupaattu’ and it is ‘Maduraikanji’. It deals with the transience of life.

‘Sirupaanaatrupadai’ is the third idyll in ‘Pathupaattu’. It is written in a meter called ‘asiriyappa’ and comprises 269 lines. It was sung by a Sangam poet called Nallur Nathathanaar in praise of the generosity of a king called Nalliyakkodan who ruled over Oyma Naadu. Nathathanaar belonged to a town called Nallur in the kingdom of Idaikazhinaadu. Nachinaarkiniyar has written the commentaries for the text.

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