Lesson 4

D02134 Vanchi Tinai

    This lesson highlights the various aspects of
‘Vanchi tinai’. ‘Vanchi’ is the third ‘tinai’ listed in
‘Puraporul Venba Malai’. ‘Vanchi tinai’ is the parallel
of ‘ mullai tinai’ in agam literature. ‘Vanchi tinai’
codifies the ‘vanchi ozhukkam’ in the context of
war.‘Vanchi ozhukkam’ concerns wars waged    by
kings in order to expand their kingdom or to subdue
a rebellious neighbouring king who refuses to pay
tax. The ‘maravars’ or soldiers who set out to
capture an enemy kingdom wear ‘vanchi’ flowers
as a symbol of aggression.‘Vanchi tinai’ enumerates
the various stages in such an attack and sets down
the behaviour appropriate in this context. There are
20 ‘turais’ in ‘vanchi tinai’.The 20‘turais’ describe the
successive stages in the whole process of attacking
an enemy kingdom for territorial expansion. Beginning
with the thundering war cries that arise when the
vanchi maravars get ready for the war, the various
turais trace the progress of the battle to its
triumphant end. Some turais also portray important
scenes from the battle field.The vanchi ozhukkam
codified through some of these turais are:

• ‘Vanchi aravam’which describes the resounding war
cries that split the skies when the different battalions
get ready for war.

• ‘Kudai nilai’, ‘vaal nilai’ and ‘kottravai nilai’ which
speak of the rituals that are     performed by the
king on behalf of his troops before they set out to
the battle field. These rituals signify good omen and
are performed to invoke the blessings of god.

• ‘Kottra vanchi’, ‘kottra vallai’, ‘peraan vanchi’ and
‘maaraaya vanchi’ that describe the virtues of the
‘vanchi’ king. His greatness, valour and munificence
towards the ‘vanchi maravars’ are extolled.

• ‘Nedumozhi vanchi’ and ‘mudumozhi vanchi’ that are
about the courage of the ‘ vanchi’ soldiers and the
greatness of their ancestors.

• The ‘ vanchi maravars’ who set fire to the towns
they capture and plunder all the     wealth. The 2
‘turais’ - ‘uzhapula vanchi’ and ‘mazhapula vanchi’
depict this.

• It was customary for ‘Paanars’ or wandering
minstrels to enter the battlefield,and sing in praise
of the king who won the war. In return, the king
showered gifts on them. This is the theme of
‘kodai vanchi’.

• Fearing the might of the ‘vanchi’ king and
concerned about the safety of his subjects, the
enemy king sometimes brings the war to a quick end
by agreeing to the terms of the ‘vanchi king’.This
is described in ‘kuru vanchi’.

• ‘Oruthani nilai’ and ‘thazhinji’ which mirror the
emotions and feelings of individual soldiers in the
middle of the battlefield.

• The encampment of the ‘vanchi’ king, the
atmosphere surrounding it and the emotional state of
the ‘vanchi’ king who is in command there are
described in ‘paasarai turai’.

• ‘Peruvanchi’ that speaks of the uncontrollable anger
of the vanchi king towards his enemy.

• In order to boost the morale of his troops and
to show his love for them, the ‘vanchi’ king partakes
of the food cooked for them.This is the theme of
‘perunchotrunilai’.

• ‘Nallisai vanchi’ which celebrates the greatness of
the triumphant ‘vanchi’ king and these are the turais
of vanchi tinai.