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A grown-up boy and a girl, who like each other, would find pleasure in stealing moments of secluded togetherness. This used to be the initial stage in the ‘love-life’ of Tamils, when they come of age. A friend (female) of the girl would help the two in getting their secret meetings materialise. When the rumours about the affair start spreading, the friend would advise the boy to initiate efforts for the formal social recognition of his relationship with the girl. This stage is named as ‘களவு ஒழுக்கம்’ and the married life that follows is described as ‘கற்பு ஒழுக்கம்’.
The excitement and fascination, the exchange of glances communicating love, the joys of hugging, the words of praise, the loss of shame, the spread of rumours - these become the themes of களவியல்.
A few couplets dealing with these themes are discussed in this section.